# References Format (/examples/agents/knowledge/references-format)



```python title="references_format.py"
"""
References Format
=============================

Control how knowledge base references are formatted for the agent.

By default, references are returned as JSON. Set references_format="yaml"
to return them as YAML instead.
"""

from agno.agent import Agent
from agno.knowledge.embedder.openai import OpenAIEmbedder
from agno.knowledge.knowledge import Knowledge
from agno.models.openai import OpenAIResponses
from agno.vectordb.pgvector import PgVector, SearchType

db_url = "postgresql+psycopg://ai:ai@localhost:5532/ai"
knowledge = Knowledge(
    vector_db=PgVector(
        table_name="recipes_yaml_demo",
        db_url=db_url,
        search_type=SearchType.hybrid,
        embedder=OpenAIEmbedder(id="text-embedding-3-small"),
    ),
)

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Create Agent
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
agent = Agent(
    model=OpenAIResponses(id="gpt-5.2"),
    knowledge=knowledge,
    search_knowledge=True,
    # Format knowledge references as YAML instead of the default JSON
    references_format="yaml",
    markdown=True,
)

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Run Agent
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
if __name__ == "__main__":
    knowledge.insert(url="https://agno-public.s3.amazonaws.com/recipes/ThaiRecipes.pdf")
    agent.print_response(
        "How do I make chicken and galangal in coconut milk soup?",
        stream=True,
    )
```

## Run the Example [#run-the-example]

<Steps>
    <Step title="Set up your virtual environment">
      <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="Mac">
        <CodeBlockTabsList>
          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Mac">
            Mac
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
            Windows
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
        </CodeBlockTabsList>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Mac">
          ```bash
          uv venv --python 3.12
          source .venv/bin/activate
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
          ```bash
          uv venv --python 3.12
          .venv\Scripts\activate
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>
      </CodeBlockTabs>
    </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    ```bash
    uv pip install -U agno "psycopg[binary]" beautifulsoup4 openai pgvector pypdf sqlalchemy
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export your OpenAI API key">
    <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="Mac/Linux">
      <CodeBlockTabsList>
        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Mac/Linux">
          Mac/Linux
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
          Windows
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
      </CodeBlockTabsList>

      <CodeBlockTab value="Mac/Linux">
        ```bash
        export OPENAI_API_KEY="your_openai_api_key_here"
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
        ```bash
        $Env:OPENAI_API_KEY="your_openai_api_key_here"
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>
    </CodeBlockTabs>
  </Step>

    <Step title="Run PgVector">
      <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="macOS / Linux">
        <CodeBlockTabsList>
          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="macOS / Linux">
            macOS / Linux
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
            Windows
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
        </CodeBlockTabsList>

        <CodeBlockTab value="macOS / Linux">
          ```bash
          docker run -d \
            -e POSTGRES_DB=ai \
            -e POSTGRES_USER=ai \
            -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=ai \
            -e PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql \
            -v pgvolume:/var/lib/postgresql \
            -p 5532:5432 \
            --name pgvector \
            agnohq/pgvector:18
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
          ```powershell
          docker run -d `
            -e POSTGRES_DB=ai `
            -e POSTGRES_USER=ai `
            -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=ai `
            -e PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql `
            -v pgvolume:/var/lib/postgresql `
            -p 5532:5432 `
            --name pgvector `
            agnohq/pgvector:18
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>
      </CodeBlockTabs>
    </Step>

  <Step title="Run the example">
    Save the code above as `references_format.py`, then run:

    ```bash
    python references_format.py
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

Full source: [cookbook/02\_agents/07\_knowledge/references\_format.py](https://github.com/agno-agi/agno/blob/8f36eaf2d18e91afa7b327eec66a3cd3685dcb87/cookbook/02_agents/07_knowledge/references_format.py)