Explore

Use Explore to perform vector searches across multiple collections. Note that Explore is currently not available in the gRPC API.

Requirements

For Explore:

The Weaviate instance to be configured with a maximum of one vectorizer (e.g. text2vec-transformers, text2vec-openai) module.
Each Explore query can only be a vector search using nearText or nearVector.

`Explore` queries

`Explore` structure and syntax

The Explore function has the following syntax:

GraphQL

{
  Explore (
    limit: <Int>,              # The maximum amount of objects to return
    nearText: {                # Either this or 'nearVector' is required
      concepts: [<String>]!,   # Required - An array of search items. If the text2vec-contextionary is the vectorization module, the concepts should be present in the Contextionary.
      certainty: <Float>,      # Minimal level of certainty, computed by normalized distance
      moveTo: {                # Optional - Giving directions to the search
        concepts: [<String>]!, # List of search items
        force: <Float>!        # The force to apply for a particular movement. Must be between 0 (no movement) and 1 (largest possible movement).
      },
      moveAwayFrom: {          # Optional - Giving directions to the search
        concepts: [<String>]!, # List of search items
        force: <Float>!        # The force to apply for a particular movement. Must be between 0 (no movement) and 1 (largest possible movement).
      }
    },
    nearVector: {              # Either this or 'nearText' is required
      vector: [<Float>]!,      # Required - An array of search items, which length should match the vector space
      certainty: <Float>       # Minimal level of certainty, computed by normalized distance
    }
  ) {
    beacon
    certainty                  # certainty value based on a normalized distance calculation
    className
  }
}

An example query:

package main

import (
  "context"
  "fmt"

  "github.com/weaviate/weaviate-go-client/v5/weaviate"
  "github.com/weaviate/weaviate-go-client/v5/weaviate/graphql"
)

func main() {
  cfg := weaviate.Config{
    Host:   "localhost:8080",
    Scheme: "http",
  }
  client, err := weaviate.NewClient(cfg)
  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }

  vector := []float32{-0.36840257, 0.13973749, -0.28994447, -0.18607682, 0.20019795, 0.15541431, -0.42353877, 0.30262852, 0.2724561, 0.07069917, 0.4877447, 0.038771532, 0.64523, -0.15907241, -0.3413626, -0.026682584, -0.63310874, -0.33411884, 0.082939014, 0.30305764, 0.045918174, -0.21439327, -0.5005205, 0.6210859, -0.2729049, -0.51221114, 0.09680918, 0.094923325, -0.15688285, -0.07325482, 0.6588305, 0.0523736, -0.14173415, -0.27428055, 0.25526586, 0.057506185, -0.3103442, 0.028601522, 0.124522656, 0.66984487, 0.12160647, -0.5090515, -0.540393, -0.39546522, -0.2201204, 0.34625968, -0.21068871, 0.21132985, 0.048714135, 0.09043683, 0.3176081, -0.056684002, -0.12117501, -0.6591976, -0.26731065, 0.42615625, 0.33333477, -0.3240578, -0.18771006, 0.2328068, -0.17239179, -0.33583146, -0.6556605, -0.10608161, -0.5135395, -0.25123677, -0.23004892, 0.7036331, 0.04456794, 0.41253626, 0.27872285, -0.28226635, 0.11927197, -0.4677766, 0.4343466, -0.17538455, 0.10621233, 0.95815116, 0.23587844, -0.006406698, -0.10512518, -1.1125883, -0.37921682, 0.040789194, 0.676718, 0.3369762, 0.040712647, 0.580487, 0.20063736, -0.021220192, -0.09071747, -0.0023735985, 0.30007777, -0.039925132, 0.4035474, -0.2518212, -0.17846306, 0.12371392, -0.0703354, -0.3752431, -0.652917, 0.5952828, 1.3426708, -0.08167235, -0.38515738, 0.058423538, -0.08100355, -0.192886, 0.3745164, -0.23291737, 0.33326542, -0.6019264, -0.42822492, -0.6524583, -0.15210791, -0.5073593, 0.022548754, -0.058033653, -0.47369233, -0.30890635, 0.6338296, 0.0017854869, 0.1954949, 0.99348027, -0.26558784, -0.058124136, 1.149388, 0.02915948, 0.013422121, 0.25484946, -0.030017598, -0.23879935, 0.053123385, -0.36463016, -0.0024245526, 0.1202083, -0.45966506, -0.34140104, -0.08484162, -0.03537422, -0.2817959, 0.25044164, -0.5060605, 0.1252808, -0.032539487, 0.110069446, -0.20679846, -0.46421885, -0.4141739, 0.26994973, -0.070687145, 0.16862138, -0.20162229, 0.22199251, -0.2771402, 0.23653336, 0.16585203, -0.08286354, -0.15343396, 0.23893964, -0.7453282, -0.16549355, -0.1947069, 0.46136436, 0.22064126, 0.28654936, -0.038697664, 0.037633028, -0.80988157, 0.5094175, -0.0920082, 0.25405347, -0.64169943, 0.43366328, -0.2999211, -0.4090591, 0.11957859, 0.00803617, -0.0433745, 0.12818244, 0.28464508, -0.31760025, 0.16558012, -0.33553946, -0.3943465, 0.59569097, -0.6524206, 0.3683173, -0.60456693, 0.2046492, 0.46010277, 0.24695799, 0.2946015, 0.11376746, -0.027988048, 0.03749422, -0.16577742, 0.23407385, -0.0231737, -0.023245076, 0.08752677, 0.2299883, 0.35467404, 0.046193745, -0.39828986, 0.21079691, 0.38396686, -0.0018698421, 0.16047359, -0.057517264, -0.203534, 0.23438136, -0.84250915, 0.22371331, 0.0058325706, 0.30733636, 0.19518353, -0.108008966, 0.6509316, 0.070131645, -0.24023099, 0.28779706, 0.2326336, 0.07004021, -0.45955566, 0.20426086, -0.37472793, -0.049604423, 0.4537271, 0.6133582, -1.0527759, -0.5472505, 0.15193434, 0.5296606, -0.11560251, 0.07279209, 0.40557706, 0.2505283, 0.24490519, 0.017602902, -0.004647707, 0.16608049, 0.12576887, 0.118216865, 0.4403996, 0.39552462, -0.22196701, -0.061155193, 0.03693534, -0.4022908, 0.3842317, -0.0831345, 0.01930883, 0.3446575, -0.2167439, -0.23994556, -0.09370326, -0.3671856, 0.044011243, 0.017895095, -0.019855855, -0.16416992, 0.17858285, 0.31287143, 0.38368022, -0.006513525, 0.45780763, -0.23027879, 0.108570844, -0.4449492, -0.035763215, 0.03818417, 0.040017277, -0.17022872, -0.2622464, 0.65610534, 0.16720143, 0.2515769, -0.23535803, 0.62484455, 0.16771325, -0.62404263, 0.19176348, -0.72786695, 0.18485649, -0.30914405, -0.3230534, -0.24064465, 0.28841522, 0.39792386, 0.15618932, 0.03928854, 0.18277727, -0.101632096, 0.1868196, -0.33366352, 0.086561844, 0.48557812, -0.6198209, -0.07978742}

  withNearVector := client.GraphQL().NearVectorArgBuilder().
    WithVector(vector)

  result, err := client.GraphQL().Explore().
    WithFields(
      graphql.Beacon,
      graphql.Certainty,  # only supported if distance==cosine
      graphql.Distance    # always supported
      graphql.ClassName).
    WithNearVector(withNearVector).
    Do(context.Background())

  if err != nil {
    panic(err)
  }
  fmt.Printf("%v", result)
}

Curl

# Note: `certainty` is only supported if distance==cosine. `distance` is always supported.
echo '{
  "query": "{
    Explore (
      nearVector: {
        vector: [-0.36840257,0.13973749,-0.28994447,-0.18607682,0.20019795,0.15541431,-0.42353877,0.30262852,0.2724561,0.07069917,0.4877447,0.038771532,0.64523,-0.15907241,-0.3413626,-0.026682584,-0.63310874,-0.33411884,0.082939014,0.30305764,0.045918174,-0.21439327,-0.5005205,0.6210859,-0.2729049,-0.51221114,0.09680918,0.094923325,-0.15688285,-0.07325482,0.6588305,0.0523736,-0.14173415,-0.27428055,0.25526586,0.057506185,-0.3103442,0.028601522,0.124522656,0.66984487,0.12160647,-0.5090515,-0.540393,-0.39546522,-0.2201204,0.34625968,-0.21068871,0.21132985,0.048714135,0.09043683,0.3176081,-0.056684002,-0.12117501,-0.6591976,-0.26731065,0.42615625,0.33333477,-0.3240578,-0.18771006,0.2328068,-0.17239179,-0.33583146,-0.6556605,-0.10608161,-0.5135395,-0.25123677,-0.23004892,0.7036331,0.04456794,0.41253626,0.27872285,-0.28226635,0.11927197,-0.4677766,0.4343466,-0.17538455,0.10621233,0.95815116,0.23587844,-0.006406698,-0.10512518,-1.1125883,-0.37921682,0.040789194,0.676718,0.3369762,0.040712647,0.580487,0.20063736,-0.021220192,-0.09071747,-0.0023735985,0.30007777,-0.039925132,0.4035474,-0.2518212,-0.17846306,0.12371392,-0.0703354,-0.3752431,-0.652917,0.5952828,1.3426708,-0.08167235,-0.38515738,0.058423538,-0.08100355,-0.192886,0.3745164,-0.23291737,0.33326542,-0.6019264,-0.42822492,-0.6524583,-0.15210791,-0.5073593,0.022548754,-0.058033653,-0.47369233,-0.30890635,0.6338296,0.0017854869,0.1954949,0.99348027,-0.26558784,-0.058124136,1.149388,0.02915948,0.013422121,0.25484946,-0.030017598,-0.23879935,0.053123385,-0.36463016,-0.0024245526,0.1202083,-0.45966506,-0.34140104,-0.08484162,-0.03537422,-0.2817959,0.25044164,-0.5060605,0.1252808,-0.032539487,0.110069446,-0.20679846,-0.46421885,-0.4141739,0.26994973,-0.070687145,0.16862138,-0.20162229,0.22199251,-0.2771402,0.23653336,0.16585203,-0.08286354,-0.15343396,0.23893964,-0.7453282,-0.16549355,-0.1947069,0.46136436,0.22064126,0.28654936,-0.038697664,0.037633028,-0.80988157,0.5094175,-0.0920082,0.25405347,-0.64169943,0.43366328,-0.2999211,-0.4090591,0.11957859,0.00803617,-0.0433745,0.12818244,0.28464508,-0.31760025,0.16558012,-0.33553946,-0.3943465,0.59569097,-0.6524206,0.3683173,-0.60456693,0.2046492,0.46010277,0.24695799,0.2946015,0.11376746,-0.027988048,0.03749422,-0.16577742,0.23407385,-0.0231737,-0.023245076,0.08752677,0.2299883,0.35467404,0.046193745,-0.39828986,0.21079691,0.38396686,-0.0018698421,0.16047359,-0.057517264,-0.203534,0.23438136,-0.84250915,0.22371331,0.0058325706,0.30733636,0.19518353,-0.108008966,0.6509316,0.070131645,-0.24023099,0.28779706,0.2326336,0.07004021,-0.45955566,0.20426086,-0.37472793,-0.049604423,0.4537271,0.6133582,-1.0527759,-0.5472505,0.15193434,0.5296606,-0.11560251,0.07279209,0.40557706,0.2505283,0.24490519,0.017602902,-0.004647707,0.16608049,0.12576887,0.118216865,0.4403996,0.39552462,-0.22196701,-0.061155193,0.03693534,-0.4022908,0.3842317,-0.0831345,0.01930883,0.3446575,-0.2167439,-0.23994556,-0.09370326,-0.3671856,0.044011243,0.017895095,-0.019855855,-0.16416992,0.17858285,0.31287143,0.38368022,-0.006513525,0.45780763,-0.23027879,0.108570844,-0.4449492,-0.035763215,0.03818417,0.040017277,-0.17022872,-0.2622464,0.65610534,0.16720143,0.2515769,-0.23535803,0.62484455,0.16771325,-0.62404263,0.19176348,-0.72786695,0.18485649,-0.30914405,-0.3230534,-0.24064465,0.28841522,0.39792386,0.15618932,0.03928854,0.18277727,-0.101632096,0.1868196,-0.33366352,0.086561844,0.48557812,-0.6198209,-0.07978742]
      }
    ) {
      beacon
      certainty
      distance
      className
    }
  }"
}' | curl \
    -X POST \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    -d @- \
    http://localhost:8080/v1/graphql

GraphQL

{
  Explore (
    nearVector: {
      vector: [-0.36840257,0.13973749,-0.28994447,-0.18607682,0.20019795,0.15541431,-0.42353877,0.30262852,0.2724561,0.07069917,0.4877447,0.038771532,0.64523,-0.15907241,-0.3413626,-0.026682584,-0.63310874,-0.33411884,0.082939014,0.30305764,0.045918174,-0.21439327,-0.5005205,0.6210859,-0.2729049,-0.51221114,0.09680918,0.094923325,-0.15688285,-0.07325482,0.6588305,0.0523736,-0.14173415,-0.27428055,0.25526586,0.057506185,-0.3103442,0.028601522,0.124522656,0.66984487,0.12160647,-0.5090515,-0.540393,-0.39546522,-0.2201204,0.34625968,-0.21068871,0.21132985,0.048714135,0.09043683,0.3176081,-0.056684002,-0.12117501,-0.6591976,-0.26731065,0.42615625,0.33333477,-0.3240578,-0.18771006,0.2328068,-0.17239179,-0.33583146,-0.6556605,-0.10608161,-0.5135395,-0.25123677,-0.23004892,0.7036331,0.04456794,0.41253626,0.27872285,-0.28226635,0.11927197,-0.4677766,0.4343466,-0.17538455,0.10621233,0.95815116,0.23587844,-0.006406698,-0.10512518,-1.1125883,-0.37921682,0.040789194,0.676718,0.3369762,0.040712647,0.580487,0.20063736,-0.021220192,-0.09071747,-0.0023735985,0.30007777,-0.039925132,0.4035474,-0.2518212,-0.17846306,0.12371392,-0.0703354,-0.3752431,-0.652917,0.5952828,1.3426708,-0.08167235,-0.38515738,0.058423538,-0.08100355,-0.192886,0.3745164,-0.23291737,0.33326542,-0.6019264,-0.42822492,-0.6524583,-0.15210791,-0.5073593,0.022548754,-0.058033653,-0.47369233,-0.30890635,0.6338296,0.0017854869,0.1954949,0.99348027,-0.26558784,-0.058124136,1.149388,0.02915948,0.013422121,0.25484946,-0.030017598,-0.23879935,0.053123385,-0.36463016,-0.0024245526,0.1202083,-0.45966506,-0.34140104,-0.08484162,-0.03537422,-0.2817959,0.25044164,-0.5060605,0.1252808,-0.032539487,0.110069446,-0.20679846,-0.46421885,-0.4141739,0.26994973,-0.070687145,0.16862138,-0.20162229,0.22199251,-0.2771402,0.23653336,0.16585203,-0.08286354,-0.15343396,0.23893964,-0.7453282,-0.16549355,-0.1947069,0.46136436,0.22064126,0.28654936,-0.038697664,0.037633028,-0.80988157,0.5094175,-0.0920082,0.25405347,-0.64169943,0.43366328,-0.2999211,-0.4090591,0.11957859,0.00803617,-0.0433745,0.12818244,0.28464508,-0.31760025,0.16558012,-0.33553946,-0.3943465,0.59569097,-0.6524206,0.3683173,-0.60456693,0.2046492,0.46010277,0.24695799,0.2946015,0.11376746,-0.027988048,0.03749422,-0.16577742,0.23407385,-0.0231737,-0.023245076,0.08752677,0.2299883,0.35467404,0.046193745,-0.39828986,0.21079691,0.38396686,-0.0018698421,0.16047359,-0.057517264,-0.203534,0.23438136,-0.84250915,0.22371331,0.0058325706,0.30733636,0.19518353,-0.108008966,0.6509316,0.070131645,-0.24023099,0.28779706,0.2326336,0.07004021,-0.45955566,0.20426086,-0.37472793,-0.049604423,0.4537271,0.6133582,-1.0527759,-0.5472505,0.15193434,0.5296606,-0.11560251,0.07279209,0.40557706,0.2505283,0.24490519,0.017602902,-0.004647707,0.16608049,0.12576887,0.118216865,0.4403996,0.39552462,-0.22196701,-0.061155193,0.03693534,-0.4022908,0.3842317,-0.0831345,0.01930883,0.3446575,-0.2167439,-0.23994556,-0.09370326,-0.3671856,0.044011243,0.017895095,-0.019855855,-0.16416992,0.17858285,0.31287143,0.38368022,-0.006513525,0.45780763,-0.23027879,0.108570844,-0.4449492,-0.035763215,0.03818417,0.040017277,-0.17022872,-0.2622464,0.65610534,0.16720143,0.2515769,-0.23535803,0.62484455,0.16771325,-0.62404263,0.19176348,-0.72786695,0.18485649,-0.30914405,-0.3230534,-0.24064465,0.28841522,0.39792386,0.15618932,0.03928854,0.18277727,-0.101632096,0.1868196,-0.33366352,0.086561844,0.48557812,-0.6198209,-0.07978742]
    }
  ) {
    beacon
    certainty  # only supported if distance==cosine
    distance   # always supported
    className
  }
}

The result might look like this:

JSON

{
  "data": {
    "Explore": [
      {
        "beacon": "weaviate://localhost/7e9b9ffe-e645-302d-9d94-517670623b35",
        "certainty": 0.975523,
        "className": "Publication"
      }
    ]
  },
  "errors": null
}

Search operators

The nearText and nearVector operators work in Explore as they do in other queries. See search operators for more information.

Filters

Explore queries can be combined with filters. See filters for more information.

Pagination

Pagination (i.e. limit with offset) is not possible in Explore queries.

Moving

Because pagination is not possible in multidimensional storage, we recommend using moveTo and moveAwayFrom if further query refinement is sought. They work as they do in other queries. See search operators#nearText for more information.

Questions and feedback

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