From Zero to Hero: Learning Through 📖 Open Source AI Projects 💻
Saurabh Rai

Saurabh Rai @srbhr

About: SWE, Growth & Dev-Rel | Creator of Resume Matcher 🚀 | I share insights on open-source, AI, productivity and growth | Visit: srbhr.com for collaboration ✨

Location:
India
Joined:
Sep 25, 2019

From Zero to Hero: Learning Through 📖 Open Source AI Projects 💻

Publish Date: Nov 26 '24
468 39

Have you ever wanted to learn about AI but felt lost about where to start? Don't worry - you're not alone! Many people want to learn about AI tools but aren't sure how to begin. This guide will help you understand five useful AI tools that can help you learn while you use them.

Learning

Why Learn Through Open Source Apps?

Think about learning to ride a bike. You didn't start by reading a book about bikes - you got on one and started pedaling! Learning AI works the same way. Instead of just reading about AI, you can learn better by using and building AI tools.

What makes open source apps special is that you can look under the hood - just like having a transparent bike where you can see all the gears working together. You can read the code, make changes, and learn from real developers who've built successful projects.
Plus, you're not alone - open source communities are full of people ready to help you learn and improve.

Learning Loop

Learning loop source: 3 looped learning

What are some open source that I can learn from?

Learning by observing how others approach their work can be incredibly effective. Often, we may not have access to mentors or experienced guides, yet our drive to achieve something meaningful keeps us moving forward. In such cases, exploring and studying open-source projects offers a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow. It’s one of the best ways to develop skills and gain insights.

Let’s explore some open source projects.

SWIRL

SWIRL

SWIRL is an open-source AI Search and RAG system that integrates advanced AI technologies into business operations. It offers features like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), AI Search, analytics, and a Co-Pilot assistant, enabling enhanced decision-making without the need to move data into vector databases or undergo ETL processes.

What can I learn from it?

  • AI Integration in Business: Understand how to incorporate AI capabilities into existing business systems to improve decision-making and efficiency.
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Learn about RAG techniques that combine information retrieval with generative AI to provide contextually relevant responses.
  • Data Security Practices: Explore methods to implement AI solutions that operate directly on local data, enhancing security by eliminating the need for data movement.
  • Open-Source Deployment: Gain experience in deploying and managing open-source AI infrastructure within private cloud environments.

SWIRL on GitHub


Postiz

Postiz

Postiz is an open-source social media scheduling tool that leverages AI to optimize content posting across various platforms. It simplifies the process of managing multiple social media accounts and scheduling posts effectively.

What can I learn from it?

  • AI-powered scheduling: Learn how artificial intelligence can determine the best times to post on social media.
  • Multi-platform support: Understand the challenges and solutions for scheduling posts across various social media platforms.
  • User-friendly design: Explore intuitive UI design principles for easy navigation and account management.
  • Analytics integration: Discover how analytics can provide insights into post performance and audience engagement.

Postiz on GitHub


OpenBB

OpenBB

OpenBB is a free, open-source financial platform offering access to a wide range of investment research tools. It provides functionalities for analyzing equities, options, cryptocurrencies, forex, macroeconomic data, and fixed income, among others. The platform is designed to be extensible, allowing users to enhance their experience according to their needs.

What can I learn from it?

  • Comprehensive Financial Analysis: Explore various financial instruments and markets, gaining insights into equities, options, cryptocurrencies, and more.

  • Data Integration Techniques: Learn how to integrate multiple data sources into a cohesive platform, facilitating comprehensive investment research.

  • Open-Source Development Practices: Understand the collaborative processes involved in maintaining and enhancing a large-scale open-source project.

  • Extensibility and Customization: Discover how to customize and extend the platform to suit specific research needs, enhancing its functionality.

OpenBB on GitHub


Open WebUI

Open WebUI

Open WebUI is an open-source, user-friendly interface designed to facilitate interactions with large language models (LLMs). It supports various LLM runners, including Ollama and OpenAI-compatible APIs, and offers features like role-based access control, multilingual support, and integration with image generation tools. The platform is designed to operate entirely offline, ensuring data privacy and security.

What can I learn from it?

  • AI Model Integration: Understand how to connect and manage different AI models within a unified interface.
  • User Management: Learn about implementing role-based access control to manage user permissions effectively.
  • Multilingual Support: Explore techniques for providing a user interface that supports multiple languages.
  • Offline Operation: Gain insights into designing applications that function without internet connectivity, enhancing data privacy.

Open WebUI on GitHub


Auto Jobs Applier AI Agent

Auto Jobs Applier AI Agent

Auto Jobs Applier AI Agent is an open-source tool that automates the job application process. Leveraging artificial intelligence, it enables users to apply for multiple jobs efficiently and with personalized content. The agent scans job listings, filters relevant positions, and submits applications on behalf of the user, streamlining the job search experience.

What can I learn from it?

  • Automation Techniques: Understand how to automate repetitive tasks, such as job applications, using AI-driven methods.
  • AI-Powered Personalization: Learn how AI can tailor application materials to match specific job requirements, enhancing the chances of success.
  • Data Handling and Security: Explore best practices for managing sensitive user information securely within an application.
  • Open-Source Collaboration: Gain experience in contributing to and maintaining a community-driven project, including code reviews and issue tracking.

Auto Jobs Applier on GitHub


Why Learning By Doing Works Best

When you actively engage with something, your brain processes it in a way that sticks. Reading and watching videos can give you knowledge, but actually trying out concepts and solving problems makes that knowledge practical and memorable.

Building and experimenting with open-source projects is like practice sessions where you’re not just observing but doing the actual work. This method helps you tackle real-world problems and makes your learning experience much richer.

I hope this helps you in your learning journey. I’ve gained a lot of experience by contributing and learning from open source. And I wish that you, reader have the same success as me.

Greatness is coming

Thank you for reading. Greatness is coming!

Comments 39 total

  • Anmol Baranwal
    Anmol BaranwalNov 26, 2024

    Great work 🔥 OpenBB was new to me and I wonder if someone even use AI hawk agent since it has 22k+ stars on github.

    • Saurabh Rai
      Saurabh RaiNov 26, 2024

      Open BB codebase is a great way for learning about Dashboards. (There would be more like this) AI Hawk is a recent addition to GitHub nice tool.

  • Mahmoud Alaskalany
    Mahmoud AlaskalanyNov 27, 2024

    Great list ,keep it up

  • Nevo David
    Nevo DavidNov 27, 2024

    This is a fantastic list!
    Thank you for mentioning Postiz!

    • Saurabh Rai
      Saurabh RaiNov 27, 2024

      Thanks, Postiz is amazing! 🤩

  • Mugisa Jackson
    Mugisa JacksonNov 27, 2024

    Waooo, I have learnt a lot from open source

  • Abdullah Nadir
    Abdullah NadirNov 27, 2024

    Definately "Learning by Doing" is the best way of Learning.

  • MagicBuddy
    MagicBuddyNov 27, 2024

    Good post!

  • Jaisurya
    JaisuryaNov 27, 2024

    Thanks for providing useful resources and the final part of practicing is best ❤️‍🔥

    • Saurabh Rai
      Saurabh RaiNov 27, 2024

      You're welcome 😇
      Yes indeed, I'll share with you the practice of ultralearning.
      Read the articles here: scotthyoung.com/blog/articles/

      • Jaisurya
        JaisuryaNov 30, 2024

        I am very glad ! I am very thankful for sharing great learning resource for me 🤗

  • Mo Andaloussi
    Mo AndaloussiNov 27, 2024

    Thank you for the list.

  • Lulitha Gihan
    Lulitha GihanNov 27, 2024

    thanx

  • Jorge Contreras
    Jorge ContrerasNov 27, 2024

    Learn by doing is the most effective and long lasting approach. Thanks for sharing your insights!

  • iftkhar Ali
    iftkhar AliNov 27, 2024

    Together Again feels like an emotional rollercoaster. There are moments of joy, sadness, and triumph that hit you unexpectedly. It’s rare for a game to make me feel so connected to the characters, but Together Again pulls it off effortlessly. The cooperative mechanics are fun and offer plenty of replayability, but it's the story and character arcs that really make it stand out. It’s clear the developers put a lot of love and thought into every detail.

  • Winzod AI
    Winzod AINov 28, 2024

    Hey folks, came across this post and thought it might be helpful for you! Rag In AI.

  • Winzod AI
    Winzod AINov 28, 2024

    Hey folks, came across this post and thought it might be helpful for you! Rag In AI

  • Cristian Vieru
    Cristian VieruNov 28, 2024

    Nice article 🔥

  • usamHussain
    usamHussainNov 28, 2024

    I am very much interested in contributing to open source and learning from the community and giving something back. And your advice about not overthinking and just getting started (actions) works wonders.
    I wanted to ask as to how you suggest a beginner should approach these projects. Most people suggest working on good first issue tagged issues and starting a pull request.
    But most projects don't have many good first issues to begin with. Mostly there are feature enhancements, bugs and feature requests. Only a portion are GFI or docs, which facilitate beginners and understanding the overall flow of the project.
    What would you comment regarding this?

    • Saurabh Rai
      Saurabh RaiNov 28, 2024

      The best way to get started would be first:

      1. Clone the project and get it up and running.
      2. See if there's some major issue that was address and what PR was there.
      3. Imagine that you've joined a company and your first task is that same PR.
      4. Use AI to understand the flow of the project and code, and how things are working.
      • usamHussain
        usamHussainNov 28, 2024

        hmm, thats interesting. I will try this soon.
        Plus, do you recommend that a beginner should start with some 'easier' projects or should one just try to work on the most starred github repo or most used project or one that the person uses themselves?

        • Saurabh Rai
          Saurabh RaiNov 28, 2024

          Imagine if you were to join FAANGMULA+ like companies where the codebase is large and complex with lots' of people working on it. You don't get a choice to start small over there.
          However I'd say, pick one that interests you instead of targeting the most starred. Maybe start with something like OpenBB or any dashboard like application. Or even a terminal based only app.

  • mymeet.ai
    mymeet.aiNov 28, 2024

    I really like this job and I always want to watch how the company develops!

  • Sehan Randilu
    Sehan RandiluNov 29, 2024

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  • Doug Wilson
    Doug WilsonNov 29, 2024

    Great list! Inspirational! Thank you! Now I just need more time to learn/play with all this fascinating stuff. Buh-bye sleep! ;)

  • Sana Sana
    Sana SanaDec 1, 2024

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  • Görkem Çetin
    Görkem ÇetinDec 3, 2024

    I’d like to introduce Checkmate, our server and infrastructure monitoring tool. In just four months, we’ve grown to 600+ stars and 30 contributors! We pride ourselves on being a contributor-friendly community. If you’re familiar with React.js, Node.js, and MongoDB, we’d love to have you join us.

    Plus, our code reviews are fast and efficient! 🚀

  • Isaeus "Asi" Guiang
    Isaeus "Asi" GuiangDec 3, 2024

    Love this!

  • Dhanush
    DhanushDec 21, 2024

    Thanks for sharing these open source projects.

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