OpenAI Embeddings with Weaviate

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Weaviate's integration with OpenAI's APIs allows you to access their models' capabilities directly from Weaviate.

Configure a Weaviate vector index to use an OpenAI embedding model, and Weaviate will generate embeddings for various operations using the specified model and your OpenAI API key. This feature is called the vectorizer.

At import time, Weaviate generates text object embeddings and saves them into the index. For vector and hybrid search operations, Weaviate converts text queries into embeddings.

Requirements

Weaviate configuration

Your Weaviate instance must be configured with the OpenAI vectorizer integration (text2vec-openai) module.

For Weaviate Cloud (WCD) users

This integration is enabled by default on Weaviate Cloud (WCD) serverless instances.

For self-hosted users

• Check the cluster metadata to verify if the module is enabled.
• Follow the how-to configure modules guide to enable the module in Weaviate.

API credentials

You must provide a valid OpenAI API key to Weaviate for this integration. Go to OpenAI to sign up and obtain an API key.

Provide the API key to Weaviate using one of the following methods:

• Set the OPENAI_APIKEY environment variable that is available to Weaviate.
• Provide the API key at runtime, as shown in the examples below.

Python API v4

import weaviate
from weaviate.classes.init import Auth
import os

# Recommended: save sensitive data as environment variables
openai_key = os.getenv("OPENAI_APIKEY")
headers = {
    "X-OpenAI-Api-Key": openai_key,
}

client = weaviate.connect_to_weaviate_cloud(
    cluster_url=weaviate_url,                       # `weaviate_url`: your Weaviate URL
    auth_credentials=Auth.api_key(weaviate_key),      # `weaviate_key`: your Weaviate API key
    headers=headers
)

# Work with Weaviate

client.close()

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

import weaviate from 'weaviate-client'

const openaiApiKey = process.env.OPENAI_APIKEY || '';  // Replace with your inference API key

const client = await weaviate.connectToWeaviateCloud(
  'WEAVIATE_INSTANCE_URL',  // Replace with your instance URL
  {
    authCredentials: new weaviate.ApiKey('WEAVIATE_INSTANCE_APIKEY'),
    headers: {
      'X-OpenAI-Api-Key': openaiApiKey,
    }
  }
)

// Work with Weaviate

client.close()

  API docs

Go

// Set these environment variables
// WCD_HOSTNAME            your Weaviate instance hostname, excluding the scheme (https://)
// WCD_API_KEY          your Weaviate instance API key
// <PROVIDER>_APIKEY       your model provider API key (or token)

package main

import (
    "context"
    "fmt"
    "os"

    "github.com/weaviate/weaviate-go-client/v4/weaviate"
    "github.com/weaviate/weaviate-go-client/v4/weaviate/auth"
)

func main() {
    cfg := weaviate.Config{
        Host:       os.Getenv("WCD_HOSTNAME"),
        Scheme:     "https",
        AuthConfig: auth.ApiKey{Value: os.Getenv("WCD_API_KEY")},
        Headers: map[string]string{
            "X-OpenAI-Api-Key": os.Getenv("OPENAI_APIKEY"),
        },
    }

    client, err := weaviate.NewClient(cfg)
    if err != nil {
        fmt.Println(err)
    }

    // Work with Weaviate
}

  API docs

Configure the vectorizer

Configure a Weaviate index as follows to use an OpenAI embedding model:

Python API v4

from weaviate.classes.config import Configure

client.collections.create(
    "DemoCollection",
    vectorizer_config=[
        Configure.NamedVectors.text2vec_openai(
            name="title_vector",
            source_properties=["title"]
        )
    ],
    # Additional parameters not shown
)

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

await client.collections.create({
  name: 'DemoCollection',
  properties: [
    {
      name: 'title',
      dataType: 'text' as const,
    },
  ],
  vectorizers: [
    weaviate.configure.vectorizer.text2VecOpenAI({
      name: 'title_vector',
      sourceProperties: ['title'],
    },
    ),
  ],
  // Additional parameters not shown
});

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    // Define the collection
    basicOpenAIVectorizerDef := &models.Class{
        Class: "DemoCollection",
        VectorConfig: map[string]models.VectorConfig{
            "title_vector": {
                Vectorizer: map[string]interface{}{
                    "text2vec-openai": map[string]interface{}{
                        "sourceProperties": []string{"title"},
                    },
                },
            },
        },
    }

    // add the collection
    err = client.Schema().ClassCreator().WithClass(basicOpenAIVectorizerDef).Do(ctx)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
}

  API docs

Select a model

You can specify one of the available models for the vectorizer to use, as shown in the following configuration examples.

For text-embedding-3 model family

For v3 models such as text-embedding-3-large, provide the model name and optionally the dimensions (e.g. 1024).

Python API v4

from weaviate.classes.config import Configure

client.collections.create(
    "DemoCollection",
    vectorizer_config=[
        Configure.NamedVectors.text2vec_openai(
            name="title_vector",
            source_properties=["title"],
            # If using `text-embedding-3` model family
            model="text-embedding-3-large",
            dimensions=1024
        )
    ],
    # Additional parameters not shown
)

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

await client.collections.create({
  name: 'DemoCollection',
  properties: [
    {
      name: 'title',
      dataType: 'text' as const,
    },
  ],
  vectorizers: [
    weaviate.configure.vectorizer.text2VecOpenAI({
      name: 'title_vector',
      sourceProperties: ['title'],
      model: 'text-embedding-3-large',
      dimensions: 1024
    },
    ),
  ],
  // Additional parameters not shown
});

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    // Define the collection
    openAIVectorizerWithModelDef := &models.Class{
        Class: "DemoCollection",
        VectorConfig: map[string]models.VectorConfig{
            "title_vector": {
                Vectorizer: map[string]interface{}{
                    "text2vec-openai": map[string]interface{}{
                        "sourceProperties": []string{"title"},
                        "model":            "text-embedding-3-large",
                        "dimensions":       1024, // Optional (e.g. 1024, 512, 256)
                    },
                },
            },
        },
    }

    // add the collection
    err = client.Schema().ClassCreator().WithClass(openAIVectorizerWithModelDef).Do(ctx)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
}

  API docs

For older model families (e.g. ada)

For older models such as text-embedding-ada-002, provide the model name (ada), the type (text) and the model version (002).

Python API v4

from weaviate.classes.config import Configure

client.collections.create(
    "DemoCollection",
    vectorizer_config=[
        Configure.NamedVectors.text2vec_openai(
            name="title_vector",
            source_properties=["title"],
            # If using older model family e.g. `ada`
            model="ada",
            model_version="002",
            type_="text"
        )
    ],
    # Additional parameters not shown
)

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

await client.collections.create({
  name: 'DemoCollection',
  properties: [
    {
      name: 'title',
      dataType: 'text' as const,
    },
  ],
  vectorizers: [
    weaviate.configure.vectorizer.text2VecOpenAI({
      name: 'title_vector',
      sourceProperties: ['title'],
      model: 'ada',
      modelVersion: '002',
      type: 'text'
    },
    ),
  ],
  // Additional parameters not shown
});

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    // Define the collection
    openAIVectorizerWithLegacyModelDef := &models.Class{
        Class: "DemoCollection",
        VectorConfig: map[string]models.VectorConfig{
            "title_vector": {
                Vectorizer: map[string]interface{}{
                    "text2vec-openai": map[string]interface{}{
                        "sourceProperties": []string{"title"},
                        "model":            "ada",
                        "model_version":    "002",
                        "type":             "text",
                    },
                },
            },
        },
    }

    // add the collection
    err = client.Schema().ClassCreator().WithClass(openAIVectorizerWithLegacyModelDef).Do(ctx)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
}

  API docs

You can specify one of the available models for Weaviate to use. The default model is used if no model is specified.

Vectorization behavior

Weaviate follows the collection configuration and a set of predetermined rules to vectorize objects.

Unless specified otherwise in the collection definition, the default behavior is to:

• Only vectorize properties that use the text or text[] data type (unless skipped)
• Sort properties in alphabetical (a-z) order before concatenating values
• If vectorizePropertyName is true (false by default) prepend the property name to each property value
• Join the (prepended) property values with spaces
• Prepend the class name (unless vectorizeClassName is false)
• Convert the produced string to lowercase

Vectorizer parameters

• model: The OpenAI model name or family.
• dimensions: The number of dimensions for the model.
• modelVersion: The version string for the model.
• type: The model type, either text or code.
• baseURL: The URL to use (e.g. a proxy) instead of the default OpenAI URL.

(model & dimensions) or (model & modelVersion)

For v3 models such as text-embedding-3-large, provide the model name and optionally the dimensions (e.g. 1024).

For older models such as text-embedding-ada-002, provide the model name (ada), the type (text) and the model version (002).

Example configuration

The following examples show how to configure OpenAI-specific options.

Python API v4

from weaviate.classes.config import Configure

client.collections.create(
    "DemoCollection",
    vectorizer_config=[
        Configure.NamedVectors.text2vec_openai(
            name="title_vector",
            source_properties=["title"],
            # # Further options
            # model="text-embedding-3-large",
            # model_version="002",  # Parameter only applicable for `ada` model family and older
            # dimensions=1024,      # Parameter only applicable for `v3` model family and newer
            # type="text",
            # base_url="<custom_openai_url>",
        )
    ],
    # Additional parameters not shown
)

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

await client.collections.create({
  name: 'DemoCollection',
  properties: [
    {
      name: 'title',
      dataType: 'text' as const,
    },
  ],
  vectorizers: [
    weaviate.configure.vectorizer.text2VecOpenAI(
      {
        name: 'title_vector',
        sourceProperties: ['title'],
        // // Further options
        // model: 'text-embedding-3-large',
        // model_version: "002",   // Parameter only applicable for `ada` model family and older
        // dimensions: 1024,       //Parameter only applicable for `v3` model family and newer
        // type: 'text',
        // base_url: '<custom_openai_url>',
      },
    ),
  ],
  // Additional parameters not shown
});

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    // Define the collection
    openAIVectorizerFullDef := &models.Class{
        Class: "DemoCollection",
        VectorConfig: map[string]models.VectorConfig{
            "title_vector": {
                Vectorizer: map[string]interface{}{
                    "text2vec-openai": map[string]interface{}{
                        "sourceProperties": []string{"title"},
                        "model":            "text-embedding-3-large",
                        "dimensions":       1024,   // Parameter only applicable for `v3` model family and newer
                        "model_version":    "002",  // Parameter only applicable for `ada` model family and older
                        "type":             "text", // Parameter only applicable for `ada` model family and older
                        "base_url":         "<custom_openai_url>",
                    },
                },
            },
        },
    }

    // add the collection
    err = client.Schema().ClassCreator().WithClass(openAIVectorizerFullDef).Do(ctx)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
}

  API docs

For further details on model parameters, see the OpenAI API documentation.

Data import

After configuring the vectorizer, import data into Weaviate. Weaviate generates embeddings for text objects using the specified model.

Python API v4

collection = client.collections.get("DemoCollection")

with collection.batch.dynamic() as batch:
    for src_obj in source_objects:
        weaviate_obj = {
            "title": src_obj["title"],
            "description": src_obj["description"],
        }

        # The model provider integration will automatically vectorize the object
        batch.add_object(
            properties=weaviate_obj,
            # vector=vector  # Optionally provide a pre-obtained vector
        )

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

const collectionName = 'DemoCollection'
const myCollection = client.collections.get(collectionName)

let dataObjects = []

for (let srcObject of srcObjects) {
  dataObject.push({
    title: srcObject.title,
    description: srcObject.description,
  });
}

const response = await myCollection.data.insertMany(dataObjects);

console.log(response);

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    var sourceObjects = []map[string]string{
        // Objects not shown
    }

    // Convert items into a slice of models.Object
    objects := []models.PropertySchema{}
    for i := range sourceObjects {
        objects = append(objects, map[string]interface{}{
            // Populate the object with the data
        })
    }

    // Batch write items
    batcher := client.Batch().ObjectsBatcher()
    for _, dataObj := range objects {
        batcher.WithObjects(&models.Object{
            Class:      "DemoCollection",
            Properties: dataObj,
        })
    }

    // Flush
    batchRes, err := batcher.Do(ctx)

    // Error handling
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    for _, res := range batchRes {
        if res.Result.Errors != nil {
            for _, err := range res.Result.Errors.Error {
                if err != nil {
                    fmt.Printf("Error details: %v\n", *err)
                    panic(err.Message)
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

  API docs

Re-use existing vectors

If you already have a compatible model vector available, you can provide it directly to Weaviate. This can be useful if you have already generated embeddings using the same model and want to use them in Weaviate, such as when migrating data from another system.

Searches

Once the vectorizer is configured, Weaviate will perform vector and hybrid search operations using the specified OpenAI model.

Vector (near text) search

When you perform a vector search, Weaviate converts the text query into an embedding using the specified model and returns the most similar objects from the database.

The query below returns the n most similar objects from the database, set by limit.

Python API v4

collection = client.collections.get("DemoCollection")

response = collection.query.near_text(
    query="A holiday film",  # The model provider integration will automatically vectorize the query
    limit=2
)

for obj in response.objects:
    print(obj.properties["title"])

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

const collectionName = 'DemoCollection'
const myCollection = client.collections.get(collectionName)

let result;

result = await myCollection.query.nearText(
  'A holiday film',  // The model provider integration will automatically vectorize the query
  {
    limit: 2,
  }
)

console.log(JSON.stringify(result.objects, null, 2));

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    nearTextResponse, err := client.GraphQL().Get().
        WithClassName("DemoCollection").
        WithFields(
            graphql.Field{Name: "title"},
        ).
        WithNearText(client.GraphQL().NearTextArgBuilder().
            WithConcepts([]string{"A holiday film"})).
        WithLimit(2).
        Do(ctx)

    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("%v", nearTextResponse)
}

  API docs

Hybrid search

What is a hybrid search?

A hybrid search performs a vector search and a keyword (BM25) search, before combining the results to return the best matching objects from the database.

When you perform a hybrid search, Weaviate converts the text query into an embedding using the specified model and returns the best scoring objects from the database.

The query below returns the n best scoring objects from the database, set by limit.

Python API v4

collection = client.collections.get("DemoCollection")

response = collection.query.hybrid(
    query="A holiday film",  # The model provider integration will automatically vectorize the query
    limit=2
)

for obj in response.objects:
    print(obj.properties["title"])

  API docs

JS/TS API v3

const collectionName = 'DemoCollection'
const myCollection = client.collections.get(collectionName)

result = await myCollection.query.hybrid(
  'A holiday film',  // The model provider integration will automatically vectorize the query
  {
    limit: 2,
  }
)

console.log(JSON.stringify(result.objects, null, 2));

  API docs

Go

// package, imports not shown

func main() {
    // Instantiation not shown

    ctx := context.Background()

    hybridResponse, err := client.GraphQL().Get().
        WithClassName("DemoCollection").
        WithFields(
            graphql.Field{Name: "title"},
        ).
        WithHybrid(client.GraphQL().HybridArgumentBuilder().
            WithQuery("A holiday film")).
        WithLimit(2).
        Do(ctx)

    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("%v", hybridResponse)
}

  API docs

References

Available models

You can use any OpenAI embedding model with text2vec-openai. For document embeddings, choose from the following embedding model families:

• text-embedding-3
  • Available dimensions:
    • text-embedding-3-large: 256, 1024, 3072 (default)
    • text-embedding-3-small: 512, 1536 (default)
• ada
• babbage
• davinci

Deprecated models

The following models are available, but deprecated:

• Codex
• babbage-001
• davinci-001
• curie

Source

Further resources

Other integrations

• OpenAI generative models + Weaviate.

Code examples

Once the integrations are configured at the collection, the data management and search operations in Weaviate work identically to any other collection. See the following model-agnostic examples:

• The how-to: manage data guides show how to perform data operations (i.e. create, update, delete).
• The how-to: search guides show how to perform search operations (i.e. vector, keyword, hybrid) as well as retrieval augmented generation.

External resources

• OpenAI Embed API documentation

Questions and feedback

If you have any questions or feedback, let us know in the user forum.

• Technical questions
• Documentation feedback