Fixed Size Chunking

What is Fixed-Size Chunking?

Fixed-Size Chunking is the process of splitting a large piece of data (like a long string of text) into smaller, equal-sized segments or "chunks." It's one of the simplest and most direct methods for breaking down data. Think of it like a chocolate bar with pre-defined squares. You can easily break off one square at a time. Fixed-size chunking works the same way: it "breaks" the data every `N` characters, regardless of words or sentences.

The biggest advantage of this method is its predictability and speed. You always know the maximum size of each chunk, which is great for systems with fixed input limits. However, its biggest drawback is that it has no semantic awareness and will often cut words or sentences in half, which can be problematic for tasks that require understanding the meaning of the text.