# Prompt Sprawl

> A defect in which prompts, model parameters and output schemas are scattered through code without versions or evaluation.

Record: `architecture:prompt-sprawl`
Kind: anti-pattern
Layer: [Enforcement Core](https://banes-lab.com/records/layer/enforcement-core.md)
Severity: discouraged
Scope: contract_compatibility, model_governance
Canonical: https://banes-lab.com/ontology#architecture-prompt-sprawl

Listed in [Architecture principles](https://banes-lab.com/api/records/architecture.md), after [Flaky Test Normalization](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/flaky-test-normalization.md) and before [Ungrounded Content](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/ungrounded-content.md).

## Repair

- Refactored by: prompt_registry, version_prompt, add_eval_suite, centralize_model_config
- Detected by: prompt_literals_in_many_files, no_prompt_registry, no_eval_for_prompt_change, model_params_scattered
- Violated by: Scatter prompts, retrieval rules, model parameters, safety instructions, and output schemas across code without versioning, evaluation, or ownership.
- Measured by: prompt literals outside the registry
- Enforced by: a prompt registry, with an evaluation required on every change

## Severity

- [discouraged](https://banes-lab.com/records/vocabulary/severity-discouraged.md)

## Category

- [Anti-patterns](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture-category/anti-patterns.md)

## Force

- [Contract compatibility](https://banes-lab.com/records/force/contract-compatibility.md)
- [Model governance](https://banes-lab.com/records/force/model-governance.md)

## Negated by

- [Prompt Engineering](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/prompt-engineering.md)

## Linked from

- [Systems built around a model](https://banes-lab.com/software-architecture/scale/systems-built-around-a-model.md)
- [Anti-patterns](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-anti-patterns.md)
- [Model Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-model-architecture.md)
- [Severity levels](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/schema/the-vocabulary-severity.md)
- [The forces](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/schema/the-forces.md)