Required Platforms and Access Setup

Required Platforms and Access Setup#

To complete the course exercises and build applications effectively, you will need access to specific platforms. This document outlines the necessary accounts and API keys or tokens required for each platform, organized into three sections: LLMs, Cloud Compute Platforms, and Other (for additional services like Twilio and GitHub).

1. LLM Platforms#

In this section, we cover the required access for platforms that provide large language models (LLMs) and related resources.

OpenAI Developer API Key#

To access OpenAI’s models programmatically, you need an OpenAI API key. Follow these steps:

  1. Create an OpenAI Account
    Go to OpenAI’s website to sign up.

  2. Generate an API Key

    • Log in and navigate to API Keys.

    • Click on Create new secret key to generate a new API key.

    • Copy and store the key securely, as it will be needed to authenticate with OpenAI’s API.

  3. Usage and Billing
    OpenAI offers a free trial, but be mindful of usage limits and potential charges.

Hugging Face Token#

To access Hugging Face’s models and datasets programmatically, you’ll need a Hugging Face access token.

  1. Create a Hugging Face Account
    Sign up at Hugging Face’s website.

  2. Generate an Access Token

    • Log in, go to Settings, and select Access Tokens.

    • Click New token, set a name (e.g., “Course Token”), choose “Read” for access level, and generate the token.

    • Copy and save the token for use with Hugging Face’s resources.

2. Cloud Compute Platforms#

This section details required access for cloud-based compute resources.

AWS (Amazon Web Services)#

AWS will provide cloud resources for deploying and running applications at scale.

  1. Create an AWS Account
    Go to AWS’s website to create an account.

  2. Generate Access Keys

    • Log in to the AWS Management Console.

    • Navigate to IAM (Identity and Access Management) > Users and select your user.

    • Under Security credentials, click Create access key.

    • Copy and store your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key securely for connecting to AWS services.

  3. Free Tier Usage
    AWS offers a free tier for new users, which may be sufficient for many course exercises. Monitor usage to avoid unexpected charges.

3. Other Platforms#

This section includes additional services needed for the course.

Twilio (for WhatsApp Integration)#

Twilio will enable WhatsApp access, allowing you to build and deploy chatbot applications.

  1. Create a Twilio Account
    Sign up at Twilio’s website.

  2. Generate an API Key for WhatsApp

    • After logging in, navigate to Console > API Keys & Tokens.

    • Click on Create new API Key, give it a name, and copy the SID and Secret.

    • Follow Twilio’s documentation to set up WhatsApp messaging capabilities, including linking your WhatsApp number.

  3. Free Trial
    Twilio offers a free trial with a small amount of credit, allowing you to experiment with WhatsApp API functionality. Be sure to check usage limits.

GitHub (for Project Repository Management)#

GitHub will be used to manage project files and collaborate on code.

  1. Create a GitHub Account
    Go to GitHub’s website and sign up for an account if you don’t already have one.

  2. Set Up SSH Keys (Optional)
    To simplify authentication, you may want to set up SSH keys.

    • Follow the instructions in GitHub’s documentation for generating SSH keys.

    • Once set up, add the public key to your GitHub account under Settings > SSH and GPG keys.

  3. Forking and Cloning Repositories
    During the course, you will be working with GitHub repositories. Familiarize yourself with forking and cloning repositories to easily access course materials and project files.

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