diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e47a17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Copy to .env and adjust. .env is ignored by git.
+
+# --- Neo4j container ---
+NEO4J_USER=neo4j
+NEO4J_PASSWORD=change-me-please
+NEO4J_HTTP_PORT=7474
+NEO4J_BOLT_PORT=7687
+
+# --- Backend connection to Neo4j ---
+NEO4J_URI=bolt://localhost:7687
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 88b87ac..9dd48bf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -54,6 +54,29 @@ OVERLAPS
 
 Future versions may explore image embeddings, vector search, semantic relationships, and hybrid visual search.
 
+## Local development
+
+### Neo4j
+
+Requirements: Docker with Compose, and [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) for the backend.
+
+```bash
+cp .env.example .env        # then set NEO4J_PASSWORD (.env is not versioned)
+docker compose up -d --wait # starts Neo4j and waits until it is healthy
+```
+
+* Neo4j Browser: <http://localhost:7474> (Connect URL `bolt://localhost:7687`, user/password from `.env`)
+* Data and logs are stored in `./neo4j/` (git-ignored). Stop with `docker compose down`;
+  reset the database with `docker compose down` followed by deleting `./neo4j/data`.
+
+Verify the backend can connect (needs the container running):
+
+```bash
+cd backend
+uv sync
+uv run pytest -m integration
+```
+
 ## License
 
 This project is licensed under the MIT License.
diff --git a/backend/pyproject.toml b/backend/pyproject.toml
index 925695b..8d9d142 100644
--- a/backend/pyproject.toml
+++ b/backend/pyproject.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "fastapi>=0.115",
     "uvicorn[standard]>=0.30",
     "pydantic-settings>=2.4",
+    "neo4j>=5.26",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]
@@ -47,4 +48,4 @@ select = ["E", "F", "I", "UP"]
 
 [tool.mypy]
 files = ["src"]
-strict = true
\ No newline at end of file
+strict = true
diff --git a/backend/src/visual_graph/config.py b/backend/src/visual_graph/config.py
index b82b035..cde8a34 100644
--- a/backend/src/visual_graph/config.py
+++ b/backend/src/visual_graph/config.py
@@ -1,17 +1,22 @@
 from functools import lru_cache
 
+from pydantic import SecretStr
 from pydantic_settings import BaseSettings, SettingsConfigDict
 
 
 class Settings(BaseSettings):
-    model_config = SettingsConfigDict(env_file=".env", extra="ignore")
+    model_config = SettingsConfigDict(env_file=("../.env", ".env"), extra="ignore")
 
     app_name: str = "VisualGraph"
     api_host: str = "127.0.0.1"
     api_port: int = 8000
     api_reload: bool = False
 
+    neo4j_uri: str = "bolt://localhost:7687"
+    neo4j_user: str = "neo4j"
+    neo4j_password: SecretStr | None = None
+
 
 @lru_cache
 def get_settings() -> Settings:
-    return Settings()
\ No newline at end of file
+    return Settings()
diff --git a/backend/src/visual_graph/graph/connection.py b/backend/src/visual_graph/graph/connection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c7500a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/visual_graph/graph/connection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""Neo4j driver factory."""
+
+from neo4j import Driver, GraphDatabase
+
+from visual_graph.config import Settings, get_settings
+
+
+class MissingCredentialsError(RuntimeError):
+    """Raised when NEO4J_PASSWORD is not configured."""
+
+
+def create_driver(settings: Settings | None = None) -> Driver:
+    settings = settings or get_settings()
+    if settings.neo4j_password is None:
+        raise MissingCredentialsError(
+            "NEO4J_PASSWORD is not set. Copy .env.example to .env and set it."
+        )
+    return GraphDatabase.driver(
+        settings.neo4j_uri,
+        auth=(settings.neo4j_user, settings.neo4j_password.get_secret_value()),
+    )
+
+
+def verify_connection(driver: Driver) -> None:
+    """Raise if the database is unreachable or credentials are wrong."""
+    driver.verify_connectivity()
+    with driver.session() as session:
+        record = session.run("RETURN 1 AS ok").single()
+        if record is None or record["ok"] != 1:
+            raise RuntimeError("Unexpected response from Neo4j")
diff --git a/backend/tests/integration/test_neo4j_connection.py b/backend/tests/integration/test_neo4j_connection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1a8c9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/integration/test_neo4j_connection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import pytest
+
+from visual_graph.graph.connection import create_driver, verify_connection
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.integration
+
+
+def test_backend_can_connect_to_neo4j() -> None:
+    driver = create_driver()
+    try:
+        verify_connection(driver)
+    finally:
+        driver.close()
diff --git a/backend/tests/unit/test_connection.py b/backend/tests/unit/test_connection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2315f48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/unit/test_connection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import pytest
+
+from visual_graph.config import Settings
+from visual_graph.graph.connection import MissingCredentialsError, create_driver
+
+
+def test_missing_password_raises() -> None:
+    settings = Settings(_env_file=None, neo4j_password=None)  # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    with pytest.raises(MissingCredentialsError):
+        create_driver(settings)
diff --git a/backend/uv.lock b/backend/uv.lock
index 34ef81e..fa3ab9c 100644
--- a/backend/uv.lock
+++ b/backend/uv.lock
@@ -575,6 +575,18 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/79/7b/2c79738432f5c924bef5071f933bcc9efd0473bac3b4aa584a6f7c1c8df8/mypy_extensions-1.1.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:1be4cccdb0f2482337c4743e60421de3a356cd97508abadd57d47403e94f5505", size = 4963, upload-time = "2025-04-22T14:54:22.983Z" },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "neo4j"
+version = "6.4.1"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+dependencies = [
+    { name = "pytz" },
+]
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/d1/d1/bc40a291c60b06738ce92d5f0259d348eee1f07ba10d569a881c848c8afe/neo4j-6.4.1.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:fac99b7cb9679b93ef97dc23f22a3f0e7c3feb2db223eddfd2521f27005cfeaf", size = 287897, upload-time = "2026-10-15T10:47:26.666Z" }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/07/69/3036bdcacfba561c6ef4b00fe72529e0a1b6241a6b2de82572a0940a276b/neo4j-6.4.1-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:f56a281c74355522fc2642df8919bec450115431531b8f3f6fe1cc17acb57a27", size = 390684, upload-time = "2026-10-15T10:47:25.236Z" },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "opentelemetry-api"
 version = "1.45.0"
@@ -766,6 +778,15 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/0d/17/c5c6b53ddc18f297992099b3d9ec16c855c0ccc83263a21fe4d1c625ec6c/python_dotenv-1.2.3-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:904552145e8bfed22162c09dab1c2b9b54fefa7b23ba780f4f26ca0316b0f0d9", size = 22780, upload-time = "2026-08-16T16:54:52.473Z" },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pytz"
+version = "2026.6"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/f5/b0/168030b0bfcc334cf09fa3313afdb888d892c8a0027324683d1de0ec277e/pytz-2026.6.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:3b0fc2727707663d6e517936f444fd8a8b240f1fc32f4bf7ee03274245945284", size = 318520, upload-time = "2026-10-29T09:05:47.011Z" }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/b6/25/564f3fc5b70c1398d706c51f2b1470d0ea0b1b2f96fee67877b6f5bdf3b6/pytz-2026.6-py2.py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:7fed3fee8fd6bd4a2b7b75a8d56021d0624127bf69bd5691f115db929ac570b3", size = 506321, upload-time = "2026-10-29T09:05:45.14Z" },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pyyaml"
 version = "6.0.3"
@@ -941,6 +962,7 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "fastapi" },
+    { name = "neo4j" },
     { name = "pydantic-settings" },
     { name = "uvicorn", extra = ["standard"] },
 ]
@@ -958,6 +980,7 @@ dev = [
 [package.metadata]
 requires-dist = [
     { name = "fastapi", specifier = ">=0.115" },
+    { name = "neo4j", specifier = ">=5.26" },
     { name = "pydantic-settings", specifier = ">=2.4" },
     { name = "uvicorn", extras = ["standard"], specifier = ">=0.30" },
 ]
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..18054bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+services:
+  neo4j:
+    image: neo4j:5.26-community
+    container_name: visual-graph-neo4j
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    ports:
+      - "${NEO4J_HTTP_PORT:-7474}:7474" # Neo4j Browser
+      - "${NEO4J_BOLT_PORT:-7687}:7687" # Bolt
+    environment:
+      NEO4J_AUTH: "${NEO4J_USER:-neo4j}/${NEO4J_PASSWORD:?Set NEO4J_PASSWORD in .env (see .env.example)}"
+    volumes:
+      - ./neo4j/data:/data
+      - ./neo4j/logs:/logs
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "cypher-shell -u \"$${NEO4J_USER:-neo4j}\" -p \"$${NEO4J_AUTH#*/}\" 'RETURN 1' || exit 1"]
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 10s
+      retries: 12
+      start_period: 20s