Information Retrieval System Architecture

An Information Retrieval System Architecture is a system architecture that organizes retrieval components and data flows to efficiently match user queries with relevant documents through structured processing pipelines.

• AKA: IR System Architecture, Search System Architecture, Retrieval Architecture.
• Context:
  • It can typically structure Query Processing Components with analysis modules.
  • It can typically organize Index Structures through storage subsystems.
  • It can typically coordinate Ranking Components with scoring mechanisms.
  • It can often integrate Caching Layers for performance optimization.
  • It can often employ Distributed Processing for scalability enhancement.
  • It can often utilize Feedback Loops for relevance improvement.
  • It can often apply Pipeline Orchestration for component coordination.
  • It can range from being a Monolithic Information Retrieval Architecture to being a Microservices Information Retrieval Architecture, depending on its structural modularity.
  • It can range from being a Single-Stage Information Retrieval Architecture to being a Multi-Stage Information Retrieval Architecture, depending on its processing depth.
  • It can range from being a Centralized Information Retrieval Architecture to being a Distributed Information Retrieval Architecture, depending on its deployment topology.
  • It can range from being a Static Information Retrieval Architecture to being a Adaptive Information Retrieval Architecture, depending on its configuration flexibility.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Staged Information Retrieval Architectures, such as:
    • Two-Stage Retrieval Architecture, Three-Stage Retrieval Architecture, Cascade Retrieval Architecture.
  • Domain-Specific Information Retrieval Architectures, such as:
    • Legal Information Retrieval Architecture, Medical Information Retrieval Architecture, Enterprise Search Architecture.
  • Technology-Based Information Retrieval Architectures, such as:
    • Neural Retrieval Architecture, Hybrid Retrieval Architecture, Graph-Based Retrieval Architecture.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Database Architecture, which focuses on structured data rather than document retrieval.
  • Web Application Architecture, which handles general web services rather than search.
  • Data Processing Architecture, which transforms data rather than retrieves it.
• See: Two-Stage Retrieval Architecture, Information Retrieval System, Search Engine Architecture, Distributed System Architecture, Dense Retrieval Method, Query Processing, Ranking Algorithm.

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