Retrieval strategies

Database-agnostic strategies that automatically optimize for your store.

BasicSimilarityStrategy (getting started)

{
  "retrieval_strategy": {
    "type": "BasicSimilarityStrategy",
    "config": { "distance_metric": "cosine" }
  }
}

Use cases: simple semantic search; Performance: fast; Complexity: low.

MetadataFilteredStrategy (smart filtering)

{
  "retrieval_strategy": {
    "type": "MetadataFilteredStrategy",
    "config": {
      "distance_metric": "cosine",
      "default_filters": {
        "priority": ["high", "medium"],
        "type": "documentation"
      },
      "fallback_multiplier": 3
    }
  }
}

Features: native filtering when supported, automatic fallback, complex operators. Use cases: domain searches, multi-tenant. Performance: medium.

MultiQueryStrategy (enhanced recall)

{
  "retrieval_strategy": {
    "type": "MultiQueryStrategy",
    "config": {
      "num_queries": 3,
      "aggregation_method": "weighted",
      "search_multiplier": 2
    }
  }
}

Use cases: ambiguous queries, query expansion. Performance: medium.

RerankedStrategy (sophisticated ranking)

{
  "retrieval_strategy": {
    "type": "RerankedStrategy",
    "config": {
      "initial_k": 20,
      "length_normalization": 1000,
      "rerank_factors": {
        "recency": 0.1,
        "length": 0.05,
        "metadata_boost": 0.2
      }
    }
  }
}

Use cases: production systems; Performance: slower; Complexity: high.

HybridUniversalStrategy (best of all worlds)

{
  "retrieval_strategy": {
    "type": "HybridUniversalStrategy",
    "config": {
      "combination_method": "weighted_average",
      "normalize_scores": true,
      "diversity_boost": 0.1,
      "strategies": [
        { "type": "BasicSimilarityStrategy", "weight": 0.4 },
        { "type": "MetadataFilteredStrategy", "weight": 0.3 },
        { "type": "RerankedStrategy", "weight": 0.2 },
        { "type": "MultiQueryStrategy", "weight": 0.1 }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Strategy selection guide

Use Case	Recommended	Why
Getting Started	BasicSimilarityStrategy	Simple, fast baseline
Production General	HybridUniversalStrategy	Balanced performance
High Precision	RerankedStrategy	Multi-factor ranking
Filtered Content	MetadataFilteredStrategy	Efficient domain-specific searches
Complex Queries	MultiQueryStrategy	Better recall for ambiguous questions