Database management

When you create a new instance, two databases are automatically created for you: the default database neo4j and the system database. The neo4j database is for user data and the system database contains DBMS metadata and security configuration, see Operations Manual → The system database for more information.

In addition to these two, you can add a number of additional databases for user data to your instance. However, there is only one system database per instance.

Figure 1. Databases in an instance

Create a new database

To create an additional user database, use the button on the instance card, give your database a name and then confirm with the Create button. Your new database is available instantly and appears in the Databases dropdown. Note that the creation of new databases requires a running instance.

Delete a database

You can delete a database using the […] by the database name in the dropdown. Like creating a new database, this action requires a running instance. You can only delete user databases and not the system database in an instance.

Load a database

Locally existing databases can be loaded into your instance from the instance management menu […] on the instance card. This action supports .dump, .tar, and .backup files and requires that your instance is stopped.

You browse for the database to be loaded and a new database is created in your instance when you hit Import. The name is inferred from the filename and must be unique to your instance, i.e. you cannot load a .dump file called neo4j into an instance with an existing database called neo4j. The load action doesn’t overwrite.

Figure 2. Instance management menu

Once the database has been loaded, your instance starts automatically.

Export databases

You can export one or more user databases (not the system database) to your instance’s dumps folder. This is also done from the instance management menu […] on the instance card and requires that your instance is stopped.

Figure 3. Export databases to the dumps folder

You select which databases to export and once you hit Export the creation of .dump file(s) starts. It may take a moment, but once it is completed you get a confirmation and a shortcut to the dumps folder.

For a quick overview of an instance’s dumps folder, use the Open dumps folder option from the instance management menu […]. Note that this action requires at least one .dump file in this folder.