GraphAcademy
Course

Introduction to Graph Databases Workshop

Hands-on Neo4j workshop for beginners: learn graph database concepts, design a graph data model, then read, create, and aggregate connected data with Cypher.

2 hours13 lessons across 3 modules
About this workshop

In this 2-hour workshop, you will learn

The Introduction to Graph Databases Workshop is a hands-on Neo4j workshop that takes you from graph concepts to writing your own CypherNeo4j's implementation of GQL, the ISO standard query language for graph databases. It is declarative: you describe the pattern to find, and the database decides how to find it. queries against a live database. It is the companion course to an instructor-led GraphAcademy session, and it works equally well at your own pace, because every exercise runs in your browser against a Neo4j instance provisioned for you.

You will spend around two hours learning how a graph database stores connected data, how to design a graph data modelThe labels, relationship types and properties chosen to represent a domain., and how to read, create, and aggregate data with Cypher. By the end you will have queried a movie recommendations graph, created sample data for a data model of your own, and set up a Neo4j Aura instanceA single Neo4j database running in Aura. to continue with.

  • Graph Databases and Use Cases

    Understand nodes, relationships, labels, and properties, and see how connected data powers recommendations, fraud detection, supply chains, and generative AI applications.

  • Graph Data Modeling

    Design a graph data model for a use case of your choice, deciding what should be a node, a relationship, or a property, with an AI coach guiding you in the model editor.

  • How to Read and Write Data with Cypher

    Use Cypher patterns to match and filter connected data, and create nodes and relationships with MERGE, against a live movie recommendations graph.

  • How to Aggregate and Investigate Queries

    Order, limit, and aggregate results, chain query parts with WITH, find shortest paths, and use PROFILE to see how constraints and indexes affect the way a query finds its data.

  • Getting Your Own Neo4j Instance

    Explore the options for running Neo4j, create a free Aura instance, export your data and import it, and tour the Neo4j console tools including AI agents.

Before you start

What you need to take part.

  • A GraphAcademy account

    The workshop is delivered here on GraphAcademy, so you need to be signed in to work through the lessons and keep your progress. Creating an account is free.

    Sign in or create an account

Course content

3 modules, 2 hours.

  1. 3 lessons
    1. What is Neo4j?5 min
    2. Graphs are Everywhere5 min
    3. Build a graph data model5 min
  2. 8 lessons
    1. Reading Graphs5 min
    2. Matching and Filtering5 min
    3. Creating Graphs5 min
    4. Ordering and Aggregating5 min
    5. How the Model Affects Queries5 min
    6. Chaining with WITH5 min
    7. Finding Paths5 min
    8. Query your data model5 min
  3. 2 lessons
    1. Neo4j Options5 min
    2. Neo4j Tools5 min

  • Who this workshop is for

    This workshop is for anyone attending a Neo4j introductory session, and for anyone who wants the same experience without one. Developers, data engineers, analysts, and architects all use it as a first practical step into graph databases. You do not need any experience with Neo4j, CypherNeo4j's implementation of GQL, the ISO standard query language for graph databases. It is declarative: you describe the pattern to find, and the database decides how to find it., or graph theory. There are no prerequisites: you need only a web browser and a GraphAcademy account, and the database you query is created for you when you enrol.

  • What you will do

    You start by learning what a graph database is and where connected data appears, from recommendations and fraud detection to supply chains and the knowledge graphs that give generative AIModels that produce new content rather than classifying or scoring content that already exists. applications context. You then build a graph data modelThe labels, relationship types and properties chosen to represent a domain. for a use case you choose, working with an AI coach in the model editor.

    With the movie recommendations dataset you investigate the graph with CypherNeo4j's implementation of GQL, the ISO standard query language for graph databases. It is declarative: you describe the pattern to find, and the database decides how to find it.: matching patternsA graph structure written in Cypher, such as a node joined to another node by a relationship., filtering and aggregating results, and creating your own nodesA vertex in a graph. In a property graph it can carry labels and properties. and relationshipsA named, directed connection between two nodes. Every relationship has a type, a start node and an end node.. You use PROFILE to see how constraints and indexes affect the way a query finds its starting point, chain query parts together with WITH, and find the shortest paths between nodes. You then create sample data for your own model and query it. The workshop closes with the options for running Neo4j, including exporting your data and importing it into a free Aura instanceA single Neo4j database running in Aura., and a tour of the tools in the Neo4j console, including building AI agents on your graph.

  • Where to go next

    After the workshop, Neo4j Fundamentals consolidates the graph concepts and Cypher Fundamentals takes the query language deeper. When you are ready to design your own graph, Graph Data Modeling Fundamentals shows you how to decide what should be a nodeA vertex in a graph. In a property graph it can carry labels and properties., a relationshipA named, directed connection between two nodes. Every relationship has a type, a start node and an end node., or a propertyA named value stored on a node or a relationship., and Importing Data Fundamentals covers loading your own data. You can find upcoming instructor-led sessions and the other companion courses on the workshops page.