MS Ai Insider

Building Next-Gen Applications: A Deep Dive into RAG with Azure Static Web Apps and App Spaces

Posted by

ailona

–

July 31, 2024

1. **Summary**: The Azure Static Web Apps Community Standup showcased the creation of a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) application using Azure Static Web Apps and App Spaces. Led by experts Dheeraj Bandaru and Skyler Hartle, the session detailed the architecture and development steps, highlighting the benefits of RAG and App Spaces for modern application development.2. *:

“`html

Creating a RAG Application with Azure Static Web Apps and App Spaces

The recent Azure Static Web Apps Community Standup showcased an exciting way to build a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) application. Led by Dheeraj Bandaru and Skyler Hartle, this session highlighted the integration of Azure Static Web Apps and App Spaces.

What’s New?

App Spaces is an innovative service that simplifies the creation and management of web applications. It helps developers identify the appropriate Azure services for their applications. This tool streamlines the development process, making it faster and more efficient.

“App Spaces reduces the complexity of creating and managing web applications,” said Skyler Hartle.

Major Updates on RAG

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) combines external information retrieval with language model responses. This technique enhances the context of AI models, resulting in more accurate answers. By using vector databases, RAG applications can store documents and embeddings for efficient information retrieval.

Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are trained on public data. However, this data may not always meet users’ needs. RAG addresses this issue by utilizing your own data to generate specific answers.

How Does RAG Work?

RAG operates by searching data storage based on user input. When a question is posed, the system retrieves relevant information and sends it to the LLM. This process allows for tailored responses based on specific data.

Application Architecture with App Spaces

During the event, Skyler detailed the architecture of the RAG application. The solution comprises three main components: a React frontend, a FastAPI backend, and a vector database.

Frontend with React

The frontend, built in React, communicates with the FastAPI backend. Users can enter questions and view generated answers. This interface is user-friendly and intuitive.

Backend with FastAPI

The backend serves two primary functions: generating and storing embeddings, and retrieving answers. It uses the OpenAI embeddings API to create vectors from text and stores them in the vector database.

Getting Started with the RAG Application

To begin, navigate to App Spaces in the Azure portal. Select the option to create a new application space. You can either choose a GitHub repository or utilize one of the available templates, such as the RAG App.

This integration of Azure Static Web Apps and App Spaces opens new avenues for developers, making the creation of sophisticated applications easier than ever.

“`

The event featured a practical guide on integrating Azure Static Web Apps with App Spaces for RAG applications.

App Spaces simplifies web application management, enhancing deployment through Azure services.

RAG combines external information retrieval with language model generation for more accurate responses.

The application architecture includes a React frontend, FastAPI backend, and a vector database.

Quadrant, a vector database, is utilized for efficient storage and retrieval of embeddings in the RAG application.

“`

From the Microsoft Developer Community Blog