fix: share scans across batched vector queries (#3805)

<!-- lance-gatekeeper-fix:v1 agent=d30696bc46eb32f04c9927b0792e35d3
generation=1 -->

## Summary

- use the Lance native batch KNN path so fixed-size batch vector
searches share one flat table scan
- validate consistent query-vector dimensions and retain the per-vector
plan when offsets require its existing semantics
- add Rust and Python regressions and update Rust, Python, and
TypeScript API documentation

## Root cause

LanceDB expanded every vector in a batch into a separate scan plan and
joined the plans with `UnionExec`. For unindexed tables on S3, a batch
of ten vectors therefore ran ten concurrent full scans, amplifying CPU
and retained data enough to produce the reported memory spike.

The native Lance batch KNN path performs bounded-memory selection for
all query vectors over one flat scan. LanceDB now supplies the vectors
as a batch and avoids applying a global scanner limit to the combined
per-query results. Batch queries with a nonzero offset keep the previous
plan because the native batch API does not support per-query offsets.

## Validation

- targeted Rust batch-query plan and execution tests
- `cargo check --quiet --features remote --tests --examples`
- `cargo clippy --quiet --features remote --tests --examples`
- `cargo fmt --all -- --check`
- targeted Python batch-vector regression after rebuilding the extension
- Ruff formatting/checks for the touched Python files
- Node.js build, lint, docs generation, and targeted batch-vector Jest
test
- `git diff --check`

Fixes #2468

---------

Co-authored-by: Gatefixer <313497061+lancedb-gatefixer[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Xuanwo <github@xuanwo.io>
This commit is contained in:
lancedb-gatefixer[bot]
2026-08-27 04:23:28 +08:00
committed by GitHub
parent 8b7e13b0c6
commit ae81d73563
5 changed files with 187 additions and 36 deletions
+6 -5
View File
@@ -3401,9 +3401,10 @@ class AsyncQuery(AsyncStandardQuery):
pass in multiple vectors. When multiple vectors are passed in, if the vector
column is with multivector type, then the vectors will be treated as a single
query. Or the vectors will be treated as multiple queries, this can be useful
if you want to find the nearest vectors to multiple query vectors.
This is not expected to be faster than making multiple queries concurrently;
it is just a convenience method. If multiple vectors are passed in then
if you want to find the nearest vectors to multiple query vectors. Flat
searches share one table scan across the query vectors, avoiding the scan
and memory amplification of making multiple queries concurrently. If
multiple vectors are passed in then
an additional column `query_index` will be added to the results. This column
will contain the index of the query vector that the result is nearest to.
"""
@@ -3532,8 +3533,8 @@ class AsyncFTSQuery(AsyncStandardQuery):
Typically, a single vector is passed in as the query. However, you can also
pass in multiple vectors. This can be useful if you want to find the nearest
vectors to multiple query vectors. This is not expected to be faster than
making multiple queries concurrently; it is just a convenience method.
vectors to multiple query vectors. Flat searches share one table scan across
the query vectors instead of issuing concurrent full scans.
If multiple vectors are passed in then an additional column `query_index`
will be added to the results. This column will contain the index of the
query vector that the result is nearest to.
+17
View File
@@ -897,6 +897,23 @@ def test_query_builder_batches(table):
assert rs_list["id"][1] == 2
def test_batch_vector_query_shares_filtered_flat_scan(table):
query = (
table.search([[1.0, 2.0], [3.0, 4.0]])
.where("id > 0", prefilter=True)
.limit(1)
.select(["id"])
)
plan = query.explain_plan(verbose=True)
assert "KNNVectorDistance: queries=2" in plan
assert "UnionExec" not in plan
results = query.to_arrow()
assert len(results) == 2
assert results["query_index"].to_pylist() == [0, 1]
def test_dynamic_projection(table):
rs = (
LanceVectorQueryBuilder(table, [0, 0], "vector")