Upgrade a standalone server (TAR/ZIP)

This example shows how to upgrade or patch a 5.x standalone server from a TAR/ZIP. We recommend the use of Redhat or Debian package managers to install/upgrade Neo4j 5 because it simplifies this process.

It is recommended to read the following pages before continuing:

For critical systems, it is recommended to:

  • Backup your server(s), including databases, configuration, and encryption keys to avoid losing data in case of failure.

  • Perform the upgrade in a test environment.

Prerequisites

The following example steps assume that the Neo4j 5.x has its binaries in its default location, while the /data and /conf folders are configured using the server.directories.data configuration setting and the environment variable NEO4J_CONF. This means you can replace the DBMS binaries without affecting the configuration and state.

You must be careful to not overwrite your data or config directories when you install the new version.

Upgrade steps

  1. Stop Neo4j 5.x.

    /neo4j-enterprise-5.x/bin/neo4j stop

  2. From Neo4j Download Center, download the latest version, 5.y TAR or ZIP, and unpack it.

  3. (Optional) If you have installed any plugins, make sure they are compatible with the new version.

    The latest APOC is available under /labs, whilst GDS, Bloom, and NOM are available under /products. Currently, an incompatible GDS or APOC version will prevent Neo4j startup.

  4. Start Neo4j 5.y:

    /neo4j-enterprise-5.Y/bin/neo4j start

Monitor the logs

The neo4j.log file contains information on how many steps the upgrade will involve and how far it has progressed. It is advisable to monitor this log.