Stage 1: Foundations

1 Become fluent with code, data, math, and systems basics.

Goal

Build the programming, data, math, and software habits needed to learn AI without fighting basic tooling.

Roadmap to Master This Stage

1. Read the stage goal and diagram before opening the parts.
2. Move through the parts in order unless you can already pass the exit criteria.
3. Study each sub-part folder: overview, deep dive, and examples/practice.
4. Build the stage artifact in small slices and measure the listed metrics.
5. Use the part exam after each part, or open the global Exam tab to test across the roadmap.

Stage Structure Diagram

%%{init: {"flowchart": {"htmlLabels": true, "nodeSpacing": 70, "rankSpacing": 90}, "themeVariables": {"fontSize": "18px"}} }%%
flowchart LR
  P1["<b>1.1</b><br/>Python Software Craft"]
  P2["<b>1.2</b><br/>Math for AI Engineers"]
  P1 --> P2
  P3["<b>1.3</b><br/>Data Handling"]
  P2 --> P3
  P4["<b>1.4</b><br/>Databases and Storage"]
  P3 --> P4
  P5["<b>1.5</b><br/>Web and API Basics"]
  P4 --> P5
  P6["<b>1.6</b><br/>Systems Thinking Basics"]
  P5 --> P6

Parts

Part	Simple explanation	Build focus
1.1 Python Software Craft	Write Python that can grow from notebooks into maintainable AI project code.	Refactor a notebook-style script into a small package with tests and a CLI.
1.2 Math for AI Engineers	Learn the practical math that explains representations, uncertainty, optimization, and metrics.	Build notebooks for vector similarity, probability simulation, and gradient descent.
1.3 Data Handling	Turn messy raw data into inspected, documented, and validated inputs.	Profile, clean, and export a real dataset.
1.4 Databases and Storage	Understand where application, training, retrieval, and observability data live.	Load a cleaned dataset into SQLite and query it.
1.5 Web and API Basics	Learn the service contracts used by LLM APIs, agent tools, dashboards, and deployed products.	Build a small JSON API or command-line API client.
1.6 Systems Thinking Basics	Build enough runtime intuition to reason about memory, concurrency, queues, containers, and deployment.	Wrap a slow data task as a small service or background job.

Sub-Part Map

Part	Sub-part	Why it matters
1.1	1.1.1 Python Project Structure	Python Project Structure is the working skill inside Python Software Craft that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.1	1.1.2 Functions Classes and Modules	Functions Classes and Modules is the working skill inside Python Software Craft that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.1	1.1.3 Testing with Pytest	Testing with Pytest is the working skill inside Python Software Craft that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.1	1.1.4 Logging and Error Handling	Logging and Error Handling is the working skill inside Python Software Craft that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.1	1.1.5 Configuration and Reproducibility	Configuration and Reproducibility is the working skill inside Python Software Craft that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.2	1.2.1 Linear Algebra for Representations	Linear Algebra for Representations is the working skill inside Math for AI Engineers that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.2	1.2.2 Probability and Random Variables	Probability and Random Variables is the working skill inside Math for AI Engineers that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.2	1.2.3 Statistics and Sampling	Statistics and Sampling is the working skill inside Math for AI Engineers that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.2	1.2.4 Calculus and Gradient Intuition	Calculus and Gradient Intuition is the working skill inside Math for AI Engineers that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.3	1.3.1 CSV JSON and Parquet	CSV JSON and Parquet is the working skill inside Data Handling that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.3	1.3.2 Pandas and NumPy Workflow	Pandas and NumPy Workflow is the working skill inside Data Handling that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.3	1.3.3 Data Validation and Schemas	Data Validation and Schemas is the working skill inside Data Handling that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.3	1.3.4 Visualization for Debugging	Visualization for Debugging is the working skill inside Data Handling that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.4	1.4.1 SQL Tables and Joins	SQL Tables and Joins is the working skill inside Databases and Storage that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.4	1.4.2 Indexes Transactions and Query Plans	Indexes Transactions and Query Plans is the working skill inside Databases and Storage that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.4	1.4.3 Document Stores and Object Storage	Document Stores and Object Storage is the working skill inside Databases and Storage that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.4	1.4.4 Vector Database Preview	Vector Database Preview is the working skill inside Databases and Storage that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.5	1.5.1 HTTP Methods and Status Codes	HTTP Methods and Status Codes is the working skill inside Web and API Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.5	1.5.2 JSON Contracts and Validation	JSON Contracts and Validation is the working skill inside Web and API Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.5	1.5.3 REST APIs and Streaming	REST APIs and Streaming is the working skill inside Web and API Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.5	1.5.4 Auth Headers and Rate Limits	Auth Headers and Rate Limits is the working skill inside Web and API Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.6	1.6.1 Complexity and Runtime Costs	Complexity and Runtime Costs is the working skill inside Systems Thinking Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.6	1.6.2 Processes Threads and Async IO	Processes Threads and Async IO is the working skill inside Systems Thinking Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.
1.6	1.6.3 Queues Caches and Background Jobs	Queues Caches and Background Jobs is the working skill inside Systems Thinking Basics that helps you build the stage artifact, A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report, while collecting enough evidence to trust the result.

Stage Artifact

A tested Python data application with a CLI or API, setup notes, and a short data report.

What to Measure

• tests pass from clean checkout
• data quality report
• runtime measured
• CLI or API path documented

Exit Criteria

• use Python environments, packages, tests, and type hints
• clean and inspect a real dataset
• explain vectors, probability, gradients, and splits
• debug HTTP, JSON, SQL, Git, and shell workflows

Navigation

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