Why it matters
Reflection is a cheap way to improve output quality. Understanding when to apply matters.
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The architecture
Actor step: produce candidate output.
Critic step: evaluate output against criteria.
Revision: if issues found, actor revises.
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How it works end to end
Same or different model for critic: cheaper model can critique; or same model with different prompt.
Termination: fixed iterations or 'good enough' criterion.
Task suitability: reflection shines on writing, code, reasoning; less useful for simple lookups.