Do I need batch embedding jobs or can I do everything in real time?

You can do everything in real time in some setups, but whether you should depends on scale, latency, and cost.

Use real-time embedding if:

• You need embeddings immediately for user-facing flows
• Your content volume is low to moderate
• You’re embedding one item at a time or in small bursts
• You want simpler architecture

Examples

• A user submits a query and you embed it on the fly for semantic search
• A chat app generates embeddings for a few new messages as they arrive
• A small product catalog updates occasionally

Use batch embedding jobs if:

• You have lots of documents/items to process
• You’re doing backfills or large re-indexing
• You want better throughput and lower operational cost
• You don’t need embeddings instantly

Examples

• Indexing millions of documents overnight
• Recomputing embeddings after changing models
• Periodic refresh of a large knowledge base

Common hybrid pattern

Many teams do both:

• Real time for new or edited content that needs immediate availability
• Batch for bulk ingestion, retries, and periodic rebuilds

Rule of thumb

• If you’re embedding fewer than a few hundred items at a time and need them right away: real time is fine
• If you’re embedding thousands to millions of items: batch is usually better
• If you expect growth, design for both

If you want, I can help you decide based on your specific use case, like:

• search index
• RAG/knowledge base
• chat/messaging
• product catalog
• recommendations