ModelRefs / Stop Sequence — AI Glossary
Stop Sequence — AI Glossary
A string or token that signals the model to halt generation immediately upon being produced. Most APIs accept a list of up to 4 stop strings.
Overview
Stop sequences allow callers to define completion boundaries: e.g., `\n\nHuman:` in chat loops, `</answer>` for structured extraction. Most APIs accept a list of up to 4 stop strings. The stop sequence itself is not included in the output. Critical for reliable prompt chaining and tool-call parsing.
Reference details
| Topic | inference |
|---|---|
| Also known as | stop token, end token |
| Last reviewed | 2026-06-24 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is Stop Sequence?
A string or token that signals the model to halt generation immediately upon being produced.
Is Stop Sequence the same as stop token?
Yes — stop token, end token are common aliases for Stop Sequence.
What concepts are related to Stop Sequence?
Closely related concepts include prompt template, chat completion, system message.