---
title: "21: Querying graph relations | SurrealDB University"
description: "Follow along with interactive SurrealDB lessons featuring hands-on exercises, code examples, and step-by-step instructions."
url: https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-21
---

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[Welcome to the Tour of SurrealDB!](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour) [1: Connecting to a database](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-01) [2: Creating records](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-02) [3: Using the ONLY keyword](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-03) [4: Non-ASCII record IDs](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-04) [5: Parentheses, indexing, and accessing fields](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-05) [6: Deleting records](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-06) [7: Field order in objects](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-07) [8: Tips when selecting records](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-08) [9: Casting and aliases](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-09) [10: Affixes](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-10) [11: Updating records](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-11) [12: Linking records](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-12) [13: Viewing the database as a whole](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-13) [14: Schemafull and schemaless](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-14) [15: Viewing the schema](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-15) [16: Literal types and assertions](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-16) [17: INSERT and using JSON](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-17) [18: FOR loops](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-18) [19: Basic graph relations](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-19) [20: Creating graph edges](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-20) [21: Querying graph relations](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-21) [22: Graph relations at greater depth](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-22) [23: Adding and improving data](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-23) [24: Defining events](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-24) [25: Defining indexes](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-25) [26: Improving the schema](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-26) [27: Visualising graph paths](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-27) [28: Recursive queries: setup](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-28) [29: Recursive queries](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-29) [30: More on recursive queries](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-30) [31: AI vector search](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-31) [Done the tour!](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-32)

# 21: Querying graph relations

Querying a relation is usually done using the same arrow syntax used in the `RELATE` statement to create it.

Here is a query on a single `person` record which returns its `name` as well as the path `->works_at->place`. The graph query checks to see if the person is linked to the `works_at` table (the `in` field, because the arrow at `->works_at` is going in to `works_at`) and if there is a `place` at the other end (the `out` field, because the arrow at `works_at->place` goes out from `works_at` and looks for a `place` record at that point).

```
SELECT     name,     ->works_at->placeFROM person LIMIT 1;
```

![Surrealist Icon](https://surrealdb.com/assets/static/fdfe2c20f5941d5e.D0guSOhZ.webp) Run Query

Response

```surql
[
  {
    "->works_at": {
      "->place": [
        place:surreal_library
      ]
    },
    name: 'Lydia Wyndham'
  }
]
```

Since the `place` point in the query will look for `place` records, the `.{}` destructuring operator can be used to access the fields, such as `name` and `address`. We will also give it the alias `workplace` for readability, and remove the `LIMIT` to show all the `person` records.

```
SELECT     name,     ->works_at->place.{     name,     address  } AS workplaceFROM person;
```

![Surrealist Icon](https://surrealdb.com/assets/static/fdfe2c20f5941d5e.D0guSOhZ.webp) Run Query

Response

```surql
[
  {
    name: 'Sara Bellum',
    workplace: [
      {
        address: '2025 Statement Street, Riverdale',
        name: 'Surreal Library'
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    name: 'Lydia Wyndham',
    workplace: [
      {
        address: '2025 Statement Street, Riverdale',
        name: 'Surreal Library'
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    name: 'Samm Schwartz',
    workplace: [
      {
        address: '2025 Statement Street, Riverdale',
        name: 'Surreal Library'
      }
    ]
  }
]
```

You can also use a graph query directly on a record instead of using a `SELECT` statement.

```
-- Get Samm's record IDLET $samm = SELECT id FROM ONLY person WHERE name = 'Samm Schwartz' LIMIT 1;-- Then just query from the record ID, no SELECT$samm->works_at->place.{ address, floors, name };
```

![Surrealist Icon](https://surrealdb.com/assets/static/fdfe2c20f5941d5e.D0guSOhZ.webp) Run Query

Response

```surql
[
  {
    address: '2025 Statement Street, Riverdale',
    floors: 8,
    name: 'Surreal Library'
  }
]
```

Turning the `->` arrow around to `<-` makes a graph query in the other direction. From the point of view of the `place` record, there is no `->works_at->person` path because it's not the `place` that works at the `person`, it's the `person` that works at the `place`. Turning the arrows around will accomplish this.

The relation is still visually easy to follow, because `place<-works_at<-person` still shows that `person` leads into `works_at` and then into `place`. The only difference is that `place` is being used as the starting point now.

```
place:surreal_library<-works_at<-person.name;
```

![Surrealist Icon](https://surrealdb.com/assets/static/fdfe2c20f5941d5e.D0guSOhZ.webp) Run Query

Output: the names of the people that work at the library.

Response

```surql
[
  'Samm Schwartz',
  'Sara Bellum',
  'Lydia Wyndham'
]
```

Previous

20: Creating graph edges

[Previous](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-20)

Next lesson

22: Graph relations at greater depth

[Next lesson](https://surrealdb.com/learn/tour/page-22)

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