Overview
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Vector DB Foundations: Embeddings & Search Algorithms takes you beyond simple keyword retrieval and into the world of semantic search. Across eight intermediate‑level courses you’ll learn to convert unstructured text and images into meaningful vector embeddings; evaluate them using t‑SNE and nearest‑neighbor analysis; and batch‑process large datasets using production‑style Python scripts. You’ll then master the Hierarchical Navigable Small World (HNSW) algorithm, learning how to manipulate efConstruction, M and efSearch parameters to balance recall and latency for specific use cases. Other courses teach you to compute cosine similarity, dot products and Euclidean distances and to benchmark their impact on ranking and recommendation systems; build and evaluate Approximate Nearest Neighbor (ANN) indices with FAISS and Annoy; explain how vector databases differ from traditional relational or NoSQL systems and build decision frameworks for choosing the right database; design hybrid search combining keyword and vector methods with weighting and NDCG metrics; implement retrieval‑augmented generation pipelines that ground LLMs with external data; and configure multimodal search using Weaviate to search across images and text. Through expert‑led videos, readings, and hands‑on projects you’ll develop portfolio‑ready skills to design, tune and evaluate state‑of‑the‑art vector search systems.
Syllabus
- Course 1: Grasp Vector DB Basics
- Course 2: Tune HNSW
- Course 3: Understand RAG Basics
- Course 4: Measure Vector Similarity
- Course 5: Master ANN Search
Courses
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"Grasp Vector DB Basics" is an intermediate course for machine learning practitioners and data professionals looking to understand the technology powering modern semantic search and AI applications. In an era where keyword search is no longer enough, this course builds a strong conceptual foundation, explaining how vector databases store and retrieve vector representations, how similarity-based retrieval differs from traditional database querying, and how these capabilities enable applications such as semantic search and recommendation. You will transition from foundational theory to practical analysis, learning to explain what vector databases are, why their ability to understand relationships is a game-changer, and how to compare them against traditional databases. Through scenario-based assignments, you will build and defend a decision framework for choosing the right database and justify your choice to stakeholders. By the end, you will be equipped to analyze use cases and articulate the strategic value of vector databases.
Taught by
LearningMate