> ## 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 JSONL file

> Load a JSONL graph file into TuringDB using the LOAD JSONL command

TuringDB natively imports JSONL files through the `LOAD JSONL` command. The expected format is compatible with **Neo4j APOC's JSON export** (produced by `apoc.export.json.all` with `useTypes:true`).

<Tip>
  If you are migrating from Neo4j, you do not need to write this file by hand — see the [Neo4j import guide](/import_data/neo4j).
</Tip>

## Expected file format

Each line is a self-contained JSON object representing either a node or a relationship:

```json theme={null}
{"type":"node","id":"0","labels":["Person"],"properties":{"name":"Alice","age":30}}
{"type":"node","id":"1","labels":["Person"],"properties":{"name":"Bob","age":25}}
{"type":"node","id":"2","labels":["Company"],"properties":{"name":"Acme Corp"}}
{"type":"relationship","id":"0","label":"KNOWS","start":{"id":"0"},"end":{"id":"1"},"properties":{"since":2021}}
{"type":"relationship","id":"1","label":"WORKS_AT","start":{"id":"0"},"end":{"id":"2"}}
```

**Nodes** (`"type": "node"`):

| Field        | Requirement                                                                                            |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `type`       | Must be the string `"node"`                                                                            |
| `id`         | Required. Integer or string parseable as integer. Must start at `0` and increment by `1` with no gaps. |
| `labels`     | Required. Array with at least one label.                                                               |
| `properties` | Optional. Dictionary with property keys and values.                                                    |

**Relationships** (`"type": "relationship"`):

| Field           | Requirement                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `type`          | Must be the string `"relationship"`                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| `id`            | Required. Integer or string parseable as integer. Must start at `0` and increment by `1` with no gaps.                                                                                                              |
| `label`         | Required. Exactly one label.                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| `start` / `end` | Required. Either: <br />- a bare integer (or string parseable as integer) referencing a node `id`<br />- a dictionary with an `id` key holding an integer (or string parseable as integer) referencing a node `id`. |
| `properties`    | Optional. Dictionary with property keys and values.                                                                                                                                                                 |

## Import steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Place your 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 mydata.jsonl ~/.turing/data/
    ```
  </Step>

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

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

        client = TuringDB(host="http://localhost:6666")
        client.query("LOAD JSONL 'mydata.jsonl' 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 JSONL data is now loaded and queryable as a TuringDB graph.
</Check>

## Verify the import

Use procedures 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>