Proofing
/ˈpruːf.ɪŋ.diff/v. trans. (also v. intr. in ambiguous cases)Technical
Etymology
from Old Fr. prover (to prove, to test) + -ing; the term's meaning in Claude Code spinner contexts derives from the baking sense (allowing dough to rise) rather than the proofreading sense, though researchers have noted the model's output during this phase frequently requires the latter as well
Definition
The phase in which Claude's draft response is allowed to rest, expand, and develop structural integrity before being committed to the output buffer. Like bread dough left to proof, the response may increase significantly in volume during this period, and any interruption risks collapse.
Diagram
t=0s [response dough: flat ]
t=1s [response dough: rising]
t=2s [response dough: ready ]
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[bake at 72 tokens/sec]Usage
"Interrupting a proofing phase by submitting a follow-up message was found to produce responses with a characteristic dense, gummy texture - technically complete but lacking the expected rise of well-formed paragraphs." - Bakery-Derived Metaphors in LLM Interface Design, UIST 2024 Late-Breaking Work