What is…
Reasoning model
A model that 'thinks' step by step before answering — slower, but much better at math, logic and code.
Reasoning (or "thinking") models generate a hidden chain of thought — working through the problem, checking steps, backtracking — before writing the final answer. Most assistants now let you choose between a fast mode and a thinking/extended mode, or they decide automatically.
Use thinking for multi-step problems: debugging, planning, analysis, tricky math. Skip it for quick rewrites and simple questions, where it just adds wait time.
💡 Think of it like
Answering off the top of your head versus working it out on scratch paper first.
🧠 Test yourself
Which of these describes Reasoning model?
Related terms
Chain of thought
Having the model work through a problem step by step before giving its answer.
Inference
Running a trained model to get an answer — as opposed to training it.
LLM (Large Language Model)
A model trained on huge amounts of text to predict the next word — the engine behind ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok.
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