# The Landscape: Libraries, Extensions, Dedicated Engines, Managed Services — Vector Databases

Source: https://www.geekswithgeeks.com/en/vector-databases/b-landscape

> Place the main options in four families.

## Four families

(1) **Libraries** (FAISS, hnswlib, ScaNN): in-process indexes; fastest to start, you build everything else. (2) **Extensions or features of general databases**: **pgvector** for PostgreSQL, vector search in **Elasticsearch/OpenSearch**, **MongoDB Atlas**, **Redis**, and others: vectors live beside your existing data, with SQL or the engine's query language, existing backups, security and operations. (3) **Dedicated open-source engines** such as **Qdrant**, **Milvus**, **Weaviate**, **Chroma** and **LanceDB**: purpose-built for vector workloads with rich filtering, hybrid search and scaling features, which you run yourself or use as a hosted service. (4) **Managed proprietary services** such as **Pinecone**: you rent an API and the provider operates it. Features, limits and prices change fast, so verify current documentation for any product before deciding.

## The four families

A map, not a ranking; examples are not exhaustive.

```text
Family                         Examples                                   You get / you give up
library                        FAISS, hnswlib, ScaNN                      speed, control / persistence, filters, HA are yours
extension of a general DB      pgvector, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch, Mongo, Redis   one system, SQL, backups / may trail specialised engines at huge scale
dedicated open-source engine   Qdrant, Milvus, Weaviate, Chroma, LanceDB  rich vector features / one more system to run
managed service                Pinecone, hosted versions of the above     no operations / cost, lock-in, data leaves your network
```

## Start with what you already run

A new database is a new on-call burden. Prove that your current stack cannot meet the measured need before adding another system.

**Quiz:** Which family lets you keep vectors beside existing relational data with SQL?

- [x] An extension such as pgvector
- [ ] A bare ANN library
- [ ] A CDN
- [ ] A message queue

*Answer:* An extension such as pgvector. pgvector adds vector types and indexes to PostgreSQL.