AI-Assisted Coding Guide

Learn to code with AI as your pair programmer. No timeline, no pressure - explore at your own pace.

⚠️ Active Development: This guide is in active development. Content is being added, refined, and expanded continuously. New examples, exercises, and learning paths are regularly added.

🎯 What This Is

• A guidebook for learning AI-assisted development
• Generic examples and patterns (not production code)
• Tools for building YOUR workflow (not following someone else's)
• Safe playground for experimentation

🚫 What This Isn't

• A traditional coding bootcamp with deadlines
• A rigid curriculum you must follow in order
• Production-ready code (it's for learning)
• One "right way" to do things

👥 Who This Is For

• Complete coding novices - Never written code before
• Technical leaders - Managing dev teams, want to understand code
• Curious learners - Want to explore AI-assisted development
• Project builders - Building software with AI help

🚀 Quick Start (Pick Your Path)

Path 1: "I've never coded before" ✨ NEW

→ Start with scenarios/complete-beginner-path.md - Your complete roadmap

Path 2: "I've never used GitHub"

→ Start with documentation/01-github-basics/README.md

Path 3: "I want to understand AI coding tools"

→ Start with documentation/02-ai-tools/README.md

Path 4: "I want to build something NOW"

→ Start with examples/01-hello-api/ and follow HOW_TO_BUILD.md

Path 5: "I want to design my workflow"

→ Start with documentation/03-workflow-building/README.md

Path 6: "I'm a technical leader learning to oversee developers"

→ Start with scenarios/technical-leader-learning.md

📚 What's Inside

• GitHub Basics Available - Version control, repos, branches, PRs (with analogies)
• AI Tools Available - Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT - how to use them effectively
• Workflow Building Available - Create YOUR process from simple to sophisticated
• Patterns In Development - API basics, validation, testing, security principles (more coming!)
• Examples In Development - Complete working projects with step-by-step AI-assisted builds (more coming!)
• Templates Available - Learning journal, PR descriptions, project READMEs
• Exercises In Development - Hands-on practice for GitHub and coding (more exercises being added)
• Scenarios Available - Complete beginner path and technical leader learning path

🔄 Reusable Resources

New! All learning resources are now organized in the reusable/ directory for easy access and repurposing across multiple repositories.

• Reusable Directory - Organized, portable learning resources
• Portability Guide - How to use these resources in other repos
• Quick access to philosophy, paths, exercises, templates, and guides

🎓 Learning Philosophy

Your learning path should fit you, not the other way around.

• Learn what energizes you, not what you "should" learn
• Multiple valid paths - no single "correct" sequence
• Workflows should fit you, not vice versa
• Focus on fulfilling work right now, not arbitrary goals

Based on individualized learning principles - see documentation/dark-horse-approach.md for details.

🛠️ How to Use This Repository

1. Fork it - Make your own copy to experiment
2. Explore - Click around, read what interests you
3. Try things - Run examples, break them, fix them
4. Build - Create projects with AI help
5. Design - Develop your personal workflow
6. Share - Teach others what you learn

🤝 Contributing

Found something confusing? Have a better explanation? Built something cool?

• Open an issue
• Submit a PR
• Share your learning journey

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

📝 Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for a list of changes and version history.

📄 License

MIT License - Use freely, adapt, share, build upon

🙏 Acknowledgments

Built to help anyone learn AI-assisted coding. No gatekeeping, no prerequisites, just curiosity and willingness to explore.

---

Ready to start? Pick a path above and dive in! 🚀

Agent Instructions

This repository follows Agent Behavioral Standards. All AI agents MUST read these before performing any tasks.