Extended Thinking

Extended thinking gives the model a scratchpad before the final answer. Pay for reasoning tokens, get deeper answers. Use it surgically, not everywhere.

When to Use

• Complex reasoning: math, proofs, multi-step logic
• Code generation where the model needs to plan before writing
• Agent planning: deciding which of many tools to call and in what order
• Debugging subtle issues: model can "think through" root causes
• Writing where structure and coherence matter more than speed

When NOT to Use

• Simple classification, extraction, or formatting — pure overhead
• Latency-sensitive paths — thinking adds 2-30 seconds
• Small prompts where the model gets it right zero-shot anyway
• High-volume batch tasks on a tight cost budget