Vector Search Concepts
Background on embeddings, distance metrics, exact versus approximate nearest-neighbor search, HNSW indexing, and hybrid search for DigitalOcean Vector Databases.
DigitalOcean Vector Databases Concepts
Validated on 26 Jun 2018 • Last edited on 27 Apr 2026
DigitalOcean Vector Databases are managed clusters purpose-built for vector similarity search, supporting Weaviate, OpenSearch, and PostgreSQL (pgvector) for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), semantic search, and other AI workloads.
Choosing Between OpenSearch, Weaviate, and pgvector
A decision guide for picking among DigitalOcean’s three Managed Vector Database engines based on workload shape, existing infrastructure, and operational requirements.