# Create a Context Retriever service

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  "tableOfContents": {"sections":[{"id":"prerequisites-and-limitations","title":"Prerequisites and limitations"},{"children":[{"id":"general-settings","title":"General settings"},{"id":"define-entities","title":"Define entities"},{"id":"configure-fields","title":"Configure fields"}],"id":"create-a-context-retriever-service","title":"Create a Context Retriever service"},{"id":"next-steps","title":"Next steps"}]}

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Redis Context Retriever helps teams expose operational context to AI agents through schema-first retrieval. This guide walks you through creating and configuring a Context Retriever service in Redis Cloud.

## Prerequisites and limitations

To create a Redis Context Retriever service, you will need a Redis Cloud database that already has relevant data. If you don't have one, see [Create a database](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/create-database).

> [!NOTE]
> Redis Context Retriever does not support the following databases during public preview:
> - [Redis Flex](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/create-database/create-flex-database) databases
> - [Active-Active](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/databases/active-active) databases

## Create a Context Retriever service

From the [Redis Cloud console](https://cloud.redis.io/), select **Context Retriever** from the left-hand menu.

If you have not already created a Context Retriever service, you'll see a page with an introduction to Context Retriever. Otherwise, select **New service** to go to the Context Retriever introduction page.

![The New service button.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/langcache-new-service.png)

From here, you can either:

- Select **Get started** to follow a step-by-step guide using the `ctxctl` CLI, which is installed with the [Context Surfaces Python Client](https://pypi.org/project/redis-context-retriever/). 
- Select **Create custom service** to manually configure your own context retriever settings.

For this guide, select **Create custom service**. 

### General settings

The **General settings** section defines basic properties of your service.

![The General settings section.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/context-retriever-general-settings.png)

| Setting name | Description |
|:-------------|:------------|
| **Service name** | Enter a name for your Context Retriever service. We recommend you use a name that describes your service's purpose. |
| **Select database** | Select the Redis Cloud database to use for this service from the list. |
| **Description** | Enter a description for your context retriever. |

Select **Entities** to continue.

### Define entities

In the **Define Entities** step, you'll define the objects that Context Retriever will use to generate retrieval tools. 

![The Entities section.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/context-retriever-define-entities.png)

Select **Add Entity** to add an entity.

![The Entity table with the Entity Name, Key template, and description.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/context-retriever-define-entities-table.png)

- In the **Entity name** field, enter the name of one of the business objects that is in your database. 

    For example, your database might have a bunch of product information with keys like `product:1` or `product:2`. In this case, the entity name would be "Product".

- In the **Key Template** field, enter the key template for your entity. Use `{id}` to denote where in the key pattern the ID is located.

    For the example above, the key template would be `product:{id}`. 

- You can also enter a description to describe the entity.

- Select the checkmark to confirm the entity.

After you are done adding all of the entities, select **Fields** to continue.

### Configure fields

In the **Configure fields** step, you'll define the fields of each entity and the relationships between them.

From here, you can either:

- Select **Auto-detect fields** to scan your database automatically using a model that will detect the fields for you. 

    You'll need to agree to let the model scan your key names and schemas to automatically populate the fields. 

    > [!NOTE]
    > If you use Auto-detect fields, make sure that the fields and relationships that the model generates are accurate. 

- Select **Manually enter fields** to manually enter the fields yourself.

![The Configure fields step.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/context-retriever-fields.png)

Expand each entry to view the currently defined fields for that entry. Select **Add field** to add a field.

![The Add field table.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/context-retriever-add-field.png)

- Enter the field name in the **Field** cell.
- Select the **PK** checkbox if the field is a primary key. You must have at least one primary key. 
- If the field is related to any other defined entities, select it from the **Related Entity** dropdown. This is usually set if the field contains primary keys of another entity. 
- Select the field's **Type** from the dropdown.
- In the **Index** cell, select one or more index types to enable searching and filtering on that field.
- You can also add a description in the **Description** cell.

After you set all fields for all of your entities, select **Create** to create your Context Retriever service.

## Next steps

After your service is created, you can call the MCP tools Context Retriever exposes from your agent. See the [Context Surfaces Python Client](https://pypi.org/project/redis-context-retriever/) for more information on how to call your tools.

You can also [view your service](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/iris/context-retriever/view-service).