Build Your First LangChain Application – Part 1: Introduction and Setup

Welcome to our comprehensive 8-part series on building your first LangChain application with Node.js and Microsoft Azure OpenAI!

What is LangChain?

LangChain is a powerful framework designed to simplify the development of applications powered by large language models (LLMs). It provides a standardized interface for working with different LLMs, tools for chaining multiple AI operations together, and utilities for building complex AI workflows.

Why LangChain + Azure OpenAI?

• Enterprise-Ready: Azure OpenAI offers enterprise-grade security and compliance
• Reliable Infrastructure: Microsoft’s robust cloud infrastructure ensures high availability
• Cost-Effective: Flexible pricing models and resource management
• Integration: Seamless integration with other Azure services

What You’ll Build

Throughout this series, you’ll build a complete document analysis and Q&A system that can process PDFs, extract information, and answer questions using Azure OpenAI models.

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of JavaScript/Node.js
• Familiarity with REST APIs
• An Azure account with access to Azure OpenAI services
• Node.js 18+ installed on your machine

Setting Up Your Development Environment

# Create a new directory for your project
mkdir langchain-azure-app
cd langchain-azure-app

# Initialize a new Node.js project
npm init -y

Stay tuned for the complete setup guide and Part 2 where we’ll connect to Azure OpenAI!