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IBM Skills Network Team and Richa Arora

Vector databases provide the solid foundation required by large language models to deliver AI-powered similarity searches and recommendation systems for e-commerce recommendations, cybersecurity fraud detection, medical diagnostics, bioinformatics research, and other complex analysis tasks. Begin learning how to take advantage of the efficiencies vector databases offer in this introductory course by IBM.

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Vector databases provide the solid foundation required by large language models to deliver AI-powered similarity searches and recommendation systems for e-commerce recommendations, cybersecurity fraud detection, medical diagnostics, bioinformatics research, and other complex analysis tasks. Begin learning how to take advantage of the efficiencies vector databases offer in this introductory course by IBM.

In this introductory microcourse, you'll build your knowledge of vector database fundamentals and explore the importance of vector databases in today’s data management landscape. Then, dive into how vector databases differ from traditional databases and learn about vector database types and their uses.

You’ll also gain hands-on experience setting up environments for vector database operations and performing day-to-day database tasks using Chroma DB. You will learn how to:

• Set up environments for vector database operations.

• Perform update, delete, and collection-related tasks.

• Demonstrate vector database skills and implement similarity searches using real-world data sets.

This microcourse is built to provide you with broad, foundational vector database knowledge. This course is for engineers, data scientists, machine learning engineers, DevOps engineers, AI Engineers, and others who work with or intend to build large language models (LLMS), generative AI applications, and related transformative technologies.

Enroll today and learn how to take advantage of the efficiencies that vector databases offer!

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What's inside

Syllabus

Building Blocks of Vector Databases
Welcome to this module where you’ll explore the transformative role of vector databases in modern data management systems. You'll explore how vector databases are the foundation of recommendation systems and learn how vector databases differ from traditional databases in handling complex data types. Then, delve into various vector database types and their specific applications, with a special focus on Chroma DB. You'll gain insights into Chroma DB architecture, learn the common coding practices for its operations, and gain hands-on skills setting up a vector database, creating collections, and managing embeddings.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on foundations, which strengthens core skills
Provides step-by-step guidance on hands-on tasks
Taught by Richa Arora and IBM Skills Network Team, who have expertise in vector databases
Emphasizes practical examples and case studies
Designed for beginners and assumes no prior knowledge
Limited to the Chroma DB database

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Vector Databases: An Introduction with Chroma DB with these activities:
Review Linear Algebra
Reinforce your understanding of linear algebra concepts, which are essential for vector operations.
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  • Revise matrix operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication)
  • Practice solving systems of linear equations
  • Review eigenvector and eigenvalue concepts
Join a peer study group for vector databases
Peer study groups help in increasing understanding through discussion and collaboration. Joining a group focused on vector databases will help you solidify your understanding.
Browse courses on Vector Database
Show steps
  • Find a study group that fits your needs.
  • Attend the study group meetings regularly.
  • Participate in discussions and activities.
Review vector database overview
Familiarize yourself with core vector database concepts to build a foundation for understanding the course material.
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  • Read the course overview and introduction.
  • Review online resources and articles on vector databases.
Nine other activities
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Set up Chroma DB environment
Gain hands-on experience by setting up a vector database environment to become comfortable with the tools.
Show steps
  • Follow the official Chroma DB documentation for installation instructions.
  • Configure and run the Chroma DB server.
Follow tutorials on vector database best practices
Learning best practices will help you enhance your skills and work in a more efficient manner. Follow tutorials on vector database best practices to improve your skills.
Browse courses on Vector Database
Show steps
  • Search for tutorials on vector database best practices.
  • Follow the tutorials and implement the best practices in your own work.
Execute basic CRUD operations
Reinforce your understanding of vector database operations by performing create, read, update, and delete tasks.
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  • Use Chroma DB's command line interface (CLI) to create a collection.
  • Insert documents into the collection.
  • Retrieve documents using queries.
  • Update and delete documents as needed.
Build a simple vector database application
Putting your skills and knowledge to use will help you increase understanding and retention of concepts and skills. Building a vector database application will help you do that.
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  • Design your database schema.
  • Select a vector database to use.
  • Implement the database and add data.
  • Write queries to retrieve and manipulate data.
Participate in a hackathon using vector databases
Apply your vector database skills to solve real-world problems and collaborate with peers.
Show steps
  • Find a suitable hackathon focused on vector databases.
  • Team up with other participants or work individually.
  • Develop a solution using vector database technologies.
  • Submit your solution and compete for prizes.
Contribute to an open-source vector database project
Contributing to open source projects helps you enhance your skills and knowledge. Look for vector database projects that you can contribute to.
Browse courses on Vector Database
Show steps
  • Find an open-source vector database project that interests you.
  • Read the project documentation and contribute to the project in a meaningful way.
Create a project using vector database
Apply your knowledge by developing a mini project that utilizes vector databases to solve a specific problem.
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  • Identify a use case or problem that can be addressed with vector databases.
  • Design and implement a solution using Chroma DB.
  • Test and evaluate your project's performance.
Develop a data visualization tool for vector database exploration
Create a tool to visualize and explore high-dimensional data from vector databases.
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  • Research existing data visualization techniques.
  • Design and implement a visualization tool.
Develop a Recommendation System Using Vector Databases
Apply your knowledge to a real-world project, building a recommendation system that leverages vector databases for efficient and personalized recommendations.
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  • Identify a domain and collect relevant data
  • Design the system architecture and choose appropriate vector database
  • Implement recommendation algorithms using vector operations
  • Evaluate system performance and make necessary improvements

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