Learning path · Production RAG · 55
Advanced RAG
Patterns beyond naive retrieve-once—multi-query, rerank, compress, route, and agentic retrieval loops.
Why it matters
- Closes gap between demo RAG and production accuracy.
- Targets multi-hop and comparative questions.
- Adds orchestration complexity requiring observability.
Key ideas
- Iterative retrieval
- Context compression
- Routing
Advanced RAG iterates: decompose questions, retrieve in waves, compress chunks to summaries, route subtopics to specialized indexes, or let an agent decide when to search again. Use when naive top-K fails on comparisons ("diff plan A vs B") or temporal questions. Cap iterations to control cost; log each retrieval hop for debugging. Cap agentic retrieval loops with step budgets and explicit stop reasons logged for finance and debugging review.
Updated 2026-08-09 · Full learning path