# neo4j-import-skill

A skill for loading CSV, JSON and Parquet into Neo4j. It picks the right import method for your dataset size and walks through typing, nulls and post-load checks.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 858 installs · ★ 116
- Author: neo4j-contrib
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills/tree/HEAD/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-21
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/neo4j-import-skill

## What it does

This skill covers structured data import into Neo4j. It helps you decide between online loading with `LOAD CSV` and `CALL IN TRANSACTIONS` and the offline route through `neo4j-admin database import full` when the dataset is large and the database can be taken down. Inside are a method decision table, Cypher templates for nodes and relationships, an explanation of the `ON ERROR` modes, and patterns for `apoc.load.csv`, `apoc.load.json` and `apoc.periodic.iterate`.

The order of operations matters. Uniqueness constraints go in first, because they create the index `MERGE` uses during loading. Extra indexes are built afterwards, once the data is committed — creating them earlier just slows every write. The pre-import checklist also has you verify `apoc.version()`, confirm the target is `PRIMARY`, count rows in the source file and re-encode it to UTF-8.

Empty CSV strings land as `""` rather than `null`, so `nullIf()` is the way to convert them. `toInteger()` and `toFloat()` throw on `null`; the skill's examples use `toIntegerOrNull()` and `toFloatOrNull()` instead. On Aura only `https://` URLs work — `file:///` is not available there — and `neo4j-admin import` applies to self-managed deployments only.

Unstructured documents, PDFs and vector chunks are out of scope; that is what `neo4j-document-import-skill` is for. Live application writes with `MERGE`/`CREATE` belong to `neo4j-cypher-skill`.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills --skill neo4j-import-skill -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/neo4j-import-skill/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills --skill neo4j-import-skill -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills --skill neo4j-import-skill -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills neo4j-import-skill
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills --skill neo4j-import-skill -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills --path neo4j-import-skill
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills --skill neo4j-import-skill -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills/tree/HEAD/neo4j-import-skill/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- load a CSV into Neo4j without creating duplicates
- choose between online import and offline bulk loading
- migrate relational tables into a graph
- set up batched writes with `CALL IN TRANSACTIONS`
- confirm an import finished completely

## Example prompts
- Load `persons.csv` into Neo4j with `LOAD CSV` and `CALL IN TRANSACTIONS`
- Which import method should I use for 20M rows in self-managed Neo4j?
- Check that every node and relationship from `knows.csv` made it in

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 25cf1ce38f99886c.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 25cf1ce38f99886c
```text
---
name: neo4j-import-skill
description: Import structured data into Neo4j — LOAD CSV, CALL IN TRANSACTIONS, neo4j-admin
  database import full (offline bulk), apoc.load.csv/json, apoc.periodic.iterate, driver
  batch writes. Covers method selection, header file format, type coercion, null handling,
  ON ERROR modes, CONCURRENT TRANSACTIONS, pre-import constraint setup, and post-import
  validation. Use when importing CSV/JSON/Parquet files, migrating relational data to graph,
  or bulk-loading large datasets. Does NOT handle unstructured document/PDF/vector chunking
  pipelines — use neo4j-document-import-skill. Does NOT handle live app write patterns
  (MERGE/CREATE) — use neo4j-cypher-skill. Does NOT handle neo4j-admin backup/restore/config
  — use neo4j-cli-tools-skill.
version: 1.0.11
allowed-tools: Bash WebFetch
---

# Neo4j Import Skill

## When to Use

- Importing CSV, JSON, or Parquet files into Neo4j
- Batch-upserting nodes and relationships (UNWIND + CALL IN TRANSACTIONS)
- Migrating relational data (SQL → graph)
- Bulk-loading large datasets offline (neo4j-admin import)
- Choosing between online (Cypher) and offline (admin) import methods
- Verifying import completeness (counts, constraints, index states)

## When NOT to Use

- **Unstructured docs, PDFs, vector chunks** → `neo4j-document-import-skill`
- **Live application writes (MERGE/CREATE in app code)** → `neo4j-cypher-skill`
- **neo4j-admin backup/restore/config** → `neo4j-cli-tools-skill`
- **GDS algorithm projection from existing graph** → `neo4j-gds-skill`

---

## Method Decision Table

| Dataset size | DB state | Source | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | Online | CSV (Aura or local) | LOAD CSV + CALL IN TRANSACTIONS |
| < 1M rows | Online | List/API response | UNWIND + CALL IN TRANSACTIONS |
| > 10M rows | **Offline** (local/self-managed) | CSV / Parquet | `neo4j-admin database import full` |
| Any size | Online | APOC available | `apoc.periodic.iterate` + `apoc.load.csv` |
| Any size | Online | JSON/API | `apoc.load.json` or driver batching |
| Incremental delta | Offline (Enterprise) | CSV | `neo4j-admin database import incremental` |
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 25cf1ce38f99886c

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