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Knowledge Bases are only available in the Timbal Platform.You must create your Knowledge Base from the Timbal Platform, and a valid API key is required to access it.Throughout this documentation, any references to org_id and kb_id refer to the identifiers provided by the Timbal Platform for your organization and knowledge base.

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What is a Knowledge Base?

Think of a Knowledge Base as a smart database that combines the best of both worlds:

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Traditional Database Capabilities

  • Store structured data in organized tables (like spreadsheets)
  • Query data with precise SQL commands
  • Maintain data relationships and integrity
  • Import data from files or add it programmatically

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AI-Powered Intelligence

  • Search using natural language (“Find documents about API integration”)
  • Understand context and meaning, not just exact words
  • Find similar content automatically
  • Learn from your data patterns

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The Three Building Blocks

Knowledge Bases are built on three core components that work together:

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1. Tables

Think of tables as organized filing cabinets. Each table is like a cabinet with labeled drawers (columns) where you store specific types of information. Example: A “Products” table might have drawers for:
  • Product name
  • Description
  • Price
  • Category
  • Stock quantity

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2. Embeddings

Embeddings are like giving your data a “brain” that understands meaning. They convert text into mathematical representations that capture the essence of what the text is about. How it works:
  • “Laptop computer” and “portable PC” get similar mathematical representations
  • “Customer support” and “help desk” are recognized as related concepts
  • Natural language queries find relevant content even without exact matches

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3. Indexes

Indexes are like the index at the back of a book - they help you find information quickly without reading every page. They create fast pathways to your data. Types of speed boosts:
  • B-tree indexes: Fast lookups for names, dates, numbers
  • Hash indexes: Lightning-fast exact matches
  • GIN indexes: Powerful text search capabilities
  • Composite indexes: Optimized for complex queries

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The Knowledge Base Workflow

1

Design Your Data Structure

Plan what information you want to store and how it should be organized.
2

Create Tables

Set up the structure for your data with appropriate columns and data types.
3

Import Your Data

Add your information from files, databases, or programmatically.
4

Enable AI Search

Create embeddings on text columns to enable semantic search capabilities.
5

Optimize Performance

Add indexes to ensure fast queries as your data grows.
6

Search and Discover

Use Timbal’s search interface, API, or AI agents to find relevant content.

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Getting Started

Ready to build your first Knowledge Base? Start with these guides:
  • Tables - Learn how to create and organize your data
  • Embeddings - Enable AI-powered semantic search
  • Indexes - Optimize performance for fast queries