# Variable edge properties **URL:** \ **Category:** Neo4j Graph Platform\ **Tags:** apoc, cypher, relationship\ **Created:** [May 10, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065 "2021-05-10T03:07:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kasthuri](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/kasthuri/32/7299_2.png) [@kasthuri](https://community.neo4j.com/u/kasthuri)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/1 "2021-05-10T03:07:50Z")
I am constructing a graph in Neo4j like this. First, I create the nodes with an array property. Then I check if any two nodes have common elements between the arrays (using `apoc` intersection call) and if so I create a relationship between the nodes. For example, lets say, nodes `N` and `M` has arrays `S = [A, B, C]` and `T = [A, B, D]` as properties, respectively, then `N` and `M` will have a relationship `r` between them, since they share the common elements `A, B` . Now, each of the array elements also has properties associated with them and I want to populate the edge with common elements together with their properties. That is, we have `A.name, A.age, B.name, B.age` associated with them. Note that `A` and `B` are variables themselves. That is, `A` could be `Doctor X` and `B` could be `Doctor Y` . How do I annotate the edges with the variable name and their properties so that I can query the database using the variable name? I somehow need to preserve the association between elements and their properties within the edges as edge properties. How do I do this? Thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Joel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/joel/32/17191_2.png) [@Joel](https://community.neo4j.com/u/Joel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/2 "2021-05-12T15:08:48Z")
You can add properties to edges and query by them, but be aware that you can't use the regular indexes on relationship properties, but it is possible to add a full text search. [https://neo4j.com/docs/cypher-manual/current/administration/indexes-for-full-text-search/](https://neo4j.com/docs/cypher-manual/current/administration/indexes-for-full-text-search/) That said, at times I do use unindexed edge properties in queries, but always in combination with label and node property filters. Here is a very simple example (note: you can create both nodes and relationship with properties in one cypher command, but this is may be easier to follow) ```auto // create node A CREATE (:NODE {name:'A'}); // create node B CREATE (:NODE {name:'B'});' // check that they were created MATCH (x :NODE {name:'A'}) MATCH (y :NODE {name:'B'}) RETURN x, y // create relationship, and set value (using set instead of inline) // (there are two ways to relationship properties, see reference below for inline style) MATCH (x :NODE {name:'A'}) MATCH (y :NODE {name:'B'}) CREATE (x)-[r:KNOWS]->(y) SET r.relationship='friends' // query relationship property for value and return a path MATCH t=(:NODE)-[r]-(:NODE) WHERE r.relationship='friends' RETURN t // same query, but return nodes and relationship MATCH (x:NODE)-[r]-(y:NODE) WHERE r.relationship='friends' RETURN x ,r, y ``` Reference: > **[CREATE - Cypher Manual](https://neo4j.com/docs/cypher-manual/current/clauses/create/#create-create-a-relationship-and-set-properties)** > > The \`CREATE\` clause is used to create nodes and relationships. ---
**Author:** ![ameyasoft](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/ameyasoft/32/32639_2.png) [@ameyasoft](https://community.neo4j.com/u/ameyasoft)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/3 "2021-05-12T20:24:37Z")
It's not clear how you stored array elements and their associated properties. Please share the Cypher query you are using in your test. ---
**Author:** ![kasthuri](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/kasthuri/32/7299_2.png) [@kasthuri](https://community.neo4j.com/u/kasthuri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/4 "2021-05-13T14:12:06Z")
@Joel Thanks. Yes, I realize we can do that. This is not what I meant. Each element in the array has properties that need to be set and there is a variable number of them. ---
**Author:** ![kasthuri](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/kasthuri/32/7299_2.png) [@kasthuri](https://community.neo4j.com/u/kasthuri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/5 "2021-05-13T14:15:48Z")
@ameyasoft What do you mean? You mean how I create the nodes? There are no different from how we usually do, using MERGE. ---
**Author:** ![Joel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/joel/32/17191_2.png) [@Joel](https://community.neo4j.com/u/Joel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/6 "2021-05-13T18:03:04Z")
A note of clarification, Neo4j allows properties to be added adhoc to any node or relationship, they do not need to be the same, this is schema-less, so any given node/relationships can have any property, or not have it. Just be aware that you may want/need to check if a property exists, before checking if the property has a specific value, otherwise the query results may not be what you expect. If you want to dynamically create a series of properties on the fly it seems likely you'll need to construct the CREATE/MERGE query on the fly as a string, then execute it. There is an APOC function that enables this, (if you aren't already writing code in a language like java, python) > **[apoc.cypher.run - APOC Extended Documentation](https://neo4j.com/labs/apoc/4.1/overview/apoc.cypher/apoc.cypher.run/)** > > This section contains reference documentation for the apoc.cypher.run procedure. There are many ways to unwind an array, in neo4j/cypher or outside, then add properties, since the property name is dynamic I think you will need to create cypher strings, then execute them, but there might be another clever way around it? (interested to know if there is) ---
**Author:** ![kasthuri](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/kasthuri/32/7299_2.png) [@kasthuri](https://community.neo4j.com/u/kasthuri)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 12:53pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/variable-edge-properties/38065/7 "2021-05-14T12:53:44Z")
@Joel again, thanks. Yes, I am creating relationships and their properties dynamically through apoc. What I am looking for is preserving an association between two properties without introducing any pseudo node or relationship.