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How do you decompose a complex query into sub-queries for retrieval, and when does it backfire?

A single embedding can't represent a question with three independent parts. The signal is knowing when to split a query, how to retrieve and recombine per sub-query, and the latency and drift costs that make decomposition a net loss on simple questions.

Updated Aug 2026 · Grounded in real Applied AI Engineer interview loops and written to a senior-engineer editorial bar.

A single embedding can't represent a question with three independent parts. The signal is knowing when to split a query, how to retrieve and recombine per sub-query, and the latency and drift costs that make decomposition a net loss on simple questions.

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