COMS W4995-009 Agentic Engineering
Accounts → Check access → Bring laptop → First class
Before our first class on Friday, please make sure your local environment is verified and your accounts are active. We will do our hands-on work in class, so there is no coding assignment before we meet. Just complete these setup steps.
Set up the following four accounts. You can use free tiers or optional student trials. Note that trial eligibility is verified by SheerID or support desks, and free tiers are sufficient for the first class if you do not qualify.
- GitHub: Sign up for a free account at https://github.com/signup.
- ChatGPT: Create a free account at https://chatgpt.com. Eligible full/part-time US college students can sign up for ChatGPT Plus (4 free months, claim by Oct 31, 2026, payment required then $20/month; see https://chatgpt.com/students/2026/ and details at https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001493-chatgpt-back-to-school-offer-for-students). Early cancellation cancels subsequent free months. Note: This subscription does not fund API billing.
- Gemini: Create a free account at https://gemini.google.com. US college students aged 18+ using a personal Google account (not school-managed) can claim Google AI Pro (12 months free, claim by Dec 31, 2026, payment required then $19.99/month; see signup info at https://gemini.google/us/students/?hl=en and terms at https://one.google.com/offer/studentoffer8?g1_landing_page=0). This does not fund Gemini API usage.
- Tavily: Create a free account at https://app.tavily.com (1000 free API credits/month, no card required). Students can request 4 months of the Project plan (4000 credits/month) by emailing support@tavily.com from a school email address. Follow the instructions at https://help.tavily.com/articles/6606514713-student-account. Payment and renewal terms after the coupon are not published; check checkout details before activation.
Important: Keep your API keys private. Never commit them to GitHub. You do not need to purchase or configure OpenAI or Gemini API keys before the first class.
Ensure you have Python 3.11+ and Git installed on your laptop. No GPU is required. Open your terminal and verify your versions with these commands:
python3 --version
git --versionIf you encounter sign-up blocks or install issues, we can use our offline mock fixtures in class. If you are completely blocked, email yg2466@columbia.edu.
Keep these resources bookmarked:
- Course Website: https://course.nickgu.me
- Course Repository: https://github.com/NickGuAI/agentic-engineering-course
- CourseWorks: https://courseworks2.columbia.edu/courses/251648