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Context engineering

chrisloy.dev

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Re: Context engineering

#3

Post by voidhorse »

There is nothing precise about crafting prompts and context—it's just that, a craft. Even if you do the right thing and check some fuzzy boundary conditions using autoscorers, the model can still change out from beneath you at any point and totally alter the behavior of your system. There is no formal language here. After all, mathematics exists because natural language is notoriously imprecise.

The article has some good practical tips and it's not on the author but man I really wish we'd stop abusing the term "engineering" in a desperate attempt to stroke our own egos and or convince people to give us money. It's pathetic. Coming up with good inputs to LLMs is more art than science and it's a craft. Call a spade a spade.

Re: Context engineering

#4

Post by qrios »

voidhorse wrote: post #3

There is nothing precise about crafting prompts and context—it's just that, a craft. Even if you do the right thing and check some fuzzy boundary conditions using autoscorers, the model can still change out from beneath you at any point and totally alter the behavior of your system. There is no formal language here. After all, mathematics exists because natural language is notoriously imprecise. The article has some…

I agree with you one hundred percent.

But: Interestingly, the behavior of LLMs in different contexts is also the subject of scientific research.

Re: Context engineering

#6

Post by satisfice »

voidhorse wrote: post #3

There is nothing precise about crafting prompts and context—it's just that, a craft. Even if you do the right thing and check some fuzzy boundary conditions using autoscorers, the model can still change out from beneath you at any point and totally alter the behavior of your system. There is no formal language here. After all, mathematics exists because natural language is notoriously imprecise. The article has some…

My thoughts exactly. The author is saying we should think strategically about the use of context. Sure. Yes. But for that to qualify as engineering we need solid theory about how context works.

We don’t have that, yet. For instance experiments show that not all parts of the context window are equally well attended. Imagine trying to engineer a bridge when no one really knows how strong steel is.

Re: Context engineering

#8

Post by chrisweekly »

voidhorse wrote: post #3

There is nothing precise about crafting prompts and context—it's just that, a craft. Even if you do the right thing and check some fuzzy boundary conditions using autoscorers, the model can still change out from beneath you at any point and totally alter the behavior of your system. There is no formal language here. After all, mathematics exists because natural language is notoriously imprecise. The article has some…

"Context crafting", ok, sure. I think a lot of expert researchers (like simonw) would agree.

Re: Context engineering

#9

Post by sgt101 »

Why would I believe that any of this works? This is just some blokes idea of what people should do.

There is no evidence offered. No attempt to measure the benefits.

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