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Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals · Lesson

Updating and Deleting Graph Data

Learn to modify existing nodes and relationships using SET and REMOVE, and safely delete data with DELETE and DETACH DELETE.

Updating and Deleting Graph Data is a free Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Modifying Your Graph Data

In this lesson, you'll learn how to update and delete existing nodes and relationships in your Neo4j graph using Cypher. Modifying data is crucial for keeping your graph accurate and up-to-date.

We'll cover the essential clauses: SET for changing properties, REMOVE for taking properties or labels away, and DELETE / DETACH DELETE for removing graph elements entirely.

Update Node Properties with SET

The SET clause is used to modify existing properties on nodes or relationships, or to add new ones. Let's start by updating a node's property.

This example first creates a 'Person' node, then updates their age.

CREATE (p:Person {name: 'Alice', age: 30})
RETURN p

MATCH (p:Person {name: 'Alice'})
SET p.age = 31
RETURN p.name, p.age

Update Relationship Properties

Just like nodes, relationships can also have properties. You can use SET to update these properties too. First, we create a relationship, then we update one of its properties.

CREATE (p1:Person {name: 'Bob'})-[:KNOWS {since: 2019}]->(p2:Person {name: 'Charlie'})
RETURN p1, p2

MATCH (p1:Person {name: 'Bob'})-[r:KNOWS]->(p2:Person {name: 'Charlie'})
SET r.since = 2020, r.status = 'Good Friends'
RETURN r.since, r.status

Add New Properties with SET

If you use SET with a property name that doesn't exist on a node or relationship, Cypher will simply add that new property. This is a handy way to extend your data model on the fly.

MATCH (p:Person {name: 'Alice'})
SET p.city = 'New York', p.occupation = 'Engineer'
RETURN p.name, p.city, p.occupation

Remove Properties with REMOVE

Sometimes you need to get rid of a property entirely. The REMOVE clause is designed for this. It can delete one or more properties from a node or a relationship.

Remember, REMOVE is for properties and labels, not for deleting entire nodes or relationships.

MATCH (p:Person {name: 'Alice'})
REMOVE p.occupation
RETURN p.name, p.age, p.city, p.occupation

Remove Node Labels

The REMOVE clause isn't just for properties; you can also use it to remove labels from a node. This can change the node's type or classification within your graph.

After removing the 'Person' label, the node still exists but is now just a generic node without that specific type.

MATCH (p:Person {name: 'Alice'})
REMOVE p:Person
RETURN p, labels(p)

Delete Relationships with DELETE

To remove a relationship, you use the DELETE clause. You must first MATCH the relationship you want to delete and then pass its variable to DELETE.

Note: DELETE can only remove relationships or nodes that have no relationships.

CREATE (a:User {id: 1})-[:LIKES]->(b:Product {id: 10})
RETURN a, b

MATCH (a:User {id: 1})-[r:LIKES]->(b:Product {id: 10})
DELETE r
RETURN a, b

Delete Nodes with DETACH DELETE

What if you want to delete a node that has relationships connected to it? A simple DELETE won't work and will give an error.

The solution is DETACH DELETE. This powerful clause deletes the node and all its incoming and outgoing relationships in one go.

CREATE (u:User {name: 'David'})-[:FOLLOWS]->(o:User {name: 'Eve'})
RETURN u, o

MATCH (u:User {name: 'David'})
DETACH DELETE u
RETURN u

Deletion Best Practices

Deleting data is permanent! Always exercise caution:

  • Test first: Run your MATCH clause with a RETURN to ensure you're selecting the correct elements before adding DELETE or DETACH DELETE.
  • Backup: For critical data, ensure you have backups.
  • Transaction awareness: In applications, deletions are often part of larger transactions.

Deletion Challenge

You have a (:Movie {title: 'Inception'}) node that is connected to many (:Actor) nodes via [:ACTED_IN] relationships. You want to remove the 'Inception' movie node and all its connections.

Lesson Summary

Great job! You've mastered the core Cypher clauses for modifying and deleting graph data:

  • SET: Updates existing properties or adds new ones to nodes and relationships.
  • REMOVE: Deletes specific properties or labels from nodes and relationships.
  • DELETE: Removes relationships or nodes that have no connections.
  • DETACH DELETE: The safest way to delete a node and all its associated relationships in one go.

Always be careful when deleting data, and verify your MATCH patterns first!

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Updating and Deleting Graph Data” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Updating and Deleting Graph Data” is free to read here on the web, and the Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Updating and Deleting Graph Data”?

Learn to modify existing nodes and relationships using SET and REMOVE, and safely delete data with DELETE and DETACH DELETE. You practise Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals?

No prior experience is required. Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Updating and Deleting Graph Data” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals lesson?

Yes. Every Neo4j Graph Database Fundamentals lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Filtering and Ordering Results
  2. Aggregation and Projections
  3. Updating and Deleting Graph Data
  4. Combining Queries with WITH and UNION
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