设置 Neo4j 环境

Time to set up your own Neo4j environment. We'll use Neo4j Desktop — the easiest way to run local graph databases.

Neo4j Desktop is your hub for development: create and manage multiple databases, install plugins, and query graphs in a built-in browser.

First, grab Neo4j Desktop from neo4j.com/download. Pick the installer for your OS — Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Run the installer like any other app: an .exe on Windows, a .dmg drag on macOS, or your distro's package on Linux. Straightforward stuff.

Open Neo4j Desktop, accept the license, and optionally sign in with a Neo4j account — handy later for cloud features, but not required locally.

Neo4j Desktop uses Projects to organize your databases. Click (+) Project, choose New Project, and name it something like MyFirstGraph.

Now add a database: inside your project click (+) Add DBMS, choose Create a Local DBMS, name it, and set a password you'll remember.

Hit Start (the play icon) on your new DBMS and wait for the status to turn green and read Running. Your graph is live!

With the database running, click Open to launch the Neo4j Browser — a command line where you'll type and run your queries.

Let's confirm everything works. Run this one-line Cypher query in the Browser and watch for the greeting.

You've just set up your first Neo4j environment! Let's quickly review the core steps.

Done! You installed Neo4j Desktop, created a project, started a local database, and opened the Browser. Your graph journey is officially live.