Combine vector and keyword search for improved retrieval. Use when implementing RAG systems, building search engines, or when neither approach alone provides sufficient recall.
Install with Tessl CLI
npx tessl i github:wshobson/agents --skill hybrid-search-implementation81
Does it follow best practices?
If you maintain this skill, you can automatically optimize it using the tessl CLI to improve its score:
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./path/to/skillValidation for skill structure
Discovery
89%Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.
This is a well-crafted description that clearly communicates the skill's purpose and when to use it. The explicit 'Use when...' clause with multiple trigger scenarios is a strength. The main weakness is that the capabilities could be more specific about what concrete actions the skill enables beyond the high-level 'combine' operation.
Suggestions
Add 2-3 more specific actions like 'rerank results', 'tune weighting between approaches', or 'implement BM25 with embeddings' to improve specificity
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Names the domain (search/retrieval) and the core action (combine vector and keyword search), but doesn't list multiple concrete actions like specific techniques, algorithms, or implementation steps. | 2 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both what ('Combine vector and keyword search for improved retrieval') and when ('Use when implementing RAG systems, building search engines, or when neither approach alone provides sufficient recall') with explicit trigger guidance. | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes strong natural keywords users would say: 'vector search', 'keyword search', 'RAG systems', 'search engines', 'retrieval', 'recall' - these are terms practitioners naturally use when discussing hybrid search. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | Has a clear niche (hybrid search combining vector + keyword) with distinct triggers like 'RAG systems' and the specific combination approach - unlikely to conflict with pure vector search or pure keyword search skills. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
64%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This skill provides excellent actionable code templates for hybrid search implementation with multiple database backends. However, it's overly long for a single file, lacks validation/debugging workflows, and includes some unnecessary explanatory content. The code quality is high but the structure could better leverage progressive disclosure.
Suggestions
Split the four template implementations into separate files (e.g., POSTGRES.md, ELASTICSEARCH.md) and keep SKILL.md as a concise overview with navigation
Add a validation/debugging section with steps to verify search quality, common failure modes, and how to tune weights based on results
Remove the 'When to Use This Skill' section and ASCII diagram - these explain concepts Claude already understands from the skill description
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | The skill is mostly efficient with good code examples, but includes some unnecessary elements like the ASCII diagram and the 'When to Use This Skill' section that explains concepts Claude would understand from context. The templates are comprehensive but could be more selective. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides fully executable Python code with complete implementations for RRF fusion, PostgreSQL hybrid search, Elasticsearch integration, and a custom RAG pipeline. All code is copy-paste ready with proper type hints and docstrings. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | The HybridRAGPipeline template shows clear steps (embed → search → fuse → rerank), but lacks explicit validation checkpoints. No guidance on verifying search quality, handling failures, or debugging when results are poor. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Content is reasonably organized with templates and best practices sections, but the skill is monolithic with 400+ lines. The four large templates could be split into separate files with SKILL.md providing overview and navigation to detailed implementations. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 9 / 12 Passed |
Validation
90%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 10 / 11 Passed
Validation for skill structure
| Criteria | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
skill_md_line_count | SKILL.md is long (571 lines); consider splitting into references/ and linking | Warning |
Total | 10 / 11 Passed | |
Table of Contents
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