Neo4j Getting Started

Neo4j is the world’s leading Graph Database. It is a high performance graph store with all the features expected of a mature and robust database, like a friendly query language and ACID transactions. The programmer works with a flexible network structure of nodes and relationships rather than static tables — yet enjoys all the benefits of enterprise-quality database. For many applications, Neo4j offers orders of magnitude performance benefits compared to relational DBs.

If you have installed Websoft9 Neo4j, the following steps is for your quick start

Preparation

1. Get the Internet IP of your Server on Cloud
2. Check your Inbound of Security Group Rule of Cloud Console to ensure the TCP:80,7687 is allowed
3. Complete Five steps for Domain if you want to use Domain for Neo4j
4. Get default username and password of Neo4j

Neo4j Initialization

Steps for you

1. Use SSH to connect Neo4j Server, run the command cypher-shell, you should input your username and password for this command.(Don't known password?)

   $cypher-shell
   username: neo4j
   password: *****
   Connected to Neo4j 4.1.0 at neo4j://localhost:7687 as user neo4j.
   Type :help for a list of available commands or :exit to exit the shell.
   Note that Cypher queries must end with a semicolon.
   neo4j@neo4j>

2. Run the command CALL dbms.showCurrentUser(); to show all users

   neo4j@neo4j> CALL dbms.showCurrentUser();
   +--------------------------+
   | username | roles | flags |
   +--------------------------+
   | "neo4j"  | admin  | []    |
   +--------------------------+
   1 row available after 22 ms, consumed after another 1 ms

3. Try the GUI tool Neo4j Browser(Neo4j Browser)

More useful Neo4j guide, please refer to Neo4j Documentation

Having trouble?

Below is for you to solve problem, and you can contact Websoft9 Support or refer to Troubleshoot + FAQ to get more.

I can visit Neo4j Browser but database connection error?

Your TCP:7687 of Security Group Rules is not allowed so that Neo4j Browser can't connect Neo4j from this port

WhyNeo4j Browser roles is null?

Neo4j Community Edition not support roles

Neo4j QuickStart

We will provide a quick guide for you to use Neo4j Browser, you can get a complete data analysis.

Use sample data for analysis

You can use the sample Movie Graph on the Neo4j Browser console for the following steps:

• Create data
• Query node
• Solve relationship

1. Login to Neo4j Browser

2. Open:【Sample Scripts】>【Example Graphs】>【Movie Graph】, click 【Create】icon at 2/8

3. You can see the relationship graph

4. Complete the more steps

Create data for analysis

1. Login Neo4j Browser, run the following command to create Node data

   create (n:Person { name: 'Tom Hanks', born: 1956 }) return n;
   create (n:Person { name: 'Robert Zemeckis', born: 1951 }) return n;
   create (n:Movie { title: 'Forrest Gump', released: 1951 }) return n;

   

2. Run the query command to show graph

   match(n) return n;

   

3. Create relationship by the following command

   MATCH (a:Person),(b:Movie)
   WHERE a.name = 'Robert Zemeckis' AND b.title = 'Forrest Gump'
   CREATE (a)-[r:DIRECTED]->(b)
   RETURN r;

4. Run the query match(n) return n;

Import data for analysis

Refer to ：KGData Industry Graph Data

Neo4j Setup

Enable remote connection

1. Check Inbound of Security Group Rule of Cloud Console to ensure the 7687 allowed

2. Check Neo4j configuration file have accept all IP connection(0.0.0.0 mean allowed)

   # With default configuration Neo4j only accepts local connections.
   # To accept non-local connections, uncomment this line:
   dbms.default_listen_address=0.0.0.0

Manage Users

First you can read the official docs: User and role management to get basic knowledge.

The following is some useful command for user management:

# Show all users
SHOW USERS;

# Create new user

# Show all users
SHOW USERS;
CALL dbms.security.listUsers();

# Create new user, the third parameter is requridchangepassword 
CALL dbms.security.createUser('username','password',false);

# Delete user
CALL dbms.security.deleteUser('username');   

GUI

Neo4j have some useful GUI tools, include web-based and desktop, support Windows, Linux, macOS.

Before use GUI tool, you should enable remote connection

Neo4j Browser

Neo4j Browser is a web-base tool for Neo4j, included in the Neo4j Server by default

1. Using local Chrome visit the URL http://domain or http://Server's Internet IP, access to Neo4j Browser

2. Select 【bolt://】URL mode, and input the default username and password, then the system may force a password change.

Pick neo4j:// for a routed connection, bolt:// for a direct connection and fast than neo4j://

4. After modifying the new password, the system logs in to the console and initializes the installation.

5. You can add user by Database Information > server user add (Enterprise Edition)

Neo4j Desktop

Neo4j Desktop is a local tool for developer.

Neo4j Bloom

Neo4j Bloom is the graph visualization and exploration tool

Reset Password

There are two main measures to reset password for Neo4j

Changing password

You can change password using jut one command below sample:

# Change old password "neo4j" to new password "neo4j123"

echo "
ALTER CURRENT USER SET PASSWORD FROM 'neo4j' TO 'neo4j123';
" | cypher-shell -u neo4j  -p neo4j  -d system

Forgot Password

Try to retrieve your password through the following steps when forgot it:

1. Stop Neo4j server

   sudo systemctl stop neo4j

2. Modify Neo4j configuration file, set #dbms.security.auth_enabled=false to the following value

   dbms.security.auth_enabled=false

3. Restart Neo4j and set a new password

   sudo systemctl start neo4j
   cypher-shell -d system
   
   neo@system> ALTER USER neo4j SET PASSWORD 'mynewpass';
   neo@system> :exit

4. Recovery Neo4j configuration file

5. Restart the Neo4j service

   sudo systemctl restart neo4j

More details please refer to: Password and user recovery

Reference sheet

The below items and General parameter sheet is maybe useful for you manage Neo4j

下面仅列出 Neo4j 本身的参数：

Path

运行 neo4j console 命令查看安装相关的路径：

Neo4j 程序路径：/var/lib/neo4j
Neo4j 配置文件路径：/etc/neo4j/neo4j.conf
Neo4j 日志路径：/var/log/neo4j
Neo4j 插件路径：/var/lib/neo4j/plugins
Neo4j 数据路径：/var/lib/neo4j/data
Neo4j 证书路径：/var/lib/neo4j/certificates
Neo4j 启动路径：/var/run/neo4j

更多安装路径请查看 neo4j.conf 文件，配置文件设置参考此处

Port

端口号	用途	必要性
7687	Neo4j Browser 远程连接 Neo4j database	可选

更多的端口：Port on Configuration file

Version

neo4j-admin -V
neo4j version

Service

sudo systemctl start | stop | restart | status neo4j

CLI

Neo4j 通过了一系列的命令行工具，用于管理服务、导入数据、分析数据，详情参考：Neo4j Tools

Cypher Shell

Cypher Shell is a command-line tool that comes with the Neo4j installation. Cypher Shell is used to run queries and perform administrative tasks. It communicates via the encrypted binary protocol Bolt.

root@neo4j-test:~# cypher-shell
username: neo4j
password: *****
Connected to Neo4j 3.5.14 at bolt://localhost:7687 as user neo4j.
Type :help for a list of available commands or :exit to exit the shell.
Note that Cypher queries must end with a semicolon.
neo4j>

neo4j-admin

Neo4j Admin is the primary tool for managing your Neo4j instance. It is a command-line tool that is installed as part of the product and can be executed with a number of commands. Some of the commands are described in more detail in separate sections.

$ neo4j-admin help
Usage: neo4j-admin [-hV] [COMMAND]
Neo4j database administration tool.
  -h, --help      Show this help message and exit.
  -V, --version   Print version information and exit.
Commands:
  help                  Displays help information about the specified command
  memrec                Print Neo4j heap and pagecache memory settings recommendations.
  dump                  Dump a database into a single-file archive.
  store-info            Print information about a Neo4j database store.
  report                Produces a zip/tar of the most common information needed for remote assessments.
  load                  Load a database from an archive created with the dump command.
  check-consistency     Check the consistency of a database.
  import                Import a collection of CSV files.
  set-default-admin     Sets the default admin user.
                        This user will be granted the admin role on startup if the system has no roles.
  set-initial-password  Sets the initial password of the initial admin user ('neo4j'). And removes the requirement to
                          change password on first login.

neo4j

$neo4j -h
Usage: neo4j { console | start | stop | restart | status | version }

API

The Neo4j REST API Documentation