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neo4j-contrib/neo4j-skills/neo4j-migration-skill

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PublishedJune 16, 2026 at 09:11 PM

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name: neo4j-migration-skill description: Migrates Neo4j driver code and Cypher queries from older versions (4.x, 5.x) to current (2025.x/2026.x, Cypher 25). Covers Python, JavaScript/Node.js, Java, .NET, and Go drivers — package renames, removed APIs, version requirements, diff-ready fixes. Also handles Cypher syntax migration: QPE paths, CALL subqueries, id() → elementId(), PERIODIC COMMIT → CALL IN TRANSACTIONS, and all Cypher 25 removals. Does NOT write new Cypher queries — use neo4j-cypher-skill. Does NOT cover DB administration or server ops — use neo4j-cli-tools-skill. Does NOT provision new Neo4j instances — use neo4j-getting-started-skill. allowed-tools: WebFetch Bash version: 1.0.1

When to Use

Upgrading driver dependency from 4.x or 5.x to 6.x
Migrating Cypher queries to Cypher 25 syntax
Fixing deprecated API warnings after a driver or Neo4j version bump
Auditing a codebase for removed/deprecated Neo4j APIs before upgrading

When NOT to Use

Writing new Cypher queries → neo4j-cypher-skill
DB admin (backup, restore, import, cypher-shell) → neo4j-cli-tools-skill
Starting fresh → neo4j-getting-started-skill
GDS algorithm migration — not covered here; consult GDS release notes

Entry Criteria

Before starting, ask:

Target Neo4j version — needed to select Cypher dialect and driver version
Languages in use — scan package.json, requirements.txt, pom.xml, *.csproj, go.mod
Current driver versions — read from dependency files; do NOT guess

If target is >= 2025.06: ask whether Cypher 5 or Cypher 25 dialect will be used (both supported; Cypher 25 is the new default).

Step 1 — Scan Codebase

bash

# Find Cypher strings (queries embedded in source)
grep -rn "MATCH\|MERGE\|CREATE\|CALL\|RETURN" --include="*.py" --include="*.js" \
  --include="*.ts" --include="*.java" --include="*.cs" --include="*.go" \
  --include="*.cypher" --include="*.cql" . | grep -v ".git"
 
# Find dependency files
find . -name "requirements*.txt" -o -name "package.json" -o -name "pom.xml" \
  -o -name "*.csproj" -o -name "go.mod" | grep -v ".git" | grep -v node_modules

Collect findings before modifying anything. List all deprecated patterns found.

Step 2 — Cypher Migration (4.x / 5.x → Cypher 25)

Apply to every Cypher string, .cypher file, OGM/SDN @Query annotation, and template literal.

Complete Substitution Table

Old syntax	Cypher 25 replacement	Notes
`[:REL*1..5]`	`(()-[:REL]->()){1,5}`	QPE quantifier group
`[:REL*]`	`(()-[:REL]->()){1,}`	Unbounded QPE
`[:REL*0..5]`	`(()-[:REL]->()){0,5}`	Zero-hop allowed
`shortestPath((a)-[*]->(b))`	`SHORTEST 1 (a)(()-[]->()){1,}(b)`	QPE shortest path
`allShortestPaths((a)-[*]->(b))`	`ALL SHORTEST (a)(()-[]->()){1,}(b)`	QPE all-shortest
`id(n)`	`elementId(n)`	Returns string, not int
`CALL { WITH x ... }`	`CALL (x) { ... }`	Explicit import syntax
`PERIODIC COMMIT`	`CALL (...) { ... } IN TRANSACTIONS OF 1000 ROWS`	Batched writes
`-- comment`	`// comment`	SQL comment invalid
`SET n = r` (structural val)	`SET n = properties(r)`	Extract map first
`MERGE (a {x:1})-[:T]->(b {x:a.x})`	Rewrite — cross-entity MERGE refs disallowed	Split into MATCH+MERGE
`CREATE INDEX ... OPTIONS { indexProvider: ... }`	Remove `indexProvider` from OPTIONS	Provider selection removed
`db.create.setVectorProperty(...)`	Use native VECTOR property type	Procedure removed
`dbms.upgrade()` / `dbms.upgradeStatus()`	Use `cypher-shell :sysinfo`	Procedures removed
`USE composite.'1'`	` `USE` composite.1 `	Backtick entire qualified name
`RETURN 1 as my$Identifier`	` `RETURN 1 as` my$Identifier `	`$` removed from unescaped ids

Vector Index Queries (version-branched)

Version	Syntax
Neo4j < 2026.01	`CALL db.index.vector.queryNodes(idx, k, $emb) YIELD node, score`
Neo4j >= 2026.01	`SEARCH n IN (VECTOR INDEX idx FOR $emb LIMIT k) SCORE AS score`

Cypher Dialect Prefix Rule

Target >= 2025.06, dialect = Cypher 25: prepend CYPHER 25 to every top-level query
Target >= 2025.06, dialect = Cypher 5: prepend CYPHER 5 (keeps deprecated forms working)
Target 4.x or 5.x: no prefix needed; fetch changelog per references/cypher-queries.md

`id(n)` → `elementId(n)` Caveats

elementId() returns a string (e.g., "4:abc123:0"), not an integer. Fix downstream code that stores or compares it as int. Do NOT use elementId() values for numeric operations.

diff

- WHERE id(n) = $nodeId   # $nodeId was integer
+ WHERE elementId(n) = $nodeId  # $nodeId must now be string

Step 3 — Driver Migration

Pick the section(s) matching languages found in Step 1.

Python Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Min requirements: Python >= 3.10, neo4j package (6.0+, released Jan 12 2026)

Package Rename — do this first

diff

# requirements.txt
- neo4j-driver>=5.0.0
+ neo4j>=6.0.0

neo4j-driver package is deprecated since 6.0 and receives no further updates.

Removed APIs

Old	New	Notes
`session.read_transaction(fn)`	`session.execute_read(fn)`
`session.write_transaction(fn)`	`session.execute_write(fn)`
`session.last_bookmark()`	`session.last_bookmarks()`	Returns `Bookmarks` (plural)
`Bookmark` class	`Bookmarks` class
`TRUST_ALL_CERTIFICATES`	`trusted_certificates=TrustAll()`
`TRUST_SYSTEM_CA_SIGNED_CERTIFICATES`	`trusted_certificates=TrustSystemCAs()`
`neo4j.conf`, `neo4j.data` modules	Removed — use top-level `neo4j.*`

Resource Management Change

Drivers and sessions no longer auto-close on GC. Add explicit cleanup:

diff

- driver = GraphDatabase.driver(URI, auth=(USER, PASS))
- # used without explicit close
+ with GraphDatabase.driver(URI, auth=(USER, PASS)) as driver:
+     with driver.session(database="neo4j") as session:
+         ...

Or call .close() explicitly. Repeated .close() is a no-op.

Error Handling Changes

Old exception	New exception	Trigger
`ClientError` (for timeout)	`ConnectionAcquisitionTimeoutError`	Acquisition timeout
`AuthError` (invalid config)	`ConfigurationError`	Invalid auth params
`ValueError` raised for `Query` obj	`TypeError`	Passing `Query` to `Transaction.run`

Key APIs Unchanged

execute_query(), GraphDatabase.driver(), neo4j+s:// URI, auth=(user, pw), session run().

Full changelog: references/python-driver.md

JavaScript / Node.js Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Min requirements: Node.js >= 18 (check engines in driver's package.json); package neo4j-driver

Removed APIs

Old	New	Notes
`session.readTransaction(fn)`	`session.executeRead(fn)`
`session.writeTransaction(fn)`	`session.executeWrite(fn)`
`session.lastBookmark()`	`session.lastBookmarks()`	Returns array
`resultSummary.updateStatistics`	`resultSummary.counters`
`driver.verifyConnectivity()` → `ServerInfo`	`driver.getServerInfo()` → `ServerInfo`	`verifyConnectivity()` now returns `void`

Deprecated in 6.0 (will be removed in 7.0)

Old	New
`isRetriableError(err)`	`isRetryable(err)`
`neo4jError.retriable`	`neo4jError.retryable`
`notificationCategory`	`notificationClassification`

Integer Handling

Neo4j integers map to neo4j.Integer (64-bit). Use .toNumber() or .toInt() for arithmetic. Large values (> 2^53) lose precision — store as string with .toString().

javascript

// Safe pattern
const count = record.get('count').toNumber()

Full changelog: references/javascript-driver.md

Java Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Min requirements: Java 21; Maven org.neo4j.driver:neo4j-java-driver:6.x

Maven Coordinates

diff

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.neo4j.driver</groupId>
  <artifactId>neo4j-java-driver</artifactId>
- <version>5.x.x</version>
+ <version>6.0.0</version>
</dependency>

Removed APIs

Removed	Replacement	Notes
`RxSession` / `RxTransaction`	Use async `AsyncSession` or sync `Session`	Reactive API removed
`Bookmark` multi-value constructor	`Bookmark.from(iterable)`
`session.readTransaction(fn)`	`session.executeRead(fn)`
`session.writeTransaction(fn)`	`session.executeWrite(fn)`
`TrustStrategy.certFile()`	`TrustStrategy.trustCustomCertificateSignedBy(path)`
`Notification.severity()`	`Notification.severityLevel()`	Returns typed enum

Dependency Note (BOM)

neo4j-java-driver-bom no longer imports netty-bom as of 6.0.1. If using Netty native transport, add explicit netty-bom import.

Logging

Legacy Logging API deprecated → configure System.Logger instead.

Full changelog: references/java-driver.md

.NET Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Min requirements: .NET 8, 9, or 10 (.NET Standard 2.1 dropped); NuGet Neo4j.Driver 6.x

NuGet Package

diff

- <PackageReference Include="Neo4j.Driver" Version="5.*" />
+ <PackageReference Include="Neo4j.Driver" Version="6.*" />

Neo4j.Driver.Signed no longer receives updates — switch to Neo4j.Driver (now signed).

Removed APIs

Removed	Replacement	Notes
`ILogger`	`INeo4jLogger`	Interface renamed
`ConfigBuilder.WithIpv6Enabled()`	Remove call — IPv6 always enabled
`Config.Ipv6Enabled` property	Remove — always true
Simple driver	Use standard `IDriver`	Removed entirely

Full changelog: references/dotnet-driver.md

Go Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Min requirements: Go 1.24; module github.com/neo4j/neo4j-go-driver/v6

go.mod Update

diff

- require github.com/neo4j/neo4j-go-driver/v5 v5.x.x
+ require github.com/neo4j/neo4j-go-driver/v6 v6.x.x

Update all imports from /v5/ to /v6/.

Removed APIs and Replacements

Old	New	Notes
`neo4j.NewDriver(...)`	`neo4j.NewDriverWithContext(...)`	Context-aware; or just use `neo4j.NewDriver` (now has context)
`neo4j.Config` struct	`config.Config`	Import `github.com/neo4j/neo4j-go-driver/v6/neo4j/config`
`neo4j.ServerAddressResolver`	`config.ServerAddressResolver`
`neo4j.LogLevel` / `neo4j.ERROR` etc.	`log.Level` / `log.ERROR`	Import `neo4j/log` sub-package
`log.Console`	`log.ToConsole`
`log.Void`	`log.ToVoid`
`neo4j.Single[T]`	`neo4j.SingleT[T]` (still present; context variant preferred)
`neo4j.Driver` interface	`neo4j.DriverWithContext`	`*WithContext` variants are now primary
`neo4j.Session` interface	`neo4j.SessionWithContext`
`Config.RootCAs` field	`Config.TlsConfig`	Pass `*tls.Config` directly
Notification constants (old pkg)	`notifications.*` equivalents	Import `neo4j/notifications`

Context API Consolidation

In v6, neo4j.NewDriverWithContext is the canonical constructor. The old *WithContext method names are deprecated (targeted for removal in v7) — base names now include context by default.

diff

- driver, err := neo4j.NewDriver(uri, neo4j.BasicAuth(user, pass, ""))
+ driver, err := neo4j.NewDriverWithContext(uri, neo4j.BasicAuth(user, pass, ""))

Full migration guide: references/go-driver.md

Step 4 — Version Compatibility Matrix

Neo4j version	Cypher dialect	Driver 6.x compatible	Notes
4.4 LTS	Cypher 4	Yes (bolt compat)	Support ended Nov 2025
5.26 LTS	Cypher 5	Yes	Supported until Nov 2028
2025.01–2025.05	Cypher 5	Yes	CalVer era begins
2025.06+	Cypher 5 or 25	Yes	Cypher 25 new default
2026.01+	Cypher 25	Yes	`SEARCH` clause available

Store format: no changes between 4.4 and 2026.x. block format default for new Enterprise dbs since 5.22. high_limit and standard deprecated in 5.23, removed after 2026 LTS.

No downgrades supported — take a backup before any server upgrade.

Step 5 — Test After Migration

bash

# Python: run with dev mode to surface all deprecation warnings
python -W error::DeprecationWarning -m pytest tests/
 
# JS: run tests
npm test
 
# Java
mvn test
 
# .NET
dotnet test
 
# Go
go test ./...

After test run: if any DeprecationWarning or deprecated-API log appears, treat as ERROR — fix before proceeding.

For Cypher: run each migrated query through EXPLAIN first:

bash

# Via Query API v2
curl -X POST https://<host>/db/<database>/query/v2 \
  -u <user>:<password> -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"statement": "EXPLAIN <your query>"}'

Common Migration Errors

Error	Cause	Fix
`id(n)` returns string, int comparison fails	`elementId()` returns string	Update stored IDs to string; fix WHERE clauses
`Cannot merge node using null property value`	MERGE key resolved to null	Validate params before MERGE
`Neo4j.Driver.Exceptions.AuthenticationException`	Wrong credential config after .NET rename	Update `INeo4jLogger` usage; verify config
`TypeError: neo4j-driver is deprecated`	Old package installed	Replace with `neo4j>=6.0.0` in requirements
`AttributeError: 'Session' has no 'read_transaction'`	Python 5→6, method removed	Replace with `execute_read()`
`RxSession not found`	Java 6.x, Reactive API removed	Migrate to async or sync session
`undefined is not a function (.readTransaction)`	JS 6.x, method removed	Replace with `executeRead()`
Go: `undefined: neo4j.Config`	v5 import path still present	Update all imports to `/v6/`
`PERIODIC COMMIT not supported`	Cypher 25, clause removed	Use `CALL (...) IN TRANSACTIONS`
`Unknown function id()`	id() removed in Cypher 25	Replace with `elementId()`

References

Load on demand — high discovery rate because explicitly linked:

references/cypher-queries.md — version-branched Cypher changelog selection (4.x, 5.x, 2025.x)
references/python-driver.md — Python changelog URLs, full version history
references/javascript-driver.md — JS changelog URLs by version
references/java-driver.md — Java changelog URLs by version
references/dotnet-driver.md — .NET changelog URLs by version
references/go-driver.md — Go migration guide with 5.0 and 6.0 sections

For any syntax not covered above, fetch: https://neo4j.com/docs/cypher-manual/25/deprecations-additions-removals-compatibility/

Checklist

[ ] Target Neo4j version confirmed; Cypher dialect selected (Cypher 5 or 25)
[ ] Dependency files scanned; all driver versions identified
[ ] Cypher substitution table applied to every query in codebase
[ ] id(n) → elementId(n) and downstream int→string conversions fixed
[ ] PERIODIC COMMIT → CALL IN TRANSACTIONS in all batch writes
[ ] CALL { WITH x ... } → CALL (x) { ... } in all subqueries
[ ] Package renames done (Python: neo4j-driver → neo4j)
[ ] Deprecated session methods replaced (read_transaction/readTransaction → execute_read/executeRead)
[ ] Resource cleanup added where missing (Python: context managers or .close())
[ ] Bookmark API updated (last_bookmark → last_bookmarks, Bookmark → Bookmarks)
[ ] Go imports updated from /v5/ to /v6/; neo4j.Config → config.Config
[ ] Java: Java 21 confirmed; RxSession usages removed
[ ] .NET: ILogger → INeo4jLogger; Neo4j.Driver.Signed → Neo4j.Driver
[ ] Tests pass with no DeprecationWarnings
[ ] EXPLAIN run on all migrated Cypher queries; no errors

← v1.0.0 All versions

Skill v1.0.1

When to Use

When NOT to Use

Entry Criteria

Step 1 — Scan Codebase

Step 2 — Cypher Migration (4.x / 5.x → Cypher 25)

Complete Substitution Table

Vector Index Queries (version-branched)

Cypher Dialect Prefix Rule

id(n) → elementId(n) Caveats

Step 3 — Driver Migration

Python Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Package Rename — do this first

Removed APIs

Resource Management Change

Error Handling Changes

Key APIs Unchanged

JavaScript / Node.js Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Removed APIs

Deprecated in 6.0 (will be removed in 7.0)

Integer Handling

Java Driver (5.x → 6.x)

Maven Coordinates

Removed APIs

Dependency Note (BOM)

Logging

.NET Driver (5.x → 6.x)

NuGet Package

Removed APIs

Go Driver (5.x → 6.x)

go.mod Update

Removed APIs and Replacements

Context API Consolidation

Step 4 — Version Compatibility Matrix

Step 5 — Test After Migration

Common Migration Errors

References

Checklist

`id(n)` → `elementId(n)` Caveats