effort-per-message changedbuild-with-claude/effort-per-message

A whole new page. There's nothing to diff it against, so here is what it says.

---
title: Per-message effort
url: https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/effort-per-message
description: Use a system message to change the effort level partway through a conversation and keep the prompt cache.
featureMetadata:
  status: beta
  betaHeader: mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01
  supportedModels:
    - claude-fable-5-2
    - claude-mythos-5-2
    - claude-fable-5-1
    - claude-mythos-5-1
    - claude-opus-5-5
    - claude-opus-5
    - claude-sonnet-5-5
    - claude-haiku-5-5
  supportedPlatforms:
    Claude API: beta
    Amazon Bedrock: beta
    Amazon Bedrock (bedrock-runtime):
      availability: beta
      note: Send the beta value in the `anthropic_beta` array of the request body.
    Claude Platform on AWS: beta
    Claude Models on Google Cloud (Anthropic managed): beta
    Claude Models on Google Cloud (Google managed): beta
    Microsoft Foundry: beta
---

A per-message effort change sets a new effort level for later turns of a conversation without changing the request’s top-level value, so the cached prefix still matches.

## Change the effort level

To change the level partway through a conversation:

1. Add a `role: "system"` message to `messages`, with empty `content` and the new [effort](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/effort) level in `output_config.effort`.
2. Send the `mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01` [beta header](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/api/beta-headers).
3. Leave the top-level value unchanged.

The following example keeps the top-level value at `high` and drops to `low` for a routine follow-up:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL
  # Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
  curl https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages \
    -H "x-api-key: $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY" \
    -H "anthropic-version: 2026-10-21" \
    -H "anthropic-beta: mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01" \
    -H "content-type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "model": "claude-fable-5-1",
      "max_tokens": 4096,
      "output_config": {"effort": "high"},
      "messages": [
        {"role": "user", "content": "Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps."},
        {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts."},
        {"role": "system", "content": [], "output_config": {"effort": "low"}},
        {"role": "user", "content": "Summarize the plan in one sentence."}
      ]
    }'
  ```

  ```bash CLI
  ant beta:messages create \
    --beta mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01 <<'YAML'
  model: claude-fable-5-1
  max_tokens: 4096
  output_config:
    effort: high
  messages:
    - role: user
      content: Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps.
    - role: assistant
      content: "1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts."
    # Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
    - role: system
      content: []
      output_config:
        effort: low
    - role: user
      content: Summarize the plan in one sentence.
  YAML
  ```

  ```python Python
  client = anthropic.Anthropic()

  response = client.beta.messages.create(
      model="claude-fable-5-1",
      max_tokens=4096,
      output_config={"effort": "high"},
      messages=[
          {
              "role": "user",
              "content": "Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps.",
          },
          {
              "role": "assistant",
              "content": "1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts.",
          },
          # Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
          {"role": "system", "content": [], "output_config": {"effort": "low"}},
          {"role": "user", "content": "Summarize the plan in one sentence."},
      ],
      betas=["mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01"],
  )

  for block in response.content:
      if block.type == "text":
          print(block.text)
  ```

  ```typescript TypeScript
  const client = new Anthropic();

  const response = await client.beta.messages.create({
    model: "claude-fable-5-1",
    max_tokens: 4096,
    output_config: { effort: "high" },
    messages: [
      {
        role: "user",
        content: "Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps."
      },
      {
        role: "assistant",
        content:
          "1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts."
      },
      // Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
      { role: "system", content: [], output_config: { effort: "low" } },
      { role: "user", content: "Summarize the plan in one sentence." }
    ],
    betas: ["mid-conversation-output-config-2026-07-01"]
  });

  for (const block of response.content) {
    if (block.type === "text") {
      console.log(block.text);
    }
  }
  ```

  ```csharp C#
  using Anthropic.Models.Beta;
  using Anthropic.Models.Beta.Messages;
  using Model = Anthropic.Models.Messages.Model;

  AnthropicClient client = new();

  var response = await client.Beta.Messages.Create(new MessageCreateParams
  {
      Model = Model.ClaudeFable5_1,
      MaxTokens = 4096,
      OutputConfig = new() { Effort = Effort.High },
      Messages =
      [
          new BetaUserMessageParam { Content = "Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps." },
          new BetaAssistantMessageParam { Content = "1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts." },
          // Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
          new BetaSystemMessageParam
          {
              Content = new([]),
              OutputConfig = new() { Effort = BetaSystemMessageOutputConfigEffort.Low },
          },
          new BetaUserMessageParam { Content = "Summarize the plan in one sentence." },
      ],
      Betas = [AnthropicBeta.MidConversationOutputConfig2026_07_01],
  });

  foreach (var block in response.Content)
  {
      if (block.TryPickText(out var textBlock))
      {
          Console.WriteLine(textBlock.Text);
      }
  }
  ```

  ```go Go
  client := anthropic.NewClient()

  response, err := client.Beta.Messages.New(context.Background(), anthropic.BetaMessageNewParams{
  	Model:     anthropic.ModelClaudeFable5_1,
  	MaxTokens: 4096,
  	OutputConfig: anthropic.BetaOutputConfigParam{
  		Effort: anthropic.BetaOutputConfigEffortHigh,
  	},
  	Messages: []anthropic.BetaMessageParam{
  		anthropic.NewBetaUserMessage(anthropic.NewBetaTextBlock("Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps.")),
  		{OfAssistant: &anthropic.BetaAssistantMessageParam{
  			Content: []anthropic.BetaContentBlockParamUnion{anthropic.NewBetaTextBlock("1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts.")},
  		}},
  		// Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
  		anthropic.NewBetaSystemMessage(anthropic.BetaSystemMessageOutputConfigParam{
  			Effort: anthropic.BetaSystemMessageOutputConfigEffortLow,
  		}),
  		anthropic.NewBetaUserMessage(anthropic.NewBetaTextBlock("Summarize the plan in one sentence.")),
  	},
  	Betas: []anthropic.AnthropicBeta{anthropic.AnthropicBetaMidConversationOutputConfig2026_07_01},
  })
  if err != nil {
  	log.Fatal(err)
  }

  for _, block := range response.Content {
  	if textBlock, ok := block.AsAny().(anthropic.BetaTextBlock); ok {
  		fmt.Println(textBlock.Text)
  	}
  }
  ```

  ```java Java
  import com.anthropic.models.beta.AnthropicBeta;
  import com.anthropic.models.beta.messages.BetaMessage;
  import com.anthropic.models.beta.messages.BetaOutputConfig;
  import com.anthropic.models.beta.messages.BetaSystemMessageOutputConfig;
  import com.anthropic.models.beta.messages.BetaSystemMessageParam;
  import com.anthropic.models.beta.messages.MessageCreateParams;
  import com.anthropic.models.messages.Model;

  void main() {
      AnthropicClient client = AnthropicOkHttpClient.fromEnv();

      MessageCreateParams params = MessageCreateParams.builder()
          .model(Model.CLAUDE_FABLE_5_1)
          .maxTokens(4096L)
          .addBeta(AnthropicBeta.MID_CONVERSATION_OUTPUT_CONFIG_2026_07_01)
          .outputConfig(BetaOutputConfig.builder()
              .effort(BetaOutputConfig.Effort.HIGH)
              .build())
          .addUserMessage("Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps.")
          .addAssistantMessage("1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts.")
          // Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
          .addMessage(BetaSystemMessageParam.builder()
              .contentOfBlocks(List.of())
              .outputConfig(BetaSystemMessageOutputConfig.builder()
                  .effort(BetaSystemMessageOutputConfig.Effort.LOW)
                  .build())
              .build())
          .addUserMessage("Summarize the plan in one sentence.")
          .build();

      BetaMessage response = client.beta().messages().create(params);
      response.content().stream()
          .flatMap(block -> block.text().stream())
          .forEach(textBlock -> IO.println(textBlock.text()));
  }
  ```

  ```php PHP
  use Anthropic\Beta\AnthropicBeta;
  use Anthropic\Beta\Messages\BetaMessageParam;
  use Anthropic\Beta\Messages\BetaOutputConfig;
  use Anthropic\Beta\Messages\BetaSystemMessageOutputConfig;
  use Anthropic\Beta\Messages\BetaTextBlock;
  use Anthropic\Client;
  use Anthropic\Messages\Model;

  $client = new Client();

  $response = $client->beta->messages->create(
      model: Model::CLAUDE_FABLE_5_1,
      maxTokens: 4096,
      outputConfig: BetaOutputConfig::with(effort: 'high'),
      messages: [
          BetaMessageParam::with(role: 'user', content: 'Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps.'),
          BetaMessageParam::with(role: 'assistant', content: '1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts.'),
          // Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
          BetaMessageParam::with(
              role: 'system',
              content: [],
              outputConfig: BetaSystemMessageOutputConfig::with(effort: 'low'),
          ),
          BetaMessageParam::with(role: 'user', content: 'Summarize the plan in one sentence.'),
      ],
      betas: [AnthropicBeta::MID_CONVERSATION_OUTPUT_CONFIG_2026_07_01],
  );

  foreach ($response->content as $block) {
      if ($block instanceof BetaTextBlock) {
          echo $block->text, PHP_EOL;
      }
  }
  ```

  ```ruby Ruby
  client = Anthropic::Client.new

  response = client.beta.messages.create(
    model: Anthropic::Model::CLAUDE_FABLE_5_1,
    max_tokens: 4096,
    output_config: {effort: :high},
    messages: [
      {role: "user", content: "Plan a migration from SQLite to PostgreSQL in three short steps."},
      {role: "assistant", content: "1. Export the SQLite data. 2. Create the PostgreSQL schema. 3. Import the data and verify row counts."},
      # Effort-only system message: the new level takes effect from the next user turn.
      {role: "system", content: [], output_config: {effort: :low}},
      {role: "user", content: "Summarize the plan in one sentence."}
    ],
    betas: [Anthropic::AnthropicBeta::MID_CONVERSATION_OUTPUT_CONFIG_2026_07_01]

Cut at 300 lines. The page has the rest.

No line in this hunk matches that.