Getting Started with the Graph Query Language (GQL): A complete guide to designing, querying, and managing graph databases with GQL
Author:Ricky Sun (Author), Jason Zhang (Author), Yuri Simione (Author)
Publisher finelybook 出版社: Packt Publishing
Publication Date 出版日期: 2025-08-22
Language 语言: English
Print Length 页数: 392 pages
ISBN-10: 1836204019
ISBN-13: 9781836204015
Book Description
Learn how to build and query graph databases with this first comprehensive guide to ISO-standard GQL featuring 50+ hands-on examples and a real-world case study that will change the way you work with connected data
Key Features
- Go beyond theory and apply key concepts and syntax through interactive tutorials and practical examples via the GQL Playground
- Leverage advanced features of GQL to manipulate graph data efficiently
- Explore GQL applications in data analytics and discover how to leverage graph knowledge in real-world scenarios
- Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook
Book Description
Graph Query Language is becoming the go-to standard for graph databases, especially with its support for interconnected analytics and GenAI capabilities. This book comes from a team of industry veterans who know exactly how to break down the fundamental GQL concepts, graph terms, definitions, catalog systems, and everything that matters in actual work.
You’ll get to grips with graph data types, value expressions, graph matching patterns, and modifying statements through practical GQL examples. With access to the GQL Playground via Ultipa Graph, you’ll get hands-on experience querying and manipulating graph data.
Once you’ve got the basics down, you’ll tackle advanced GQL topics such as path modes, complex path matching patterns, shortest path queries, composite statements, session and transaction commands, and procedures. You’ll also learn to create extensions and understand the design of graph databases to solve industry issues. The authors cover techniques like property graphs to help you optimize your graph queries and offer insights into the future of GQL and graph technology.
By the end of this book, you’ll confidently query and update graph data, run graph algorithms, and create visualizations. Plus, you’ll apply your learnings to a real-world use case of money flow analysis for assessing bank client behaviors and detecting transaction risks.
What you will learn
- Experiment with GQL syntax on GQL Playground, including MATCH, RETURN, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE
- Work with operators, functions, and variables in an organized fashion
- Become familiar with complex topics such as varying path matching modes, repeated variables, shortest path, procedures, and transactions
- Enhance execution speed through indexing or caching systems
- Understand how to manage access control effectively
- Tackle real-world issues with a case study focused on money transaction analytics
Who this book is for
This book is for graph database developers, DBAs, programmers, data engineers, and analysts who want to learn the new graph database standard GQL. A basic understanding of graph and relational databases, data models, knowledge of SQL basics, and programming will make the content easy to grasp. While it is designed to be accessible even if you don’t have a background in graph theory, familiarity with concepts like nodes, edges, relationships, and the distinction between directed and undirected graphs will enhance your learning experience.
Table of Contents
- Evolution Towards Graph Databases
- Key Concepts of GQL
- Getting Started
- Basic GQL Statements
- Operators and Logical Control
- Functions
- Advanced Clauses
- Transaction Management
- Sessions Management
- Conformance to GQL Standard
- Beyond the GQL Standard
- A Case Study
- The Evolving Landscape of GQL
- Glossary and Resources
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Right off the bat, this is the most comprehensive learning resource available for GQL. It not only explains the theory but invites readers to actively engage with it through hands-on examples and a built-in playground environment. Beyond practical skills, the book thoughtfully explores the history and theory behind GQL, placing graph databases in the broader context of the database ecosystem.
As a developer working on GQL compatibility for gdotv, a graph database client and visualization tool, this book has been our north star as we work through the implementation.”
Arthur Bigeard, Creator of gdotv, Ex-Vice President, Morgan Stanley
About the Author
Ricky Sun is a serial entrepreneur and an expert in high-performance storage and computing systems. He is also the author of several technology books. Ricky began his career in Silicon Valley, working with his professor a year before graduating from Santa Clara University. Over the past 20+ years, he has experienced three mergers and acquisitions. Ultipa is his fourth venture. Ricky previously served as CTO of EMC Asia R&D Center, managing director of EMC Labs China, and chief architect of Splashtop, a pre-IPO unicorn startup. He was also the CEO of Allhistory, a knowledge graph-powered causality search engine, now part of Human, a publicly traded online education services company. Ricky is the author of the The Essential Criteria of Graph Databases book.
Jason Zhang holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from SUPINFO, Paris, and has over 10 years of IT experience. He has worked for startups and is currently the Director of Engineering at Ultipa. In his role, Jason has contributed to the design and implementation of Ultipa’s property graph database, recognized as one of the most performant and innovative in the market. He leads the implementation of Ultipa Graph and adds support for the GQL standard.
Yuri Simione holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Pisa, Italy. He has nearly 30 years of IT experience. He has worked with large enterprises like Xerox and EMC (now Dell EMC), specialising in managing unstructured information projects with products like Opentext Documentum and Adobe Experience Management. In 2014, Yuri recognized the potential of graph databases for handling unstructured data and shifted his focus to this technology and the semantic knowledge graphs market. He currently serves as VP of Partnerships and Alliances at Ultipa, a leading graph database and graph analytics vendor.
