feat: add configurable search parameters for RAG, knowledge, and memory (#3531)

- Add limit and score_threshold to BaseRagConfig, propagate to clients  
- Update default search params in RAG storage, knowledge, and memory (limit=5, threshold=0.6)  
- Fix linting (ruff, mypy, PERF203) and refactor save logic  
- Update tests for new defaults and ChromaDB behavior

Author: greysonlalonde

src/crewai/knowledge/knowledge.py

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.sources = sources
 
     def query(
-        self, query: list[str], results_limit: int = 3, score_threshold: float = 0.35
+        self, query: list[str], results_limit: int = 5, score_threshold: float = 0.6
     ) -> list[SearchResult]:
         """
         Query across all knowledge sources to find the most relevant information.

src/crewai/knowledge/knowledge_config.py

@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ class KnowledgeConfig(BaseModel):
         score_threshold (float): The minimum score for a document to be considered relevant.
     """
 
-    results_limit: int = Field(default=3, description="The number of results to return")
+    results_limit: int = Field(default=5, description="The number of results to return")
     score_threshold: float = Field(
-        default=0.35,
+        default=0.6,
         description="The minimum score for a result to be considered relevant",
     )

src/crewai/knowledge/storage/base_knowledge_storage.py

@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ class BaseKnowledgeStorage(ABC):
     def search(
         self,
         query: list[str],
-        limit: int = 3,
+        limit: int = 5,
         metadata_filter: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
-        score_threshold: float = 0.35,
+        score_threshold: float = 0.6,
     ) -> list[SearchResult]:
         """Search for documents in the knowledge base."""
 

src/crewai/knowledge/storage/knowledge_storage.py

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import logging
+import traceback
 import warnings
 from typing import Any, cast
 
@@ -49,9 +50,9 @@ def _get_client(self) -> BaseClient:
     def search(
         self,
         query: list[str],
-        limit: int = 3,
+        limit: int = 5,
         metadata_filter: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
-        score_threshold: float = 0.35,
+        score_threshold: float = 0.6,
     ) -> list[SearchResult]:
         try:
             if not query:
@@ -73,7 +74,9 @@ def search(
                 score_threshold=score_threshold,
             )
         except Exception as e:
-            logging.error(f"Error during knowledge search: {e!s}")
+            logging.error(
+                f"Error during knowledge search: {e!s}\n{traceback.format_exc()}"
+            )
             return []
 
     def reset(self) -> None:
@@ -86,7 +89,9 @@ def reset(self) -> None:
             )
             client.delete_collection(collection_name=collection_name)
         except Exception as e:
-            logging.error(f"Error during knowledge reset: {e!s}")
+            logging.error(
+                f"Error during knowledge reset: {e!s}\n{traceback.format_exc()}"
+            )
 
     def save(self, documents: list[str]) -> None:
         try:

src/crewai/memory/entity/entity_memory.py

@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
-from typing import Any
 import time
+from typing import Any
 
 from pydantic import PrivateAttr
 
-from crewai.memory.entity.entity_memory_item import EntityMemoryItem
-from crewai.memory.memory import Memory
-from crewai.memory.storage.rag_storage import RAGStorage
 from crewai.events.event_bus import crewai_event_bus
 from crewai.events.types.memory_events import (
-    MemoryQueryStartedEvent,
     MemoryQueryCompletedEvent,
     MemoryQueryFailedEvent,
-    MemorySaveStartedEvent,
+    MemoryQueryStartedEvent,
     MemorySaveCompletedEvent,
     MemorySaveFailedEvent,
+    MemorySaveStartedEvent,
 )
+from crewai.memory.entity.entity_memory_item import EntityMemoryItem
+from crewai.memory.memory import Memory
+from crewai.memory.storage.rag_storage import RAGStorage
 
 
 class EntityMemory(Memory):
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ def __init__(self, crew=None, embedder_config=None, storage=None, path=None):
         if memory_provider == "mem0":
             try:
                 from crewai.memory.storage.mem0_storage import Mem0Storage
-            except ImportError:
+            except ImportError as e:
                 raise ImportError(
                     "Mem0 is not installed. Please install it with `pip install mem0ai`."
-                )
+                ) from e
             config = embedder_config.get("config") if embedder_config else None
             storage = Mem0Storage(type="short_term", crew=crew, config=config)
         else:
@@ -90,23 +90,31 @@ def save(
         saved_count = 0
         errors = []
 
+        def save_single_item(item: EntityMemoryItem) -> tuple[bool, str | None]:
+            """Save a single item and return success status."""
+            try:
+                if self._memory_provider == "mem0":
+                    data = f"""
+                    Remember details about the following entity:
+                    Name: {item.name}
+                    Type: {item.type}
+                    Entity Description: {item.description}
+                    """
+                else:
+                    data = f"{item.name}({item.type}): {item.description}"
+
+                super(EntityMemory, self).save(data, item.metadata)
+                return True, None
+            except Exception as e:
+                return False, f"{item.name}: {e!s}"
+
         try:
             for item in items:
-                try:
-                    if self._memory_provider == "mem0":
-                        data = f"""
-                        Remember details about the following entity:
-                        Name: {item.name}
-                        Type: {item.type}
-                        Entity Description: {item.description}
-                        """
-                    else:
-                        data = f"{item.name}({item.type}): {item.description}"
-
-                    super().save(data, item.metadata)
+                success, error = save_single_item(item)
+                if success:
                     saved_count += 1
-                except Exception as e:
-                    errors.append(f"{item.name}: {str(e)}")
+                else:
+                    errors.append(error)
 
             if is_batch:
                 emit_value = f"Saved {saved_count} entities"
@@ -153,8 +161,8 @@ def save(
     def search(
         self,
         query: str,
-        limit: int = 3,
-        score_threshold: float = 0.35,
+        limit: int = 5,
+        score_threshold: float = 0.6,
     ):
         crewai_event_bus.emit(
             self,
@@ -206,4 +214,6 @@ def reset(self) -> None:
         try:
             self.storage.reset()
         except Exception as e:
-            raise Exception(f"An error occurred while resetting the entity memory: {e}")
+            raise Exception(
+                f"An error occurred while resetting the entity memory: {e}"
+            ) from e

src/crewai/memory/external/external_memory.py

@@ -1,41 +1,41 @@
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, Optional
 import time
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
-from crewai.memory.external.external_memory_item import ExternalMemoryItem
-from crewai.memory.memory import Memory
-from crewai.memory.storage.interface import Storage
 from crewai.events.event_bus import crewai_event_bus
 from crewai.events.types.memory_events import (
-    MemoryQueryStartedEvent,
     MemoryQueryCompletedEvent,
     MemoryQueryFailedEvent,
-    MemorySaveStartedEvent,
+    MemoryQueryStartedEvent,
     MemorySaveCompletedEvent,
     MemorySaveFailedEvent,
+    MemorySaveStartedEvent,
 )
+from crewai.memory.external.external_memory_item import ExternalMemoryItem
+from crewai.memory.memory import Memory
+from crewai.memory.storage.interface import Storage
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from crewai.memory.storage.mem0_storage import Mem0Storage
 
 
 class ExternalMemory(Memory):
-    def __init__(self, storage: Optional[Storage] = None, **data: Any):
+    def __init__(self, storage: Storage | None = None, **data: Any):
         super().__init__(storage=storage, **data)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _configure_mem0(crew: Any, config: Dict[str, Any]) -> "Mem0Storage":
+    def _configure_mem0(crew: Any, config: dict[str, Any]) -> "Mem0Storage":
         from crewai.memory.storage.mem0_storage import Mem0Storage
 
         return Mem0Storage(type="external", crew=crew, config=config)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def external_supported_storages() -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    def external_supported_storages() -> dict[str, Any]:
         return {
             "mem0": ExternalMemory._configure_mem0,
         }
 
     @staticmethod
-    def create_storage(crew: Any, embedder_config: Optional[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Storage:
+    def create_storage(crew: Any, embedder_config: dict[str, Any] | None) -> Storage:
         if not embedder_config:
             raise ValueError("embedder_config is required")
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def create_storage(crew: Any, embedder_config: Optional[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Stor
     def save(
         self,
         value: Any,
-        metadata: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
+        metadata: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """Saves a value into the external storage."""
         crewai_event_bus.emit(
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ def save(
     def search(
         self,
         query: str,
-        limit: int = 3,
-        score_threshold: float = 0.35,
+        limit: int = 5,
+        score_threshold: float = 0.6,
     ):
         crewai_event_bus.emit(
             self,

src/crewai/memory/memory.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Optional
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ class Memory(BaseModel):
     Base class for memory, now supporting agent tags and generic metadata.
     """
 
-    embedder_config: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None
-    crew: Optional[Any] = None
+    embedder_config: dict[str, Any] | None = None
+    crew: Any | None = None
 
     storage: Any
     _agent: Optional["Agent"] = None
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def agent(self, agent: Optional["Agent"]) -> None:
     def save(
         self,
         value: Any,
-        metadata: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
+        metadata: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         metadata = metadata or {}
 
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ def save(
     def search(
         self,
         query: str,
-        limit: int = 3,
-        score_threshold: float = 0.35,
-    ) -> List[Any]:
+        limit: int = 5,
+        score_threshold: float = 0.6,
+    ) -> list[Any]:
         return self.storage.search(
             query=query, limit=limit, score_threshold=score_threshold
         )

src/crewai/memory/short_term/short_term_memory.py

@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
-from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 import time
+from typing import Any
 
 from pydantic import PrivateAttr
 
-from crewai.memory.memory import Memory
-from crewai.memory.short_term.short_term_memory_item import ShortTermMemoryItem
-from crewai.memory.storage.rag_storage import RAGStorage
 from crewai.events.event_bus import crewai_event_bus
 from crewai.events.types.memory_events import (
-    MemoryQueryStartedEvent,
     MemoryQueryCompletedEvent,
     MemoryQueryFailedEvent,
-    MemorySaveStartedEvent,
+    MemoryQueryStartedEvent,
     MemorySaveCompletedEvent,
     MemorySaveFailedEvent,
+    MemorySaveStartedEvent,
 )
+from crewai.memory.memory import Memory
+from crewai.memory.short_term.short_term_memory_item import ShortTermMemoryItem
+from crewai.memory.storage.rag_storage import RAGStorage
 
 
 class ShortTermMemory(Memory):
@@ -26,17 +26,17 @@ class ShortTermMemory(Memory):
     MemoryItem instances.
     """
 
-    _memory_provider: Optional[str] = PrivateAttr()
+    _memory_provider: str | None = PrivateAttr()
 
     def __init__(self, crew=None, embedder_config=None, storage=None, path=None):
         memory_provider = embedder_config.get("provider") if embedder_config else None
         if memory_provider == "mem0":
             try:
                 from crewai.memory.storage.mem0_storage import Mem0Storage
-            except ImportError:
+            except ImportError as e:
                 raise ImportError(
                     "Mem0 is not installed. Please install it with `pip install mem0ai`."
-                )
+                ) from e
             config = embedder_config.get("config") if embedder_config else None
             storage = Mem0Storage(type="short_term", crew=crew, config=config)
         else:
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def __init__(self, crew=None, embedder_config=None, storage=None, path=None):
     def save(
         self,
         value: Any,
-        metadata: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
+        metadata: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         crewai_event_bus.emit(
             self,
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ def save(
     def search(
         self,
         query: str,
-        limit: int = 3,
-        score_threshold: float = 0.35,
+        limit: int = 5,
+        score_threshold: float = 0.6,
     ):
         crewai_event_bus.emit(
             self,
@@ -167,4 +167,4 @@ def reset(self) -> None:
         except Exception as e:
             raise Exception(
                 f"An error occurred while resetting the short-term memory: {e}"
-            )
+            ) from e

src/crewai/memory/storage/mem0_storage.py

@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def _last_content(messages: Iterable[dict[str, Any]], role: str) -> str:
         self.memory.add(conversations, **params)
 
     def search(
-        self, query: str, limit: int = 3, score_threshold: float = 0.35
+        self, query: str, limit: int = 5, score_threshold: float = 0.6
     ) -> list[Any]:
         params = {
             "query": query,