search_route.py

# this allows us to build a query string as well as use the search box
@app.route("/search", methods=["POST", "GET"])
def search() -> str:
    word = None

    if request.method == "POST":
        word = request.form.get("query", "")
    elif request.method == "GET":
        word = request.args.get("query", "")

    return get_model_results(word, retriever)