Retrieval

The LangChain team adjusted abstractions to make it easier to use various retrieval methods beyond the VectorDB object. The goal is to facilitate easier integration of externally built retrievers into LangChain and to encourage experimentation with alternative retrieval approaches such as hybrid search.

While existing chains will continue to work, users are encouraged to migrate to the new Retrieval chain, which will be the most fully supported in the future. This change is driven by the growing demand for personalized chatbots based on user data since the emergence of ChatGPT, aiming to support various retrieval variants (such as metadata filters and graph indexes) beyond simple Semantic Search.