System prompt
The instruction layer set by the application rather than the end user, establishing role, constraints, and tone before any conversation begins. It occupies part of the context window for the entire conversation, which is why exam scenarios about overflow often hinge on whether it survives a trim.
Why exams ask this
Tested as a trust and priority question: what happens when a user message conflicts with the system prompt. The exam wants the system prompt treated as the higher-trust instruction, and flags any design that lets ordinary user text silently override it.
Relevant to
AI Fluency: Framework and FoundationsGenerative AI FundamentalsGenerative AI LeaderOCI Generative AI ProfessionalAI Agents CourseGenerative AI and LLMs, NCA-GENLAI Engineering Professional CertificateCertified Machine Learning Engineer, AssociateClaude Code in ActionClaude Certified Architect, Foundations
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