ping·ai

CSE 642 Foundations

Short decks that teach the right words. You do not need to memorize commands: name the thing correctly and ask your Coding Agent App.

Written for non-technical learners: managers, MBA students, founders and career changers. Free, with no sign-in. They support CSE 642, Agentic AI and Application, but anyone can use them.

  1. 1Installing software: installers, package managers and compilersHow programs reach your computer: installers, Homebrew, winget, language tools like npm and uv, and what a compiler does.Open deck
  2. 2The terminal: shell and PowerShellMove around folders and run commands in macOS/Linux shells and Windows PowerShell, with the words to ask a Coding Agent App for help.Open deck
  3. 3Git and GitHubRepositories, commits, branches, tags and clones, plus the GitHub CLI. Worktrees are an optional extra.Open deck
  4. 4Docker Desktop and containersWhat a container, image and Compose file are, the few commands you need, and how to fix the usual Docker problems. Written for beginners.Open deck
  5. 5Data formats and structuresMarkdown, YAML, JSON and XML, and the ideas under them: arrays and key-value pairs.Open deck
  6. 6Database basicsTables, rows, queries and keys, and what a vector database adds.Open deck
  7. 7How the web talks: HTTP and HTTPSRequests, responses, status codes, headers and why HTTPS matters, in plain language.Open deck

Questions beginners ask

Do I need to know how to code to use these decks?
No. They are written for people with no programming background, including managers, MBA students and founders. Each deck teaches the words, so you can ask a Coding Agent App for what you want in plain language.
What is a Coding Agent App?
A desktop or terminal app that looks like a chatbot but can also read your files, run commands, edit code and use tools, usually asking permission first. Claude Code, Codex, Kiro and OpenCode are examples. The names and features change quickly.
Where should a beginner start?
Start with Installing software, then The terminal, Git and GitHub, and Docker Desktop. Data formats, Database basics and HTTP and HTTPS can follow in any order. Each deck stands alone.
Are the Foundations decks free?
Yes. They are public and need no sign-in or course registration.
Do I have to memorize commands?
No. You need to name things correctly, such as repository, container or port, and know what a good answer looks like. Your Coding Agent App can type the exact command.
Who wrote them?
Ping Wu, a professor at CSTU who teaches Creation with Agentic AI. They support the course CSE 642, Agentic AI and Application, and anyone can use them.