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# ContextBuilder

> Build multi-step conversation workflows with structured contexts and steps.

[context]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context

[step]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step

[agentbase]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/agent-base

[addcontext]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/add-context

[createsimplecontext]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/create-simple-context

[getcontext]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-context

[todict]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/to-dict

[validate]: /docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/validate

ContextBuilder is the top-level container for defining structured conversation
workflows. It holds one or more [`Context`][context]
objects, each containing a sequence of [`Step`][step]
objects. Use it when your agent needs guided, multi-step conversations instead of
free-form prompting.

Access the builder by calling `defineContexts()` on an
[`AgentBase`][agentbase] instance. The builder
validates the entire context tree when the SWML document is rendered.

> **Note**
>
> You rarely create a ContextBuilder directly. Call `defineContexts()` inside
> your agent class, which creates the builder and wires it into SWML generation
> automatically.

## **Methods**

#### [addContext](/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/add-context)

Create a new named context and add it to the builder.

#### [getContext](/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-context)

Retrieve an existing context by name.

#### [reset](/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/reset)

Remove all contexts, returning the builder to its initial state.

#### [toDict](/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/to-dict)

Convert all contexts to a dictionary for SWML generation.

#### [validate](/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/validate)

Validate the entire context configuration tree.

#### [createSimpleContext](/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/create-simple-context)

Helper function to create a standalone Context without a ContextBuilder.

---

## **Limits**

| Limit                        | Value |
| ---------------------------- | ----- |
| Maximum contexts per builder | 50    |
| Maximum steps per context    | 100   |

---

## **Examples**

### Single context with sequential steps

```typescript {4}
import { ContextBuilder } from '@signalwire/sdk';

const builder = new ContextBuilder();
const order = builder.addContext('default');

order.addStep('get_item')
  .setText('Ask what item they want to order.')
  .setStepCriteria('Customer has specified an item')
  .setValidSteps(['get_quantity']);

order.addStep('get_quantity')
  .setText('Ask how many they want.')
  .setStepCriteria('Customer has specified a quantity')
  .setValidSteps(['confirm']);

order.addStep('confirm')
  .setText('Confirm the order details and thank them.')
  .setStepCriteria('Order has been confirmed')
  .setEnd(true);

const swml = builder.toDict();
console.log(JSON.stringify(swml, null, 2));
```

### Multiple contexts

```typescript {6,13,24}
import { ContextBuilder } from '@signalwire/sdk';

const builder = new ContextBuilder();

// Main menu
const main = builder.addContext('default');
main.addStep('menu')
  .setText('Ask whether they need sales, support, or billing help.')
  .setFunctions('none')
  .setValidContexts(['sales', 'support']);

// Sales context
const sales = builder.addContext('sales');
sales.setSystemPrompt('You are a friendly sales representative.');
sales.addStep('qualify')
  .setText('Understand what product the caller is interested in.')
  .setFunctions(['check_inventory', 'get_pricing'])
  .setValidSteps(['close']);
sales.addStep('close')
  .setText('Close the sale or schedule a follow-up.')
  .setValidContexts(['default']);

// Support context
const support = builder.addContext('support');
support.setSystemPrompt('You are a patient support engineer.');
support.addStep('diagnose')
  .setText('Understand the customer\'s issue.')
  .setFunctions(['lookup_account', 'check_status'])
  .setValidSteps(['resolve']);
support.addStep('resolve')
  .setText('Resolve the issue or escalate.')
  .setFunctions(['create_ticket', 'transfer_call'])
  .setValidContexts(['default']);
```

> Build multi-step conversation workflows with structured contexts and steps.

## Docs

- [addContext](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/add-context.md): Create a new named context and add it to the builder.
- [Context](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context.md): A named conversation workflow containing steps, prompts, and navigation rules.
- [addBullets](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-bullets.md): Add a POM section with bullet points to the context prompt.
- [addEnterFiller](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-enter-filler.md): Add enter fillers for a specific language.
- [addExitFiller](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-exit-filler.md): Add exit fillers for a specific language.
- [addSection](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-section.md): Add a POM section to the context prompt.
- [addStep](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-step.md): Add a new step to this context.
- [addSystemBullets](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-system-bullets.md): Add a POM section with bullets to the system prompt.
- [addSystemSection](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/add-system-section.md): Add a POM section to the system prompt.
- [getStep](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/get-step.md): Get an existing step by name.
- [moveStep](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/move-step.md): Move an existing step to a specific position in the step order.
- [removeStep](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/remove-step.md): Remove a step from this context.
- [setConsolidate](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-consolidate.md): Set whether to consolidate conversation history when entering this context.
- [setEnterFillers](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-enter-fillers.md): Set all enter fillers at once.
- [setExitFillers](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-exit-fillers.md): Set all exit fillers at once.
- [setFullReset](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-full-reset.md): Set whether to fully reset conversation history when entering this context.
- [setHistory](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-history.md): Set the default history visibility mode for every step in this context.
- [setInitialStep](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-initial-step.md): Set which step the context starts on when entered.
- [setIsolated](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-isolated.md): Set whether this context is isolated from other contexts' conversation history.
- [setPostPrompt](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-post-prompt.md): Override the post-prompt text while this context is active.
- [setPrompt](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-prompt.md): Set the context's prompt text directly.
- [setSystemPrompt](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-system-prompt.md): Set a new system prompt that takes effect when this context is entered.
- [setUserPrompt](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-user-prompt.md): Inject a user message when entering this context.
- [setValidContexts](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-valid-contexts.md): Set which contexts the agent can navigate to from this context.
- [setValidSteps](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/context/set-valid-steps.md): Set which steps can be navigated to from any step in this context.
- [createSimpleContext](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/create-simple-context.md): Helper function to create a standalone Context without a ContextBuilder.
- [GatherInfo & GatherQuestion](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/gather-classes.md): Structured information gathering within context steps using the server-side gather_info system.
- [getCompletionAction](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-completion-action.md): Return the completion action for a gather info operation.
- [getContext](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-context.md): Retrieve an existing context by name.
- [getGatherInfo](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-gather-info.md): Return the gather info for a step.
- [getQuestions](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-questions.md): Return all questions in a gather info operation.
- [getStepOrder](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-step-order.md): Return the ordered list of step names in a context.
- [getSteps](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-steps.md): Return the map of all steps in a context.
- [getValidContexts](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/get-valid-contexts.md): Return the list of valid context names for a context.
- [reset](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/reset.md): Remove all contexts, returning the builder to its initial state.
- [Step](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step.md): An individual step in a conversation context with prompt, criteria, and navigation.
- [addBullets](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/add-bullets.md): Add a POM section with bullet points to the step.
- [addGatherQuestion](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/add-gather-question.md): Add a question to this step's gather_info configuration.
- [addSection](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/add-section.md): Add a POM section to the step.
- [clearSections](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/clear-sections.md): Remove all POM sections and direct text from this step.
- [setEnd](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-end.md): Mark this step as terminal for the step flow.
- [setFunctions](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-functions.md): Set which SWAIG functions are available during this step.
- [setGatherInfo](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-gather-info.md): Enable structured info gathering for this step.
- [setHistory](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-history.md): Control how much of the prior conversation the model sees when this step begins.
- [setResetConsolidate](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-reset-consolidate.md): Set whether to consolidate conversation history on context switch.
- [setResetFullReset](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-reset-full-reset.md): Set whether to perform a full conversation reset at this step.
- [setResetSystemPrompt](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-reset-system-prompt.md): Set a new system prompt for context switching from this step.
- [setResetUserPrompt](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-reset-user-prompt.md): Set a user message to inject when this step triggers a context switch.
- [setSkipToNextStep](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-skip-to-next-step.md): Automatically advance to the next step without evaluating criteria.
- [setSkipUserTurn](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-skip-user-turn.md): Skip waiting for user input when entering this step.
- [setStepCriteria](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-step-criteria.md): Define when this step is considered complete.
- [setText](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-text.md): Set the step's prompt text directly.
- [setValidContexts](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-valid-contexts.md): Set which contexts the agent can navigate to from this step.
- [setValidSteps](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/step/set-valid-steps.md): Set which steps the agent can navigate to from this step.
- [toDict](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/to-dict.md): Convert all contexts to a dictionary for SWML generation.
- [validate](https://signalwire.com/docs/server-sdks/reference/typescript/agents/context-builder/validate.md): Validate the entire context configuration tree.