RAG Chat Assistant - Complete System

A complete RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) system with a modern web interface that allows users to upload documents (PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT) and chat with an AI assistant about their content.

✨ Features

Backend (Flask API)

• Multi-format Document Support: PDF, DOC, DOCX, and TXT files
• Document Processing: Automatic chunking and vector embedding
• Vector Store: ChromaDB integration with Google Gemini embeddings
• RESTful API: Clean endpoints for all operations
• Real-time Processing: Instant document processing and vector store updates

Frontend (Modern Web Interface)

• Responsive Design: Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
• Drag & Drop Upload: Easy file upload with visual feedback
• Chat Interface: Real-time conversation with AI assistant
• Chat History: Persistent chat history using localStorage
• Document Management: Visual document list with file types and sizes
• Connection Status: Real-time backend connection monitoring
• Modern UI: Beautiful gradient design with smooth animations

🚀 Quick Start

1. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Set Up Environment

Create a .env file in your project root:

GOOGLE_API_KEY=your_google_api_key_here

3. Run the Application

python app.py

4. Open Your Browser

Navigate to http://localhost:5000

📁 Project Structure

RAG/
├── app.py                 # Main Flask application
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
├── test_api.py           # API testing script
├── templates/
│   └── index.html        # Main HTML template
├── static/
│   └── app.js            # Frontend JavaScript
├── Docs/                 # Document storage directory
├── db/                   # ChromaDB storage
└── README.md            # This file

🔌 API Endpoints

Web Interface

• GET / - Main web interface

API Endpoints

• GET /api/health - System health check
• GET /api/documents - List all documents
• POST /api/upload - Upload and process documents
• POST /api/ask - Ask questions about documents

💻 Frontend Features

Document Upload

• Drag & Drop: Simply drag files onto the upload area
• File Browser: Click to browse and select files
• Multiple Files: Upload several files at once
• Progress Feedback: Visual upload progress indicators
• File Validation: Automatic file type checking

Chat Interface

• Real-time Responses: Instant AI responses
• Typing Indicators: Shows when AI is processing
• Message History: Persistent chat history
• Source Attribution: Shows which documents were referenced
• Responsive Input: Auto-expanding text area

Document Management

• Visual File List: See all uploaded documents
• File Type Icons: Color-coded by document type
• File Sizes: Display file sizes in MB
• Connection Status: Real-time backend status

🎨 UI/UX Features

Design

• Modern Gradients: Beautiful color schemes
• Smooth Animations: Fade-in effects and transitions
• Responsive Layout: Adapts to any screen size
• Card-based Design: Clean, organized interface
• Icon Integration: FontAwesome icons throughout

User Experience

• Intuitive Navigation: Easy-to-use interface
• Visual Feedback: Hover effects and animations
• Error Handling: Clear error messages
• Success Notifications: Toast notifications for actions
• Loading States: Visual feedback during operations

🔧 Configuration

Supported File Types

• PDF: .pdf files
• Word Documents: .doc and .docx files
• Text Files: .txt files

File Limits

• Maximum Size: 16MB per file
• Chunk Size: 1024 characters
• Chunk Overlap: 24 characters

Vector Store

• Database: ChromaDB
• Embeddings: Google Gemini (models/embedding-001)
• Model: Gemini 2.5 Flash for responses

📱 Mobile Support

The interface is fully responsive and works great on:

• Desktop: Full-featured experience
• Tablet: Optimized layout for medium screens
• Mobile: Touch-friendly interface for small screens

🚀 Advanced Features

Chat History Persistence

• localStorage: Chat history saved in browser
• Session Persistence: Maintains conversations across browser sessions
• Clear History: Option to clear chat history
• Message Metadata: Stores sources and timestamps

Real-time Updates

• Connection Monitoring: Live backend status
• Document Sync: Automatic document list updates
• Vector Store Status: Real-time processing status
• Error Handling: Graceful error recovery

🛠️ Development

Running in Development Mode

python app.py

The app runs with debug mode enabled and auto-reloads on changes.

Testing the API

python test_api.py

Frontend Development

• HTML template: templates/index.html
• JavaScript: static/app.js
• CSS: Embedded in HTML for simplicity

🔒 Security Features

• File Type Validation: Only allowed file types accepted
• File Size Limits: Prevents large file uploads
• Secure Filenames: Prevents path traversal attacks
• CORS Support: Configurable cross-origin requests

📊 Performance

• Asynchronous Processing: Non-blocking file uploads
• Efficient Chunking: Optimized document processing
• Vector Store Caching: Persistent ChromaDB storage
• Memory Management: Efficient document handling

🚀 Deployment

Production Considerations

• Environment Variables: Secure API key management
• Static File Serving: Optimized for production
• Error Logging: Comprehensive error handling
• Health Monitoring: Built-in health check endpoint

Scaling

• Stateless Design: Easy horizontal scaling
• Database Persistence: ChromaDB can be externalized
• Load Balancing: API endpoints support load balancing

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

📄 License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

🆘 Support

Common Issues

1. Vector Store Not Found: Ensure documents exist in Docs/ folder
2. API Key Issues: Check your .env file and Google API key
3. File Upload Errors: Verify file type and size limits
4. Port Conflicts: Change port in app.py if needed

Getting Help

• Check the console for error messages
• Verify your Google API key is valid
• Ensure all dependencies are installed
• Check file permissions for upload directory

🎯 Future Enhancements

• User authentication and management
• Document deletion and management
• Support for more file formats (images, audio)
• Advanced search and filtering
• Export chat conversations
• Multi-language support
• Advanced analytics and insights
• Integration with cloud storage
• Real-time collaboration features