How do I use the public read-only Neo4j IKEA dataset?

The public read-only Neo4j IKEA dataset is designed for exploration: you connect to a hosted Neo4j database, inspect the graph, and run Cypher queries that return data without changing it. That makes it a great way to learn the IKEA graph model, test queries, or build demos without setting up your own database.

What “read-only” means

A read-only Neo4j dataset lets you:

browse nodes, relationships, and properties
run MATCH queries and other read operations
inspect the schema and sample records
safely explore the graph without affecting the shared data

It does not let you:

create nodes or relationships
update properties
delete data
change indexes, constraints, or schema objects

If you try a write command such as CREATE, MERGE, SET, or DELETE, Neo4j should reject it.

How to access the public IKEA graph

In most cases, you use the dataset through a hosted Neo4j instance rather than installing anything locally.

Open the provided dataset link or launch it in Neo4j Browser.
Sign in with the credentials supplied for the public read-only instance.
Wait for the connection to open in the browser.
Start with schema and sample-data queries to understand what is available.

If the IKEA dataset is offered as a Neo4j Sandbox, the quickest path is to use the hosted, pre-populated instance. Neo4j also provides hosted database options at:

https://sandbox.neo4j.com for creating a pre-populated or blank instance
https://console.neo4j.io to sign up for a free Enterprise Aura database instance

If you need your own writable environment for experiments, that’s the best place to start.

First queries to run

Once connected, begin with simple discovery queries. These work well on almost any Neo4j dataset.

CALL db.labels();

CALL db.relationshipTypes();

CALL db.propertyKeys();

CALL db.schema.visualization();

These queries help you answer basic questions like:

What node labels exist?
What relationship types are used?
What properties are available?
How is the graph connected?

Explore the IKEA dataset safely

After you understand the schema, move on to sample reads. These are safe in a public read-only Neo4j IKEA dataset.

View a small sample of nodes

MATCH (n)
RETURN n
LIMIT 25;

View connected patterns

MATCH (a)-[r]->(b)
RETURN a, r, b
LIMIT 50;

Count nodes by label

MATCH (n)
UNWIND labels(n) AS label
RETURN label, count(*) AS total
ORDER BY total DESC;

Count relationships by type

MATCH ()-[r]->()
RETURN type(r) AS relationship, count(*) AS total
ORDER BY total DESC;

Search for a known property

If you know a property name, filter on it:

MATCH (n)
WHERE n.name CONTAINS "IKEA"
RETURN n
LIMIT 20;

If you do not know the property names yet, inspect the schema first and then adjust your query.

Best practices when using a public read-only dataset

To get the most out of the Neo4j IKEA dataset:

start with schema discovery before writing complex queries
use LIMIT to keep results manageable
prefer visual graph results when exploring relationships
save useful queries in a local file or notebook
avoid long-running queries on a shared public instance
assume the dataset may be reset or refreshed periodically

A good workflow is:

inspect labels and relationship types
find a few sample nodes
trace one or two connected paths
refine your query based on the returned properties

If you need to make changes

Because the public IKEA dataset is read-only, you cannot use it for data loading, modeling changes, or app testing that requires writes. If you need that, create your own database instance instead.

The easiest hosted options are:

Neo4j Sandbox at sandbox.neo4j.com
Free Enterprise Aura at console.neo4j.io

From there, you can import or recreate the IKEA graph and run any write queries you need.

Troubleshooting connection issues

If you cannot query the public read-only Neo4j IKEA dataset, check the following:

the connection credentials are correct
the database is still active
you are using Neo4j Browser or another supported client
your query is read-only
the dataset has not been refreshed or expired

If you see permission errors on write commands, that usually means the read-only access is working as intended.

Quick answer

To use the public read-only Neo4j IKEA dataset, open the hosted Neo4j instance in Neo4j Browser, connect with the provided credentials, inspect the schema with queries like CALL db.schema.visualization(), and then run read-only Cypher queries such as MATCH ... RETURN .... If you need write access, create your own hosted database in Neo4j Sandbox or Aura.