🖥️ System Prompts
System prompts are invisible instructions that tell ChatGPT how to behave before your first message is ever typed. Think of them as setting the “mindset” or personality of the model before the chat begins.
📌 What is a System Prompt?
A system prompt is the very first instruction that defines ChatGPT's persona, boundaries, and behavior. You don’t see it in the chat — but it’s always there in the background.
For example:
"You are a friendly career counselor. Offer warm, supportive guidance and avoid giving legal advice."
🛠️ Where to Set System Prompts
- Custom GPT Builder: Use the "Instructions" section to write your system prompt.
- API Integration: Add a `system` role message in your conversation array.
If you're building a chatbot or plugin, you can hardcode a system prompt to shape how it responds.
💡 Why Use System Prompts?
- Maintain brand tone and voice consistency.
- Prevent the model from responding outside certain boundaries.
- Create different personas for different use cases (e.g., doctor, teacher, mentor).
- Improve performance by steering the initial mindset of the model.