Customizing Context

Overview

Guide how Zep builds context from your data

Zep automatically extracts entities, relationships, and summaries from the data you add. You can customize this process to better fit your domain and use case.

Available options

OptionPurposeScope
Default entity and edge typesBuilt-in classifications for common entities and relationshipsApplied to user graphs by default
Custom entity and edge typesDomain-specific data structures with custom attributesProject-wide or per-user/graph
User summary instructionsCustomize how user summaries are generatedProject-wide or per-user

When to customize

Custom ontology is an often recommended feature that improves results for most production use cases. When a custom ontology is defined, Zep’s extraction process focuses on the entity and relationship types most important to your domain, often producing better results than defaults alone.

Customize summaries when:

  • Default summary questions don’t capture information relevant to your use case
  • You need summaries focused on specific aspects (professional, preferences, interaction style)