# openCypher query hints
<a name="opencypher-query-hints"></a>

**Important**  
 openCypher query hint is only available from engine release [1.3.2.0](https://docs.amazonaws.cn//neptune/latest/userguide/engine-releases-1.3.2.0.html) and later. 

 In Amazon Neptune, you can use the `USING` clause to specify query hints for openCypher queries. These hints allow you to control optimization and evaluation strategies. 

 The syntax for query hints is: 

```
USING {scope}:{hint} {value}
```

1.  `{scope}` defines the scope in which the hint applies to: `Query` or `Clause`. 

    A scope value of `Query` means that the query hint applies to the whole query (query-level). 

    A scope value of `Clause` means that the query hint applies to the clause the hint precedes (clause-level). 

1.  `{hint}` is the name of the query hint being applied. 

1.  `{value}` is the argument for the `{hint}`. 

 The values can be case-insensitive. 

 For example, to enable the query plan cache for a query: 

```
Using QUERY:PLANCACHE "enabled" 
MATCH (a:Person {firstName: "Erin", lastName: $lastName})
 RETURN a
```

**Note**  
 Currently, the **Query** scope query hints **PLANCACHE**, **TIMEOUTMILLISECONDS**, and **assumeConsistentDataTypes** are supported. Supported query hints are listed below. 

**Topics**
+ [openCypher query plan cache hint](opencypher-query-hints-qpc-hint.md)
+ [AssumeConsistentDataTypes hint](opencypher-query-hints-AssumeConsistentDataTypes.md)
+ [openCypher query timeout hint](opencypher-query-hints-timeout-hint.md)