Neo4j CLI Tools skill
This skill provides comprehensive guidance on Neo4j command-line tools for database administration, query execution, cloud management, and AI agent integration.
When to use
Use this skill when:
- Setting up or configuring Neo4j databases via command line
- Running administrative tasks with neo4j-admin
- Executing Cypher queries from the command line
- Managing Neo4j Aura cloud instances
- Setting up the Neo4j MCP server for AI agents
- Troubleshooting Neo4j CLI tool issues
- Migrating or backing up databases using CLI tools
Available CLI Tools
1. neo4j-admin
Purpose: Comprehensive database administration tool
Categories:
- - System-wide administration for single and clustered environments
- - Server-level management tasks
- - Database-specific operations (backup, restore, import, migrate)
- - Backup and restore operations
Common Use Cases:
- Database backup and restore
- Data import and export
- Server memory recommendations
- Initial password setup
- Database health checks
Reference: neo4j-admin-reference.md
2. cypher-shell
Purpose: Interactive command-line tool for executing Cypher queries
Key Features:
- Interactive REPL for ad-hoc queries
- Script execution from files
- Parameterized query support
- Multiple output formats (verbose, plain, auto)
- Remote database connections
Common Use Cases:
- Running Cypher queries from terminal
- Batch processing with query files
- Database exploration and debugging
- CI/CD pipeline integration
- Scripted data operations
Requirements: Java 21
Reference: cypher-shell-reference.md
3. aura-cli
Purpose: Command-line interface for managing Neo4j Aura cloud resources
Key Features:
- Instance provisioning and management
- Tenant administration
- Credential management
- Graph Analytics operations
- Customer-managed keys
Common Use Cases:
- Automating Aura instance creation
- Managing cloud database lifecycles
- CI/CD integration for cloud deployments
- Programmatic resource provisioning
Reference: aura-cli-reference.md
4. neo4j-mcp
Purpose: Model Context Protocol server for Neo4j integration with AI agents
Key Features:
- Enables AI agents to interact with Neo4j
- Tools for query execution and schema inspection
- Read-only and read-write modes
- Multiple transport modes (stdio, http)
- Works with all Neo4j deployment types
Common Use Cases:
- Integrating Neo4j with Claude or other AI agents
- Building AI-powered graph applications
- Natural language to Cypher translation
- Automated data analysis workflows
Requirements: Neo4j instance with APOC plugin
Reference: neo4j-mcp-reference.md
Instructions
When a user asks about Neo4j CLI tools:
-
Identify the appropriate tool based on the use case:
- Administration tasks → neo4j-admin
- Query execution → cypher-shell
- Cloud management → aura-cli
- AI agent integration → neo4j-mcp
-
Check prerequisites:
- For cypher-shell: Verify Java 21 is installed
- For neo4j-mcp: Verify APOC plugin is available
- For aura-cli: Verify credentials are configured
-
Provide practical examples:
- Always include actual command syntax
- Show common parameter combinations
- Include environment variable alternatives
- Demonstrate error handling where relevant
-
Reference detailed documentation:
- Include the appropriate reference file from directory
- Point to official Neo4j documentation for latest updates
- Mention version-specific considerations
-
Installation guidance:
- neo4j-admin and cypher-shell: Included with Neo4j installation
- aura-cli: Download from GitHub releases
- neo4j-mcp: Download binary from official repository
- Include installation verification steps
Important Notes
- All commands support for detailed usage information
- Configuration priority: CLI flags > environment variables > config files
- Neo4j 2026.01 is the current version (as of documentation date)
- Always execute neo4j-admin commands as the Neo4j system user
- Exit code 0 indicates success; non-zero indicates errors
Environment Variables
Common environment variables across tools:
- / - Database connection URI
- - Database username
- - Database password
- - Target database name
- - Path to neo4j.conf directory
- - Neo4j installation directory
Resources