Local AI Glossary
What is Chat template?
Source: local-llm.net/glossary
A formatting specification that defines how user messages, assistant responses, and system prompts are structured for a particular model. Different model families use different templates (e.g., Llama uses `<|begin_of_text|>` tokens, Mistral uses `[INST]` markers). Using the wrong template causes poor-quality outputs.
How Chat template fits in the local AI stack
Chat template is part of the broader local AI ecosystem. See the related guides, comparisons, and tools below to see how it applies in practice.
See also
- Full Local AI Glossary
- All learn topics
- What is Local AI?
- Quantization explained
- Hardware requirements
- How to choose a local LLM