Module 5: Keyword vs Semantic Search
1. Module Introduction: Keyword vs Semantic Search
Overview
This module marks the start of Phase 2: Semantic Search. Here you compare traditional keyword search with vector-based semantic search. You'll see the advantages, the limitations, and when to use each one.
Estimated time: 2-2.5 hours
Module Objectives
- Understand keyword search (BM25, TF-IDF)
- Understand semantic search (embeddings + cosine)
- Compare the two (advantages, limitations)
- Design hybrid search (combining the best of both)
- Decide when to use each one
Roadmap: 7 capsules
| # | Capsule | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Introduction | 15 min |
| 02 | Keyword search | 25 min |
| 03 | Semantic search | 25 min |
| 04 | Comparison | 25 min |
| 05 | Hybrid search | 25 min |
| 06 | When to use each one | 20 min |
| 07 | Capstone exercise | 25 min |
Next capsule: 02-keyword-search.md — TF-IDF, BM25, traditional search.