Skip to main content

​
Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure you have:
  • At least 8 GB RAM (16 GB+ recommended)
  • 10 GB disk space (100 GB+ recommended)
Docker Required: VectorAI DB runs as a Docker container. Make sure Docker is installed and running on your system before proceeding. Get Docker
For best performance, use the recommended configuration.

​
Pull and run VectorAI DB

​
Option 1: Quickstart (single command)

Pull and run the VectorAI DB Docker container:
Coming soon
The server is available at localhost:50051.

​
Option 2: With data persistence

To persist your data between container restarts:
Coming soon

​
Option 3: Using Docker Compose

Create a docker-compose.yml file: 
version: '3.8'
services:
  vectorai:
    image: actian/cortex-server:latest
    ports:
      - "50051:50051"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
      - ./config:/app/config
    environment:
      - VECTORAI_LOG_LEVEL=info
    restart: unless-stopped
Start the service: 
docker-compose up -d
Stop the service: 
docker-compose down

​
Verify installation

Python SDK Required: To verify your installation, you need to have the Cortex Python SDK installed. Install it using pip install actian-cortex-client or follow the SDK installation guide.
Test your installation by checking the server health: 
import asyncio
from actian_vectorai import AsyncVectorAIClient, VectorParams, Distance

async def main():
    async with AsyncVectorAIClient("localhost:50051") as client:
        info = await client.health_check()
        print(f"Connected to {info['title']} v{info['version']}")

asyncio.run(main())

​
Troubleshooting

​
Common issues

The table below lists common installation issues and their solutions.
IssueSolution
Connection failedEnsure Docker container is running: docker ps
Port already in useStop services using port 50051 or use a different port: -p 50052:50051
Permission deniedRun Docker commands with appropriate permissions or add user to docker group
Container exitsCheck logs: docker logs <container-id>

​
View Docker logs

Check container logs for errors: 
# List running containers
docker ps

# View logs
docker logs <container-id>

# Follow logs in real-time
docker logs -f <container-id>

​
Next steps

Quickstart

Follow the quickstart guide to create your first collection

Core Concepts

Learn about vector databases and embeddings

SDK Reference

Explore the complete SDK API