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Documentation SurrealQL SurrealDB for Neo4j developers

Neo4j to SurrealDB mapping

Quickly learn how to map your Neo4j knowledge to corresponding SurrealDB concepts and syntax.

Introduction

As a multi-model database, SurrealDB offers a lot of flexibility. Our SQL-like query language SurrealQL is a good example of this, where we often have more than one way to achieve the same result, depending on developer preference. In this mapping guide, we will focus on the syntax that most closely resembles the Cypher query language.

Concepts mapping

For more in-depth explanations of SurrealDB concepts, see the concepts page.

Neo4j SurrealDB
database database
node label table
node record
node property field
index index
id record id
transaction transaction
relationships record links, embedding and graph relations

Syntax mapping

Let's get you up to speed with SurrealQL syntax with some CRUD examples.

Create

As Neo4j is schemaless, only the SurrealQL schemaless approach is shown below. For a schemafull option see the define table page.

For more SurrealQL examples, see the create, insert and relate pages.

Cypher SurrealQL 
CREATE (John:Person {name:'John'}),
(Jane:Person {name: 'Jane'})
 
INSERT INTO person [
    {id: "John", name: "John"},
    {id: "Jane", name: "Jane"}
]

Table implicitly created if it doesn't exist

 
MATCH (p:Person {name:'Jane'}),
(pr:Product {name:'iPhone'})
CREATE (p)-[:ORDER]->(pr)
 
RELATE person:Jane -> order -> product:iPhone

There are many differences between how SurrealDB and Neo4j do graph relations. Check out the relate docs for more. 

CREATE INDEX personNameIndex
FOR (p:Person) ON (p.name)
 
DEFINE INDEX idx_name 
ON TABLE person COLUMNS name

Read

For more SurrealQL examples, see the select, live select and return pages.

Cypher SurrealQL 
MATCH (p:Person)
RETURN p
 
SELECT *
FROM person
 
MATCH (p:Person)
RETURN p.name
 
SELECT name 
FROM person
 
MATCH (p:Person)
WHERE p.name = "Jane"
RETURN p.name
 
SELECT name
FROM person
WHERE name = "Jane"
 
EXPLAIN
MATCH (p:Person)
WHERE p.name = "Jane"
RETURN p.name
 
SELECT name
FROM person
WHERE name = "Jane"
EXPLAIN
 
MATCH (p:Person)
RETURN count(*) as person_count
 
SELECT count() AS person_count
FROM person
GROUP ALL
 
MATCH (p:Person)
RETURN distinct p.name
 
SELECT array::distinct(name)
FROM person
GROUP ALL
 
MATCH (p:Person)
RETURN p
LIMIT 10
 
SELECT *
FROM person
LIMIT 10
 
MATCH (p:Person)-[:ORDER]->(pr:Product)
RETURN p.name, pr.name
 
SELECT name,
->order->product.name
FROM person

Update

For more SurrealQL examples, see the update page.

Cypher SurrealQL 
MATCH (p:Person) 
WHERE p.name = "Jane" 
SET p.last_name = 'Doe' 
RETURN p
 
UPDATE person
SET last_name = "Doe"
WHERE name = "Jane"
 
MATCH (p:Person)  
WHERE p.name = "Jane"  
REMOVE p.last_name
RETURN p
 
UPDATE person
UNSET last_name
WHERE name = "Jane"

Delete

For more SurrealQL examples, see the delete and remove pages.

Cypher SurrealQL 
MATCH (p:Person) 
WHERE p.name = "Jane" 
DELETE p
 
DELETE person
WHERE name = "Jane"
 
MATCH (p:Person) 
DELETE p
 
DELETE person

Node/Table still exists here but is empty

 
MATCH (p:Person) 
DELETE p
 
REMOVE TABLE person

Node/Table no longer exists