Code, Cloud & Context

Introduction: Knowledge distillation transfers the capabilities of large, expensive models into smaller, faster ones that can run efficiently in production. Instead of training a small model from scratch, distillation leverages the “dark knowledge” encoded in a teacher model’s soft probability distributions—information that hard labels alone cannot capture. This guide covers the techniques that make distillation […]

Introduction: Semantic caching revolutionizes how we handle LLM requests by recognizing that similar questions deserve similar answers. Unlike traditional exact-match caching, semantic caching uses embeddings to find queries that are semantically equivalent, returning cached responses even when the wording differs. This can reduce LLM API costs by 30-70% while dramatically improving response latency for common […]

Introduction: Vector search is the foundation of modern semantic retrieval systems, enabling applications to find similar items based on meaning rather than exact keyword matches. Understanding the algorithms behind vector search—from brute-force linear scan to sophisticated approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) methods—is essential for building efficient retrieval systems. This guide covers the core algorithms that power […]

Introduction: LLM routing and load balancing are critical for building cost-effective, reliable AI systems at scale. Not every query needs GPT-4—many can be handled by smaller, faster, cheaper models with equivalent quality. Intelligent routing analyzes incoming requests and directs them to the most appropriate model based on complexity, cost constraints, latency requirements, and current system […]

Introduction: Retrieval evaluation is the foundation of building effective RAG systems and search applications. Without proper metrics, you’re flying blind—unable to tell if your retrieval improvements actually help or hurt end-user experience. This guide covers the essential metrics for evaluating retrieval systems: precision and recall at various cutoffs, Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR), Normalized Discounted Cumulative […]

Introduction: Prompt debugging is an essential skill for building reliable LLM applications. When prompts fail—producing incorrect outputs, hallucinations, or inconsistent results—systematic debugging techniques help identify and fix the root cause. Unlike traditional software debugging where you can step through code, prompt debugging requires understanding how language models interpret instructions and where they commonly fail. This […]