benchmark comparison

altor-vec vs FAISS WASM

Research-grade ANN lineage versus a small production-friendly browser package.

FAISS carries a strong reputation because of its research and systems lineage. The tradeoff is that reputation does not automatically translate into the smallest or easiest frontend package for browser delivery.

These numbers are representative, not universal. Bundle size, query latency, and memory usage all vary with vector dimensions, index parameters, browser runtime, hardware, and whether embeddings are generated on device or ahead of time.

Comparison table

Category	altor-vec	FAISS WASM
Runtime model	Browser-side WASM HNSW for shipped app experiences.	WebAssembly adaptation of a famously capable ANN toolkit.
Bundle size / delivery	~54KB gzipped representative payload.	Often larger and more complex to ship in the browser.
Query latency	Fast local retrieval with modest startup cost.	Potentially strong raw performance, but browser packaging and startup overhead can matter more in product UX.
Memory usage	Designed for browser-scale corpora, so memory budget is an explicit constraint.	Memory behavior depends on the chosen FAISS index strategy and compiled target.
Features	Focused ANN search and serialization.	Much broader family of ANN approaches and tuning options.
Dataset sweet spot	Browser-bundled corpora where operational simplicity matters.	Teams that need FAISS-style breadth or experimentation may prefer it.

Where altor-vec wins

Much easier payload story for web delivery.
Narrower API reduces integration overhead.
Better match when product teams want 'small and sufficient' rather than maximum breadth.

Where FAISS WASM wins

Broader algorithmic toolbox and deeper ANN lineage.
Potentially better fit for advanced experimentation.
Stronger appeal to teams already familiar with FAISS workflows.

Honest decision guide

FAISS wins on breadth and lineage. altor-vec wins on browser pragmatism and small-package delivery.

The honest pattern across all of these benchmark pages is simple: if the search corpus should stay on the server, choose server-oriented infrastructure. If the search corpus is intentionally shipped with the product and the UX benefit of local retrieval matters more than backend scale, altor-vec is usually the more natural fit.

FAQ

Is FAISS WASM always better because FAISS is famous?

Not for frontend delivery. Browser products care about payload and integration overhead just as much as raw ANN credibility.

When should I still pick FAISS WASM?

When you specifically need its broader algorithm family or are already invested in FAISS-style workflows.

What is altor-vec optimizing for instead?

A focused, lightweight browser experience with minimal bundle cost.

Get started: npm install altor-vec · GitHub