September 2013 Summaries

Py2neo version 1.6 has been released, introducing node labels as a key feature that allows nodes to be tagged with keywords for categorization and indexing. The new release also includes a complete rewrite of the underlying HTTP/REST mechanism, enabling better support for streaming responses and incremental JSON decoding, which improves the handling of query results and batch requests. Additionally, Neotool has received updates, including full Unicode support, Cypher execution, and XML conversion options. While Cypher transactions are not included in this release due to technical challenges, Py2neo 1.6 is a valuable companion to Neo4j 2.0 and can be obtained from PyPI, GitHub, or ReadTheDocs.

The Neo4j team has released a new Windows Installer for the Community Edition, which bundles Java and adds convenience by eliminating the need to download and install Java separately. The installer is straightforward but welcomes feedback and ideas for improvement. A new Neo4j Desktop Launcher has also been introduced, allowing users to start and stop Neo4j, launch the web UI, and manage the application on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. This launcher is currently available only for the Community Edition, with Enterprise Edition potentially following in the future. The team encourages suggestions and feedback from developers, and provides a changelog file on Github for the full details.

We are hosting our annual graph database conference, GraphConnect, in San Francisco on October 3-4, 2013, with a focus on sharing knowledge and experiences related to graph databases. The conference features an un-conference session where attendees can actively participate by presenting their own topics or discussing existing ones, with opportunities for networking and feedback from experts like Emil Eifrem, Fred Trotter, Dr. Jim Webber, and others. A "Graph Clinic" session is also available for addressing graph-related questions and issues, while a special treat awaits attendees who submit lightning talk proposals, including free tickets to the conference.

The Neo4j company is encouraging developers to model a domain they know and like in a graph model, creating an interactive GraphGist, which can be hosted on GitHub Gists. To create a GraphGist, one needs to find a great domain, whiteboard a good example graph model, determine interesting use-cases, create Cypher statements for setup and query-use-cases, and compose the content nicely in an asciidoc-graphgist-file. The public GraphGist needs to be registered before September 30, 2013, and participants can win prizes including the honor and a cash award.

Neo4j 2.0.0-M05 has been released as a milestone, marking the beginning of full-speed development for the 2.0 project. This release includes unique constraints, which allow specifying that a label/property combination must be unique in a database, making it safer to work with and catching problems manually. The new Optional schema provides a balance between agility and strict constraint, enabling users to make their graph structure more structured as needed. Unique constraints are implemented using a unique index and can be used for read query execution as well as checking uniqueness. Additionally, the release includes a Label store, which persists label information, making it faster to find nodes with a certain label. The Transaction interface has been updated to implement AutoClosable, allowing resources to be tied to transactions and released automatically. Other improvements include removing deprecated methods and classes, updating Cypher syntax for collections, and making the language more minimalistic and JSON-friendly.

At GraphConnect San Francisco, Fred Trotter will deliver a keynote on Hacking Healthcare with Neo4j, discussing his work with the open data set DocGraph. The event aims to showcase the potential of graph technology in modeling complex systems like healthcare. To learn more about DocGraph and its applications, visitors can read an article or visit their website. The conference features a diverse lineup of speakers, including Fred Trotter, who regularly blogs and tweets about his expertise. Attendees can also submit ideas for lightning talks during the unconference sessions. Registration is now open with a discount code available to secure 50% off conference admission.

Today, Neo4j released version 1.9.3, a bugfix release in the 1.9.x series with no new features, restoring an old way of registering unmanaged extensions with the server. Users on earlier 1.9 releases are strongly encouraged to upgrade without downtime in an HA cluster. The new version can be downloaded from the neo4j.org website. This update is part of Neo4j's ongoing efforts to improve the stability and security of its graph database platform.