Build Production-Ready RAG Applications

RAG applications succeed or fail on retrieval. When models hallucinate, the problem is almost always missing or low-quality context. LanceDB is the retrieval layer for fast, accurate RAG with native hybrid search and multimodal support.

Why teams switch

Hybrid search that works

Exact phrases matched precisely. Semantic similarity for related content. Filters for tenant, access level, and time range on every query.

GraphRAG-ready

Model your data as nodes and edges. Query in Cypher alongside vector search. One system, not a separate graph DB plus vector DB.

Multimodal RAG

Store pages, captions, layout metadata, and embeddings for PDFs. Index images and diagrams alongside text.

One retrieval layer

Hybrid search blends keyword, vectors, and filters in one request. Fewer systems, fewer joins, fewer failure modes.

Comparison

	Traditional RAG Stack	LanceDB
Cost	Multiple systems - vector DB + keyword engine + feature store.	One retrieval layer. Fewer services, lower cost.
Scale	Scaling means coordinating multiple systems.	20 PB largest table. 20K+ QPS. Single system scales.
Search	Dense vectors miss exact matches. Needs separate keyword service.	Native vector, full-text, and SQL hybrid in one query.
Data model	Vectors here, documents there, metadata somewhere else.	Raw data (blobs), embeddings, and features in one table.
Purpose	Glued-together retrieval pipeline.	Purpose-built retrieval layer for RAG and agents.
Best for	Simple text-only RAG.	Production multimodal RAG at scale.

The Power of the Lance Format

Vector Search

Fast scans and random access from the same table — no tradeoff
Zero-copy access for high throughput without serialization overhead

Multi-Modal

Raw data, embeddings, and metadata in one table — not pointers to blob storage
No separate metadata store to keep in sync

Enterprise-Grade Requirements

Security

Granular RBAC, SSO integration, and VPC deployment options.

Governance

Data versioning and time-travel capabilities for auditability.

Support

Dedicated technical account management and guaranteed SLAs.