GraphAcademy
Course · Part of Sharpen your Cypher

Graph Data Modeling Fundamentals

Learn how to design a Neo4j graph using best practices

2 hours32 lessons across 8 modules
CypherSharpen your CypherData EngineerFoundationalBeginnerBuild a Neo4j-backed Application
About this course

In this 2-hour course, you will learn

This course teaches you everything you need to know to create performant graph models in Neo4j.

Before taking this course, it is recommended that you complete these beginner courses in GraphAcademy:

  1. Neo4j Fundamentals
  2. Cypher Fundamentals

  • Graph data modeling fundamentals

  • Creating graphs

  • Graph Refactoring

Course content

8 modules, 2 hours.

  1. 3 lessons
    1. What is Graph Data Modeling?5 min
    2. The Domain5 min
    3. Purpose of the Model5 min
  2. 4 lessons
    1. Modeling Nodes5 min
    2. Creating Nodes5 min
    3. Identifying a New Label5 min
    4. Creating More Nodes5 min
  3. 4 lessons
    1. Modeling Relationships5 min
    2. Creating Initial Relationships5 min
    3. Identifying a New Relationship5 min
    4. Creating More Relationships5 min
  4. 3 lessons
    1. Testing5 min
    2. Testing with Instance ModelOptional5 min
    3. Enforcing Data Models5 min
  5. 7 lessons
    1. Refactoring5 min
    2. Labels in the Graph5 min
    3. Adding the Actor Label5 min
    4. Retesting After Refactoring5 min
    5. Retesting with Actor Label5 min
    6. Adding the Director Label5 min
    7. Avoid These Labels5 min
  6. 6 lessons
    1. Eliminating Duplicate Data5 min
    2. Adding Language Data5 min
    3. Refactoring Duplicate Data5 min
    4. Adding Language nodes5 min
    5. Adding Genre nodes5 min
    6. Eliminating Complex Data in Nodes5 min
  7. 3 lessons
    1. Specific Relationships5 min
    2. Specializing ACTED_IN and DIRECTED Relationships5 min
    3. Specializing RATED Relationships5 min
  8. 2 lessons
    1. Intermediate Nodes5 min
    2. Adding a Role Node5 min
Where to next

Keep going on Sharpen your Cypher.

View the full path
Up next in path

Importing Data Fundamentals

2 hoursStart
Later in path

Intermediate Cypher Queries

1 hourStart
Later in path

Cypher Aggregations

1 hourStart
Further reading

Posts from the GraphAcademy blog.

4 min read

TIL: Cypher has a format() function for dates and times

A deprecation warning taught me that Cypher now formats dates, times, and durations natively. No APOC required.

Adam CowleyRead post
5 min read

Replacing your APOC Periodic Iterate with CALL {} IN TRANSACTIONS

apoc.periodic.iterate is deprecated in Cypher 25. Learn how to rewrite your queries with CALL {} IN TRANSACTIONS.

Adam CowleyRead post
4 min read

How Cypher Graph Types Kept Our AI-Generated Queries Honest During a Migration

We rebuilt GraphAcademy against the same Neo4j database. Graph types made sure AI-generated Cypher could not drift from the data model.

Adam CowleyRead post