Contributing to Zero to AI

Thank you for contributing to this repository. The goal of this project is to make AI/ML learning structured, practical, and maintainable for self-learners.

What Contributions Help Most

  • Fix broken links, stale APIs, and outdated instructions

  • Improve explanations in notebooks and READMEs

  • Add exercises, assignments, and challenge prompts

  • Add or improve 00_START_HERE.ipynb guidance in modules

  • Contribute new notebooks only when they clearly fit the existing curriculum

Before You Start

  1. Read README.md for the repo overview

  2. Read MASTER_STUDY_GUIDE.md to understand the intended learning flow

  3. Check checklist.md if your change affects the curriculum path

  4. Search existing issues and pull requests before starting overlapping work

Repo Structure

This repo uses numbered folders for the learning path:

  • 00-course-setup/

  • 01-python/

  • 02-data-science/

  • 03-maths/

  • 04-token/

  • 05-embeddings/

  • 06-neural-networks/

  • 07-vector-databases/

  • 08-rag/

  • 09-mlops/

  • 10-specializations/

  • 11-prompt-engineering/

  • 12-llm-finetuning/

  • 13-multimodal/

  • 14-local-llms/

  • 15-ai-agents/

  • 16-model-evaluation/

  • 17-debugging-troubleshooting/

  • 18-low-code-ai-tools/

  • 19-ai-safety-redteaming/

  • 20-real-time-streaming/

  • 21-quizzes/

  • 22-references/

  • 23-glossary/

  • 24-advanced-deep-learning/

  • 25-reinforcement-learning/

  • 26-time-series-analysis/

  • 27-causal-inference/

  • 28-practical-data-science/

  • 29-ai-hardware-llm-validation/

  • 30-inference-optimization/

Getting Started

Fork and Clone

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/zero-to-ai.git
cd zero-to-ai

Set Up the Environment

Use the repo’s current setup docs:

Fast path:

./install_dependencies.sh
source .venv/bin/activate

Create a Branch

git checkout -b docs/fix-rag-links

Standards for Curriculum Changes

Prefer curriculum consistency over novelty

A smaller, coherent learning path is better than a larger repo with overlapping or stale material.

If you add a notebook

  • Place it in the correct numbered module

  • Add or update that module’s README.md

  • Update checklist.md if it becomes part of the intended path

  • Update MASTER_STUDY_GUIDE.md only if it changes the recommended flow

If you update documentation

  • Check local links

  • Remove stale file references

  • Avoid exact counts unless you have verified them

  • Prefer “first pass / optional depth” guidance when a module is large

If you update code in notebooks

  • Make sure the notebook still runs top-to-bottom when practical

  • Keep explanations beginner-readable

  • Explain why a technique is used, not just what the code does

Pull Request Checklist

Before opening a PR:

  • Run the changed notebook or verify the changed doc paths

  • Check for broken local links in edited markdown

  • Confirm you did not introduce old folder names or stale file references

  • Keep unrelated cleanup out of the PR unless it is obviously generated clutter

Commit Style

Use clear, narrow commit messages:

git commit -m "docs: fix root setup instructions"
git commit -m "fix: update checklist paths for cs229 notebooks"
git commit -m "docs: refresh vector database module README"

Reporting Bugs or Content Issues

When opening an issue, include:

  • file path

  • what is wrong

  • expected behavior

  • reproduction steps if code is involved

License

By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the MIT License in LICENSE.md.