AI Context Windows: What They Are and Why They Matter
Understanding context windows, their limitations, and how they affect your AI application design and costs.
AI Context Windows: What They Are and Why They Matter
Context windows determine how much information an AI model can consider at once. Understanding these limitations is crucial for designing effective AI applications.
What is a Context Window?
A context window is the maximum number of tokens (input + output) that an AI model can process in a single request. Think of it as the model's 'working memory'.
Context Window Sizes by Model
| Model | Context Window | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o | 128K tokens | General purpose applications |
| Claude Sonnet 4.6 | 200K tokens | Long document analysis |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | 2M tokens | Massive document processing |
Design Implications
- Conversation length limits in chatbots
- Document size restrictions for analysis
- Need for context management strategies
- Impact on application architecture
- Cost implications for long contexts
Larger context windows cost more. Only use what you need and implement smart context management.
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