Aion a Rust Database logo

Aion a Rust Database

Free
3
FreeFree tier
Type
Open Source

About Aion a Rust Database

AionDB is an open-source, multi-model database built from scratch in Rust. It speaks the PostgreSQL wire protocol, enabling compatibility with psql and common database drivers, while adding native support for vector and graph data access paths on top of the same catalog. It features its own storage engine and supports tables, predicates, joins, transactions, indexes, and PostgreSQL catalogs. Vector support includes VECTOR(n) and HALFVEC(n) columns with pgvector-compatible casts and HNSW/IVF-flat indexes (L2, cosine, inner product, L1). Graph support includes node labels and edge labels over ordinary tables. The project is currently in alpha (v0.3) and not recommended for production use, with active development on v0.4 focusing on planner, joins, graph execution, and memory use.

Key Features

PostgreSQL wire protocol compatible (psql and common drivers)
SQL with tables, predicates, joins, transactions, and indexes
Native VECTOR(n) and HALFVEC(n) columns with pgvector-compatible casts
HNSW and IVF-flat vector indexes (L2, cosine, inner product, L1)
Graph node labels and edge labels over ordinary tables
Custom storage engine built in Rust
Health, metrics, doctor, upgrade, dump, restore operations
Docker Compose deployment with Studio UI
Reproducible benchmark harnesses

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • PostgreSQL wire protocol support enables drop-in replacement for many tools and drivers
  • Multi-model (SQL, vector, graph) in a single database reduces stack complexity
  • Built in Rust for performance and memory safety
  • Open source (license not specified but available on GitHub)
  • Active development with regular commits and a clear roadmap
Cons
  • Alpha software (v0.3) – not suitable for production workloads
  • Limited documentation and community support relative to mature databases
  • Some planned features (e.g., advanced query planning, graph execution) still under development
  • Potential instability or breaking changes in future releases

Best For

Applications needing PostgreSQL compatibility with additional vector search capabilitiesBuilding recommendation systems or AI-powered search with vector similarityGraph-based data modeling (e.g., social networks, knowledge graphs) alongside relational dataDevelopers exploring or prototyping multi-model databases in RustExperimental or hobby projects where alpha software is acceptable

FAQ

What is AionDB?
AionDB is an open-source database built in Rust that is PostgreSQL wire protocol compatible and adds native vector and graph data access paths on top of the same catalog.
Is AionDB production-ready?
No. AionDB is currently in alpha (v0.3) and explicitly not intended for production data.
What types of vector indexes does AionDB support?
It supports HNSW and IVF-flat indexes with distance metrics including L2, cosine, inner product, and L1.
Can I use standard PostgreSQL tools with AionDB?
Yes, because it speaks the PostgreSQL wire protocol, tools like psql and common database drivers can connect to it.
How do I get started?
You can clone the GitHub repository, copy the quickstart environment file, and use Docker Compose to spin up the server and Studio. Alternatively, build from source using Cargo.