An output contract is an explicit definition of what shape a model’s answer should take. It tells the model what sections, fields, or structure the result must include.
Why it matters
Output contracts make prompts easier to review, compare, and reuse. In Promptlight, they are especially helpful for prompts that need consistent internal outputs such as summaries, analyses, or review checklists.
Example in practice
A prompt might require the answer to include:
- Situation summary
- Evidence
- Risks
- Recommendation
- Open questions
That is an output contract. It does not tell the model what conclusion to reach. It tells the model how the answer must be organized.
What to look for
A good output contract is:
- specific enough to check
- simple enough to reuse
- aligned with the task
- supportive of review
The best contracts improve clarity without forcing irrelevant sections into every answer.
Common confusion
An output contract is not the same as objective execution mode or prompt constraints.
- Objective Execution Mode sets the overall style and operating bias.
- Prompt Constraints define rules and limits.
- An output contract defines the required structure of the final answer.
Related context
Output contracts pair especially well with Hallucination Guardrails because a section like evidence or open questions makes unsupported claims easier to spot. For application, see Turn Long System Prompts Into Reusable Files and Why Objective Execution Prompts Need Guardrails.