Microsoft GenAI for Beginners
Generative AI for Beginners is a 21-lesson course by Microsoft Cloud Advocates that teaches the fundamentals of building generative AI applications. It covers concepts from prompt engineering to building text, chat, image, and search applications, with code examples in Python and TypeScript. It is intended for developers with basic knowledge of Python or TypeScript who want to learn how to build generative AI applications.
✨ Key features
- 21 lessons covering generative AI concepts and builds
- Code examples in Python and TypeScript
- Supports Azure OpenAI, OpenAI API, and Microsoft Foundry
- Includes videos, written lessons, and extra resources
- Available in 50+ languages via translations
- Sparse checkout option to reduce download size
🎯 Use cases
- Learn prompt engineering fundamentals and advanced techniques
- Build text generation and chat applications
- Build image generation applications
- Build search applications using vector databases
- Integrate external applications with function calling
📦 Installation
🧰 Requirements: Requires basic knowledge of Python or TypeScript, a GitHub account, and access to one of: Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft Foundry Models, OpenAI API, or Foundry Local.
To clone without translations (recommended for faster download):
git clone --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/microsoft/generative-ai-for-beginners.git
cd generative-ai-for-beginners
git sparse-checkout set --no-cone '/*' '!translations' '!translated_images'
For Windows CMD:
git clone --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/microsoft/generative-ai-for-beginners.git
cd generative-ai-for-beginners
git sparse-checkout set --no-cone "/*" "!translations" "!translated_images"
🚀 Usage
Start with the Course Setup lesson (00) to configure your environment, then pick any lesson that interests you. Each lesson includes a README with instructions and code samples in Python and TypeScript. For example, to build a text generation app, follow lesson 06.
⚠️ Good to know
GitHub Models is retiring at the end of July 2026; use Microsoft Foundry Models instead.
❓ FAQ
What are the prerequisites for this course?
Basic knowledge of Python or TypeScript is helpful, and you need a GitHub account to fork the repo. You also need access to an AI service like Azure OpenAI or OpenAI API.
Can I run the code without a cloud subscription?
Yes, you can use Foundry Local to run models fully offline on your own device, no cloud subscription required.
Are there translations available?
Yes, the README is translated into over 50 languages, and translations are maintained via GitHub Actions.
How do I get support or connect with other learners?
You can join the official Microsoft Foundry Discord server or ask questions in the Microsoft Foundry Developer Forum on GitHub.
📊 Repository
🤖 Overview, features, install steps and FAQ were generated from the project's README on Sep 4, 2026. Always check the original source before running commands.