Layered graph data structure

A method to find entities related to a target entity, the method comprising:

• exposing an application programming interface for receiving a request, the request including an entity identifier corresponding to a target entity and a representation of a graph level of the request;
• receiving a request for a result set, the request including the entity identifier and the representation of the graph level of the request;
• setting a target identifier to an initial value based on the entity identifier;
• performing one or more iterations based on the graph level of the request to generate a result set responsive to the request, wherein the one or more iterations include:
• obtaining, from a vertex table comprising a vertex identifier column and a first graph identifier column, a first graph identifier from the first graph identifier column by matching the initial value of the target identifier with a first data entry in the vertex identifier column;
• locating, in an edge table comprising a second graph identifier column, a node identifier column, and an edge type column, a first data row where the first graph identifier matches a first entry in the second graph identifier column;
• determining a first node identifier value based on a data entry in the node identifier column for the first data row;
• determining to locate at least a second node identifier based on the representation of the graph level of the request and an entry in the edge type column corresponding to the entry in the second graph identifier column matching the first graph identifier;
• based on the determination to locate the second node identifier, obtaining a second graph identifier from the vertex table by matching the first node identifier to a second data entry in the vertex identifier column;
• locating a second data row in the edge table where the second graph identifier matches a second entry in the second graph identifier column;
• determining the second node identifier based on a data entry in the node identifier column for the second data row;
• adding information associated with the second node identifier to the result set;
• generating the result set according to a plurality of searches in the vertex table and the edge table, wherein a number of the plurality of searches is based on the graph level of the request, and
• providing the result set in response to the request.

A database system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• computer readable media operatively coupled to the one or more processors, the computer readable media storing tables including:
• a vertex table comprising:
• a vertex identifier column, and
• a first graph identifier column;
• and
• an edge table comprising:
• a second graph identifier column,
• a node identifier column, and
• an edge type column;
• a query service exposing an application programming interface for receiving a request, the request to find related entities associated with a target entity and comprising an entity identifier corresponding to the target entity and a graph level of the request;
• the database system configured to:
• set a target identifier to an initial value based on the entity identifier;
• perform one or more iterations based on the graph level of the request to generate a result set responsive to the request, wherein the one or more iterations include:
• accessing the vertex table;
• determining, from the vertex table, a graph identifier for the target identifier based on an entry in the first graph identifier column corresponding to an entry in the vertex identifier column matching the initial value of the target identifier;
• accessing the edge table;
• determining a next identifier value based on an entry node identifier column corresponding to an entry in the second graph identifier column matching the graph identifier;
• determining to perform a next iteration of the one or more iterations based on:
• the graph level of the request, and
• an entry in the edge type column corresponding to the entry in the second graph identifier column matching the graph identifier;
• based on the determination to perform the next iteration:
• setting the value of the target identifier to the next identifier value and performing the next iteration, or
• adding entity information corresponding to the next identifier to the result set;
• wherein the application programming interface returns the result set generated by performing a plurality of searches in the vertex table and the edge table, wherein a number of the plurality of searches is based on the graph level of the request.