How would you design streaming responses for an AI feature?

Treats streams as event protocols with partial-output UX, cancellation, validation, moderation, and terminal outcome semantics.

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TL;DR

I stream typed events such as started, text delta, tool status, completed, refused, and failed rather than forwarding raw provider chunks directly. The client renders partial output as provisional and commits the final result only after the terminal event and required validation. Disconnects propagate cancellation where possible, while the server still records the actual provider outcome.

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Practice focus

Streaming protocol design, partial failure, safety, backpressure, and reconnect behavior.

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Answer path

Core answer first, then checkpoints toward a stronger answer.

Start
Core answer
Start here. This is the direct spoken answer to practice first.
Overview
Streaming reduces time to first visible output but exposes partial content before the complete result is known.
I stream typed events such as started, text delta, tool status, completed, refused, and failed rather than forwarding raw provider chunks directly. The client renders partial output as provisional and commits the final result only after the terminal event and required validation. Disconnects propagate cancellation where possible, while the server still records the actual provider outcome.
Checkpoint
Stronger answer
Optional upgrade with examples, trade-offs, and sharper phrasing.
The protocol carries an operation ID, sequence numbers, heartbeats, and a clear end state so the UI can distinguish a pause from completion. Backpressure and output limits prevent slow clients from consuming unbounded memory. If moderation or semantic validation requires a complete answer, I buffer the relevant unit or use a safer non-streaming path instead of pretending post-display removal prevents exposure.

Review signals

Use these to catch weak phrasing, shallow reasoning, and risky claims.

Common mistakesCandidateCommon mistakesMistakes that weaken the answer or signal shallow understanding.Open details

Details

Sending provider chunks directly to the browser.
Executing a tool before its streamed arguments are complete.
Treating a socket close as successful completion.

How would you design streaming responses for an AI feature?

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