Semantic search is about understanding the intent behind a query and representing the knowledge gained from it in a meaningful way for information retrieval. Recently, a new tool called Semantra has been released, which is an open source multitool for semantic search. Developed by Dylan Freedman, Semantra allows users to search using concepts or meanings, and then refine the results by tagging and adding or subtracting queries. It is a local search engine that allows users to keep their data safe and secure.
Semantra helps in semantic research by studying the meanings of words and their symbolic use, including multiple meanings. The tool is mainly useful for journalists, researchers, students, and anyone looking for specific information within a large amount of content, such as books, reports, speeches, and government documents. Help users find the information they need quickly and effortlessly.
Semantra’s main feature is its ability to launch a local search engine on text and PDF files. Users can simply install Semantra by first installing Python on the system, and then installing Semantra with the help of the pipx command. Once pipx is installed on the system, a new terminal window opens to make the changes visible. Once a new terminal window opens, Semantra can be installed globally via: pipx install semantra. Semantra downloads the necessary embedding models and analyzes the documents in fragments, launching a local web application for interactive analysis.
Another useful feature of Semantra is its ability to cache documents rendered by content. This means that Semantra only needs to do the initial processing work once, making subsequent searches much faster. An example of using Semantra has been shared on GitHub. The goal is to demonstrate how Semantra can be used to search a collection of Shakespeare plays, such as Hamlet, to find specific themes or concepts.
The Semantra interface is divided into four main sections:
- Search Bar – This is the top of the website where a long search bar is located. This is where the main quest takes place.
- Results Panel: This is the left sidebar where the search results are displayed.
- Tab Bar – Shows all files and highlights, showing which one is currently loaded in the content window.
- Content window: displays a browsable document
Consequently, Semantra is a powerful and flexible tool that can help users find information easily. Its open source nature means it is constantly being improved and updated, and its user-friendly interface and detailed documentation make it easy to use, even for those with little programming experience.
review the GitHub link. Don’t forget to join our 20k+ ML SubReddit, discord channel, and electronic newsletter, where we share the latest AI research news, exciting AI projects, and more. If you have any questions about the article above or if we missed anything, feel free to email us at [email protected]
🚀 Check out 100 AI tools at AI Tools Club
Tanya Malhotra is a final year student at the University of Petroleum and Power Studies, Dehradun, studying BTech in Computer Engineering with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
She is a data science enthusiast with good analytical and critical thinking, along with a keen interest in acquiring new skills, leading groups, and managing work in an organized manner.
