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Deep Diver Setup: Native

For experienced developers who want full control and the ability to browse, run, debug, and tweak the code.

Prerequisites

  • Development experience with basic command line and version control
  • Python 3.12.x installed and accessible via python command
  • Git installed
  • Your preferred development environment (IDE, editor, shell, etc.)

Setup

1. Clone and navigate to the repository

git clone https://github.com/hosmanadam/rag-beyond-the-basics.git
cd rag-beyond-the-basics

2. Verify Python version

python --version

Should show Python 3.12.x. If you only have python3, feel free to use that throughout.

3. Set up Python dependencies

Choose your preferred approach:

Option A: Using Poetry (if you have it)

poetry install && poetry shell

Option B: Using venv

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
python -m pip install -e .

4. Prepare environment variables

cp .env.example .env

5. Verify setup

ws hello

This should print a welcome message and confirm all dependencies are working.

6. Optional: Set up your own LangSmith account

If you want to debug your own traces instead of using shared workshop access:

  1. Sign up for a free account at https://smith.langchain.com
  2. Get your API key from the account settings
  3. Add LANGCHAIN_API_KEY to your .env file

During the Workshop

1. Get latest code

git pull

2. Activate your environment (if not using an IDE that handles this)

Poetry: poetry shell
venv: source .venv/bin/activate

3. Update dependencies

poetry install or python -m pip install -e .

4. Add API keys to .env file (provided during workshop)

5. Run the application

ws gui

This opens the Chainlit interface in your browser.

Debugging and Observability

You'll participate in debugging exercises using LangSmith:

  • Shared access: We'll provide credentials to view workshop traces
  • Your own traces: If you set up your own account above, you'll see your own traces

LangSmith access: https://smith.langchain.com

Troubleshooting

  • Python version issues: We need 3.12.x specifically for compatibility with all dependencies
  • Virtual environment not active: Make sure your terminal prompt shows (.venv) or similar
  • Permission errors with ws command: Try poetry run ws hello instead (if using Poetry)
  • Import errors: Run python -m pip install -e . again

After the Workshop

Cleanup

If you no longer need this environment:

# Delete the entire repository (removes all dependencies)
cd ..
rm -rf rag-beyond-the-basics

This removes everything - the code, virtual environment, and all dependencies.

Ready to dive deep! 🤿