How AI "remembers", and what it means for you as a builder-Part 1

"Think of context as the complete memory that an LLM has available during a conversation. The context grows with each interaction: it is built from different messages, and there are different message types. These are like individual cards in a strictly ordered stack. Each card has its specific role and position. When you use GenAI apps like ChatGPT, Claude, or GitHub Copilot, you're actually seeing this context displayed through their chat interface."

"The system prompt is the first message that sets up everything before any conversation begins. It's usually configured by the developers of the AI app and remains hidden from users. (Remember the analogy of a strictly ordered card stack? This is the first card.) It has three key parts: 1. Chat agent description: Defines how the chat agent should behave. It improves accuracy and adjusts the voice and tone of the agent."

""A system prompt is the personality and policy blueprint of your AI agent. In enterprise use, it tends to be elaborate - defining the agent's role, goals, allowable tools, step-by-step instructions for certain tasks, and guardrails describing what the agent should not do." ( Source) 2. Environment information: Provides context about the operating system, shell type, workspace structure, and other environmental details the agent needs to know (Example: Cline)"

Context is the complete memory an LLM has available during a conversation and grows with each interaction. Context is composed of strictly ordered messages that act like cards in a stack, where each card has a specific role and position. The system prompt is the first, developer-configured hidden message that establishes agent behavior, environment details, and available tools. The chat agent description defines role, voice, tone, and guardrails, including security rules such as not bypassing authentication. Environment information supplies operating system, shell, and workspace details. Tool descriptions list available tools and explain their functions and input data structures.

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