mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

A Comprehensive Survey on Vector Database: Storage and Retrieval Technique, Challenge

arXiv 2310.11703 ↗First posted 18 Oct 2023cs.DB cs.AIcited by 55

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Abstract (arXiv)

As high-dimensional vector data increasingly surpasses the processing capabilities of traditional database management systems, Vector Databases (VDBs) have emerged and become tightly integrated with large language models, being widely applied in modern artificial intelligence systems. However, existing research has primarily focused on underlying technologies such as approximate nearest neighbor search, with relatively few studies providing a systematic architectural-level review of VDBs or analyzing how these core technologies collectively support the overall capacity of VDBs. This survey aims to offer a comprehensive overview of the core designs and algorithms of VDBs, establishing a holistic understanding of this rapidly evolving field. First, we systematically review the key technologies and design principles of VDBs from the two core dimensions of storage and retrieval, tracing their technological evolution. Next, we conduct an in-depth comparison of several mainstream VDB architectures, summarizing their strengths, limitations, and typical application scenarios. Finally, we explore emerging directions for integrating VDBs with large language models, including open research challenges and trends such as novel indexing strategies. This survey serves as a systematic reference guide for researchers and practitioners, helping readers quickly grasp the technological landscape and development trends in the field of vector databases, and promoting further innovation in both theoretical and applied aspects.

Key facts. Cited by 55 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 27 of its 114 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 18 Oct 2023.

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27 of 114 references.

References · 27

  1. 2020Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Knowledge-Intensive NLP Taskscited by 9,297
  2. 2016Efficient and robust approximate nearest neighbor search using Hierarchical Navigable Small World graphscited by 861
  3. 2023Recommender Systems in the Era of Large Language Models (LLMs)cited by 189
  4. 2017The Case for Learned Index Structurescited by 188
  5. 2022Talking About Large Language Modelscited by 175
  6. 2023Does Synthetic Data Generation of LLMs Help Clinical Text Mining?cited by 154
  7. 2023How to Prompt LLMs for Text-to-SQL: A Study in Zero-shot, Single-domain, and Cross-domain Settingscited by 58
  8. 2023LLM-powered Data Augmentation for Enhanced Cross-lingual Performancecited by 51
  9. 2020A Survey on Deep Hashing Methodscited by 47
  10. 2015Optimal Data-Dependent Hashing for Approximate Near Neighborscited by 44
  11. 2022Knowledge Graph Embedding: A Survey from the Perspective of Representation Spacescited by 41
  12. 2021A Survey on Locality Sensitive Hashing Algorithms and their Applicationscited by 40
15 more
  1. 2023Multimodal Recommender Systems: A Surveycited by 37
  2. 2023High-Dimensional Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search: with Reliable and Efficient Distance Comparison Operationscited by 26
  3. 2023ParlayANN: Scalable and Deterministic Parallel Graph-Based Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search Algorithmscited by 24
  4. 2013Beyond Locality-Sensitive Hashingcited by 23
  5. 2023High-Throughput Vector Similarity Search in Knowledge Graphscited by 19
  6. 2022Manu: A Cloud Native Vector Database Management Systemcited by 18
  7. 2017Online Product Quantizationcited by 11
  8. 2015Ball*-tree: Efficient spatial indexing for constrained nearest-neighbor search in metric spacescited by 9
  9. 2023Vector database management systems: Fundamental concepts, use-cases, and current challengescited by 9
  10. 2022Interactive Question Answering Systems: Literature Reviewcited by 7
  11. 2021For Manifold Learning, Deep Neural Networks can be Locality Sensitive Hash Functionscited by 6
  12. 2016A Revisit of Hashing Algorithms for Approximate Nearest Neighbor Searchcited by 5
  13. 2023Dumpy: A Compact and Adaptive Index for Large Data Series Collectionscited by 3
  14. 2016Consistent Hashing with Bounded Loadscited by 2
  15. 2018Tree-Based Optimization: A Meta-Algorithm for Metaheuristic Optimizationcited by 1

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Citing papers per year: 2023: 2; 2024: 21; 2025: 23; 2026: 9.

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  1. 2024Personal LLM Agents: Insights and Survey about the Capability, Efficiency and Securitycited by 260
  2. 2024A Review of Large Language Models and Autonomous Agents in Chemistrycited by 99
  3. 2024Synthetic continued pretrainingcited by 60
  4. 2024When Large Language Models Meet Vector Databases: A Surveycited by 39
  5. 2024M-RAG: Reinforcing Large Language Model Performance through Retrieval-Augmented Generation with Multiple Partitionscited by 38
  6. 2025A Survey on Knowledge-Oriented Retrieval-Augmented Generationcited by 36
  7. 2025Large language models for artificial general intelligence (AGI): A survey of foundational principles and approachescited by 18
  8. 2025Eliza: A Web3 friendly AI Agent Operating Systemcited by 15
  9. 2024From Questions to Insightful Answers: Building an Informed Chatbot for University Resourcescited by 12
  10. 2024Human-inspired Perspectives: A Survey on AI Long-term Memorycited by 12
  11. 2025AI Meets Brain: Memory Systems from Cognitive Neuroscience to Autonomous Agentscited by 12
  12. 2023Vectorizing string entries for data processing on tables: when are larger language models better?cited by 10
38 more
  1. 2024VELO: A Vector Database-Assisted Cloud-Edge Collaborative LLM QoS Optimization Frameworkcited by 10
  2. 2025Personalization Toolkit: Training Free Personalization of Large Vision Language Modelscited by 8
  3. 2024A systematic review of geospatial location embedding approaches in large language models: A path to spatial AI systemscited by 6
  4. 2025Position: Foundation Models for Tabular Data within Systemic Contexts Need Groundingcited by 6
  5. 2024VDTuner: Automated Performance Tuning for Vector Data Management Systemscited by 5
  6. 2024Retrieval-Augmented Mining of Temporal Logic Specifications from Datacited by 5
  7. 2024RAGent: Retrieval-based Access Control Policy Generationcited by 5
  8. 2024LSHBloom: Memory-efficient, Extreme-scale Document Deduplicationcited by 5
  9. 2025Doc2Agent: Scalable Generation of Tool-Using Agents from API Documentationcited by 5
  10. 2026Pancake: Hierarchical Memory System for Multi-Agent LLM Servingcited by 5
  11. 2024Retrieval-Augmented Feature Generation for Domain-Specific Classificationcited by 3
  12. 2025Using predefined vector systems as latent space configuration for neural network supervised training on data with arbitrarily large number of classescited by 3
  13. 2024A critical review of methods and challenges in large language modelscited by 2
  14. 2025Investigating Retrieval-Augmented Generation in Quranic Studies: A Study of 13 Open-Source Large Language Modelscited by 2
  15. 2025From Large AI Models to Agentic AI: A Tutorial on Future Intelligent Communicationscited by 2
  16. 2025Benchmarking Filtered Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search Algorithms on Transformer-based Embedding Vectorscited by 2
  17. 2025Panorama: Fast-Track Nearest Neighborscited by 2
  18. 2025B+ANN: A Fast Billion-Scale Disk-based Nearest-Neighbor Indexcited by 2
  19. 2024Unveiling Glitches: A Deep Dive into Image Encoding Bugs within CLIPcited by 1
  20. 2024Enhancing Large Language Models with Domain-Specific Knowledge: The Case in Topological Materialscited by 1
  21. 2024Mitigating Hallucinations Using Ensemble of Knowledge Graph and Vector Store in Large Language Models to Enhance Mental Health Supportcited by 1
  22. 2025Toward building next-generation Geocoding systems: a systematic reviewcited by 1
  23. 2025LLaPipe: LLM-Guided Reinforcement Learning for Automated Data Preparation Pipeline Constructioncited by 1
  24. 2025From HNSW to Information-Theoretic Binarization: Rethinking the Architecture of Scalable Vector Searchcited by 1
  25. 2023Translation Aligned Sentence Embeddings for Turkish Languagecited by 0
  26. 2024Science Checker Reloaded: A Bidirectional Paradigm for Transparency and Logical Reasoningcited by 0
  27. 2024Target Prompting for Information Extraction with Vision Language Modelcited by 0
  28. 2024Lab-AI: Using Retrieval Augmentation to Enhance Language Models for Personalized Lab Test Interpretation in Clinical Medicinecited by 0
  29. 2025Wormhole Memory: A Rubik's Cube for Cross-Dialogue Retrievalcited by 0
  30. 2025Optimizing Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Electrical Engineering: A Case Study on ABB Circuit Breakerscited by 0
  31. 2025Automated Label Placement on Maps via Large Language Modelscited by 0
  32. 2025Retrieval Augmented Large Language Model System for Comprehensive Drug Contraindicationscited by 0
  33. 2025An Senegalese Legal Texts Structuration Using LLM-augmented Knowledge Graphcited by 0
  34. 2025The Hybrid Multimodal Graph Index (HMGI): A Comprehensive Framework for Integrated Relational and Vector Searchcited by 0
  35. 2025Trading Vector Data in Vector Databasescited by 0
  36. 2026Filtered Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search in Vector Databases: System Design and Performance Analysiscited by 0
  37. 2026Beyond Paper-to-Paper: Structured Profiling and Rubric Scoring for Paper-Reviewer Matchingcited by 0
  38. 2026FINER-SQL: Boosting Small Language Models for Text-to-SQLcited by 0

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