Search modes
Atlas uses search in several places: finding project material, retrieving context for chat, matching related concepts, and optionally bringing in web context.
What this page covers
Complete inventory of available modes, when to use each mode, context and plan boundaries, and visible state.
Project search
Project search finds material already inside the active project:
- source titles and content
- note titles and content
- chats or generated outputs
- map concepts
- project artifacts.
Use project search when you know the answer should come from your existing research workspace.
Keyword search
Keyword search is best when exact wording matters:
- author names
- article titles
- technical terms
- acronyms
- quoted phrases
- IDs such as DOI or arXiv identifiers.
If keyword search fails, check spelling, variants, plural forms, and abbreviations.
Semantic search
Semantic search is best when the idea matters more than the exact words. It can find related concepts even when the source uses different vocabulary.
Use semantic search for exploratory work, literature review clustering, broad questions, and finding adjacent ideas.
Web search
Web search brings in outside information that is not already in the project. Use it when the project does not contain enough evidence, when information may be current, or when you intentionally want external context.
For source-grounded research, be explicit about whether web search is allowed. If you need project-only answers, say so.
Mode comparison
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Project search | Finding material already in the project. |
| Semantic search | Finding related ideas with different wording. |
| Keyword search | Finding exact terms, titles, authors, or phrases. |
| Web search | Current or outside information not in the project. |
Verification rule
Search finds candidates. Citations and source review verify claims. Do not treat a retrieved result as correct until you have checked the underlying source.