Definition · context memory
context window
context window is the token limit shared by a request’s input and generated output. You can spot context window 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 window matter?
The window is a hard capacity constraint. Long histories, tool output, and generated text all compete for the same space. For context window, 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 window look like?
A document agent trims old logs so the contract clauses and current question fit in one request. This example makes context window 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 window easy to confuse with?
The context window is capacity. Working memory is the selected information kept close for the task. The closest entries here are context envelope, episodic memory, guardrail. Compare their definitions with context window before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps context window separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
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 window?
We have not verified who first introduced context window. 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 window?
Read memory first when context window 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 window 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 window?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of context window. 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 window; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundcontext windowChecked 2026-07-12→