Seed Data & Fixtures in Neo4j

Introduction

In the context of Neo4j, seed data and fixtures are crucial elements for setting up a database for testing and development. Seed data refers to the initial data loaded into the database, while fixtures provide a way to manage this data in a structured manner.

Key Concepts

Step-by-Step Process

1. Design Your Data Model: Define the nodes, relationships, and properties needed for your application.
2. Create Seed Data: Use Cypher queries to define the data you want to insert.

   
   CREATE (a:Person {name: 'Alice', age: 30}),
          (b:Person {name: 'Bob', age: 25}),
          (a)-[:FRIENDS_WITH]->(b);
                       

3. Load Fixtures: Scripts can be used to load predefined data sets into the database.

   
   CALL apoc.load.json("file:///path/to/your/fixture.json") YIELD value
   UNWIND value AS person
   CREATE (p:Person {name: person.name, age: person.age});
                       

4. Run Tests: Execute your tests to ensure that the data is correctly set up.
5. Clean Up: Remove or reset the data after tests are completed to maintain a clean state.

   
   MATCH (n)
   DETACH DELETE n;
                       

Best Practices

• Keep your seed data small and focused.
• Use descriptive names for nodes and relationships.
• Version control your seed data and fixtures.
• Automate the loading of seed data in your CI/CD pipeline.

FAQ