Blazegraph vs Neo4j: What are the differences?

Introduction

Blazegraph and Neo4j are two popular graph databases that offer efficient storage and retrieval of connected data. While both databases serve similar purposes, there are several key differences between them.

1. Data Model: Blazegraph utilizes a property graph model where data is represented as nodes and relationships with properties, similar to Neo4j. However, Neo4j additionally supports a labeled property graph model, allowing nodes and relationships to be grouped into labels or types.

2. Query Language: Blazegraph supports SPARQL, a widely-used query language for RDF databases, allowing users to query and manipulate graph data using a structured query language. In contrast, Neo4j uses Cypher, a declarative query language that simplifies graph querying by providing a more user-friendly syntax.

3. Scalability: Blazegraph is known for its scalability and performance in handling large-scale datasets. It offers horizontal scaling through sharding, allowing data to be distributed across multiple nodes for improved performance. On the other hand, while Neo4j also supports scaling, it is primarily designed for smaller to medium-sized datasets.

4. Community and Ecosystem: Neo4j has a larger and more active community compared to Blazegraph. This translates to a wider range of available resources, including libraries, plugins, and community support. Neo4j's ecosystem is more mature and offers a broader selection of tools and integrations.

5. Commercial Support: Neo4j has a well-established commercial support offering, which includes enterprise-grade features, professional services, and dedicated technical support. Blazegraph, on the other hand, primarily relies on community support and does not have a comparable commercial offering.

6. Licensing: Blazegraph is available under an open-source GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL), allowing users to freely use, modify, and distribute the software. Neo4j, however, is available under a dual licensing model, where a community edition is free to use under the GPLv3 license, while commercial editions require a paid license.

In Summary, Blazegraph and Neo4j differ in their data model, query language, scalability, community support, commercial offerings, and licensing.