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

When NOT to use this skill

• Writing or optimizing Cypher queries → use neo4j-cypher-skill
• Upgrading Neo4j drivers or migrating Cypher syntax → use neo4j-migration-skill
• Starting a new Neo4j project from scratch → use neo4j-getting-started-skill

Available CLI Tools

1. neo4j-admin

Purpose: Comprehensive database administration tool

Categories:

• dbms - System-wide administration for single and clustered environments
• server - Server-level management tasks
• database - Database-specific operations (backup, restore, import, migrate)
• backup - 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

For full installation and editor configuration guidance, use neo4j-mcp-skill — it covers all editors (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, Kiro), stdio vs HTTP transport, and troubleshooting.

Quick install:

pip install neo4j-mcp-server
neo4j-mcp --version  # verify

Reference: neo4j-mcp-reference.md

Instructions

When a user asks about Neo4j CLI tools:

1. 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

2. 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

3. Provide practical examples:

   • Always include actual command syntax
   • Show common parameter combinations
   • Include environment variable alternatives
   • Demonstrate error handling where relevant

4. Reference detailed documentation:

   • Include the appropriate reference file from references/ directory
   • Point to official Neo4j documentation for latest updates
   • Mention version-specific considerations

5. 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 --help 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:

• NEO4J_URI / NEO4J_ADDRESS - Database connection URI
• NEO4J_USERNAME - Database username
• NEO4J_PASSWORD - Database password
• NEO4J_DATABASE - Target database name
• NEO4J_CONF - Path to neo4j.conf directory
• NEO4J_HOME - Neo4j installation directory

Resources

• Neo4j Operations Manual
• Cypher Shell Documentation
• Aura CLI GitHub
• Neo4j MCP Documentation
• Neo4j Developer Portal