Running Neo4j

Running Neo4j can be done in several ways: binary download, Docker, or using Neo4j Aura, a cloud-based service. Let’s quickly explore each option.

For binary download, visit the Neo4j download page and choose the appropriate version for your operating system. Extract the downloaded archive, and run the appropriate start script. This will launch a local instance of Neo4j on your machine.

If you prefer Docker, pull the official Neo4j image from Docker Hub, and run it using the appropriate command for your environment. This will create a containerized instance of Neo4j, ensuring better isolation and easier management.

Neo4j Aura is a fully-managed cloud service, which simplifies deployment and management. Sign up for an account, create a new database, and you’ll have an instance running in minutes, accessible from anywhere.

Regardless of the method you choose, you can interact with your Neo4j instance using the Neo4j Browser, a web-based interface for querying and visualizing your graph data.

In the next lesson, we’ll dive into common graph use cases and discover how graph databases excel at handling complex, connected data. Stay tuned!


To get started with running Neo4j, the first option is to download the binary distribution from the official website. This package allows you to run Neo4j on your local machine or server.

Another option is using Docker, a containerization platform. You can easily pull the Neo4j image from Docker Hub and run it as a container on your system with a few simple commands.

For those who prefer cloud platforms, Neo4j is available on popular cloud providers like Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Amazon Web Services (AWS). These providers offer managed services and support for deploying and scaling Neo4j instances.

Neo4j Aura is the cloud-based graph database service offered by Neo4j. It provides a fully managed and scalable solution, allowing you to focus on building your application without worrying about infrastructure management.

In summary, you have various options for running Neo4j, including binary downloads, Docker, cloud providers like GCP and AWS, or using Neo4j Aura for a fully managed experience.

In the next lesson, we will explore common graph database use cases, illustrating the benefits of using graph databases in real-world scenarios. Stay tuned!