What is a vector in a machine-learning context? | Algolia

Vectors are mathematical quantities that have both magnitude and direction, often represented as a line segment with an arrowhead pointing in the direction of the vector. They can be used to represent various types of data, such as coordinates in n-dimensional space or scalar quantities like density and energy. In machine learning, vectors are essential for organizing and storing objects and object collections in containers for use in algorithms. Vector search is a modern application that helps users perform broad-based searches and receive accurate recommendations by translating context and meaning into numeric representation. Algolia combines vector and keyword search to provide the best results for both exact-match queries and broad, long-tail queries.