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Build a Next-Gen Chat App with AI and WebSockets in Just 3 Hours with Ben Lesh and Tracy Lee

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This article was written over 18 months ago and may contain information that is out of date. Some content may still be relevant, but please refer to official documentation for the latest information.

In this comprehensive 3-hour training session, Tracy Lee and Ben Lesh guided participants through the process of building a chat application using various cutting-edge technologies and methodologies.

The training began with an introduction to using v0.dev, followed by leveraging AI tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT to scaffold the initial version of the application. This segment highlighted the practical use of AI in real-time coding, demonstrating how these tools can significantly streamline development workflows.

Next, the session delved into creating a monorepo using Nx, showcasing how to efficiently manage multiple projects and libraries within a single repository.

Participants then learned how to connect their application to the OpenAI API, incorporating AI functionalities. The training continued with a focus on refactoring the application to enable real-time streaming using WebSockets. This segment was particularly insightful for developers, as it covered essential techniques for implementing WebSocket functionality in real-world scenarios.

Throughout the training, attendees had the opportunity to observe Ben Lesh's debugging process, gaining practical knowledge on troubleshooting and optimizing code.

The session concluded with integrating the application with AstraDB and Cohere to implement the retrieval part of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). This final step equipped the chat app with the capability to understand and utilize RxJS, bringing the project to fruition.

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