---
title: toList
url: https://nexyron.tech/docs/cypher/functions/type/tolist
description: Wraps a scalar in a one element list and leaves lists as lists. It is documented separately because explicit type boundaries prevent planner tools from inventing hidden coercions f
---

# toList

## Generic Description

Wraps a scalar in a one-element list and leaves lists as lists. It is documented separately because explicit type boundaries prevent planner tools from inventing hidden coercions for document-style values.

Simple example:

```cypher
RETURN toList('incident') AS value
```

## Consumer-Level Explanation

Use it when downstream list logic should accept both scalar and list-shaped inputs without hidden client-side branching. Prefer this function when the input shape is mixed or imported and the query must state the intended type before comparison or aggregation.

## More Detailed Explanation

`toList` makes value shape explicit in Cypher. It is most useful around ingestion, document payloads, and assistant-generated queries where the planner should see the intended type boundary rather than relying on hidden client conversion.

## Advanced Example

This example applies `toList` at the point where a semi-structured value enters typed query logic, making the conversion boundary explicit.

```cypher
MATCH (d:Document)
WITH d, toList(properties(d.metadata).kind) AS kinds
RETURN d.title AS title, kinds, size(kinds) AS kind_count
ORDER BY title
```

## Real Use Cases

-   normalizing imported CSV or document fields before comparison
-   guarding mixed payloads before list, map, or numeric operations
-   making assistant-authored query contracts explicit and reviewable

## Real Limitations And Tradeoffs

-   conversion only works when the input can be interpreted unambiguously
-   heavy conversion inside analytical queries can hide ingestion contract problems
-   type checks describe runtime values, not full schema validation