Prompting Techniques
Tree of Thoughts
Implement multiple branching reasoning paths to solve complex problems with Latitude
What is Tree of Thoughts?
Tree of Thoughts (ToT) is an advanced prompting technique that enables AI models to explore multiple reasoning paths in parallel, evaluate their potential, and select the most promising branches to develop further—similar to how humans explore different solutions when tackling complex problems.
Why Use Tree of Thoughts?
- Improved Problem-Solving: Systematically explore multiple solution pathways
- Better Planning: Map out different approaches before committing to one
- Enhanced Creativity: Generate diverse solutions to open-ended problems
- Reduced Errors: Catch mistakes by comparing different reasoning branches
- Complex Decision-Making: Break down complex decisions into evaluable components
Basic Implementation in Latitude
Here’s a simple Tree of Thoughts example for solving a complex problem:
Advanced Implementation with Parameters
You can use
{{ '\n\t' }}
to give indentation in the code block. Is more easy to follow what’s doing the promptImplementing ToT With Chains
Latitude’s chain feature allows for structured Tree of Thoughts reasoning:
chain
Multi-Agent ToT
Implement Tree of Thoughts with agent collaboration, you can play with it here.
Best Practices for Tree of Thoughts
Applications in Different Domains
Common Pitfalls and Solutions
Avoid These Common Mistakes:
- Shallow Branches: Creating branches that aren’t meaningfully different from each other
- Premature Evaluation: Judging branches before they’re fully developed
- Confirmation Bias: Favoring branches that align with preconceptions
- Neglecting Constraints: Failing to consider real-world limitations
- Excessive Complexity: Creating too many branches or too much depth for the problem
Pro Tips:
- Start with a clear problem statement before branching
- Use different cognitive approaches for each branch (analytical, creative, critical)
- Consider allocating more tokens to the most promising branches
- Document your reasoning at each step for transparency
- Try different branch-recombination methods for complex problems
Next Steps
Now that you understand Tree of Thoughts, explore these related techniques:
- Chain-of-Thought - Step-by-step reasoning within branches
- Self-Consistency - Verify solutions through multiple attempts
- Role Prompting - Assign different thinking styles to branches
- Multi-Agent Collaboration - Distribute reasoning across agents