dspy-signatures
DSPy Signatures
Guide the user through defining DSPy Signatures — typed declarations of what goes into and comes out of an LM call.
What is a Signature
A Signature declares the input/output contract for an LM call -- field names, types, and descriptions. DSPy compiles it into an optimized prompt automatically. You define the I/O spec; DSPy handles the prompting.
When to use each style
| Style | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Inline | Quick one-liner, 1-2 inputs, 1 output, string types | "question -> answer" |
| Class-based | Multiple fields, type constraints, descriptions, Pydantic outputs | class Classify(dspy.Signature) |
Rule of thumb: Start inline for prototyping. Switch to class-based when you need type constraints, field descriptions, or more than one output.
Inline signatures
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