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Reviewed visual · version 1

RS Glossary

System Prompt

A system prompt is a set of higher-priority instructions supplied by a model provider or application developer to shape an AI assistant's role, behavior, boundaries, and response style.

Review state
Reviewed in POC
Freshness
Current
Version
2
  • System Prompt
  • System Message

Remember it this wayThe application sets the role before the user makes the request.

In plain language

The user usually writes the visible request, while the application may also send background instructions that establish how the assistant should respond. Exact instruction priority and visibility depend on the system.

Why it matters

System prompts can explain consistent product behavior, but they are only one control layer and can interact with tools, policies, retrieval, user input, and model limitations.

Example

A support assistant receives background instructions to answer only from approved documentation and to hand uncertain cases to a person.

Common misconception

A system prompt is not an absolute security boundary. It guides behavior but still requires testing, access controls, and application-level safeguards.

Related terms

Sources

Learn more

  • Contrast intended instructions with [[prompt-injection|Prompt Injection]].

Public history

45 recorded events · 45 public summaries

  1. A potential shared concept was discussed and selected for initial glossary drafting.

  2. The captured candidate received a complete initial draft and entered section-level human review.

  3. Radar reviewed the initial definition draft for human consideration.

  4. Radar reviewed the initial plain-language-explanation draft for human consideration.

  5. Radar reviewed the initial why-it-matters draft for human consideration.

  6. Radar reviewed the initial example draft for human consideration.

  7. Radar reviewed the initial common-misconception draft for human consideration.

  8. Radar reviewed the initial remember-it-this-way draft for human consideration.

  9. Radar reviewed the initial related-terms draft for human consideration.

  10. Radar reviewed the initial sources draft for human consideration.

  11. Radar reviewed the initial learn-more draft for human consideration.

  12. A proposal was opened for section-level human review while preserving the current version.

  13. A human reviewer opened a proposed revision while preserving the current approved or captured version.

  14. definition approved by a human reviewer.

  15. plain-language-explanation approved by a human reviewer.

  16. why-it-matters approved by a human reviewer.

  17. example approved by a human reviewer.

  18. common-misconception approved by a human reviewer.

  19. remember-it-this-way approved by a human reviewer.

  20. related-terms approved by a human reviewer.

  21. sources returned for revision.

  22. learn-more approved by a human reviewer.

  23. Requested wording was prepared without changing approved or existing sections.

  24. Radar reviewed the pending sources section for human consideration.

  25. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  26. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  27. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  28. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  29. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  30. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  31. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  32. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  33. Radar must rereview the complete system-prompt term after an accepted text change.

  34. sources approved by a human reviewer.

  35. sources approved wording became the current section text.

  36. All section gates are approved; content version 2 is now a fully approved term.

  37. Radar rereviewed the human-approved definition wording for this exact version.

  38. Radar rereviewed the human-approved plain-language-explanation wording for this exact version.

  39. Radar rereviewed the human-approved why-it-matters wording for this exact version.

  40. Radar rereviewed the human-approved example wording for this exact version.

  41. Radar rereviewed the human-approved common-misconception wording for this exact version.

  42. Radar rereviewed the human-approved remember-it-this-way wording for this exact version.

  43. Radar rereviewed the human-approved related-terms wording for this exact version.

  44. Radar rereviewed the human-approved sources wording for this exact version.

  45. Radar rereviewed the human-approved learn-more wording for this exact version.

Source: vault/Glossary/terms/system-prompt/term.md · sha256:d060e9eebb15ac70b3ace2c0969b0e51476b64575dbc4af34d9ec869d903491a · Release: rs-glossary-glossary-team-poc-0.5.5-2026-09-02