Prompt Chaining
Sometimes one prompt is not enough. Prompt chaining breaks a complex task into smaller, simpler sub‑tasks, each handled by a separate prompt. The output of one prompt becomes the input of the next.
Prompt chaining = sequence of prompts where each step builds on the previous output.
Example: Article Summarizer + Simplifier
Step 1: "Summarize this 500‑word article in 3 sentences."
Output: A 3‑sentence summary.
Step 2: "Rewrite the above summary so that a 10‑year‑old can understand it."
Output: A very simple version.Why Chain Instead of One Prompt?
- Modularity: Each step is simpler, easier to debug.
- Reusability: You can reuse sub‑chains in different tasks.
- Quality: One long, complex prompt often fails; breaking it into steps works better.
- Control: You can intervene or check results at each step.
Common Chaining Patterns
- Extract → Transform → Format (e.g., extract data, clean it, output JSON)
- Plan → Execute → Verify (e.g., plan travel itinerary, get details, check feasibility)
- Draft → Polish → Summarize
Implementation
You can implement chaining manually by copying outputs, or use frameworks like LangChain that have built‑in chain support.
Two Minute Drill
- Break complex tasks into smaller prompts.
- Feed the output of one prompt as input to the next.
- Chaining improves reliability and modularity.
- Useful for multi‑step workflows like extraction, transformation, formatting.
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