Getting Started with Cypher - Learning Neo4j - page 181

Key operative words in Cypher
Like every database query language, there are a few operative words that have
an important meaning in the composition of every query. It's useful for you to
knowthesesinceyouwillbeusingthemtocomposeyourspeciicquerieson
yourspeciicdatasets.

Keyword Function Example

MATCH MATCH (me:Person)-

[:KNOWS]->(friend)

This describes a pattern that the database
should match. This is probably the most
important piece of the query as it is a
structural component that always starts
your queries.

This filters results that are found in the
match for specific criteria.

WHERE me.name = "My
Name" AND me.age > 18

WHERE

RETURN This returns results. You can either

return paths, nodes, relationships, or
their properties—or an aggregate of the
mentioned parameters. This is another
structural component, as all read queries
and most write queries will return some
data.

RETURN me.name,
collect(friend),
count(*) as friends

WITH This passes results from one query part to

the next. Much like RETURN , but instead of
including data in the result set, it will be
passed to the following part of the query. It
transforms and aggregates results and also
separates READ and UPDATE statements.

ORDER
BY
SKIP
LIMIT:

This sorts and paginates the results. ORDER BY friends DESC

SKIP 10 LIMIT 10

CREATE This creates nodes and relationships with

their properties.

CREATE (p:Person),
(p)-[:KNOWS {since:
2010}]-> (me:Person
{name:"My Name"})

CREATE
UNIQUE

This fixes graph structures by only creating
structures if they do not yet exist.