Create indexes and query vectors

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This document shows you how to use stored embeddings to generate indexes and query embeddings. For more information about storing embedding, see Store vector embeddings .

You can create ScaNN , IVF , IVFFlat , and HNSW indexes with AlloyDB.

Before you begin

Before you can start creating indexes, you must complete the following prerequisites.

Embedding vectors are added to a table in your AlloyDB database.

The vector extension version 0.5.0 or later that is based on pgvector , extended by Google for AlloyDB is installed.

  CREATE 
  
 EXTENSION 
  
 IF 
  
 NOT 
  
 EXISTS 
  
 vector 
 ;

To generate ScaNN indexes, install the alloydb_scann extension in addition to the vector extension.

  CREATE 
  
 EXTENSION 
  
 IF 
  
 NOT 
  
 EXISTS 
  
 alloydb_scann 
 ;

Create an index

You can create one of the following index types for tables in your database.

What's next

An example embedding workflow
Tune vector query performance
Vector index metrics