Supported optional GQL features

This page lists the optional GQL features Cypher^® is either fully or partially conformant with.

Optional GQL features are assigned a feature ID code. These codes order the features in the table below.

GQL Feature ID Description Documentation Comment

GQL Feature ID	Description	Documentation	Comment
G002	Different-edges match mode	Relationship uniqueness in Cypher	The semantic for this feature is the default Cypher semantic.
G004	Path variables	Path patterns
G016	Any path search	`ANY`
G017	All shortest path search	`ALL SHORTEST`
G018	Any shortest path search	`ANY`
G019	Counted shortest path search	`SHORTEST`
G020	Counted shortest group search	`SHORTEST GROUPS`
G035	Quantified paths	Quantified path patterns
G036	Quantified edges	Quantified relationships
G050	Parenthesized path pattern: `WHERE` clause	Path patterns
G051	Parenthesized path pattern: non-local predicate	Graph patterns → Rules
G060	Bounded graph pattern quantifier	Quantifiers
G061	Unbounded graph pattern quantifier	Quantifiers
G074	Label expressions: wildcard label	Label expressions
GA06	Value type predicates	Type predicate expressions
GA07	Ordering by discarded binding variables	Graph patterns → Rules
GF01	Enhanced numeric functions	`abs()`, `floor()`, `sqrt()`.	Note the following exceptions: GQL supports `CEILING()` as a synonym for the `CEIL()` function. Cypher only supports `ceil()`.
GF02	Trigonometric functions	`acos()`, `asin()`, `atan()`, `cos()`, `cot()`, `degrees()`, `radians()`, `tan()`
GF03	Logarithmic functions	`exp()`, `log10()`.	Note the following exceptions: Cypher uses the `log()` function instead of GQL’s `LN()` function. Cypher uses the exponentiation operator (`^`) instead of GQL’s `POWER()` function.
GF05	Multi-character trim functions	`btrim()`, `ltrim()`, `rtrim()`
GF06	Explicit `TRIM` function	`trim()`	In GQL, `TRIM()` removes only space characters. In Cypher, `trim()` removes any whitespace character.
GG01	Graph with open graph type
GQ01	`USE` graph clause	`USE`	Cypher’s `USE` clause supports static graph references (e.g. `USE myComposite.myGraph`)and dynamic graph references (e.g. `USE graph.byName(<expression>)`). However, Cypher does not support GQL’s full graph reference syntax. For example, GQL’s graph reference values `CURRENT_GRAPH` and `CURRENT_PROPERTY_GRAPH` cannot be used in Cypher.
GQ03	Composite query: `UNION`	`UNION`
GQ13	`ORDER BY` and page statement: `LIMIT`	`LIMIT`, `ORDER BY`	Cypher requires using the `WITH` clause, which GQL does not.
GV39	Temporal types: date, local datetime, and local time support	Temporal types, `date()`	Note the following exceptions: GQL defines a parameterless version of the `date()` function not in Cypher: `CURRENT_DATE`. GQL’s `LOCAL_TIME()` function is equivalent to Cypher’s `localtime()` function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: `LOCAL_TIME`. GQL’s `LOCAL_DATETIME()` function is equivalent to Cypher’s `localdatetime()` function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: `LOCAL_DATETIME`.
GV40	Temporal types: zoned datetime and zoned time support	Temporal types	Note the following exceptions: GQL’s `ZONED_TIME()` function is equivalent to Cypher’s `time()` function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: `CURRENT_TIME`. GQL’s `ZONED_DATETIME()` function is equivalent to Cypher’s `datetime()` function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: `CURRENT_TIMESTAMP`.
GV50	List value types	Lists
GV55	Path value types	Structural types → `PATH`
GV66	Open dynamic unions	Type predicate expressions → `ANY` and `NOTHING`
GV67	Closed dynamic unions	Closed dynamic unions
GV70	Immaterial value types: null type support (`NULL`)	Working with `NULL`
GV71	Immaterial value types: empty type support (`NOTHING`)]	Type predicate expressions → `ANY` and `NOTHING`

G002

Different-edges match mode

Relationship uniqueness in Cypher

The semantic for this feature is the default Cypher semantic.

G004

Path variables

Path patterns

G016

Any path search

ANY

G017

All shortest path search

ALL SHORTEST

G018

Any shortest path search

ANY

G019

Counted shortest path search

SHORTEST

G020

Counted shortest group search

SHORTEST GROUPS

G035

Quantified paths

Quantified path patterns

G036

Quantified edges

Quantified relationships

G050

Parenthesized path pattern: WHERE clause

Path patterns

G051

Parenthesized path pattern: non-local predicate

Graph patterns → Rules

G060

Bounded graph pattern quantifier

Quantifiers

G061

Unbounded graph pattern quantifier

Quantifiers

G074

Label expressions: wildcard label

Label expressions

GA06

Value type predicates

Type predicate expressions

GA07

Ordering by discarded binding variables

Graph patterns → Rules

GF01

Enhanced numeric functions

abs(), floor(), sqrt().

Note the following exceptions: GQL supports CEILING() as a synonym for the CEIL() function. Cypher only supports ceil().

GF02

Trigonometric functions

acos(), asin(), atan(), cos(), cot(), degrees(), radians(), tan()

GF03

Logarithmic functions

exp(), log10().

Note the following exceptions:

Cypher uses the log() function instead of GQL’s LN() function.
Cypher uses the exponentiation operator (^) instead of GQL’s POWER() function.

GF05

Multi-character trim functions

btrim(), ltrim(), rtrim()

GF06

Explicit TRIM function

trim()

In GQL, TRIM() removes only space characters. In Cypher, trim() removes any whitespace character.

GG01

Graph with open graph type

GQ01

USE graph clause

USE

Cypher’s USE clause supports static graph references (e.g. USE myComposite.myGraph)and dynamic graph references (e.g. USE graph.byName(<expression>)). However, Cypher does not support GQL’s full graph reference syntax. For example, GQL’s graph reference values CURRENT_GRAPH and CURRENT_PROPERTY_GRAPH cannot be used in Cypher.

GQ03

Composite query: UNION

UNION

GQ13

ORDER BY and page statement: LIMIT

LIMIT, ORDER BY

Cypher requires using the WITH clause, which GQL does not.

GV39

Temporal types: date, local datetime, and local time support

Temporal types, date()

Note the following exceptions:

GQL defines a parameterless version of the date() function not in Cypher: CURRENT_DATE.
GQL’s LOCAL_TIME() function is equivalent to Cypher’s localtime() function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: LOCAL_TIME.
GQL’s LOCAL_DATETIME() function is equivalent to Cypher’s localdatetime() function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: LOCAL_DATETIME.

GV40

Temporal types: zoned datetime and zoned time support

Temporal types

Note the following exceptions:

GQL’s ZONED_TIME() function is equivalent to Cypher’s time() function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: CURRENT_TIME.
GQL’s ZONED_DATETIME() function is equivalent to Cypher’s datetime() function. GQL also defines a parameterless version of the function not in Cypher: CURRENT_TIMESTAMP.

GV50

List value types

Lists

GV55

Path value types

Structural types → PATH

GV66

Open dynamic unions

Type predicate expressions → ANY and NOTHING

GV67

Closed dynamic unions

GV70

Immaterial value types: null type support (NULL)

Working with NULL

GV71

Immaterial value types: empty type support (NOTHING)]

Type predicate expressions → ANY and NOTHING

Cypher and GQL sometimes name functions differently and, as a result, several Cypher functions offer the same (or very similar) functionality to their GQL counterpart. For more information, see the page Optional GQL features and analogous Cypher.