Overview
This n8n node allows you to create a relationship between two nodes in a Neo4j graph database. It is useful for automating the process of linking entities (such as people, companies, or other objects) with specific relationships (like WORKS_AT, KNOWS, etc.). Common scenarios include building knowledge graphs, managing organizational structures, or tracking connections between various data points.
Example use cases:
- Connecting a "Person" node to a "Company" node with a "WORKS_AT" relationship.
- Linking two users with a "KNOWS" relationship in a social network graph.
Properties
Below are the input properties relevant to the Create Relationship operation:
Display Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
Start Node Match Labels | String | Labels of the starting node for the relationship (optional). Example: Person . |
Start Node Match Properties | JSON | Properties to uniquely identify the starting node (required). Example: {"ID": "{{ $json.startNodeID }}"} |
End Node Match Labels | String | Labels of the ending node for the relationship (optional). Example: Company . |
End Node Match Properties | JSON | Properties to uniquely identify the ending node (required). Example: {"ID": "{{ $json.endNodeID }}"} |
Relationship Type | String | The type of the relationship (required). Must be a valid Neo4j type name (letters, numbers, underscores). |
Relationship Properties | JSON | Properties for the relationship (optional). Example: {"since": "{{ $now.year }}", "role": "Developer"} |
Options > Return Data | Boolean | Whether to return the created relationship's element ID, type, and properties. Default: true . |
Output
The output will contain information about the created relationship if Return Data is enabled. The structure typically includes:
{
"elementId": "string", // Unique identifier of the created relationship
"type": "string", // Relationship type (e.g., WORKS_AT)
"properties": { // Key-value pairs of relationship properties
"since": "2024",
"role": "Developer"
}
}
If binary data is returned (not typical for this operation), it would represent exported or serialized relationship data.
Dependencies
- Neo4j Database: You must have access to a running Neo4j instance.
- Credentials: Requires n8n credentials of type
neo4jApi
(typically includes connection URL, username, and password).
Troubleshooting
Common issues:
- Authentication errors: Ensure your Neo4j credentials are correct and that the database is accessible from n8n.
- Node not found: If the start or end node cannot be uniquely identified by the provided properties, the relationship will not be created. Double-check your match properties.
- Invalid relationship type: The relationship type must only contain letters, numbers, or underscores.
- Malformed JSON: Ensure all JSON fields (match properties, relationship properties) are valid JSON objects.
Error messages you might encounter:
"Could not authenticate to Neo4j"
: Check your credentials and network connectivity."No matching node found for given properties"
: Verify the node properties and labels."Invalid relationship type"
: Use only allowed characters in the relationship type.