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Step 1: Setup environment

Set up your development environment with all necessary tools and dependencies.

Time estimate: 15-20 minutes

Complete these tasks

  • Install and verify Python 3.8+
  • Create virtual environment
  • Install all dependencies
  • Create configuration file
  • Run first test successfully

Prerequisites

  • Command line or terminal access
  • Text editor installed
  • Internet connection for downloads

Instructions

1. Verify Python installation

Check if Python is installed:

python --version
# or
python3 --version

The output shows Python 3.8.0 or higher.

Download Python 3.8+ from python.org if you see Python 2.x or no Python installed.

2. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/rebeja/docs-automation-examples.git
cd docs-automation-examples

Verify the project files exist:

ls
# Shows: 01-release-notes-automation/ README.md requirements.txt ...

3. Create virtual environment

Virtual environments keep project dependencies isolated.

macOS or Linux:

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate

Windows (PowerShell):

python -m venv venv
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

Windows (Command Prompt):

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate.bat

Verify your prompt shows (venv):

(venv) your-computer:docs-automation-examples$

Enable script execution on Windows if needed:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

4. Install dependencies

pip install --upgrade pip
pip install -r requirements.txt

Installed packages:

Package Purpose
anthropic Claude AI API client
openai OpenAI/ChatGPT API client
PyGithub GitHub API wrapper
pyyaml Configuration file parsing
python-dotenv Environment variable management
requests HTTP requests

Verify installation:

pip list | grep -E "anthropic|openai|PyGithub"

The output shows installed versions.

5. Create configuration file

Copy the example configuration:

cp config.example.yaml config.yaml

Open config.yaml in your editor:

# AI Provider - Choose ONE
ai_provider: "anthropic"  # or "openai"
ai_api_key: "YOUR_KEY_HERE"
model: "claude-3-sonnet-20240229"

# GitHub
github_token: "YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"

# Optional settings
default_repo: ""
output_file: "release_notes.md"

The config.yaml file is in .gitignore to prevent accidental commits of API keys. Never commit files with real API keys.

6. Get API keys (placeholder for now)

Get real API keys in Step 3. For now, leave placeholders:

ai_api_key: "PLACEHOLDER"
github_token: "PLACEHOLDER"

7. Verify setup

Test that imports work:

python -c "import anthropic; import github; import yaml; print('All dependencies imported successfully')"

The output shows All dependencies imported successfully.

8. Navigate to project directory

cd 01-release-notes-automation
ls

The directory contains these files:

generate_release_notes.py
prompts/
examples/
README.md

9. Test help command

python generate_release_notes.py --help

The output shows:

usage: generate_release_notes.py [-h] --repo REPO --since SINCE
                                  [--config CONFIG] [--output OUTPUT]

Generate release notes from commits

optional arguments:
  -h, --help       show this help message and exit
  --repo REPO      Repository (owner/repo)
  --since SINCE    Start date (YYYY-MM-DD)
  --config CONFIG  Config file path
  --output OUTPUT  Output file

Setup is complete when you see this output.

Troubleshooting

Python command not found

Problem: python: command not found

Solution: Try python3 instead, or install Python from python.org

Permission denied (Windows)

Problem: Cannot activate virtual environment

Solution: Run PowerShell as Administrator and enable scripts:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Import errors

Problem: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'anthropic'

Solution:

  1. Verify virtual environment is activated (look for (venv) in prompt)
  2. Reinstall dependencies: pip install -r requirements.txt
  3. Check Python version: python --version (must be 3.8+)

Git clone fails

Problem: Cannot clone repository

Solution:

  1. Verify Git is installed: git --version
  2. Check internet connection
  3. Try HTTPS URL instead of SSH

Summary

You set up a Python virtual environment, installed required dependencies, created configuration files, and verified the setup works.

Next step

Document your manual process—the most important step in this tutorial.

Next: Step 2 - Document your process

Check the Troubleshooting Guide or FAQ for help with issues.