AuraDB Fundamentals ›Getting Started
Connecting to your instance

AuraDB Fundamentals

Introduction to Neo4j Aura

Getting Started

Tools

Operations

Connecting to your instance

Connecting to your instance

In the previous lesson, you learned how to restore your instance from snapshots and local backup files, and how to plan your backup strategy.

In this lesson you will learn how to:

  • Connect to your Aura instance

  • Use different tools to interact with your database

  • Ensure connection security

Connecting to your instance

To connect to your Aura instance, you will need the connection details provided in the Inspect section of your instance management options, as well as the credentials file you downloaded when creating the instance.

The diagram shows the complete connection flow from your application to the Neo4j instance.

Connection flow diagram showing authentication and query execution

Connection credentials

Your credentials file contains:

Entry Value

NEO4J_URI

neo4j+s://<instanceid>.databases.neo4j.io

NEO4J_USERNAME

neo4j

NEO4J_PASSWORD

<your password>

NEO4J_DATABASE

neo4j

AURA_INSTANCEID

<instanceid>

AURA_INSTANCENAME

Instance01

Retrieving connection details

To view the connection details, navigate to your instance in the Aura console and click on the three dots on the right side of the instance card. Select Inspect from the dropdown menu.

inspect_connection

Using connection details

The following video demonstrates connecting to a Professional instance through the Import tool:

Connection information explained

The connection details include:

  • ID: The unique identifier for your database instance

  • Connection URI: The connection string used to connect to your database

The username and password are not shown in the Inspect panel for security reasons. Retrieve your password from the credentials file downloaded when you created the instance.

Using credentials to connect

Use these details to connect through the Aura console tools (Query, Explore, Dashboards) or any external application that supports Neo4j connections.

Connect with Credentials][credentials_prompt

Overview of interaction methods

Aura provides several tools to interact with your database, each suited for different use cases:

  • Query: A web-based interface for running Cypher queries directly against your database. Designed for developers and DBAs who work with Cypher syntax.

  • Explore: A graph visualization tool for exploring data visually without writing Cypher. Ideal for business users, analysts, and developers prototyping queries.

  • Dashboards: Create visual representations of your data for business users and stakeholders who need insights without writing queries.

For more connection options including drivers and language-specific libraries, see the Neo4j Aura connection documentation.

Check your understanding

Connecting to Aura

Which details do you need to connect to your Aura instance?

  • ✓ Connection URI

  • ✓ Username

  • ✓ Password

  • ✓ Database name

  • ❏ Cloud Provider

Hint

To connect, you need the address (URI), authentication credentials (username and password), and the target database name. The cloud provider is abstracted by the service.

Solution

To connect to your Aura instance, you need the following details: * Connection URI: The connection string used to connect to your database. * Username: The username for your database instance. * Password: The password associated with your username. * Database name: The name of the specific database you want to connect to within your Aura instance.

You do not need to know the cloud provider to connect to your Aura instance, as this information is abstracted away by the service.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to connect to your Aura instance using the connection URI, username, and password from your credentials file.

You also explored the three main tools available in the Aura console: Query, Explore, and Dashboards.

In the next module, you will use these tools to import, query, and explore your data.

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