Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by lvca 109 days ago
This resonates strongly. We've been working on exactly this problem with ArcadeDB — a multi-model database that natively supports graphs, documents, key-value, time-series, and vector search in a single engine. (https://arcadedb.com)

The insight about relationships growing faster than nodes is spot on, and it's why we think the graph model is the natural fit for context layers. But in practice, you also need documents, vectors, and sometimes time-series data alongside the graph. Forcing everything into a single model (or stitching together multiple databases) creates friction that kills agent workflows.

On the GQL/Cypher vs SQL point — agreed on token efficiency. We support both SQL (extended with graph capabilities) and Cypher-style syntax, and the difference in prompt size for traversal queries is dramatic. An N-hop relationship query that takes 5+ lines of SQL JOINs is a single readable line in a graph query language. For LLM-generated queries, that's not just an aesthetic win — it directly reduces error rates and token costs.

Re: GraphRAG — we've seen the same convergence. Vector similarity to find the right neighborhood, then graph traversal for structured context. Having both in one engine (ArcadeDB supports vector indexing natively) means you avoid the API orchestration overhead you mention. One query, one database, full context.

The training gap for graph query languages is real but closing fast. As more agent frameworks adopt graph-based context, the flywheel will kick in.