Definition · context memory
context envelope
context envelope is the instructions, facts, state, rights, and history given to one agent step. You can spot context envelope in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does context envelope matter?
The envelope defines the local world of one step, including facts and rights that should not spill into another. For context envelope, start with three checks: What is kept, and for how long? Who can write or retrieve it? How would bad data be found and removed? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does context envelope look like?
A refund step receives the order record, refund policy, customer request, spending scope, and prior approvals. This example makes context envelope visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is context envelope easy to confuse with?
A context envelope is the material for one step. A context window is the model's token capacity. The closest entries here are context engineering, context window, context compression. Compare their definitions with context envelope before using the names as if they mean the same thing.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term context envelope?
We have not verified who first introduced context envelope. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before context envelope?
Read memory first when context envelope depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use context envelope to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What is kept, and for how long?
- Who can write or retrieve it?
- How would bad data be found and removed?
Which source supports this definition of context envelope?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of context envelope. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to context envelope; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundcontext envelopeChecked 2026-07-12→