A graph database is a specialized platform designed to store and manipulate data based on relationships. Unlike traditional relational databases, which rely on tables and rows, graph databases use a graph structure composed of three fundamental components:
- Nodes: These represent entities (such as people, products, or locations) in your data.
- Edges: They connect nodes and signify relationships between them.
- Properties: They provide additional information about nodes and edges.
The magic lies in how these components interact:
Relationships First
In a graph database, relationships take centre stage. They connect the nodes to each other and, like nodes, can carry properties that can be used to filter queries. This flexibility allows for rich, interconnected data modelling.
Efficient Queries
Querying relationships is lightning fast because the edges belonging to a node are stored in linked lists. Whether you’re traversing social networks, supply chains, or recommendation engines, graph databases excel.
Visual Insights
Graphs are intuitive visual representations. They reveal patterns, dependencies, and hidden connections that other databases struggle to capture.