• SEARCH
  • CHAT
  • ANALYSIS
  • HUMAN

How to query private knowledge bases with your AI

Connect Vectara to your AI client to start chatting with your own documents.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I chat with my own documents using AI?

You can use the Vectara Connector to perform semantic searches and RAG-based chats against your uploaded corpora. This lets your agent answer questions based on your specific files. You'll get precise answers pulled from your data.

The outcomes

What you get from your data

Your AI uses Vectara to find and reason over your files.

SEARCH

Find specific facts

The AI finds the exact passage you need within your uploaded documents. You get direct answers instead of guessing.

CHAT

Conversational answers

You can ask follow-up questions about your files. The AI uses the context from your documents to keep the conversation grounded.

ANALYSIS

Summarize content

Ask your agent to condense long documents or pull key points from multiple files. It handles the heavy reading for you.

HUMAN

Verify the results

The AI provides the information, but you decide if it's right. You remain the final judge of the output.

The workflow

What your AI does when the query arrives.

The AI looks up your data before it responds.

  1. Locate data

    Your AI finds the most relevant parts of your uploaded corpora by matching the meaning of your question to your files.

    perform_semantic_search

  2. Generate response

    The AI uses the retrieved information to build a natural language answer to your question.

    execute_rag_chat

  3. Refine search

    If the first search is too broad, the AI runs another search to find more specific context.

    perform_semantic_search

  4. Maintain context

    The AI tracks your conversation history so follow-up questions stay focused on the same documents.

    execute_rag_chat

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to talk to your data.

Starting points

These are opening lines. Swap the bracketed text for the specific document names or topics you uploaded to Vectara.

Vectara Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_P55Xdk6UU5XMN3cdVPORquufduaGCfpEWSemsNQg/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Vectara capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vectara-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_P55Xdk6UU5XMN3cdVPORquufduaGCfpEWSemsNQg/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Search my technical manuals for any mention of the error code 404.

  • Based on the uploaded project specs, what is the deadline for the prototype?

  • Summarize the key findings from the Q3 quarterly reports I just added.

  • Using the employee handbook, what is the policy on remote work?

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Vectara once, then ask.

Link your Vectara account to get started. Your login stays encrypted, and you can immediately start chatting with your data in any compatible client.

Connect Vectara to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI edit my original documents?

    No. The AI can only read and search the data you provide through the connector.

  • 02

    Does the AI learn from my private data for other users?

    No. Your data stays within your private Vectara instance.

  • 03

    What happens if the AI can't find the answer in my files?

    The AI will tell you it cannot find the information. It won't make up answers if the data isn't in your knowledge base.

  • 04

    Can I use this with Claude or Cursor?

    Yes, as long as you are using an MCP-compatible client.

  • 05

    Does the AI automatically upload my files?

    No. You must upload your documents to Vectara first. The AI only accesses what is already in your corpora.

  • More questions about Vectara? The Connector page answers them. See everything the Vectara Connector can do

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