How to add Neo4j Cypher MCP Server to Claude Desktop

Run Cypher queries and explore graph schema on Neo4j from your AI assistant. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 15, 2026 · 1.3k★ · stdio · apikey · official

Claude Desktop config for Neo4j Cypher MCP Server

uvx mcp-neo4j-cypher --transport stdio

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "neo4j-cypher-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-neo4j-cypher",
        "--transport",
        "stdio"
      ],
      "env": {
        "NEO4J_URI": "bolt://localhost:7687",
        "NEO4J_DATABASE": "neo4j",
        "NEO4J_PASSWORD": "<your-password>",
        "NEO4J_USERNAME": "neo4j"
      }
    }
  }
}

Requires `uv` (the Python package runner). Install it from https://docs.astral.sh/uv/ if `uvx` is not found.

Setup steps

1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
2Paste the Neo4j Cypher MCP Server config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
5Open a chat and confirm Neo4j Cypher MCP Server's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

Python with the uv/uvx package manager (run via `uvx mcp-neo4j-cypher`)
A running Neo4j instance (Neo4j Aura or self-managed), reachable over Bolt
Neo4j connection details: NEO4J_URI (default bolt://localhost:7687), NEO4J_USERNAME, NEO4J_PASSWORD, NEO4J_DATABASE (default neo4j)
The APOC plugin installed and enabled — required for the schema-inspection tool
An MCP-capable client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor

What Neo4j Cypher MCP Server can do in Claude Desktop

get_neo4j_schema

List all node labels with their properties (name and type) and relationships to other node types (requires APOC)

read_neo4j_cypher

Execute a read-only Cypher query and return the results

write_neo4j_cypher

Execute an updating Cypher query and return an operation summary (disabled in read-only mode)

Security

The server can execute write Cypher, so use a least-privilege Neo4j user if the agent should not mutate the graph. Credentials are passed via env vars, so prefer a dedicated account over the admin user.

Neo4j Cypher MCP Server + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the Neo4j Cypher MCP Server config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is Neo4j Cypher MCP Server safe to use with Claude Desktop?

How do I authenticate to Neo4j?

Provide standard Bolt credentials via environment variables: NEO4J_URI, NEO4J_USERNAME, and NEO4J_PASSWORD (plus NEO4J_DATABASE to target a specific database). This works for both Aura and self-managed instances.

Why do I get no schema / a schema error?

The `get_neo4j_schema` tool depends on the APOC plugin. Install and enable APOC on your Neo4j instance, then retry.

Can I prevent the model from writing to my graph?

Yes. Start the server with `--read-only` or set NEO4J_READ_ONLY=true to disable `write_neo4j_cypher` entirely, leaving only schema and read tools.

View repo Full Neo4j Cypher MCP Server page