Definition
Vector database
A database designed to store embeddings and quickly find the vectors most similar to a query.
Vector databases index embeddings so that nearest-neighbor search stays fast across millions of entries. They also store metadata used for filtering, such as dates, document types or access groups.
Common options include Pinecone (managed), Qdrant and Weaviate (open-source or managed), pgvector (inside PostgreSQL) and Elasticsearch, which also brings strong keyword search. The right choice depends on scale, hosting constraints and whether you need hybrid search or tight integration with existing databases.
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