From query to results
Retrieval strategies
Semantic search
Find information based on similarity in meaning, rather than requiring exact keyword matches. Helps when a query uses different words from the original stored information.
Keyword search
Match explicit terms, identifiers, names, or phrases. Valuable for exact facts and technical references.
Hybrid retrieval
Combine semantic and lexical signals. Balances conceptual similarity with exact-term matching.
Reranking
Reorder an initial candidate set using a more focused relevance model. Can improve result ordering but adds computation and may increase latency.
Retrieval controls
- Search scope and authorization.
- Candidate limits and result count.
- Similarity thresholds, where supported.
- Metadata filters.
- Ranking and tie-breaking behavior.
- Freshness and update behavior.
- Timeouts, retries, and error handling.