Become Expert
ALL RESOURCES
AI & GenAI

When Should You Use RAG?

A practical framework for deciding whether your problem actually needs retrieval augmented generation.

8 min read·knowisly Editorial

Start with the question

Ask what information the system needs at runtime. If it must consult changing documents or enterprise knowledge, retrieval may be appropriate.

RAG vs SQL and APIs

Structured facts usually belong in structured systems. RAG is strongest when the knowledge is unstructured, contextual and difficult to retrieve with deterministic queries alone.

The knowisly principleChoose architecture based on the problem you need to solve, not the technology you happen to have available.

A simple decision framework

Choose RAG when freshness, private knowledge and semantic retrieval matter. Prefer SQL, APIs or deterministic services when correctness depends on structured state and explicit business rules.

Need help with your architecture?

Talk through your specific problem with a verified expert.

Find expertise