Efficiently processing vector queries, with query vectors and filters, against vector indexes

Abstract

Techniques for efficiently processing vector queries against vector indexes are provided. In one technique, a vector query that includes a query vector and a predicate on a non-vector column of a base table that stores a plurality of vectors is received. In response and while traversing a vector index that is based on the plurality of vectors, a set of candidate vectors is identified based on the query vector. For each candidate vector in the set of candidate vectors, a value associated with that candidate vector and the non-vector column is identified in the vector index, and it is determined whether the value satisfies the predicate. A strict subset, of the set of candidate vectors, is selected whose values for the non-vector column satisfy the predicate. For each candidate vector in the strict subset, a vector distance between the query vector and the candidate vector is computed.