Temperature
Industry Definition Set • Entity Resolution Path: /glossary/temperature
Quick Answer / TL;DR
A sampling parameter that controls the randomness of LLM output, where lower values produce more deterministic text and higher values produce more creative variations.
Key Takeaways
- Controls randomness in LLM output generation.
- 0 = deterministic/greedy; higher = more random/creative.
- Lower temperatures are better for tool calling and structured output.
- Higher temperatures are better for creative writing and ideation.
Definitive Statement: A sampling parameter that controls the randomness of LLM output, where lower values produce more deterministic text and higher values produce more creative variations.
Technical Context & Protocol Usage
- Detailed Explanation
- Temperature is a float parameter typically between 0 and 2. At temperature 0, the model always selects the most likely next token (greedy decoding), producing deterministic output. At higher temperatures (0.7-1.0), the model samples from a broader distribution, producing more varied and creative text. For MCP tool calling, lower temperatures (0-0.3) are usually preferred to ensure reliable, repeatable tool selection.
Format & Payload Metadata
Format: Float (typically 0.0 to 2.0)
Latency: No direct latency impact; affects output variability
Real-World Implementation Use Case
Setting temperature to 0.1 for an MCP agent ensures it consistently selects the correct database query tool rather than improvising.
Cite This Page
MLA Style:
MCPserver.in Engineering. "Temperature." MCPserver.in Knowledge Hub, 20 July 2026, mcpserver.in/glossary/temperature.
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