Overview of Tables in LanceDB
A Table is a collection of Records in a LanceDB Database. Tables in Lance have a schema that defines the columns and their types. These schemas can include nested columns and can evolve over time.
Key Concepts
- Tables: The fundamental unit of data organization in LanceDB, containing records with a defined schema
- Schema: Defines the structure of your data, including column names, data types, and whether fields are required
- Vector Column: A special column type that stores vector embeddings for similarity search
- Metadata Columns: Regular columns that store additional information about each record
- Versioning: Tables maintain versions as they are modified, enabling point-in-time queries
Operations Overview
LanceDB provides comprehensive table management capabilities:
- Creation: Create tables from various data sources including lists, DataFrames, and Pydantic models
- Modification: Add, update, or delete data with support for batch operations
- Schema Management: Add, alter, or drop columns as your data needs evolve
- Consistency Control: Configure read consistency settings for your use case
Legacy Javascript SDK
The vectordb
package is a legacy package that is deprecated in favor of @lancedb/lancedb
. The vectordb
package will continue to receive bug fixes and security updates until September 2024. We recommend all new projects use @lancedb/lancedb
.