helix-db/README.md

HelixDB: an open-source graph-vector database written in Rust built for RAG and AI applications.

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HelixDB is a high-performance graph-vector database designed with a focus on developer experience and performance. Built in Rust and powered by LMDB as its storage engine, it combines the reliability of a proven storage layer with modern features tailored for AI and vector-based applications.

We are currently using LMDB via Heed3, a rust wrapper built by the amazing team over at Meilisearch.

Key Features

• Fast & Efficient: Built for performance we're currently 1000x faster than Neo4j, 100x faster than TigerGraph and on par with Qdrant for vectors.
• RAG-First: Native support for graph and vector data types, making it ideal for RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) and AI applications
• Graph-Vector: Easiest database for storing relationships between nodes, vectors, or nodes AND vectors.
• Reliable Storage: Powered by LMDB (Lightning Memory-Mapped Database) for robust and efficient data persistence
• ACID Compliant: Ensures data integrity and consistency

Getting Started

Helix CLI

The Helix CLI tool can be used to check, compile and deploy Helix locally.

1. Install CLI

   curl -sSL "https://install.helix-db.com" | bash
   

2. Install Helix

   helix install
   

3. Setup

   helix init --path <path-to-project>
   

4. Write queries

Open your newly created .hx files and start writing your schema and queries. Head over to our docs for more information about writing queries

   QUERY addUser(name: String, age: I64) =>
      user <- AddN<User({name: name, age: age})
      RETURN user

   QUERY getUser(user_name: String) =>
      user <- N<User::WHERE(_::{name}::EQ(user_name))
      RETURN user

1. Check your queries compile before building them into API endpoints (optional)

   # in ./<path-to-project>
   helix check
   

2. Deploy your queries

   # in ./<path-to-project>
   helix deploy
   

3. Start calling them using our TypeScript SDK or Python SDK. For example:

   import HelixDB from "helix-ts";
   
   // Create a new HelixDB client
   // The default port is 6969
   const client = new HelixDB();
   
   // Query the database
   await client.query("addUser", {
     name: "John",
     age: 20
   });
   
   // Get the created user
   const user = await client.query("getUser", {
     user_name: "John"
   });
   
   console.log(user);
   

Other commands:

• helix instances to see all your local instances.
• helix stop <instance-id> to stop your local instance with specified id.
• helix stop --all to stop all your local instances.

Roadmap

Our current focus areas include:

• Expanding vector data type capabilities for RAG applications
• Implementing a test suite to enable end-to-end testing of queries before deployment
• Building a Deterministic Simulation Testing engine enabling us to robustly iterate faster
• Binary quantisation for even better performance

Long term projects:

• In-house graph-vector storage engine (to replace LMDB)
• In-house network protocol & serdes libraries (similar to protobufs/gRPC)

Our Software DNA 🧬

• All code should be well-documented so no additional documentation is needed.
• All code should be well-tested (DST coming soon).
• If you can build it yourself, do it. Reduce dependencies.
• If it doesn't need to exist, don't build it.
• Don't lose users' data.
• Use asserts in production: make an effort towards putting asserts anywhere you see fit even if the assert should always obviously be true.
• If there is a more functional way to write a piece of code, do so. ie. pattern matching over if statements, iterators+combinators over loops, closures over small 1-2 line functions, etc.
• When optimizing pieces of software, first write an eval/benchmark so that you can measure an exact metric for performance change

License

HelixDB is licensed under the The AGPL (Affero General Public License).

Commercial Support

HelixDB is available as a managed service for selected users, if you're interested in using Helix's managed service or want enterprise support, contact us for more information and deployment options.