Where Are the Main Source Files Located in AI For Beginners? Repository Structure Explained

The main source files in the microsoft/AI-For-Beginners repository are located in three top-level directories: lessons/ for the structured curriculum, examples/ for standalone demonstrations, and etc/quiz-app/ for the interactive quiz application.

The AI-For-Beginners repository is organized as a learning-oriented codebase rather than a traditional software library. Unlike conventional packages with a single src/ folder, this educational project distributes its source material across purpose-built directories that correspond to different learning workflows. Understanding this structure helps learners navigate the curriculum efficiently and contributors locate the right files to modify.

Primary Source Directories

lessons/ — Core Curriculum Notebooks

The lessons/ directory contains the structured curriculum covering 12 weeks of AI topics. Each subfolder holds Jupyter notebooks (.ipynb) that combine executable code, visualizations, and explanatory text.

Key characteristics:

• Neural-network basics, computer-vision labs, and NLP transformers live here
• Notebooks are self-contained and executable after environment setup
• Weekly organization makes it easy to follow the course progression

Example location: lessons/3-NeuralNetworks/03-Perceptron/Perceptron.ipynb

examples/ — Standalone Demonstrations

The examples/ directory stores independent Python scripts and notebooks that demonstrate core concepts outside the formal curriculum.

These files serve as:

• Quick experimentation entry points for newcomers
• Simplified code snippets that isolate specific techniques
• Starting points for custom projects

Notable files include 01-hello-ai-world.py and 04-text-sentiment.py.

etc/quiz-app/ — Interactive Quiz Application

The etc/quiz-app/ directory houses a Vue 2 web application that powers the interactive quiz used throughout the course.

Source structure:

• src/ — Vue components and application logic
• public/ — Static assets
• package.json — Node.js dependencies and build configuration
• Root component: etc/quiz-app/src/App.vue

Essential Configuration Files

Several supporting files at the repository root define the runtime environment:

File	Purpose
environment.yml	Conda environment with Python 3, TensorFlow 2.17, PyTorch, and Keras 3.5
requirements.txt	Pip-installable alternative for the same dependencies
README.md	Quick-start instructions and high-level project overview

Working with the Source Files

Running Lesson Notebooks

# Activate the provided conda environment

conda activate ai4beg

# Launch Jupyter Lab

jupyter lab

# Navigate to: lessons/3-NeuralNetworks/03-Perceptron/Perceptron.ipynb

Executing Standalone Examples

conda activate ai4beg

python examples/01-hello-ai-world.py

# Output: "Hello, AI world!"

Starting the Quiz Application Locally

cd etc/quiz-app
npm install
npm run serve

# Development server starts at http://localhost:8080

Key Reference Files

For frequent navigation, bookmark these main source locations:

• lessons/0-course-setup/for-teachers.md — Instructor guide and curriculum overview
• lessons/3-NeuralNetworks/03-Perceptron/Perceptron.ipynb — Exemplar introductory notebook
• examples/04-text-sentiment.py — Sentiment analysis demonstration script
• etc/quiz-app/src/App.vue — Quiz application root component

Summary

• Main curriculum source: lessons/ directory with 12 weeks of Jupyter notebooks
• Quick experimentation: examples/ directory with standalone Python scripts
• Interactive quiz UI: etc/quiz-app/ Vue 2 application
• Environment setup: environment.yml or requirements.txt at repository root
• No single src/ folder: Educational organization prioritizes learning flow over package structure

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a traditional src/ folder in AI For Beginners?

No. The repository uses a curriculum-first structure where lessons/, examples/, and etc/quiz-app/ serve as the primary source directories. This organization reflects the project's educational purpose rather than conventional library packaging.

How do I find the code for a specific lesson topic?

Navigate to lessons/ and identify the week number and topic from the folder naming convention. Each lesson subfolder contains one or more .ipynb files with the executable code. For example, perceptron implementations are in lessons/3-NeuralNetworks/03-Perceptron/.

Where is the quiz application source code if I want to modify it?

The quiz application lives in etc/quiz-app/ with standard Vue 2 project structure. The root component is at etc/quiz-app/src/App.vue, and you can start local development with npm install followed by npm run serve.

Can I run the code without using Conda?

Yes. While environment.yml specifies the Conda environment, the repository also provides requirements.txt for pip-based setups. Install dependencies with pip install -r requirements.txt and proceed with running scripts or launching Jupyter.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}