Which [X] Are You? Vector Similarity in Rust with Axum and SurrealDB

Vector search underpins modern recommendation engines, embeddings, and semantic retrieval, but it is often presented as abstract or opaque. This workshop strips it back to fundamentals: simple coordinates and distance calculations. Participants will build a complete Rust web app using Axum and SurrealDB to perform vector similarity matching. The focus is practical: connecting Rust's web stack, using Docker to run SurrealDB, handling user input, and returning results dynamically. No machine learning, no algebra-heavy math, only applied Rust and real database integration.

What Attendees Will Learn

• How to build and run a Rust web app with Axum
• How to store and query vectors in SurrealDB
• How to connect a Rust backend to a database running in Docker
• How to serve interactive web pages using Rust and HTML

Workshop Plan / Agenda

Setup and Overview (15 min)

• Verify Rust installation
• Verify Docker setup and pull SurrealDB container
• Review the problem space and a bit about Rust

Rust Web Basics (30 min)

• Build a basic Axum server
• Define routes and handle GET/POST requests

Run SurrealDB

• Launch and interact with the database from Docker
• Verify connection from Rust app

Vector Data and Logic (20 min)

• Represent user responses as simple numeric vectors
• Calculate distances using basic Rust functions

Database Integration (30 min)

• Connect to SurrealDB from Rust
• Store and query possible quiz outcomes
• Retrieve nearest matches

Frontend Integration (25 min)

• Build simple HTML forms for input
• Display matched results in the browser

Wrap-Up and Discussion (10 min)

• Review project structure
• Discuss extensions and production considerations

Requirements

Technical

• Laptop with Rust already installed
• An IDE or text editor (RustRover or VS Code recommended)
• Docker installed and able to run containers. It is very important that anyone using Windows checks this beforehand as Windows can be very tricky to debug in the confines of a short workshop.
• SurrealDB image pulled or ready to download
• Basic familiarity with HTTP and command-line tools

Non-Technical

• Interest in Rust web development and practical backend design
• No mathematics background required

Companies Using This Technology

• SurrealDB (vector-backed real-time databases)
• Cloudflare (Axum used in internal microservices)
• Discord (Rust for backend infrastructure)

Target Audience

Developers exploring Rust for web applications, backend engineers interested in lightweight vector search, and anyone seeking a clear, practical understanding of similarity search without machine learning or advanced mathematics.