# HNSW Index

> Source: https://sukruyusufkaya.com/en/glossary/hnsw-index
> Updated: 2026-05-13T21:08:07.299Z
> Type: glossary
> Category: veri-muhendisligi-ve-ai-altyapisi
**TLDR:** An indexing method that uses a hierarchical graph structure for fast approximate neighbor search in high-dimensional vectors.

<p>HNSW is one of the most widely used indexing strategies in modern vector search systems. It builds a multi-layer graph of neighborhood relationships among vectors, significantly reducing search time. This structure provides a strong balance between retrieval quality and speed. It becomes especially critical for scalable retrieval across large embedding collections. HNSW is one of the key data structures behind vector database performance.</p>