Glossary
What Is a Context Window? Definition and Example
A context window is the amount of text an AI model can consider at once, including your prompt, any documents you add and its own reply.
What it means
It is measured in tokens. A larger window lets a model work with longer documents in one go. Even so, a model can still miss details in very long inputs, so check important points. When a conversation exceeds the window, earlier parts may be dropped.
Example
You can paste a long report into an assistant only if it fits inside the context window.
Why it matters
Knowing about the window explains why long chats lose track and why splitting big documents can help.
Related terms
- Token (AI): A token is a small piece of text, often part of a word, that an AI model reads and writes. In English, one.
- Large Language Model (LLM): A large language model, or LLM, is an AI system trained on huge amounts of text to understand and generate.
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG, is a method where an AI first retrieves relevant documents and then.
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Frequently asked questions
What happens if I go over the limit?
The tool may refuse, shorten the input or forget the earliest parts.
Is a bigger window always better?
It helps with long documents, but accuracy on details can still vary.
How do I use a long document well?
Ask specific questions and request page references so you can check.