GraphRAG
GraphRAG (Graph-based Retrieval Augmented Generation) combines knowledge graphs with intelligent search to provide context-aware information that enhances agent reasoning and decision-making.
Overview
GraphRAG improves agent intelligence by:
- **Knowledge Graphs**: Understanding how information connects
- **Semantic Search**: Finding information by meaning, not just keywords
- **Contextual Retrieval**: Providing relevant background for decisions
- **Relationship Discovery**: Uncovering hidden connections
Core Concepts
What is GraphRAG?
Think of GraphRAG as a smart research assistant that:
- **Remembers Relationships**: Knows how entities connect
- **Finds Context**: Provides relevant background information
- **Discovers Patterns**: Identifies trends across data
- **Answers Questions**: Responds to natural language queries
Knowledge Graphs
Information is stored as connected nodes:
Customer "Acme Corp" ──[placed_order]──> Order "Order-123"
│
[contains_product]
│
▼
Product "Widget-X"Smart Search
Three search modes work together:
| Mode | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| **Keyword** | Exact word matching | Finding specific terms |
| **Semantic** | Meaning-based search | Conceptual queries |
| **Graph** | Follows relationships | Multi-hop connections |
How GraphRAG Works
Information Storage
1. Extract Entities
- Identify people, organizations, concepts
- Extract properties and attributes
2. Find Relationships
- Discover how entities connect
- Classify relationship types
3. Create Embeddings
- Convert text to mathematical vectors
- Enable semantic search
4. Store in Knowledge Graph
- Nodes: Entities with properties
- Edges: Relationships between entities
- Vectors: Semantic representationsQuery Processing
User Question
↓
Understand Intent
↓
Search Strategy
├─ Keyword Search (exact matches)
├─ Semantic Search (similar meanings)
└─ Graph Traversal (follow relationships)
↓
Combine Results
↓
Rank by Relevance
↓
Return Contextual AnswerRelationship Traversal
Follow connections to discover insights:
Question: "What products do enterprise customers buy?"
Traversal:
1. Find enterprise customers
2. Follow "placed_order" relationships
3. Follow "contains_product" relationships
4. Aggregate products
5. Rank by frequency
Answer: "Enterprise customers primarily buy:
- Product A (45% of orders)
- Product B (32% of orders)
- Product C (23% of orders)"Query Types
Local Retrieval
Find directly relevant information:
- **Use Case**: "Tell me about Acme Corp"
- **Returns**: Acme Corp entity + directly related information
- **Speed**: Fast, focused results
Global Retrieval
Traverse multiple relationship levels:
- **Use Case**: "Show the complete order chain"
- **Returns**: Customer → Orders → Products → Suppliers
- **Speed**: Slower, but comprehensive
Hybrid Retrieval (Recommended)
Combines both approaches:
- **Use Case**: Most queries
- **Returns**: Direct matches + related context + patterns
- **Speed**: Balanced, rich results
Automatic Learning
Entity Extraction
GraphRAG automatically learns from documents:
Document Uploaded
↓
AI Analyzes Content
↓
Extracts Entities
- Names, dates, amounts
- Organizations, locations
- Concepts, topics
↓
Finds Relationships
- "works for"
- "located in"
- "purchased from"
↓
Adds to Knowledge GraphContinuous Improvement
The system gets smarter over time:
- **Learn from Queries**: Understand what information is important
- **User Feedback**: Improve result relevance
- **Pattern Recognition**: Identify recurring relationships
- **Knowledge Expansion**: Grow the graph organically
Usage Patterns
Customer 360 View
Query: "Tell me everything about Acme Corp"
GraphRAG Returns:
- Company profile
- Order history
- Support tickets
- Communications
- Related companies
- Market insights
- Recommendations
Benefits:
- Complete picture in one query
- Discover hidden connections
- Make informed decisionsImpact Analysis
Query: "What happens if we discontinue Product X?"
GraphRAG Traverses:
1. Find customers who bought Product X
2. Calculate revenue impact
3. Identify related products
4. Find alternative products
5. Assess customer satisfaction risk
Returns:
- Revenue at risk: $250K/year
- Affected customers: 15
- Recommended alternatives: Product Y, Product Z
- Retention strategy: Proactive outreachRecommendation Engine
Query: "What should we recommend to Acme Corp?"
GraphRAG Analyzes:
1. Acme Corp's purchase history
2. Similar customers' purchases
3. Product relationships
4. Current trends
5. Seasonal patterns
Returns:
- Product recommendations with confidence scores
- Bundling opportunities
- Upsell suggestions
- Timing recommendationsIntegration with Agent Intelligence
Enhanced Reasoning
GraphRAG provides context for agent decisions:
Agent wants to send promotional email
↓
GraphRAG checks:
- Has customer been contacted recently?
- What are their interests?
- What have they purchased?
- What are their preferences?
↓
Agent makes informed decision:
- Personalize content
- Choose right timing
- Select relevant offers
- Avoid over-messagingMemory and Learning
GraphRAG integrates with agent memory:
Agent completes task
↓
GraphRAG records:
- What entities were involved
- What actions were taken
- What was the outcome
↓
Future queries benefit:
- Agent remembers context
- Applies past learnings
- Makes better decisionsAPI Overview
Query Operations
- Natural language query
- Keyword search
- Semantic search
- Graph traversal
- Hybrid retrieval
Entity Operations
- Extract entities from text
- Create entities manually
- Update entity properties
- Delete entities
Relationship Operations
- Create relationships
- Find related entities
- Traverse connections
- Analyze relationship patterns
Analytics
- Entity statistics
- Relationship insights
- Trend analysis
- Pattern discovery
Best Practices
- **Start with Hybrid**: Use hybrid retrieval for most queries
- **Provide Context**: Include relevant details in queries
- **Iterate**: Refine queries based on results
- **Explore Relationships**: Follow connections to discover insights
- **Give Feedback**: Help the system learn what's relevant
Common Scenarios
Due Diligence
Query: "What should we know about Acme Corp before partnering?"
GraphRAG Returns:
- Company background
- Financial health
- Market position
- Related companies
- News and events
- Risk factors
- Partnership history
Decision: Make informed partnership decisionRoot Cause Analysis
Query: "Why are customers churning?"
GraphRAG Analyzes:
- Churned customer profiles
- Common patterns
- Related events
- Support tickets
- Product usage
- Market changes
Returns:
- Top churn reasons
- At-risk customers
- Recommended actions
- Prevention strategiesOpportunity Discovery
Query: "Are there cross-sell opportunities?"
GraphRAG Finds:
- Products frequently bought together
- Customers missing related products
- Complementary product patterns
- Timing trends
- Customer segments
Returns:
- Cross-sell recommendations
- Target customer lists
- Expected revenue impact
- Implementation strategySee Also
- Entity System - Dynamic entity types
- World Model - Long-term memory
- Reasoning Engine - Proactive intelligence