Hybrid Search in RAG: When to Combine Vectors with Prompts

Hybrid search for RAG is getting spicy. A recent take argues that domain-specific dense vectors in a hybrid setup feel less hacky than prompt expansion. ^[1]

Tradeoffs The note frames a core choice: anchor the system in dense vectors, or lean on prompts to bridge gaps. ^[1]

• Domain-specific dense vectors - the post says they feel less hacky in hybrid search than prompt expansion. ^[1] • Prompt expansion - presented as an alternative approach in the same discussion. ^[1] • Grep - good for a programmatic application like CC-; perhaps less so for use-cases with greater abstraction. ^[1]

Bottom line: there isn’t a universal answer. The thread keeps the hybrid-search debate alive by tying the choice to how you use vector databases for RAG. ^[1]

References