[GH-ISSUE #21409] feat: Docs suggestion: add a lightweight “RAG failure mode checklist” for built-in RAG troubleshooting #139193

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2026-05-25T12:45:06-05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-25 12:45:06 -05:00

Originally created by @onestardao on GitHub (Feb 14, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/21409

Check Existing Issues

I have searched for all existing open AND closed issues and discussions for similar requests. I have found none that is comparable to my request.

Verify Feature Scope

I have read through and understood the scope definition for feature requests in the Issues section. I believe my feature request meets the definition and belongs in the Issues section instead of the Discussions.

Problem Description

Many Open WebUI users run into repeated RAG failures that look similar on the surface but have very different root causes.

Typical symptoms:

retrieved chunks look correct, but the model answers confidently with invented facts
retrieval returns irrelevant chunks even though the right document exists
multi step agent flow drifts away after a few hops, even with grounding
fresh deploy works locally but fails for a while in production due to startup ordering, missing secrets, or config drift

Right now these cases often turn into long issue threads, because users do not have a shared vocabulary to name the failure mode and apply a minimal fix.
A lightweight troubleshooting checklist in docs would reduce duplicates and make debugging faster for both users and maintainers.

Desired Solution you'd like

Add a small docs page or section named something like "RAG troubleshooting checklist" that is tool agnostic and easy to scan.

Proposed structure:

a symptom first decision list, what the user sees, what to check first
a minimal "copy paste bug report template" for RAG issues, prompt, retrieved context, answer, key logs
a mapping to a fixed set of failure modes, 16 modes is enough, each mode includes
3.1 common trigger pattern
3.2 fastest confirmation check
3.3 minimal structural fix, not generic advice

I can draft the first version as a docs only PR.
No code changes required.

Alternatives Considered

keep current approach, handle via issues and community support only
add more logging or tracing first

Both help, but a checklist page is the lowest effort and immediately reduces repeated debugging threads.
It also makes future logging improvements more actionable because users know what they are trying to confirm.

Additional Context

Reference taxonomy I can adapt into a short checklist:
https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/README.md

If this direction is welcome, I will open a docs PR that stays lightweight and practical.
The page will focus on naming the failure mode, confirming it quickly, and suggesting a minimal fix path.

Originally created by @onestardao on GitHub (Feb 14, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/21409 ### Check Existing Issues - [x] I have searched for all existing **open AND closed** issues and discussions for similar requests. I have found none that is comparable to my request. ### Verify Feature Scope - [x] I have read through and understood the scope definition for feature requests in the Issues section. I believe my feature request meets the definition and belongs in the Issues section instead of the Discussions. ### Problem Description Many Open WebUI users run into repeated RAG failures that look similar on the surface but have very different root causes. Typical symptoms: 1. retrieved chunks look correct, but the model answers confidently with invented facts 2. retrieval returns irrelevant chunks even though the right document exists 3. multi step agent flow drifts away after a few hops, even with grounding 4. fresh deploy works locally but fails for a while in production due to startup ordering, missing secrets, or config drift Right now these cases often turn into long issue threads, because users do not have a shared vocabulary to name the failure mode and apply a minimal fix. A lightweight troubleshooting checklist in docs would reduce duplicates and make debugging faster for both users and maintainers. ### Desired Solution you'd like Add a small docs page or section named something like "RAG troubleshooting checklist" that is tool agnostic and easy to scan. Proposed structure: 1. a symptom first decision list, what the user sees, what to check first 2. a minimal "copy paste bug report template" for RAG issues, prompt, retrieved context, answer, key logs 3. a mapping to a fixed set of failure modes, 16 modes is enough, each mode includes 3.1 common trigger pattern 3.2 fastest confirmation check 3.3 minimal structural fix, not generic advice I can draft the first version as a docs only PR. No code changes required. ### Alternatives Considered 1. keep current approach, handle via issues and community support only 2. add more logging or tracing first Both help, but a checklist page is the lowest effort and immediately reduces repeated debugging threads. It also makes future logging improvements more actionable because users know what they are trying to confirm. ### Additional Context Reference taxonomy I can adapt into a short checklist: https://github.com/onestardao/WFGY/blob/main/ProblemMap/README.md If this direction is welcome, I will open a docs PR that stays lightweight and practical. The page will focus on naming the failure mode, confirming it quickly, and suggesting a minimal fix path.

GiteaMirror closed this issue

2026-05-25 12:45:07 -05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-25 12:45:09 -05:00

@Classic298 commented on GitHub (Feb 14, 2026):

Open on docs repo please not here

@Classic298 commented on GitHub (Feb 14, 2026): Open on docs repo please not here

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Reference: github-starred/open-webui#139193