Everything You Need To Know About Context Engineering

Author(s): Fabio Chiusano

Originally published on Towards AI.

With 13 graphics to make concepts clearer

If you’ve worked with Large Language Models, you’ve likely heard of “prompt engineering.” In the early days, getting the right output was all about crafting the perfect prompt.

This article traces the evolution from traditional prompt engineering to the emerging field of Context Engineering, exploring the techniques that improved AI’s communicative capabilities. It discusses foundational concepts such as zero-shot and few-shot prompting, the importance of explicitly defining reasoning processes, and the need for structured contexts to optimize model performance. Additionally, it covers contemporary challenges faced in context management, including handling long contexts and the introduction of hierarchical memory systems. Ultimately, the article emphasizes the significance of context engineering as a discipline for ensuring effective interactions with LLMs in an increasingly complex AI landscape.

Read the full blog for free on Medium.

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Published via Towards AI