# Frequently Asked Questions Common questions about Semantica. Use Ctrl+F to find what you need. --- ## General ### What is Semantica? Semantica is an open-source framework for building context graphs and decision intelligence layers for AI. It transforms unstructured data — documents, APIs, databases — into structured knowledge graphs with full provenance tracking, making AI systems explainable and auditable. ### What can I build with Semantica? - Knowledge graphs from documents and multi-source data - GraphRAG systems with graph-grounded retrieval - AI agents with structured decision history and semantic memory - Compliance-ready pipelines with W3C PROV-O lineage ### What makes Semantica different from other frameworks? Most frameworks stop at retrieval or generation. Semantica adds an **accountability layer**: every decision is recorded, every fact links to a source, and every reasoning step is explainable. It's designed for environments where you need to audit why an AI reached a conclusion. ### Is Semantica free? Yes — MIT licensed, no vendor lock-in. Some features require third-party API keys (e.g., OpenAI embeddings), but Semantica itself is free. --- ## Installation ### How do I install Semantica? ```bash pip install semantica ``` See [Installation](installation.md) for virtual environment setup, optional extras, and troubleshooting. ### What Python version do I need? Python 3.8 or higher. Python 3.11+ is recommended for best performance. ### What are the system requirements? - Python 3.8+ - 4 GB RAM minimum; 16 GB+ recommended for larger graphs - Optional GPU for embedding generation and ML inference --- ## Getting Started ### Where do I start? 1. [Installation](installation.md) — get set up 2. [Getting Started](getting-started.md) — core concepts and first example 3. [Quickstart Tutorial](quickstart.md) — full step-by-step pipeline 4. [Cookbook](cookbook.md) — interactive Jupyter notebooks ### What data sources does Semantica support? - **Files** — PDF, DOCX, HTML, JSON, CSV, Excel, PPTX, archives - **Web** — crawl with `WebIngestor`, RSS feeds - **Databases** — PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake via `DBIngestor` / `SnowflakeIngestor` - **Streams** — Kafka, real-time ingestion - **Media** — image OCR, audio/video metadata --- ## Features ### Can I use my own models? Yes. Semantica supports custom entity extraction models, embedding models, LLM providers (via LiteLLM — 100+ models), and custom pipeline processors. ### Does Semantica support GPUs? Yes. When available, GPUs are used automatically for embedding generation, ML model inference, and vector operations. Install `semantica[gpu]` for CUDA support. ### How does Semantica handle large datasets? - **Batching** — process documents in configurable chunks - **Parallel processing** — `PipelineBuilder` supports configurable worker counts - **Delta processing** — update graphs incrementally without full recompute - **Graph backends** — swap in-memory NetworkX for Neo4j, FalkorDB, or Apache AGE at scale --- ## Technical ### What graph databases are supported? Neo4j, FalkorDB, Apache AGE (PostgreSQL), Amazon Neptune, and in-memory NetworkX for development. ### What export formats are available? RDF (Turtle, JSON-LD, N-Triples, XML), Apache Parquet, ArangoDB AQL, CSV, YAML, and OWL ontologies. ### Is Semantica production-ready? Yes. v0.3.0 ships with 886+ passing tests, `PipelineValidator`, `FailureHandler` with exponential backoff, W3C PROV-O provenance, and change management with checksums. See [What's New](index.md#whats-new-in-v030) for details. --- ## Troubleshooting ### Import error: `ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'semantica'` Ensure you have the correct Python environment active, then: ```bash pip list | grep semantica pip install --upgrade semantica ``` ### Installation fails with dependency errors ```bash pip install --upgrade pip wheel pip install semantica ``` ### Memory errors during processing Reduce batch sizes, enable streaming ingestion, or switch to a persistent graph backend (Neo4j, FalkorDB). ### Slow embedding or inference Install GPU support (`pip install semantica[gpu]`) and ensure CUDA is available on your system. --- ## Support ### Where can I get help? - [Discord](https://discord.gg/sV34vps5hH) — community chat and support - [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/Hawksight-AI/semantica/issues) — bug reports and feature requests - [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/Hawksight-AI/semantica/discussions) — questions and ideas ### How do I report a bug? 1. Search [existing issues](https://github.com/Hawksight-AI/semantica/issues) first 2. Open a new issue with: description, reproduction steps, expected vs actual behavior, and your environment (Python version, OS, Semantica version) ### How do I contribute? See the [Contributing Guide](contributing.md).