spring-data-neo4j

Spring Data Neo4j maps domain models to Neo4j graphs through @Node and @Relationship annotations on entity classes. Define node entities with @Node, mark identifiers with @Id and @GeneratedValue, use @Property for fields, and @Relationship to connect entities. Configure Spring Boot dependencies and repositories to enable automatic persistence and querying against your graph database.

Yes, use @Query annotations on repository methods to compose custom Cypher queries in Spring Data Neo4j. Write Cypher directly in the annotation value, bind method parameters to query variables, and return typed results. This approach lets you optimize graph traversal patterns and access Neo4j's full query capability within Spring Boot repositories.

Imperative operations block and return results directly; reactive operations return Publisher types (Mono, Flux) for non-blocking, async execution. Spring Data Neo4j supports both through separate repository interfaces and drivers. Choose imperative for standard request-response flows and reactive for high-concurrency, event-driven applications.

Use embedded Neo4j testing configurations within Spring Boot test classes to instantiate an in-memory database without external dependencies. Configure test repositories, seed graph data with @Query or direct API calls, and validate node and relationship structure. This approach supports cross-version compatibility checks and common graph scenarios.

Yes, @Relationship decorates entity fields to define graph edges and cardinality. @Property marks individual fields for storage. @GeneratedValue auto-increments Neo4j IDs. These annotations configure the mapping layer so Spring Data Neo4j automatically translates your domain model into graph structure during persistence and retrieval.