Essential Guide to Databases

Building a RAG Application from Scratch: Understanding RAG and Preparing Your Data

Getting Started Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) combines the strengths of large language models with external knowledge sources to produce more accurate, grounded, and context-aware outputs. If you’re just getting started, this guide walks you through the essential foundations—what RAG is, how it works, and how to prepare your data for use in a RAG pipeline. From […]

Choosing the Right Data Infrastructure for AI: Vector vs Traditional Databases vs Hybrid

Building advanced AI applications today, especially those leveraging generative AI (GenAI) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), presents a new frontier in data challenges. At the heart of these innovations are vector embeddings—rich, high-dimensional numerical representations that capture the intricate semantic meanings within your data. Traditional databases, designed for structured rows and columns, often struggle to efficiently handle these vectors, […]

Approximate Nearest Neighbor (ANN) Search Explained: IVF vs HNSW vs PQ

What Is Approximate Nearest Neighbor (ANN) Search? Approximate Nearest Neighbor (ANN) search has become essential for applications dealing with high-dimensional data—think natural language processing, image recognition, and recommendation engines. For a deeper understanding of TiDB’s approach, visit our Vector Search Overview. Unlike exact methods, ANN strikes a practical balance between speed and accuracy, making it […]

How Distributed Databases Help You Scale Applications Seamlessly

The ability to scale applications seamlessly is paramount for organizations aiming to meet growing user demands and data volumes. Traditional monolithic databases often falter under such pressures, leading to performance bottlenecks and limited scalability. Enter distributed databases, like TiDB, designed to handle massive workloads with high availability and strong consistency. TiDB stands out by supporting Hybrid Transactional and Analytical […]

The Hard Parts of Distributed Databases (and How to Solve Them)

Distributed databases power the modern world—but they’re not without their challenges. From unpredictable network partitions to latency spikes and complex schema upgrades, these issues are more than just technical headaches—they determine whether your system will scale or stall. In this guide, we’ll unpack the core challenges in distributed database design, explain how the CAP theorem influences real-world […]

Distributed Database Use Cases: Real-World Applications

In today’s fast-paced digital world, distributed databases have emerged as a cornerstone for businesses looking to scale and perform efficiently under high demands. They address complexities ranging from high availability to data consistency across various geographical locations. Here, we’ll dive into some compelling real-world applications where distributed databases, particularly TiDB, have been transformative. E-commerce: High […]

Distributed SQL vs NoSQL: What’s Right for Your Application?

Modern applications demand scale, speed, and flexibility—pushing databases to evolve. Two dominant models have emerged: Distributed SQL and NoSQL. Each has strengths suited to specific workloads. This guide will break down how they compare, so you can make the right choice for your application. SQL vs NoSQL: The Foundations SQL databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle) […]

What Is a Distributed Database? A Complete Guide

A distributed database stores data across multiple servers (or nodes) in different locations but appears as a single system. It improves availability, scalability, and fault tolerance—critical for cloud-native, AI-powered, and globally distributed modern applications. Historical Evolution of Distributed Databases The journey of databases began with centralized relational systems like Oracle and MySQL, which provided strong […]

Enhancing Fraud Detection with TiDB’s Real-Time Processing

Discover how TiDB's HTAP capabilities boost fraud detection for financial institutions with real-time data processing and scalability.

Transforming Business Intelligence with TiDB’s HTAP

Discover how TiDB's HTAP capabilities enhance real-time data processing and analytics, boosting business intelligence and decision-making.

Boost Data Resilience in Cloud-Native with TiDB

Discover how TiDB enhances data resilience in cloud-native environments with high availability and fault tolerance.

Future-Proof Your Database with TiDB’s Scalability

Discover how TiDB enhances scalability and performance, offering seamless migration from legacy SQL systems with real-world success stories.