How to: Sep 13, 2024
1. AI Engineering is an emerging software development field where you build apps on top of existing AI models. Microsoft recently unveiled a new certification in AI Engineering that you can earn by passing their exam. And already, freeCodeCamp is coming in clutch with a comprehensive course on it. Andrew Brown is a CTO who has passed dozens of similar cloud cert exams over the years. He'll teach you all about Azure's AI Search, Computer Vision API, Speech API, Video Indexer, and more. (14 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/pass-the-azure-ai-engineer-associate-certification-ai-102/

2. And if you want to go even deeper into AI engineering, this handbook will teach you how AI Agents can help you supercharge your Language Models. You'll learn some of the history and philosophy behind AI agents, and how developers progressed from Rule-Based Systems to Machine Learning over the decades. You'll also learn what kinds of problems current generation AI Agents are best applied to, such as debugging a script or maximizing the amount of natural light in an architectural design. (full-length handbook): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-ai-agents-can-supercharge-language-models-handbook/

3. On this week's podcast I interview Jack Herrington, the Blue Collar Coder. As a kid, Jack had to work to overcome Dyslexia, and didn't have good enough grades to get into college. Despite this, he taught himself to code while working blue collar jobs. He has now worked as a software engineer for more than 40 years at companies like Nike, Adobe, and Walmart. We talk about his war stories from the field, and the 6 programming books he's published along the way. We also talk about his love of bad movies. (2 hour watch or listen in your favorite podcast app): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/surviving-40-years-in-tech-jack-herrington-podcast-140/

4. Chart.js is an open source Data Visualization library. This tutorial will walk you through building your own charts that look great in a browser. You'll see real code examples of popular chart types like Scatterplots, Radar Charts, and Polar Area charts. You'll also learn how to load in your own JSON data, and how to add ARIA labels to make your charts accessible to people with disabilities. (40 minute read): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-to-use-chart-js-for-interactive-data-visualization/

5. freeCodeCamp doesn't just teach programming. We also published a course on music production this week. You'll learn how to use the popular Digital Audio Workstation tool FL Studio. This course by music educator Tristan Wilcox will teach you key concepts like song structure, mixing, mastering, and automation. He also teaches music theory fundamentals like chords, melody, rhythm, and bass. (3 hour YouTube course): https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/learn-music-production-for-beginners/

Quote of the Week: *"A good programmer is someone who always looks both ways before crossing a one-way street."* — Doug Linder, Programmer