Configuration

Overview

Configure the computing engine to optimize performance for your workload. This includes enabling/disabling, setting synchronization modes, caching properties, and setting memory limits.

Enabling the Computing Engine

The computing engine is disabled by default. Enable it per-graph using DDL commands.

Enable computing engine for a graph:

GQL
-- Enable computing engine
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE ENABLED

-- The topology cache builds asynchronously in the background
-- Queries start benefiting as the cache populates

Disable to free memory:

GQL
-- Disable to free memory
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE DISABLED

-- All cached data is released
-- Queries continue working via disk-based storage

Synchronization Modes

The computing engine supports two synchronization modes that control how changes propagate to the cache:

SYNC Mode (Default)

• Changes block until cache is updated
• Guarantees strong consistency
• Best for: Read-heavy workloads, queries requiring up-to-date results

ASYNC Mode

• Changes queued for background processing
• Provides eventual consistency
• Best for: Write-heavy workloads, batch imports, when slight staleness is acceptable

SYNC mode for strong consistency:

GQL
-- Use SYNC mode for real-time queries (default)
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE SYNC_MODE SYNC

-- Writes block until cache updated
INSERT (:User {name: 'Alice'})-[:FOLLOWS]->(:User {name: 'Bob'})

-- Immediately visible in accelerated queries
MATCH (u:User {name: 'Alice'})-[:FOLLOWS]->(f)
RETURN f.name

ASYNC mode for batch operations:

GQL
-- Use ASYNC mode during batch imports
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE SYNC_MODE ASYNC

-- Bulk import runs faster without blocking
LOAD CSV FROM 'users.csv' AS row
INSERT (:User {id: row.id, name: row.name})

-- Switch back to SYNC after import
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE SYNC_MODE SYNC

NOTE

Warning: In ASYNC mode, recently inserted nodes/edges may not appear in accelerated queries until the background sync completes.

Property Caching

By default, only topology (node/edge connections) is cached. For frequently accessed properties, you can enable property caching to avoid disk I/O.

When to Cache Properties:

• Properties used in WHERE clauses
• Properties returned in high-frequency queries
• Properties used in sorting/aggregation

Considerations:

• Each cached property increases memory usage
• Cache properties selectively, not all properties

Configure property caching:

GQL
-- Cache frequently accessed node properties
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :User(name, age, verified)

-- Cache edge properties used in filtering
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :FOLLOWS(since, weight)

Multi-label property caching:

GQL
-- Cache properties for multiple labels
ALTER GRAPH knowledgeGraph SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :Article(title, publishedAt)
ALTER GRAPH knowledgeGraph SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :Author(name, affiliation)
ALTER GRAPH knowledgeGraph SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :CITES(context)

Queries using cached properties:

GQL
-- Without property cache: disk read for each p.name
-- With property cache: direct memory access

MATCH (u:User)-[:FOLLOWS]->(f:User)
WHERE u.name = 'Alice' AND f.verified = true
RETURN f.name, f.age
ORDER BY f.age DESC

Memory Limits

Set memory limits to control how much RAM the computing engine can use per graph. This prevents out-of-memory issues and allows partial caching of large graphs.

Behavior When Limit Reached:

• Topology build stops at limit
• Most recently/frequently accessed nodes prioritized
• Uncached portions use disk-based fallback

Recommended Settings:

• Leave headroom for query execution and other processes
• Start conservative, increase if needed
• Monitor actual usage and adjust

Configure memory limits:

GQL
-- Set 4GB limit
ALTER GRAPH largeGraph SET COMPUTE MEMORY_LIMIT 4GB

-- Set 512MB limit for smaller graphs
ALTER GRAPH smallGraph SET COMPUTE MEMORY_LIMIT 512MB

-- Set limit in different units
ALTER GRAPH mediumGraph SET COMPUTE MEMORY_LIMIT 2048MB

Full configuration example:

GQL
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE ENABLED
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE MEMORY_LIMIT 8GB
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE SYNC_MODE SYNC
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :User(name, verified)
ALTER GRAPH socialNetwork SET COMPUTE PROPERTY :FOLLOWS(weight)