> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.turingdb.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Import a GML file

> Load a GML graph file into TuringDB

Graph Modeling Language (GML) is a widely used format for describing graphs. TuringDB supports importing GML files natively via the `LOAD GML` command.

## Expected file format

```
graph [
  node [ id 0  label "Alice"  type "Person"  age 30 ]
  node [ id 1  label "Bob"    type "Person"  age 25 ]
  node [ id 2  label "Acme"   type "Company"        ]
  edge [ source 0  target 1  weight 1.0 ]
  edge [ source 0  target 2  weight 0.8 ]
]
```

**Nodes:**

| Field        | Requirement                            |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| `id`         | Required. Unique non-negative integer. |
| other fields | Optional. Stored as node properties.   |

**Edges:**

| Field               | Requirement                                                           |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `source` / `target` | Required. Must reference the `id` of a node defined in the same file. |
| other fields        | Optional. Stored as edge properties.                                  |

**Supported property value types:** String, Integer, Double, Boolean. All property values are stored as strings in the TuringDB graph regardless of their original type in the GML file.

<Warning>
  All imported nodes are assigned the label `GMLNode` and all edges the type `GMLEdge`, regardless of any fields present in the file. Any field other than `id`, `source`, and `target` is treated as a plain property. To query your data after import, use `MATCH (n:GMLNode)` and `MATCH ()-[e:GMLEdge]->()`.
</Warning>

## Import steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Place the GML file in the TuringDB data directory">
    TuringDB only reads external files from the `data` subdirectory of its working directory (set by `--turing-dir`, default `$HOME/.turing`).

    ```bash theme={null}
    cp mygraph.gml ~/.turing/data/
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Load the file into a new graph">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Cypher">
        ```jsx theme={null}
        LOAD GML 'mygraph.gml' AS mygraph
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Python SDK">
        ```python theme={null}
        from turingdb import TuringDB

        client = TuringDB(host="http://localhost:6666")
        client.query("LOAD GML 'mygraph.gml' AS mygraph")
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    TuringDB creates a new graph named `mygraph` and populates it with all nodes and relationships from the file.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the graph as active and query it">
    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Cypher">
        ```jsx theme={null}
        cd mygraph

        MATCH (n) RETURN n
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Python SDK">
        ```python theme={null}
        client.set_graph("mygraph")

        df = client.query("MATCH (n) RETURN n")
        print(df)
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Check>
  Your GML graph is now imported and ready to query.
</Check>

## Verify the import

Use meta-queries to inspect what was imported:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Cypher">
    ```jsx theme={null}
    CALL db.labels()
    CALL db.edgeTypes()
    CALL db.propertyTypes()
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Python SDK">
    ```python theme={null}
    print(client.query("CALL db.labels()"))
    print(client.query("CALL db.edgeTypes()"))
    print(client.query("CALL db.propertyTypes()"))
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>