Apply adversarial-review fixes to hybrid-queries and snippets

Address findings from a code-bot adversarial review of the hybrid-search
materials:

- `hybrid-formula-decay/` (all 7 language sources + http.md +
  `_description.md`): wrap the decay term in `MultExpression(mult=[0.1, ...])`
  in every language. Previously the snippets summed `$score` with
  `ExpDecayExpression` directly, modeling the failure mode the docs
  explicitly warn against (un-weighted decay crowds out small RRF scores).
  Also document the `defaults` requirement and the recommended datetime
  payload index in `_description.md`. Build validated across all 6 SDKs.

- `hybrid-rrf/go.go`: add `Limit: qdrant.PtrOf(uint64(20))` to both
  prefetches so the Go snippet matches the other language tabs.

- `hybrid-queries.md`:
  - Reframe the weighted-RRF intro to drop "semantic search model
    understands meaning better than a simple keyword matcher". On
    SciFact (the corpus in the companion notebook) BM25 actually beats
    dense, so the universal claim was contradicted by our own data.
  - Clarify that the notebook provides a tuning helper to adapt to a
    train/val split, not that it demonstrates the split itself.
  - Add a one-line note that Qdrant uses zero-based rank positions so
    readers can verify the RRF formula against actual scores.
  - Apply brand-voice fixes: Title Case on "Multi-Stage Queries" and
    "Re-Scoring Examples", replace "all the above techniques" with
    "all of these techniques".

`generated/*.md` regenerated via `./docker.sh ./generate-md.py`.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Dylan Couzon
2026-05-15 21:54:47 -04:00
co-authored by Claude Opus 4.7
parent fc299a0e9c
commit c0128a53bc
17 changed files with 169 additions and 94 deletions
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
This code snippet shows the canonical pattern for combining hybrid search fusion with business-logic ranking. The inner prefetch fuses sparse and dense results with RRF, then the outer `FormulaQuery` applies exponential decay on a `published_at` payload field to boost recent documents. Use this pattern any time you want fusion plus recency, popularity, geo decay, or category-conditional multipliers, rather than trying to encode those signals as fusion weights.
This code snippet shows the canonical pattern for combining hybrid search fusion with business-logic ranking. The inner prefetch fuses sparse and dense results with RRF, then the outer `FormulaQuery` applies exponential decay on a `published_at` payload field to boost recent documents. The decay term is wrapped in `mult` with a `0.1` coefficient so it nudges the ranking rather than crowding out the small RRF scores. Use this pattern any time you want fusion plus recency, popularity, geo decay, or category-conditional multipliers, rather than trying to encode those signals as fusion weights.
For production: `published_at` must exist on every point, or supply `defaults` in the `FormulaQuery` to fill missing values. A datetime payload index on `published_at` keeps query latency low.
@@ -35,15 +35,22 @@ public class Snippet
Sum =
{
"$score", // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
Expression.FromExpDecay(
new()
new MultExpression
{
Mult =
{
X = Expression.FromDateTimeKey("published_at"),
Target = Expression.FromDateTime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale = 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint = 0.5f
0.1f, // caps decay contribution
Expression.FromExpDecay(
new()
{
X = Expression.FromDateTimeKey("published_at"),
Target = Expression.FromDateTime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale = 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint = 0.5f
}
)
}
)
}
}
}
},
@@ -32,15 +32,22 @@ await client.QueryAsync(
Sum =
{
"$score", // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
Expression.FromExpDecay(
new()
new MultExpression
{
Mult =
{
X = Expression.FromDateTimeKey("published_at"),
Target = Expression.FromDateTime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale = 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint = 0.5f
0.1f, // caps decay contribution
Expression.FromExpDecay(
new()
{
X = Expression.FromDateTimeKey("published_at"),
Target = Expression.FromDateTime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale = 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint = 0.5f
}
)
}
)
}
}
}
},
@@ -34,11 +34,16 @@ client.Query(context.Background(), &qdrant.QueryPoints{
Expression: qdrant.NewExpressionSum(&qdrant.SumExpression{
Sum: []*qdrant.Expression{
qdrant.NewExpressionVariable("$score"), // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
qdrant.NewExpressionExpDecay(&qdrant.DecayParamsExpression{
X: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetimeKey("published_at"),
Target: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(86400 * 180)), // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(0.5)),
qdrant.NewExpressionMult(&qdrant.MultExpression{
Mult: []*qdrant.Expression{
qdrant.NewExpressionConstant(0.1), // caps decay contribution
qdrant.NewExpressionExpDecay(&qdrant.DecayParamsExpression{
X: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetimeKey("published_at"),
Target: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(86400 * 180)), // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(0.5)),
}),
},
}),
},
}),
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
```java
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.constant;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.datetime;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.datetimeKey;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.expDecay;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.mult;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.sum;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.variable;
import static io.qdrant.client.QueryFactory.formula;
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ import io.qdrant.client.QdrantClient;
import io.qdrant.client.QdrantGrpcClient;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.DecayParamsExpression;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.Formula;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.MultExpression;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.PrefetchQuery;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.QueryPoints;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.Rrf;
@@ -49,13 +52,18 @@ client.queryAsync(
SumExpression.newBuilder()
.addSum(variable("$score"))
.addSum(
expDecay(
DecayParamsExpression.newBuilder()
.setX(datetimeKey("published_at"))
.setTarget(
datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.setScale(86400 * 180)
.setMidpoint(0.5f)
mult(
MultExpression.newBuilder()
.addMult(constant(0.1f))
.addMult(
expDecay(
DecayParamsExpression.newBuilder()
.setX(datetimeKey("published_at"))
.setTarget(
datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.setScale(86400 * 180)
.setMidpoint(0.5f)
.build()))
.build()))
.build()))
.build()))
@@ -25,14 +25,17 @@ client.query_points(
formula=models.SumExpression(
sum=[
"$score", # the fused score from the RRF prefetch
models.ExpDecayExpression(
exp_decay=models.DecayParamsExpression(
x=models.DatetimeKeyExpression(datetime_key="published_at"),
target=models.DatetimeExpression(datetime="YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
scale=86400 * 180, # 180 days in seconds
midpoint=0.5,
)
),
models.MultExpression(mult=[
0.1, # caps decay contribution; un-weighted decay [0, 1] would otherwise crowd out small RRF scores
models.ExpDecayExpression(
exp_decay=models.DecayParamsExpression(
x=models.DatetimeKeyExpression(datetime_key="published_at"),
target=models.DatetimeExpression(datetime="YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
scale=86400 * 180, # 180 days in seconds
midpoint=0.5,
)
),
]),
]
)
),
@@ -29,12 +29,15 @@ client.query(
.query(
FormulaBuilder::new(Expression::sum_with([
Expression::score(),
Expression::exp_decay(
DecayParamsExpressionBuilder::new(Expression::datetime_key("published_at"))
.target(Expression::datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.scale(86400.0 * 180.0)
.midpoint(0.5),
),
Expression::mult_with([
Expression::constant(0.1),
Expression::exp_decay(
DecayParamsExpressionBuilder::new(Expression::datetime_key("published_at"))
.target(Expression::datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.scale(86400.0 * 180.0)
.midpoint(0.5),
),
]),
])),
)
.limit(10u64),
@@ -28,12 +28,17 @@ await client.query("{collection_name}", {
sum: [
"$score", // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
{
exp_decay: {
x: { datetime_key: "published_at" },
target: { datetime: "YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z" },
scale: 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
midpoint: 0.5,
},
mult: [
0.1, // caps decay contribution; un-weighted decay [0, 1] would otherwise crowd out small RRF scores
{
exp_decay: {
x: { datetime_key: "published_at" },
target: { datetime: "YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z" },
scale: 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
midpoint: 0.5,
},
},
],
},
],
},
@@ -38,11 +38,16 @@ func Main() {
Expression: qdrant.NewExpressionSum(&qdrant.SumExpression{
Sum: []*qdrant.Expression{
qdrant.NewExpressionVariable("$score"), // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
qdrant.NewExpressionExpDecay(&qdrant.DecayParamsExpression{
X: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetimeKey("published_at"),
Target: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(86400 * 180)), // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(0.5)),
qdrant.NewExpressionMult(&qdrant.MultExpression{
Mult: []*qdrant.Expression{
qdrant.NewExpressionConstant(0.1), // caps decay contribution
qdrant.NewExpressionExpDecay(&qdrant.DecayParamsExpression{
X: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetimeKey("published_at"),
Target: qdrant.NewExpressionDatetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
Scale: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(86400 * 180)), // 180 days in seconds
Midpoint: qdrant.PtrOf(float32(0.5)),
}),
},
}),
},
}),
@@ -25,16 +25,21 @@ POST /collections/{collection_name}/points/query
"sum": [
"$score", // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
{
"exp_decay": {
"x": {
"datetime_key": "published_at"
},
"target": {
"datetime": "YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"
},
"scale": 15552000, // 180 days in seconds
"midpoint": 0.5
}
"mult": [
0.1, // caps decay contribution
{
"exp_decay": {
"x": {
"datetime_key": "published_at"
},
"target": {
"datetime": "YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"
},
"scale": 15552000, // 180 days in seconds
"midpoint": 0.5
}
}
]
}
]
}
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
package com.example.snippets_amalgamation;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.constant;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.datetime;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.datetimeKey;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.expDecay;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.mult;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.sum;
import static io.qdrant.client.ExpressionFactory.variable;
import static io.qdrant.client.QueryFactory.formula;
@@ -13,6 +15,7 @@ import io.qdrant.client.QdrantClient;
import io.qdrant.client.QdrantGrpcClient;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.DecayParamsExpression;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.Formula;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.MultExpression;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.PrefetchQuery;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.QueryPoints;
import io.qdrant.client.grpc.Points.Rrf;
@@ -52,13 +55,18 @@ public class Snippet {
SumExpression.newBuilder()
.addSum(variable("$score"))
.addSum(
expDecay(
DecayParamsExpression.newBuilder()
.setX(datetimeKey("published_at"))
.setTarget(
datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.setScale(86400 * 180)
.setMidpoint(0.5f)
mult(
MultExpression.newBuilder()
.addMult(constant(0.1f))
.addMult(
expDecay(
DecayParamsExpression.newBuilder()
.setX(datetimeKey("published_at"))
.setTarget(
datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.setScale(86400 * 180)
.setMidpoint(0.5f)
.build()))
.build()))
.build()))
.build()))
@@ -24,14 +24,17 @@ client.query_points(
formula=models.SumExpression(
sum=[
"$score", # the fused score from the RRF prefetch
models.ExpDecayExpression(
exp_decay=models.DecayParamsExpression(
x=models.DatetimeKeyExpression(datetime_key="published_at"),
target=models.DatetimeExpression(datetime="YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
scale=86400 * 180, # 180 days in seconds
midpoint=0.5,
)
),
models.MultExpression(mult=[
0.1, # caps decay contribution; un-weighted decay [0, 1] would otherwise crowd out small RRF scores
models.ExpDecayExpression(
exp_decay=models.DecayParamsExpression(
x=models.DatetimeKeyExpression(datetime_key="published_at"),
target=models.DatetimeExpression(datetime="YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"),
scale=86400 * 180, # 180 days in seconds
midpoint=0.5,
)
),
]),
]
)
),
@@ -29,12 +29,15 @@ pub async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
.query(
FormulaBuilder::new(Expression::sum_with([
Expression::score(),
Expression::exp_decay(
DecayParamsExpressionBuilder::new(Expression::datetime_key("published_at"))
.target(Expression::datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.scale(86400.0 * 180.0)
.midpoint(0.5),
),
Expression::mult_with([
Expression::constant(0.1),
Expression::exp_decay(
DecayParamsExpressionBuilder::new(Expression::datetime_key("published_at"))
.target(Expression::datetime("YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z"))
.scale(86400.0 * 180.0)
.midpoint(0.5),
),
]),
])),
)
.limit(10u64),
@@ -27,12 +27,17 @@ await client.query("{collection_name}", {
sum: [
"$score", // the fused score from the RRF prefetch
{
exp_decay: {
x: { datetime_key: "published_at" },
target: { datetime: "YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z" },
scale: 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
midpoint: 0.5,
},
mult: [
0.1, // caps decay contribution; un-weighted decay [0, 1] would otherwise crowd out small RRF scores
{
exp_decay: {
x: { datetime_key: "published_at" },
target: { datetime: "YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z" },
scale: 86400 * 180, // 180 days in seconds
midpoint: 0.5,
},
},
],
},
],
},
@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@ client.Query(context.Background(), &qdrant.QueryPoints{
{
Query: qdrant.NewQuerySparse([]uint32{1, 42}, []float32{0.22, 0.8}),
Using: qdrant.PtrOf("sparse"),
Limit: qdrant.PtrOf(uint64(20)),
},
{
Query: qdrant.NewQueryDense([]float32{0.01, 0.45, 0.67}),
Using: qdrant.PtrOf("dense"),
Limit: qdrant.PtrOf(uint64(20)),
},
},
Query: qdrant.NewQueryRRF(&qdrant.Rrf{}),
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ func Main() {
{
Query: qdrant.NewQuerySparse([]uint32{1, 42}, []float32{0.22, 0.8}),
Using: qdrant.PtrOf("sparse"),
Limit: qdrant.PtrOf(uint64(20)),
},
{
Query: qdrant.NewQueryDense([]float32{0.01, 0.45, 0.67}),
Using: qdrant.PtrOf("dense"),
Limit: qdrant.PtrOf(uint64(20)),
},
},
Query: qdrant.NewQueryRRF(&qdrant.Rrf{}),