Documents
What is PDF RAG?
PDF RAG keeps the file, splits it into passages or pages, embeds those units, and generates an answer that can cite them.
Updated · Part of What is RAG?
How it works
- Store the PDF as a document.
- Split it into passages that point back at the file.
- Embed the passages and answer from the nearest ones.
What it is not
It is not uploading a PDF into a chat window with no index, and it is not OCR with nowhere to retrieve from.
PDF RAG: this, and the thing it is confused with
| This | Not this | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | The PDF row | A chat attachment that disappears |
| Units | Passages or pages | One vector for the whole file |
| Answer | Cites a passage | Paraphrases with no pointer |
Where Pixeltable fits
Pixeltable stores the document, splits it with a view, and indexes the passage text. The model call reads those hits.
Questions
How does PDF RAG work?
Store the PDF as a document. Split it into passages that point back at the file. Embed the passages and answer from the nearest ones.
What is PDF RAG often confused with?
It is not uploading a PDF into a chat window with no index, and it is not OCR with nowhere to retrieve from.
Next step
Install the Pixeltable skill, or sign up for Cloud and run the same file on a hosted database.