In the RETURN part of your query, you define which parts of the pattern you want to output. Output can include agtype values, nodes, relationships, or properties.

Return nodes

To return a node, list it in the RETURN statement.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (n {name: 'B'})
    RETURN n
$$) as (n agtype);

The example will return the node.

Result

Return edges

To return n‘s edges, just include it in the RETURN list.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (n)-[r:KNOWS]->()
    WHERE n.name = 'A'
    RETURN r
$$) as (r agtype);

The relationship is returned by the example.

Return property

To return a property, use the dot separator, as follows:

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (n {name: 'A'})
    RETURN n.name
$$) as (name agtype);

The value of the property name gets returned.

Result

Return all elements

When you want to return all vertices, edges and paths found in a query, you can use the * symbol.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (a {name: 'A'})-[r]->(b)
    RETURN *
$$) as (a agtype, b agtype, r agtype);

This returns the two vertices, and the edge used in the query.

Result

Variable with uncommon characters

To introduce a placeholder that is made up of characters that are not contained in the English alphabet, you can use the ` to enclose the variable, like this:

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (`This isn\'t a common variable`)
    WHERE `This isn\'t a common variable`.name = 'A'
    RETURN `This isn\'t a common variable`.happy
$$) as (happy agtype);

The node with name “A” is returned.

Result

Aliasing a field

If the name of the field should be different from the expression used, you can rename it by changing the name in the column list definition.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (n {name: 'A'})
    RETURN n.name
$$) as (objects_name agtype);

Returns the age property of a node, but renames the field.

Result

Optional properties

If a property might or might not be there, it will be treated as null if it is missing.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (n)
    RETURN n.age
$$) as (age agtype);

This query returns the property if it exists, or null if the property does not exist.

Result

Other expressions

Any expression can be used as a return item—literals, predicates, properties, functions, and everything else.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
    MATCH (a)
    RETURN a.age > 30, 'I'm a literal', id(a)
$$) as (older_than_30 agtype, literal agtype, id agtype);

Returns a predicate, a literal and function call with a pattern expression parameter.

Result

Unique results

DISTINCT retrieves only unique records depending on the fields that have been selected to output.

Query

SELECT *
FROM cypher('graph_name', $$
MATCH (a {name: 'A'})-[]->(b)
RETURN DISTINCT b
$$) as (b agtype);

The node named “B” is returned by the query, but only once.

Result