Introduction to Neo4j and Graph Databases

The history of graph theory dates back to 1736, when mathematician Leonhard Euler solved the famous Konigsberg bridge problem. Today, graph databases build on this foundation to efficiently store and query connected data.

The property graph model is a key component of graph databases. It consists of three main elements: nodes, relationships, and properties. Nodes represent entities, while relationships depict connections between these entities. Properties store additional information about nodes and relationships.

Neo4j is a graph database that implements the property graph model. To interact with the database, we use the Cypher query language.

Cypher is a declarative language designed specifically for graph databases. It allows you to create, read, update, and delete data by expressing patterns in the graph. Its intuitive syntax makes it easy to work with complex, connected data.

In our next lesson, we’ll explore how to get started with Neo4j Aura, the cloud-based graph database service. We’ll learn about setting up an instance and interacting with the database using the Neo4j Browser. Stay tuned!