I wrote a GPU-less billion-vector DB for molecule search (live demo)
Input a SMILES string (or pick one molecule from the examples) and it returns up to 100k molecules closest in 3-D shape or electrostatic similarity – from 10+ billion scale databases — typically in under 5-10 s. *Why it might interest HN* * Entire index lives on disk — no GPU at query-time, less than ~10 GB RAM total. * Built from scratch (no FAISS index / Milvus / Pinecone). * Index-build cost: one Nvidia T4 (~ 300USD) for one 5.5B database. * Open to anyone, predict ADMET, export results as CSV/SDF. Full write-up & benchmarks (DUD-E, LIT-PCBA, SVS) in the pre-print:…
What it does
In the maker’s words, at launch
Input a SMILES string (or pick one molecule from the examples) and it returns up to 100k molecules closest in 3-D shape or electrostatic similarity – from 10+ billion scale databases — typically in under 5-10 s. *Why it might interest HN* * Entire index lives on disk — no GPU at query-time, less than ~10 GB RAM total. * Built from scratch (no FAISS index / Milvus / Pinecone). * Index-build cost: one Nvidia T4 (~ 300USD) for one 5.5B database. * Open to anyone, predict ADMET, export results as CSV/SDF. Full write-up & benchmarks (DUD-E, LIT-PCBA, SVS) in the pre-print: https://chemrxiv.org/engage/chemrxiv/article-details/6725091...
Does the same job
all alternatives →- IVI've built a locally running Perplexity clone2024 · github.com · ▲669
The video demo runs a 7b Model on a normal gaming GPU. I think it already works quite well (accounting for the limited hardware power). :)
- AGA GPU-accelerated binary vector index2025 · rlafuente.com · ▲65
This is a vector index I built that supports insertion and k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) querying, optimized for GPUs. It operates entirely in CUDA and can process queries on half a billion vectors in under 200 milliseconds. The codebase is structured as a standalone library with an HTTP API for remote access. It’s intended for high-performance search tasks—think similarity search, AI model retrieval, or reinforcement learning replay buffers. The codebase is located at https://github.com/rodlaf/BinaryGPUIndex.
- CHCozoDB, Hybrid Relational-Graph-Vector Database2023 · docs.cozodb.org · ▲137
Hi HN! We're thrilled to share CozoDB v0.6, a monumental update to our FOSS database, which already unifies relational and graph features. With the addition of vector search, CozoDB becomes an even better companion for LLMs like ChatGPT. This release introduces vector search using HNSW indices within Datalog, enabling seamless integration with powerful features such as ad-hoc joins, recursive Datalog, and classical whole-graph algorithms. This update significantly broadens CozoDB's capabilities. Check out the linked release note for an in-depth look at the new features, comparisons to other…
- HOHelixDB – Open-source vector-graph database for AI applications (Rust)2025 · github.com · ▲237
Hey HN, we want to share HelixDB (https://github.com/HelixDB/helix-db/), a project a college friend and I are working on. It’s a new database that natively intertwines graph and vector types, without sacrificing performance. It’s written in Rust and our initial focus is on supporting RAG. Here’s a video runthrough: https://screen.studio/share/szgQu3yq. Why a hybrid? Vector databases are useful for similarity queries, while graph databases are useful for relationship queries. Each stores data in a way that’s best for its main type of query (e.g.…
- EOEpsilla – Open-source vector database with low query latency2023 · github.com · ▲111
Hey HN! We are building Epsilla (https://github.com/epsilla-cloud/vectordb), an open-source, self-hostable vector database for semantic similarity search that specializes in low query latency. When do we need a vector database? For example, GPT-3.5 has a 16k context window limit. If we want to let it answer a question about a 300 page book, we cannot put the whole book content into the context. We have to choose the sections of the book that are most relevant to the question. Vector database is specialized at ranking and picking the most relevant content from a large pool…
- FTFine-tune an 8B model on a 4 GB laptop GPUAug 2026 · github.com · ▲139
More dev tools this month
the category →
Open-source GTM skills for technical founders
Dev tools · 29d ago · gtmcofounder.com
OpenTrailPaper is open-source bike computer firmware for the LilyGO T5S3 4.7" E-Paper PRO. It supports offline maps, GPX routes, FIT recording and Bluetooth sensors.
Dev tools · 2d ago · opentrailpaper.com
Launched alongside, June 2025
the whole month →- IM
Hey HN! Pilots everywhere are required to keep a logbook of all their flying hours, aircraft, airports, and so on. Since I track everything digitally (some people still just use paper logbooks!), I put together some data visualizations and a few 3D globes to show my flying history. This globe is probably my favourite so far: https://jameshard.ing/pilot/globes/all If you’ve got ideas for other graphs or ways to show this kind of data, I’d love to hear them!
Life & fun · 2025 · jameshard.ing
Stunning presentations with AI. No design skills required.
AI · 2025 · chroniclehq.com
Build native mobile apps for iOS and Android without code.
Dev tools · 2025 · bble.io
All your connections, across all your socials.
AI · 2025 · pally.com
- WC
I was the main contributor to workout.lol, an open-source fitness app to easily build a workout routine. The project had traction (1.4k GitHub stars, 95 forks, ~20K visits/month), but was eventually sold due to video licensing hurdles. The new owner stopped maintaining it, and the repo went abandoned. Over the next 9 months, I sent 15 emails to try to save it : no replies. Feature requests & issues were ignored. The community was left with a "broken" tool let's say. I couldn't just let it die So I built the new version from scratch with the same open-source spirit, but a better…
Dev tools · 2025 · github.com