Neo4j on Windows

Posted on May 08, 2019 in DevOps
Updated: May 15, 2019

Time for me to play with Neo4j. I have a project, where a graph DB makes most sense. In this blog I'll install Neo4j on Windows.
First I'll install a docker version. It might come handy in deployment case.
Next I'll install a Desktop version to get a GUI both for management, but mostly for a data editing interface.

Neo4j - editions

So what is out there to install?

On the Neo4j Download page you have options to download

two server versions,
- Enterprise or
- Community. You also have option of downloading
a Desktop version with a GUI included.
A Cypher CLI is a separate install.

Neo4j KB article talks about CLIs. There you find a handy script for a Neo4j docker container.

From the the download page I'll grap

Neo4j Desktop
SDK for JavaScript and possibly some plugins

From the KB article I'll grap the Neo4j Docker script and modify it a bit.

Install Docker Container edition

From Neo4j KB article you'll find this script:

# Script from https://neo4j.com/developer/kb/using-neo4j-shell-neo4j-ce-3x/
docker pull neo4j
CONTAINER=$(docker run -d --name neo4j -p 7474:7474 -v /path/to/data:/data -v /path/to/csv-files:/var/lib/neo4j/import neo4j)
echo "Running Neo4j as $CONTAINER, waiting for startup"
sleep 10
# to import a file from `/path/to/csv-files/import.cypher`
docker exec $CONTAINER /var/lib/neo4j/bin/neo4j-shell -f /var/lib/neo4j/import/import.cypher
# or for interactive mode
docker exec -ti $CONTAINER /var/lib/neo4j/bin/neo4j-shell

Here is what I modified it to on Windows:

From CMD: (Run as admin)

# Set envir for Neo4j database files - notice folder format is not Linux, though it will be used from GIT BASH
setx NEO_DATA "C:\Users\user\ItData\neodata\neo4jDatabases" /M
# SUCCESS: Specified value was saved.

From Git Bash:

# Optionally do some cleanup:
docker system prune
# WARNING! This will remove:
#         - all stopped containers
#         - all networks not used by at least one container
#         - all dangling images
#         - all dangling build cache
# Are you sure you want to continue? [y/N] y

# Download image from docker hub
# 3.5.5 is currently latest neo4j image
docker pull neo4j:3.5.5
# ...
# Status: Downloaded newer image for neo4j:3.5.5

# Verify envir
printenv | grep NEO
# NEO_DATA_BASH=C:\Users\user\ItData\neodata

# Create folder for the container and for CYPHER CSV imports
cd $NEO_DATA
mkdir docker-container1 && cd docker-container1 && mkdir import && mkdir data

# Start Docker

# Map a DB data folder and an CSV import folder on your PC for a Neo4j container and start it
# https://neo4j.com/docs/operations-manual/current/docker/introduction/#docker-volumes
CONTAINER=$(docker run -d --name neo4j -p 7474:7474 -v $NEO_DATA/docker-container1/data:/data -v $NEO_DATA/docker-container1/import:/var/lib/neo4j/import neo4j)
echo "Running Neo4j as $CONTAINER, waiting for startup"
sleep 10

# iIs it running?
docker ps
# CONTAINER ID        IMAGE                         COMMAND                  CREATED              STATUS              PORTS                                        NAMES
# 95f89a2b0956        neo4j                         "/sbin/tini -g -- /d…"   About a minute ago   Up About a minute   7473/tcp, 7687/tcp, 0.0.0.0:7474->7474/tcp   neo4j

# Whats in its log? 
docker logs neo4j
# Active database: graph.db
# Directories in use:
#   home:         /var/lib/neo4j
#   config:       /var/lib/neo4j/conf
#   logs:         /logs
#   plugins:      /var/lib/neo4j/plugins
#   import:       /var/lib/neo4j/import
#   data:         /var/lib/neo4j/data
#   certificates: /var/lib/neo4j/certificates
#   run:          /var/lib/neo4j/run
# Starting Neo4j.

# So when container was started it created a DB with

# to import a file from `$NEO_DATA_BASH/import/import.cypher`
# docker exec $CONTAINER /var/lib/neo4j/bin/neo4j-shell -f /var/lib/neo4j/import/import.cypher

# or for interactive mode
docker exec -ti $CONTAINER /var/lib/neo4j/bin/neo4j-shell
# the input device is not a TTY.  If you are using mintty, try prefixing the command with 'winpty'

# Annoying could not connect - the one fix I know is to repeat the command from the PS1 Docker CLI, which you can start from Kitematic or directly from Kitematic

From Kitematic:

Select the neo4j container
Press EXEC icon
- This will open a PS1 prompt

# where are we?
pwd
# /var/lib/neo4j

# What is the version?
./bin/neo4j --version
# neo4j 3.5.5

# now run the shell from here - neo4j-shell is now cypher-shell
./bin/cypher-shell
# username: neo4j
# password: neo4j
# Connected to Neo4j 3.5.5 at bolt://localhost:7687 as user neo4j.
# Type :help for a list of available commands or :exit to exit the shell.
# Note that Cypher queries must end with a semicolon.
# neo4j>
:help
# Available commands:
#   :begin    Open a transaction
#   :commit   Commit the currently open transaction
#   :exit     Exit the logger
#   :help     Show this help message
#   :history  Print a list of the last commands executed
#   :param    Set the value of a query parameter
#   :params   Prints all currently set query parameters and their values
#   :rollback Rollback the currently open transaction
# For help on a specific command type:
#     :help command
# For help on cypher please visit:
#     https://neo4j.com/docs/developer-manual/current/cypher/
:exit

When you are done using the shell you can just close it with Alt+F5.
When you are done with using the DB, you can stop it from GIT BASH

docker stop neo4j

More info on Docker Hub
Even more on Docker - The Neo4j Operations Manual v3.5
Tutorial: Neo4j Data Import: Moving Data from RDBMS to Graph

Windows Desktop edition

It is still nice to have the Desktop edition. You get the browser and you can connect to the docker DB.

Install Neo4j Desktop

You can install Neo4j for personal use into
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Programs\Neo4j Desktop
or for all users into
C:\Program Files\Neo4j Desktop

The default place it wants to place your data is C:\Users\user\.Neo4jDesktop
I want it shared with my docker install into
C:\Users\user\ItData\neodata
Warnings:

When you uninstall neo4j it will delete the whole folder, but you can choose option to backup, so you still have the data for e.g. your docker container
In some countries you will get message You are not online so you can not 'Register via Social Login', when starting Neo4j.
- Solution A: Use VPN to get access from another country.
- Solution B: Work offline (if that is enough). For development it probably is. You can also get an activation key via email. You'll get this supportive message: Your friendly neighborhood Neo4j representative can get an activation key for you. If you're not sure who to call send an inquiry to info@neo4j.com

Create a local graph DB

You can connect towards an exiting local or remote graph DB - or you can create a new local one.
Since the docker uses same port you should stop it first

docker stop neo4j

To create a new local graph DB

Click on Add Graph
- You can now create a local graph or connect to a remote one. You could have started the container and have connected towards that one
- Instead - Create the local one (I am just exploring anyway)
Give it a name, a password and click Create
- I called this one NeoGraphTest1
This will create the DB in a folder below what you chose during installation
- In my case the DB is in \neodata\neo4jDatabases\database-876bd4d5-067b-4558-8793-8cebca8e06e1\installation-3.5.2\data\databases\graph.db
- So that is why I put the container data folder into \neodata\neo4jDatabases\container1\data. This keeps it separated in the same level except that I have left out the installation version. If I needed that I would instead have called the folder \container1-3.5.5\.
- The level \database-876bd4d5-067b-4558-8793-8cebca8e06e1\installation-3.5.2 gives you the content of NeoGraphTest1
  - It has all the files as the container has including \bin\ folder - but these are the Windows files opposed to the Linux files in the container
The new DB is stopped. You can start it from the project page or you can press Manage to enter the DB page for NeoGraphTest1
- On DB page you have a dashboard to a lot - most importantly to start the DB and to connect to it with the Cypher Browser
- Press Start
With the DB started you get to know the ports it

Connect to your docker container graph DB

The docker neo4j DB is easy to intall into cloud, so lets get aquainted with connecting to that as well. Since the docker uses same port as NeoGraphTest1 you should stop NeoGraphTest1 first and start docker.

docker start neo4j

Just browse docker

To browse the docker Graph with Cypher

From Neo4j Desktop Click on Neo4j Browser

A new window opens and complains that it can't connect to bolt://localhost:7687.
You need to help it with username/password.
In the cypher prompt enter command :server connect neo4j neo4j

The response is displayed in a box below. If you are connected, then just press X to cleanup.
Connect response

When you are done you can :server disconnect

Save the docker browser

You could also save the link to the docker Graph just as NeoGraphTest1

From Neo4j Desktop Click on Add Graph
Click on Connect to Remote
Name: NeoContainer1
Url: bolt://localhost:7687
Press Username/Password
User: neo4j
Password: neo4j
Press Connect
Press Start
Press Open Browser

Notes:

After restarting the container at one point I hade to add the port 7687 in Kitematic to be able to connect
When you connect to the container remotely you also have to change the default password from neo4j after opening it in the browser