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Do vector similarity search inside SQL (pgvector / warehouse). When is this the right call?

You don't always need a dedicated vector database. When embeddings live next to your relational data, nearest-neighbor in SQL makes filters and joins trivial. Here is how, and the scale where it breaks.

Updated Aug 2026 · Grounded in real Applied AI Engineer interview loops and written to a senior-engineer editorial bar.

You don't always need a dedicated vector database. When embeddings live next to your relational data, nearest-neighbor in SQL makes filters and joins trivial. Here is how, and the scale where it breaks.

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