# What is Agentic RAG? Definition & Technical Mechanics

> **Source:** [SPIDITS AI AI Glossary](https://spidits.com/ai-glossary)  
> **Category:** Information Retrieval  
> **Canonical Citation:** [https://spidits.com/ai-glossary/agentic-rag](https://spidits.com/ai-glossary/agentic-rag)

## Definition
Agentic RAG is an advanced retrieval methodology where autonomous agents plan, refine, and execute search queries iteratively to answer complex questions. Unlike static RAG, an agentic loop can evaluate the retrieved content, generate new search steps, and seek additional documents if needed.

## Architectural Mechanics & Deep Dive
Agentic RAG represents the transition of retrieval systems from simple vector searches to active reasoning workflows. In Agentic RAG, the LLM is given access to search tools and acts as an agent inside a decision loop. The agent can evaluate whether retrieved text is sufficient to answer a query, reformulate search strings dynamically, call different specialized databases, and self-correct when search mismatches occur.

## Industry Applications & Real-World Use Cases
Multi-hop document research, automated financial audit, and clinical database querying

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How does Agentic RAG differ from standard RAG?
Standard RAG does a single retrieval step. Agentic RAG uses an LLM loop to evaluate search results, re-write queries, and query multiple databases until it has sufficient data.

### What is a common strategy in Agentic RAG?
Routing queries to different databases or utilizing self-correction (retrieving more if the first search was irrelevant).

## Related Terminology
- [rag](https://spidits.com/ai-glossary/rag)
- [vector-database](https://spidits.com/ai-glossary/vector-database)
- [agentic-ai](https://spidits.com/ai-glossary/agentic-ai)

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*From the SPIDITS AI Knowledge Base (300+ terms indexed). Explore full technical definitions: [https://spidits.com/ai-glossary](https://spidits.com/ai-glossary)*