GraphConnect 2022: Learn the Neo4j Ropes at Expert-Led Training Sessions

We’re delighted to offer developers hands-on experience with Neo4j software at our training sessions during GraphConnect 2022 in Austin, Texas. These training courses are designed to give attendees direct access to Neo4j experts for half or full day sessions around a variety of topics, for all skill levels. Whether you want to brush up on the basics or take a deep dive into an advanced course, you’ll be able to walk away with enhanced skill sets and show off your mastery of graphs.

The trainings will take place on Monday, June 6. When registering for the conference, you can add on the cost of sessions you’re interested in. Take a perusal through the list below to learn more about each course, including a description and any prerequisites.

Upon signup, you’ll receive more information about any courses you registered for via email. For a more detailed look at the trainings, including course modules and what specific skills you’ll walk away with, take a look at the training information at the GraphConnect website.

We look forward to seeing you in Austin!

Skill Level: Beginner

Graphs and Graph Databases

Duration: 4 hours

Course Description: This course is intended to set the stage for future technical study of Neo4j. It begins by examining the context in which Graph Databases exist, including an overview of the historical evolution of database technologies and comparative analysis of Graph Databases vs. the ubiquitous Relational Database.

In addition, this course begins exploring the Neo4j platform by introducing the data structures, query language, and basic system architecture.

Graphs & Graph Databases is a prerequisite for every other Neo4j University course.

Basic Cypher Querying

Duration: 4 hours

Prerequisite Course: Graphs & Graph Databases

Course Description: This course is the starting point for learning practical skills with Cypher. The central focuses are basic Cypher syntax, plus the most common tools and commands for issuing queries to a Neo4j graph database.

Basic Cypher Querying is a required prerequisite for anyone who needs to write, interpret, or debug Cypher strings. Additionally, it is strongly recommended for everyone who will work with Neo4j in any capacity, because a practical understanding of querying is an invaluable tool for understanding graphs in general.

Graph Data Modeling

Duration: 4 hours

Prerequisite Course: Graphs & Graph Databases

Course Description: This course explores the philosophy and process behind creating graph models. It examines how the data structures and uses of a graph inform modeling decisions, and how these differ from the usual circumstances and decisions involved in designing a relational model.

Note that the exercises in this course do not use the Neo4j platform. Instead, we use the Arrows whiteboarding app to work entirely on conceptual modeling problems. The tools and strategies for implementing a model in Neo4j are covered in the class Implementing Graph Models.

Data Management With Cypher

Duration: 4 hours

Prerequisite Courses: Graphs & Graph Databases, Basic Cypher Querying

Course Description: This course introduces the tools used for manipulating Neo4j graph data using Cypher. This includes creating, modifying, and deleting nodes, relationships, labels, and properties. In addition, this course shows how the schemaless nature of Neo4j can be both useful and dangerous.

Strategies for data governance and safety are discussed in Data Management: Import and Governance, for which this course is a prerequisite.

Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Building an Application/API with Node.js/Python

Duration: 3.5 hours

Prerequisite Courses: A working knowledge of Neo4j, Python and pip

Course Description: In this session, we walk through the steps to integrate Neo4j into your Python projects. We will follow the steps to create an instance of the Neo4j Python Driver, learn about sessions and transactions, and use that knowledge to build a REST API with Flask. The project also serves a pre-built Single Page Application (SPA) that calls the API. As you work through the course, you will replace the hardcoded API responses with data from Neo4j.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Intermediate Cypher Querying

Duration: 4 hours

Prerequisite Courses: Graphs & Graph Databases, Basic Cypher Querying

Course Description: This course extends the discussion begun in the Basic Cypher Querying course. It explores a set of Cypher tools that are commonly used in production, but that go beyond what an unsophisticated end user would need to know. This includes subqueries, intermediate results processing, controlling returned results, and an introduction to evaluating query plans with EXPLAIN and PROFILE.

Data Management: Import and Governance

Duration: 4 Hours

Prerequisite Courses: Graphs & Graph Databases, Basic Cypher Querying, Data Management with Cypher

Course Description: This course explores four ways to import bulk data into Neo4j. In addition, it discusses some tools and strategies for doing so “safely”, with respect to duplication, data typing, and cleanliness. This is an extension of the conversation begun in the course Data Management with Cypher.

Basic Neo4j Administration

Duration: 8 hours

Prerequisite Courses: Graphs & Graph Databases, Basic Cypher Querying, Data Management with Cypher

Course Description: This course introduces you to the common administration tasks for managing Neo4j Enterprise Edition, either in a development environment or in a production environment. First, you learn about what Neo4j is. Next you learn about the various architectures where Neo4j is used and you learn about the versions and editions of Neo4j where you install Neo4j Enterprise Edition.

Then you learn the basics of managing a Neo4j instance and how to perform both offline and online backups as well as using the cypher-shell utility for accessing the database from a terminal. You will also learn how to manage plugins to be used by the Neo4j instance and how to load a database using the import tool.

In this course, you will learn by performing 12 hands-on exercises using a Docker Neo4j instance.

Skill Level: Advanced

Cypher Query Training

Duration: 8 hours

Prerequisite Courses: Graphs & Graph Databases, Basic Cypher Querying, Intermediate Cypher Querying, Data Management with Cypher, Graph Data Modeling

Course Description: This course dives deep into the inner workings of Cypher, in order to discuss strategies for optimizing query performance. This includes an exploration of Cypher query planning, and how the physical data structures affect the cost of information access.

This course makes reference to, but does NOT deeply explore, the effect of data modeling choices on query cost. That discussion is covered in the courses Graph Data Modeling and Implementing Graph Models. Instead, this course focuses on how to get best query results from an invariant model.

Note that this course is twice as long as most, at 8 hours. It is usually delivered in two parts for easier consumption.

Implementing Graph Models

Duration: 4 hours

Prerequisite Courses: Graphs & Graph Databases, Basic Cypher Querying, Data Management with Cypher, Data Management: Import & Governance, Graph Data Modeling

Course Description: This module discusses how to implement a graph in Neo4j, using an already-designed data model from an existing data model using Neo4j Best practices. It is heavily hands-on focused, and draws deeply on skills learned in the Data Management courses.

A central theme of this course is learning how to modify the entire graph as the data model requirements change.