How does retrieval-augmented generation work? +
Documents are split into chunks and turned into vector embeddings. When a question comes in, semantic search finds the chunks closest in meaning, and a large language model writes the answer from them, with a reference to the source. The model answers from your content instead of relying on what it learned in training.
What do RAG development services include? +
An inventory of your sources and access rights, and a query set built from real questions. Then the retrieval architecture (chunking per document type, embeddings, vector store, hybrid search and reranking) and the pipeline build. Access control is enforced at query time and every answer carries its source. We connect retrieval to your LLM or agent layer, test recall and grounding on your own queries, and deploy with monitoring and index refresh. Code, retrieval configuration, evaluation suites and runbooks go to your team, with training. You can also start with a review of a RAG system you already run.
Do you work as a RAG architecture consultant, or only as a build team? +
Both, and most engagements start with the consulting part. A RAG architecture review looks at what you already have (retrieval quality, chunking, embedding choice, evaluation coverage) and returns a ranked list of what is costing you accuracy, with a verdict on whether a rebuild is warranted. When the answer is to build, the same engineers continue into delivery, so nothing is handed over between a strategy team and an implementation team.
Can we outsource RAG development entirely and still own the result? +
Yes. Source code, retrieval configuration, evaluation suites and runbooks transfer to you at handover, with training. The stack is model-agnostic and built on open-source foundations, so no part of it can only be operated by Vstorm. Another team can pick the system up.
How do we choose a RAG development company? +
Ask each candidate to measure recall and grounding on a query set built from your own questions before quoting the full build, to keep retrieval inside your access rights, and to hand over the code, retrieval configuration and evaluation suites. We compare ten RAG development companies, Vstorm included, in our article Top 10 RAG development companies, linked below the FAQ.
How much does RAG development cost, and how long does it take? +
We price after a Proof of Value on your documents; it measures retrieval quality and running cost first. Cost and timeline for the full build then depend on the number and state of your sources, your access-control requirements, the systems RAG connects to and the accuracy the use case needs. We estimate them from what the Proof of Value showed.
How do you measure whether retrieval works? +
We build a query set from your real questions and measure recall and grounding on it before launch. That means checking whether the right passage comes back, and whether the answer stays within it. The same suite runs as a regression test after every index or model change and is part of the handoff.
When is RAG the right approach, and when is it not? +
RAG fits when answers depend on your own documents or data that change over time, and when users need to see where an answer came from. It is the wrong tool when the task involves no knowledge lookup, or when the knowledge is small and stable enough to sit in the prompt. Fine-tuning is the better choice when the model has to learn a domain style or vocabulary rather than facts.
Which data sources can a RAG system use? +
Internal databases, document repositories, CRM and helpdesk systems, public APIs and proprietary knowledge bases. Retrieval follows your existing permissions, so users only get documents their role allows them to see.
Can RAG work with private data that must stay in our environment? +
Yes. Retrieval and inference can run in your VPC or an approved cloud tenancy, inside the boundary your security team sets. Because the stack is model-agnostic, an open-weight model can be self-hosted as well; hosting on your own hardware is scoped per project.
How does RAG connect to custom AI agent development? +
An agent without a retrieval layer only knows what the model learned in training, which goes stale in any domain with live data. With RAG underneath, the agent can query internal knowledge bases, fetch current product or policy information and read proprietary documents before it acts. That is the architecture behind our real estate due diligence agent and our healthcare appointment agent.
Which frameworks do you use for RAG? +
LangChain structures most retrieval pipelines: document loaders, text splitters, embedding integrations and vector store connectors. LlamaIndex covers more complex retrieval architectures, and LangGraph is used when RAG runs inside a stateful agent loop. Vector stores such as Milvus, Qdrant and pgvector are chosen for the scale and deployment model. Open-source tooling keeps the system readable by your team and free from proprietary pricing changes after deployment.
How do you apply RAG in healthcare? +
Healthcare retrieval has problems generic RAG rarely handles: dense clinical documentation, domain terminology, role-tiered access and a high cost of a wrong answer. We start with an audit of the knowledge base (what it contains, how it is structured and where retrieval is likely to fail) before building the pipeline. Our multi-channel agent for a US healthcare provider shows how a RAG-grounded agent can personalize communication and stay auditable. Every healthcare delivery attaches sources, so clinical staff can check what an answer is based on.
Can RAG handle document processing at enterprise scale? +
Yes. The agent reads a document, works out what additional context it needs, retrieves that context from connected sources and produces a structured output without a person at each step. Our real estate due diligence agent cross-references property documents with regulatory and market data. Our Senetic engagement drafts email replies from live product data and routes them for dispatch without manual steps.
How is RAG different from a search engine? +
A search engine returns a ranked list of documents and leaves the reading to you. RAG retrieves the relevant passages and writes an answer from them, while still showing which sources it used.