Build Your First AI Chatbot

Difficulty: beginner

Go from zero to a working chatbot with memory and streaming

Step 1: Choose a model provider

Recommended: OpenAI API, Anthropic API, Ollama

Start with a hosted API, move to local later

Step 2: Pick a framework

Recommended: LangChain, LlamaIndex, Vercel AI SDK

LangChain for breadth, LlamaIndex for RAG focus, Vercel AI SDK for web apps

Step 3: Add a chat UI

Recommended: Open WebUI, Dify

Open WebUI for self-hosted chat, Dify for visual workflow building

Step 4: Deploy

Recommended: See note below

Use Streamlit for prototyping, Vercel AI SDK for production web apps