Building LLM applications workshop

Welcome to the Building LLM applications workshop! In this hands-on session, you will enhance a recipe database application by integrating automatic recipe parsing powered by a Large Language Model (LLM). By the end of this workshop, you will gain practical experience with parsing HTML, prompt engineering, LLM client setup, prompt evaluation, and function calling.

---

Preparations prior to the workshop

Bring your own computer to participate in the session. To ensure everything runs smoothly and to save time during the event, please complete the following steps in advance.

1. Install Node.js (Version 22 LTS)

Node.js is required for running JavaScript-based tools and applications. We require Node.js version 22 (LTS). The exercises have been tested and verified with version v22.18.0. Older versions might not be compatible.

We recommend using a version manager like nvm to install and manage Node.js, as it provides more flexibility.

Recommended: Using a Node Version Manager (nvm)

nvm allows you to easily switch between different Node.js versions.

macOS & Linux

1. Open your terminal and install nvm using the official install script:

   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.3/install.sh | bash

2. Close and reopen your terminal for the changes to take effect.
3. Install and use Node.js LTS version 22:

   nvm install 22
   nvm use 22

4. Verify the installation:

   node --version
   # Should output v22.x.x
   npm --version

Windows

1. Download and run the installer for nvm-windows.
2. Once installed, open a new terminal (Command Prompt or PowerShell) and run:

   nvm install 22
   nvm use 22

3. Verify the installation:

   node --version
   # Should output v22.x.x
   npm --version

Alternative: Direct Installation

If you prefer not to use a version manager such as nvm, you can install Node.js directly.

Windows

1. Download the Windows installer from the Node.js official website.
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts.
3. Open a terminal (Command Prompt or PowerShell) and verify the installation:

   node --version
   npm --version

macOS

1. Install Node.js using Homebrew:

   brew install node

2. Verify the installation:

   node --version
   npm --version

Linux

1. Install Node.js via your package manager (e.g., apt for Ubuntu):

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install nodejs npm

2. Verify the installation:

   node --version
   npm --version

Alternatively, you can download the Node.js installer from the Node.js official website for your platform.

2. Install Git

Git is required for version control and cloning the workshop repository. If you already have Git installed, you can skip this step.

Windows

1. Download the Git installer from the Git official website.
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts.
3. Open a terminal and verify the installation:

   git --version

macOS

1. Install Git using Homebrew:

   brew install git

2. Verify the installation:

   git --version

Linux

1. Install Git via your package manager:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install git

2. Verify the installation:

   git --version

3. Install an IDE

You will need an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for coding. If you already have a favorite IDE installed, you can skip this step. We recommend Visual Studio Code.

Windows/Mac/Linux

1. Download the installer for your platform from the VS Code official website.
2. Follow the installation prompts.

Alternatively, you may use another IDE of your choice.

4. Clone the workshop repository

Once you have installed Git:

1. Open a terminal and run the following command to clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/callistaenterprise/gaia2025-llm-workshop.git

2. Navigate into the repository folder:

   cd gaia2025-llm-workshop

---

That’s it! You’re now prepared to dive into the workshop. See you there!

Workshop

▶ Click here to proceed to Exercise 1