What happens when inserting a vector with incorrect dimensions into a defined VECTOR column?

When inserting a vector with incorrect dimensions into a defined VECTOR column, the operation fails with an error. This behavior is intentional to maintain data integrity in the database. The defined dimensions for a VECTOR column are critical because they dictate how the database manages and processes the vector data.

If a user attempts to insert a vector that does not match these predefined dimensions, the database cannot reconcile the difference; hence, it will generate an error instead of attempting to adjust the data by truncating, padding, or ignoring the dimension mismatch. Ensuring that the dimensions are correct is crucial for applications relying on accurate vector representations, particularly in machine learning, search optimization, and similarity calculations. This strict adherence to dimensional integrity helps prevent potential errors in subsequent data processing and querying operations related to the vector data stored within the database.