AI engineering glossary · RAG vector search
What is IVF?
IVF (also called Inverted file index, IVF-Flat): Inverted file index: vectors are grouped into clusters using k-means, and each query is compared only with vectors in the few clusters whose centres are nearest. It cuts the work per query but can miss neighbours that sit in unsearched clusters.
IVF: an example
With 1,000 clusters and nprobe = 10, a query scans about 1% of the vectors.
Related terms
More RAG vector search terms
- Knowledge base
- Knowledge graph
- Late interaction
- Layout-aware parsing
- Learned sparse retrieval
- LLM-as-judge
- Locality-sensitive hashing
- M parameter
Where you learn it
IVF is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.