AI-assisted Coding with Codeium

The participants should:

• Have basic computer skills and fundamental coding knowledge (e.g., understanding data types, loading data, writing simple functions).
• Be familiar with using a code editor (e.g., VS Code).
• Have an interest in learning AI-assisted coding tools.

Recommended:

• Basic experience with any programming language.
• Familiarity with debugging and version control is helpful but not required.</div></div>

Where: Science Park 402, 1098 XH Amsterdam. Get directions with OpenStreetMap or Google Maps.

When: November 25, 2024, 11:00 - 15:00 CET.

Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Mac, Linux, or Windows operating system (not a tablet, Chromebook, etc.) that they have administrative privileges on. They should have a few specific software packages installed (listed below).

Accessibility: We are committed to making this workshop accessible to everybody. The workshop organizers have checked that:

• The room is wheelchair / scooter accessible.
• Accessible restrooms are available.

Materials will be provided in advance of the workshop and large-print handouts are available if needed by notifying the organizers in advance. If we can help making learning easier for you (e.g. sign-language interpreters, lactation facilities) please get in touch (using contact details below) and we will attempt to provide them.

Workshop files: You will find all slides, notebooks, archived collaborative documents, and other relevant files in the files folder of the workshop website repository after the workshop.

Contact: Please email or training@esciencecenter.nl for more information.

Code of Conduct

Participants are expected to follow these guidelines:

• Use welcoming and inclusive language
• Be respectful of different viewpoints and experiences
• Gracefully accept constructive criticism
• Focus on what is best for the community
• Show courtesy and respect towards other community members

Syllabus

• Introduction to AI Coding Assistants
• Code Generation and Optimization
• Ethical and Security Considerations

Schedule

All times in the schedule are in the CET timezone.

Setup

To participate in this workshop, you will need access to software as described below. In addition, you will need an up-to-date web browser.

We maintain a list of common issues that occur during installation as a reference for instructors that may be useful on the Configuration Problems and Solutions wiki page.

Software setup

Code Editor

The recommended code editor for this lesson is Visual Studio Code, a popular code editor frequently used by researchers. You can download it from the official website. Follow the instructions on the website to install it on your operating system.

Setting up Codeium

1. Make sure you have an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) installed on your computer. Go to the Codeium download page to see a list of supported IDEs and installation instructions. Visual Studio Code is on the list, so if you followed the previous step, you are all set.

2. Open Extension Marketplace: Open the Extension Marketplace, which is the icon with boxes on the primary sidebar in your VS Code.

3. Install Codeium: Type Codeium in the marketplace search bar, open up the page and click the blue Install button.

4. Authorize: After installation is complete, you should be prompted by Visual Studio Code with a pop-up on the bottom right to authorize Codeium. If not, you should see an option to sign in to your Codeium account in the bottom left Accounts tab of your Visual Studio Code window. Click the Sign in with Auth to use Codeium option. Either method (popup or Accounts tab) should redirect you to the Codeium website.

5. Create Account: If you do not have a Codeium account yet, you will be redirected to create an account.

6. Sign In: If you are not signed in, please sign in with your account details. Once you sign in, you will be redirected back to Visual Studio Code via pop-up. Click Open Visual Studio Code, which should redirect you back to Visual Studio Code. If you are using a browser-based IDE, instead of being redirected back with pop-up, you will be routed to instructions on how to complete authentication by providing an access token. Please follow these instructions instead of Step 6, and then continue on with “Using Codeium.”

7. All Done! You will be asked to confirm the authentication in Visual Studio Code (click Open in the resulting pop-up).

Setting Up Your Python Environment

Installing Python

For the practical exercises in this lesson, we will use Python. If Python isn’t already installed on your system, download it from the official Python website and follow the provided instructions for installation.

Setting Up a Virtual Environment

To ensure a consistent and isolated Python environment, we recommend using a virtual environment. Virtual environments allow you to manage dependencies specific to each project without affecting other Python projects or your global Python setup.

Install virtualenv if it’s not already available by running:

pip install virtualenv

Alternatively, you can use pipx to manage virtualenv installation:

pipx install virtualenv

Then, in your project directory, you can create a virtual environment:

python3 -m venv .venv

This command will create a .venv folder in your current directory to store all environment-specific files.

To activate the virtual environment, you will use the following command:

• On Windows, run .venv\Scripts\activate.bat
• On macOS/Linux, run source .venv/bin/activate

After activation, you should see the name of your environment (e.g., .venv) appear in your terminal prompt, indicating that the environment is active.

Once the environment is activated, you can install the packages needed for this lesson. Run the following command to install the necessary dependencies:

pip install -r https://raw.githubusercontent.com/olgaminaeva/gen-ai-coding/refs/heads/main/learners/files/requirements.txt

When you’re finished with your work, after the end of this lesson, deactivate the virtual environment by typing deactivate. This will return you to your global Python environment.