This is the code repository for Generative AI with LangChain, First Edition, published by Packt.

Build large language model (LLM) apps with Python, ChatGPT, and other LLMs

Ben Auffarth

About the Book

ChatGPT and the GPT models by OpenAI have profoundly changed how we write, research, and process information. This book discusses how LLMs work, their capabilities, and their limitations, with a focus on chat systems like ChatGPT and Bard. Through practical examples, it demonstrates how to utilize the LangChain framework to create production-ready LLM applications suited for various tasks such as customer support, software development assistance, and data analysis—showcasing the immense utility of LLMs.

Unlock the full potential of LLMs in your projects as you dive into guidance on fine-tuning, prompt engineering, and best practices for deployment and monitoring in production environments. Whether you’re crafting creative writing tools, developing sophisticated chatbots, or building advanced software development aids, this book will guide you through mastering the transformative power of generative AI with confidence and creativity.

Key Learnings

• Understand LLMs, their strengths, and limitations
• Grasp generative AI fundamentals and industry trends
• Create LLM apps with LangChain like question-answering systems and chatbots
• Understand transformer models and attention mechanisms
• Automate data analysis and visualization using pandas and Python
• Grasp prompt engineering to improve performance
• Fine-tune LLMs and access the tools to unleash their power
• Deploy LLMs as a service with LangChain and apply evaluation strategies
• Interact with documents privately using open-source LLMs to prevent data leaks

Requirements for this Book

Software and Hardware List

This is the companion repository for the book. Below is a list of instructions to help you set up your environment. Please refer to Chapter 3 for more details:

Chapter	Software Required	Link to the Software	Hardware Specifications	OS Required
All chapters	Python 3.11	Python Downloads	Should work on any recent computer	Windows, MacOS, Linux (any)

Getting Started with LangChain

Installing Dependencies

To install the necessary libraries and dependencies for this book, there are several approaches: conda, pip, Docker, and Poetry. Here’s a brief overview of each:

1. Using Conda

Conda is recommended for installing dependencies. Ensure you have Anaconda installed. Then create an environment:

conda env create --file langchain_ai.yaml --force

Activate it:

conda activate langchain_ai

2. Using Pip

Pip is the default dependency management tool in Python. You can install libraries from the requirements file:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Analogies for Better Understanding

Consider building an LLM application like constructing a Lego model. Just as you need various blocks (or modules) to construct your desired Lego creation, you need components (like LangChain and Python libraries) to build an effective LLM app. Each block serves a specific purpose, and putting them together in the right way results in the final product—just as combining various functions in your code leads to a functional LLM application.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues, here are a few tips:

• If you face a timeout with pip, try increasing the timeout setting:

export PIP_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=100

• For Windows users experiencing difficulties with conda or pip, consider using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or Docker.
• If installation fails due to missing C++ Build Tools, ensure they are installed.
• Should problems persist, feel free to raise an issue in the repository or create a pull request if you have a fix.

Remember, every issue you encounter is an opportunity to learn and improve your setup. For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.