The document provides an overview of the Graph Query Language (GQL) which allows users to query, modify and administrate a graph database. It includes descriptions and examples of common GQL commands for creating, altering and deleting vertices and edges, inserting and updating data, running queries, and more. The full GQL syntax and capabilities are demonstrated through examples of creating different vertex types and executing queries, inserts, updates and other commands on the graph data.

1. GQLcheatsheet
GQL The sones Graph Query Language (GQL) allows you to create, modify, administrate and query a graph (database).
CREATE VERTEXCREATE VERTEXCREATE VERTEXCREATE VERTEX Create a user-defined vertex type
CREATE [ABSTRACT] VERTEX vertex_type_def
CREATE VERTICESCREATE VERTICESCREATE VERTICESCREATE VERTICES Create user-defined vertices having circular dependencies
CREATE VERTICES [ABSTRACT] vertex_type_def [, [ABSTRACT] vertex_type_def]]
ALTER VERTEXALTER VERTEXALTER VERTEXALTER VERTEX Manipulates a user-defined vertex
ALTER VERTEX vertex
ADD ATTRIBUTES(attr_definition [,attr_definition])|
DROP ATTRIBUTES (identifier [,identifier]) |
ADD BACKWARDEDGES (backward_edge_def [,backward_edge_def]) |
DROP BACKWARDEDGES (identifier [,identifier]) |
RENAME ATTRIBUTE identifier TO identifier |
RENAME TO identifier |
RENAME BACKWARDEDGE identifier TO identifier |
UNIQUE (identifier [,identifier]) |
DROP UNIQUE |
DROP MANDATORY |
MANDATORY (identifier [,identifier]) |
DEFINE ATTRIBUTES (identifier [,identifier]) |
UNDEFINE ATTRIBUTES (identifier [,identifier]) |
COMMENT = "<string>"
DROP VERTEXDROP VERTEXDROP VERTEXDROP VERTEX Deletes a user-defined vertex
DROP VERTEX vertex
CREATE INDEXCREATE INDEXCREATE INDEXCREATE INDEX Creates an index on a user-defined vertex
CREATE INDEX [identifier] [EDITION edition_identifier]
ON VERTEX identifier (index_attribute_list) [INDEXTYPE identifier]
REBUILD INDICESREBUILD INDICESREBUILD INDICESREBUILD INDICES rebuilds all or specific index of a user-defined vertex
REBUILD INDICES [vertex [,vertex]]
DROP INDEXDROP INDEXDROP INDEXDROP INDEX Deletes an index of a user-defined vertex
FROM vertex DROP INDEX index_identifier [EDITION edition_identifier]
INSERTINSERTINSERTINSERT Insert an object into a graph
INSERT INTO Identifier VALUES (attr_assign [,attr_assign]) [WHERE where_condition]
INSERTORUPDATEINSERTORUPDATEINSERTORUPDATEINSERTORUPDATE Inserts or Updates an object into a graph
INSERTORUPDATE vertex VALUES (attr_assign [,attr_assign]) [WHERE where_condition]
INSERTORREPLACEINSERTORREPLACEINSERTORREPLACEINSERTORREPLACE Inserts or Replaces an object into a graph
INSERTORREPLACE vertex VALUES (attr_assign [,attr_assign]) [WHERE where_condition]
UPDATEUPDATEUPDATEUPDATE Updates an object within a graph
UPDATE vertex SET (attr_update [,attr_update]) [WHERE where_condition]
REPLACEREPLACEREPLACEREPLACE Replaces an object within a graph
REPLACE vertex VALUES (attr_assign [,attr_assign]) WHERE where_condition
DELETEDELETEDELETEDELETE Deletes attributes from an vertex or the vertex itself
FROM vertex DELETE [identifier [,identifier] ] [WHERE where_condition]
EXPORTEXPORTEXPORTEXPORT Create a complete (query) dump in different formats
EXPORT [VERTICES vertex [,vertex]] [{GDDL|GDML|ALL}] [AS {GQL}]
[TO {‘file:...‘ | ‘http://...‘}]
IMPORTIMPORTIMPORTIMPORT Import queries
IMPORT FROM {‘file:...‘ | ‘http://...‘} FORMAT {GQL}
[PARALLELTASKS(number)] [COMMENTS(‘value‘ [,‘value‘])]
LINKLINKLINKLINK Add edges between vertices
LINK vertex (identifier=value [,identifier=value])
TO vertex (identifier=value [,identifier=value]) VIA edge_attribute
UNLINKUNLINKUNLINKUNLINK Remove edges between vertices
UNLINK vertex (identifier=value [,identifier=value])
FROM vertex (identifier=value [,identifier=value]) VIA edge_attribute
TRUNCATETRUNCATETRUNCATETRUNCATE Removes all records from a user-defined vertex
TRUNCATE vertex
DESCRIBEDESCRIBEDESCRIBEDESCRIBE Get information on items within the database
DESCRIBE AGGREGATES |
DESCRIBE AGGREGATE identifier |
DESCRIBE EDGES |
DESCRIBE EDGE identifier |
DESCRIBE FUNCTIONS |
DESCRIBE FUNCTION identifier |
DESCRIBE INDICES |
DESCRIBE INDEX identifier [edition] |
DESCRIBE SETTINGS [ON VERTEX vertex | ON ATTRIBUTE attr_definition | ON DB | ON SESSION] |
DESCRIBE SETTING identifier [ON VERTEX vertex | ON ATTRIBUTE attribute | ON DB | ON SESSION]
DESCRIBE TYPES |
DESCRIBE VERTEX vertex
SETTINGSETTINGSETTINGSETTING Set, get or remove a setting (in a session or global)
SETTING DB setting_operation |
SETTING SESSION setting_operation |
SETTING [TYPE | VERTEX] identifier setting_operation |
SETTING ATTRIBUTE identifier setting_operation
SELECTSELECTSELECTSELECT Retrieve objects or their data from a graph
FROM identifier [reference] [,identifier [= <value>] [reference]]
SELECT * | # | - | > | < | selection [,selection] |
@Primitive-Datatype [,@Primitive-Datatype]
[WHERE where_condition] [GROUP BY identifier] [ORDER BY identifier]
[OFFSET <number>] [LIMIT <number>] [DEPTH <number>]
BUILTBUILTBUILTBUILT----IN Datatypes (case sensitive)IN Datatypes (case sensitive)IN Datatypes (case sensitive)IN Datatypes (case sensitive)
Integer, UnsignedInteger, Double, String, Boolean, DateTime, List<Primitive-Datatype>,
SET<Primitive-Datatype>, SET<Userdefined-Datatype>
Aggregates / FunctionsAggregates / FunctionsAggregates / FunctionsAggregates / Functions
COUNT | AVG | CONCAT | TOUPPER | MAXWEIGHT | SUBSTRING | TOP | PATH | ...
CommentsCommentsCommentsComments
sonesLogin and Access sones graphDB can be accessed through a number of different
interfaces like SOAP WebService, REST - even a WebShell running inside every browser is
available.
WebShell sones graphDB WebShell is a unix-like shell in a web browser allowing the
user to interact with an instance of a sones graphDB. It is based on well-known technologies
and libraries like HTML, JavaScript, JQuery and our RESTRESTRESTREST APIAPIAPIAPI. Authentication is mandatory.
Anyone can gain access to a personalized instance by logging on to http://www.sones.com.
useful commands:
sample json output:
{
"query": "FROM User u SELECT *",
"result": "Successful",
"warnings": [],
"errors": [],
"results":
[{
"Username": "User1",
"Age": "25"
}],
"Duration": ["1","ms"]
}
commandcommandcommandcommand parametersparametersparametersparameters descriptiondescriptiondescriptiondescription
help n/a displays help text
clear n/a clears the screen
format xml | json | text by default results are displays as xml. Output
REST The REST API can be used to run GQL queries. The query is encapsulated
into the URL (URL encoded) and data then is returned in the specified format (xml / json /
text). Basic authentication is mandatory.
based on latest GQL specification — comments to info@sones.com are welcome — Last Update: Oct 25th, 2010 © sones GmbH
vertex_type_def = identifier [EXTENDS Identifier] [ATTRIBUTES(attr_definition
[,attr_definition])] [BACKWARDEDGES(backward_edge_def [,backward_edge_def])] [UNIQUE
(identifier [,identifier])] [MANDATORY(identifier [,identifier])] [INDICES
(index_on_create)] [COMMENT = "<string>"]
attr_definition = built-in_type <attribute_name> [=DefaultValue]
attr_assign = identifier=value |
identifier={REF(identifier=value) | REFUUID(uuid) | SETOF(identifier=value
[,identifier=value]) | LISTOF(value [,value]) | SETOFUUIDS(uuid [,uuid])}
attr_update = identifier={value | REF(identifier=value) | REFUUID(uuid)} |
identifier {= | += | -=} {SETOF(identifier=value [,identifier=value]) | LISTOF(value
[,value]) | SETOFUUIDS(uuid [,uuid])}
vertex = case-sensitive name of any existing vertex
setting_operation = SET ("SettingName"=value [,"SettingName"=value]) | GET
("SettingName" [,"SettingName"]) | REMOVE ("SettingName" [,"SettingName"]
SettingName = (DEPTH, SETREADONLY, TYPE, UUID, SHOWREVISION, SELECTTIMEOUT, ...)
selection = [reference.]identifier [= <value> | ?= <value>] [AS alias]

2. GQLcheatsheet examples
Examples
CREATE VERTEXCREATE VERTEXCREATE VERTEXCREATE VERTEX
CREATE VERTEX UserProfile
ATTRIBUTES (String Username, Integer Age, SET<UserProfile> Friends)
BACKWARDEDGES (UserProfile.Friends FriendOf)
UNIQUE (Username) MANDATORY (Username)
INDICES ( (Idx_Age ON ATTRIBUTES Age), (Username) )
COMMENT = "The UserProfile vertex"
CREATE VERTEX SecondUserProfile EXTENDS UserProfile
ATTRIBUTES (SET<UserProfile> Enemies, String Language = "en")
CREATE VERTEX ThirdUserProfile EXTENDS SecondUserProfile
ATTRIBUTES (LIST<String> Hobbies)
INDICES (Language)
CREATE VERTEX WeightedProfile
ATTRIBUTES (SET<WEIGHTED(Double, DEFAULT = 1.0, SORTED = DESC)<WeightedProfile>> Friends)
CREATE VERTICESCREATE VERTICESCREATE VERTICESCREATE VERTICES
CREATE VERTICES
Tag ATTRIBUTES (String Name) BACKWARDEDGES (Website.Tags TaggedSite) INDICES (Name)
Website ATTRIBUTES (String Name, String URL, SET<Tag> Tags) INDICES (Name)
ALTER VERTEXALTER VERTEXALTER VERTEXALTER VERTEX
ALTER VERTEX UserProfile
ADD ATTRIBUTES (SET<UserProfile> Enemies, UserProfile Father)
ADD INDICES ( (Idx_Age ON ATTRIBUTES Age), (Username) )
RENAME ATTRIBUTE Friends TO AllFriends
MANDATORY(Username, Age)
DEFINE(Double UndefinedProp)
UNDEFINE(DefinedProp)
COMMENT = "The UserProfile vertex"
ALTER VERTEX UserProfile
ADD BACKWARDEDGES (UserProfile.Enemies EnemyOf)
ALTER VERTEX UserProfile
ADD ATTRIBUTES (SET<WEIGHTED(Double, DEFAULT = 1.5, SORTED = ASC)<UserProfile>> WeightedFriends )
DROP MANDATORY
ALTER VERTEX UserProfile
DROP ATTRIBUTES (Enemies, Father)
DROP VERTEXDROP VERTEXDROP VERTEXDROP VERTEX
DROP VERTEX SecondUserProfile
DROP INDEXDROP INDEXDROP INDEXDROP INDEX
FROM UserProfile DROP INDEX IDX_Name
CREATE INDEXCREATE INDEXCREATE INDEXCREATE INDEX
CREATE INDEX ON UserProfile(City)
CREATE INDEX IDX_Name ON VERTEX UserProfile (Name) INDEXTYPE Hashtable
TRUNCATETRUNCATETRUNCATETRUNCATE
TRUNCATE UserProfile
INSERTORUPDATEINSERTORUPDATEINSERTORUPDATEINSERTORUPDATE
INSERTORUPDATE
UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User1", Age = 40) WHERE Name = "User1"
INSERTORUPDATE
UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User5") WHERE Name = "User5"
INSERTORREPLACEINSERTORREPLACEINSERTORREPLACEINSERTORREPLACE
INSERTORREPLACE
UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User1-new", Age = 50) WHERE Name = "User1"
INSERTINSERTINSERTINSERT
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User1", Age = 25, UUID = "ID1")
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User2", Age = 22, Friends = SETOF(Name = "User1"), UUID = "ID2")
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User3" Father = REF(Name = "User1"), Enemies = SETOF(Name = "User2"))
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User4", WeightedFriends = SETOF(Name = "User1":(1.2)))
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User5", Hobbies = LISTOF("Books","Music"))
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "UndefinedAttributeUser", Weight = 70.1) /* Undefined Attribute */
INSERT INTO UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User2", Age = 22, Friends = SETOFUUIDS("ID1", "ID2"), Father = REFUUID("ID1")))
UPDATEUPDATEUPDATEUPDATE
UPDATE UserProfile SET (Friends += SETOF(Name="User2", Name="User4") ) WHERE Name = "User3"
UPDATE UserProfile SET (Friends -= SETOF(Name="User4") ) WHERE Name = "User3"
UPDATE UserProfile SET (Friends = SETOF(Name="User2"), Enemies += SETOFUUIDS("ID1") ) WHERE Name = "User3"
SELECTSELECTSELECTSELECT
FROM UserProfile U SELECT U.Friends.Friends.Name WHERE U.Name = "User1"
FROM UserProfile SELECT Name WHERE Friends.Friends.Name = "User1"
FROM UserProfile SELECT Friends.TOP(10)
DESCRIBEDESCRIBEDESCRIBEDESCRIBE
DESCRIBE TYPES
DESCRIBE VERTEX UserProfile
DESCRIBE SETTING Depth ON VERTEX UserProfile
DESCRIBE SETTING Depth ON ATTRIBUTE UserProfile.Friends
DESCRIBE SETTINGS ON DB
DESCRIBE INDEX Tag.Name
DESCRIBE FUNCTION CONCAT
REPLACEREPLACEREPLACEREPLACE
REPLACE
UserProfile VALUES (Name = "User1", Age = 50)
WHERE Name= "User1-new"
DELETEDELETEDELETEDELETE
FROM UserProfile DELETE WHERE Name = "User1"
EXPORTEXPORTEXPORTEXPORT
EXPORT AS GQL
EXPORT GDDL AS GQL
EXPORT GDML AS GQL TO "file:gdml_export.gql"
IMPORTIMPORTIMPORTIMPORT
IMPORT FROM "http://developers.sones.de/gdml_export.gql" FORMAT GQL
IMPORT FROM "file:gdml_export.gql" FORMAT GQL PARALLELTASKS(3) COMMENTS("#", "-")
LINKLINKLINKLINK
LINK UserProfile (Name = "User1") TO UserProfile (Name = "User2")
VIA Friends
UNLINKUNLINKUNLINKUNLINK
UNLINK UserProfile (Name = "User1") FROM UserProfile (Name = "User2")
VIA Friends
SETTINGSETTINGSETTINGSETTING
SETTING VERTEX User SET („DEPTH“=2)
sones
based on latest GQL specification — comments to info@sones.com are welcome — Last Update: Oct 25th, 2010 © sones
FunctionsFunctionsFunctionsFunctions
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT U.Name.CONCAT("-> Age:", U.Age) AS "Name"
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT U.Name, CURRENTDATE()
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT U.WeightedFriends.MAXWEIGHT()
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT U.Name.SUBSTRING(2,3)
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT U.Friends.Path(S.Name = "User1", 10, 10, "true", "false")
WHERE U.Name = "User2" DEPTH 1
AggregatesAggregatesAggregatesAggregates
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT AVG(U.Age)
FROM UserProfile U
SELECT AVG(U.Age), U.Name
GROUP BY U.Name
OFFSET 10
LIMIT 10