Operations

Context truncation

Context truncation drops older tokens when the context limit is reached.

Quick definition

Context truncation drops older tokens when the context limit is reached.

  • Category: Operations
  • Focus: performance and reliability
  • Used in: Reducing time-to-first-token with streaming.

What it means

Systems keep recent or important content to stay within limits. In operations workflows, context truncation often shapes performance and reliability.

How it works

Operations covers latency, throughput, and cost. Systems often use caching, batching, and monitoring to scale reliably.

Why it matters

Operational choices impact cost, latency, and reliability.

Common use cases

  • Reducing time-to-first-token with streaming.
  • Managing costs with token budgets and caching.
  • Tracking usage and errors with logs and metrics.

Example

Trim old chat turns to fit a long context window.

Pitfalls and tips

Ignoring limits can cause timeouts or rate limiting. Set budgets and monitor usage to avoid surprises.

In BoltAI

In BoltAI, this shows up in performance, logging, or usage views.