🔧 Token Cost Optimization: The Complete Guide to Building Cost-Efficient LLM Applications

Part 1 : Understanding Token Economics, Hidden Costs, and the Fundamentals Every AI Engineer Must Know








Table of Contents



Introduction
Why Token Cost Optimization Matters More Than Ever
Understanding What a Token Really Is
How LLM Providers Charge for Tokens
Input Tokens vs Output Tokens
Why "Cheap Prompts" Can Become...