> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trychroma.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Generate sparse embeddings

> Generate sparse vector embeddings for the given texts using the specified model. Provide either 'instructions' or both 'task' and 'target' alongside 'texts'. Set 'fetch_labels' to true to include token labels in the response.



## OpenAPI

````yaml https://embed.trychroma.com/openapi.json post /embed_sparse
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: FastAPI
  version: 0.1.0
servers: []
security: []
paths:
  /embed_sparse:
    post:
      summary: Generate sparse embeddings
      description: >-
        Generate sparse vector embeddings for the given texts using the
        specified model. Provide either 'instructions' or both 'task' and
        'target' alongside 'texts'. Set 'fetch_labels' to true to include token
        labels in the response.
      operationId: embed_sparse_embed_sparse_post
      parameters:
        - name: x-chroma-token
          in: header
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
          description: Chroma API key for authentication.
        - name: x-chroma-embedding-model
          in: header
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
            enum:
              - Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-0.6B
              - BAAI/bge-m3
              - sentence-transformers/all-MiniLM-L6-v2
              - prithivida/Splade_PP_en_v1
              - naver/efficient-splade-VI-BT-large-doc
              - naver/efficient-splade-VI-BT-large-query
          description: The embedding model to use.
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              anyOf:
                - required:
                    - instructions
                - required:
                    - task
                    - target
              description: Request body for embedding endpoints.
              properties:
                texts:
                  items:
                    type: string
                  title: Texts
                  type: array
                task:
                  anyOf:
                    - type: string
                    - type: 'null'
                  title: Task
                target:
                  anyOf:
                    - type: string
                    - type: 'null'
                  title: Target
                instructions:
                  anyOf:
                    - type: string
                    - type: 'null'
                  title: Instructions
                fetch_labels:
                  anyOf:
                    - type: boolean
                    - type: 'null'
                  title: Fetch Labels
              required:
                - texts
              title: EmbedRequestBody
              type: object
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Successful Response
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/SparseEmbedResponse'
        '400':
          description: >-
            Invalid request (missing headers, unsupported model, or malformed
            body)
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
        '401':
          description: Authentication failed (invalid or missing API key)
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
        '429':
          description: Rate limit exceeded
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
        '501':
          description: Operation not supported for this model
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
components:
  schemas:
    SparseEmbedResponse:
      properties:
        embeddings:
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/SparseEmbeddingItem'
          type: array
          title: Embeddings
        num_tokens:
          type: integer
          title: Num Tokens
      type: object
      required:
        - embeddings
        - num_tokens
      title: SparseEmbedResponse
    ErrorResponse:
      properties:
        error:
          type: string
          title: Error
      type: object
      required:
        - error
      title: ErrorResponse
    SparseEmbeddingItem:
      properties:
        indices:
          items:
            type: integer
          type: array
          title: Indices
        values:
          items:
            type: number
          type: array
          title: Values
        labels:
          anyOf:
            - items:
                type: string
              type: array
            - type: 'null'
          title: Labels
      type: object
      required:
        - indices
        - values
      title: SparseEmbeddingItem

````