Claude with the Anthropic API: Detailed Course Description

Course Overview

Claude with the Anthropic API is a comprehensive video course officially provided by Anthropic, specifically designed to teach developers how to integrate Claude AI into their applications using the Anthropic API. Hosted on the Skilljar learning management system, the course offers an interactive learning experience, progress tracking, and a certificate of completion.

Course Objectives

Through practical exercises and real-world case studies, participants will learn to:

• Implement conversational AI
• Utilize Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
• Automate workflows
• Leverage Claude's multimodal capabilities to process text, images, and documents

Detailed Course Outline

1. Introduction

• Course Welcome
• Anthropic Overview
• Claude Model Overview

2. Accessing Claude with the API

• API Access Fundamentals
  • Obtaining an API Key
  • Sending Requests
  • Multi-turn Conversations
  • Chat Practice
• System Prompts
  • System Prompt Concepts
  • System Prompt Practice
• Parameter Control
  • Temperature Parameter
  • Response Streaming
  • Controlling Model Output
• Structured Data
  • Structured Data Processing
  • Structured Data Practice
• Course Satisfaction Survey
• API Access Quiz

3. Prompt Evaluation

• Prompt Evaluation Concepts
• Typical Evaluation Workflow
• Generating Test Datasets
• Running Evaluations
• Model-Based Scoring
• Code-Based Scoring
• Prompt Evaluation Practice
• Prompt Evaluation Quiz

4. Prompt Engineering Techniques

• Prompt Engineering Fundamentals
• Clear and Direct Expression
• Specificity in Description
• Structuring with XML Tags
• Providing Examples
• Prompt Techniques Practice
• Prompt Engineering Techniques Quiz

5. Tool Use with Claude

• Introduction to Tool Use
  • Project Overview
  • Tool Functions
  • Tool Architecture
• Message Handling
  • Processing Message Blocks
  • Sending Tool Results
• Multi-turn Conversations and Tools
  • Implementing Multi-turn Interactions
  • Using Multiple Tools
• Specialized Tools
  • The Batch Tool
  • Structured Data Tool
  • The Text Edit Tool
  • The Web Search Tool
• Tool Use Quiz

6. Retrieval Augmented Generation

• Introduction to RAG
• Text Chunking Strategies
• Text Embeddings
• Full RAG Workflow
• Implementing the RAG Workflow
• BM25 Lexical Search
• Multi-index RAG Pipeline
• Result Re-ranking
• Context Retrieval
• RAG Quiz

7. Features of Claude

• Advanced Features
  • Extended Thinking
  • Image Support
  • PDF Support
  • Citations
• Caching Features
  • Prompt Caching
  • Prompt Caching Rules
  • Practical Caching Applications
• Code Execution
  • Code Execution and File API
• Claude Features Quiz

8. Model Context Protocol

• Introduction to MCP
• MCP Client
• Project Setup
• Defining Tools with MCP
• Server Inspector
• Implementing the Client
• Defining Resources
• Accessing Resources
• Defining Prompts
• Prompts in the Client
• MCP Review
• MCP Quiz

9. Anthropic Applications - Claude Code and Computer Use

• Anthropic Applications
  • Claude Code Setup
  • Practical Claude Code Applications
  • MCP Server Enhancements
  • Parallelizing Claude Code
  • Automated Debugging
• Computer Use
  • How Computer Use Works
• Anthropic Applications Quiz

10. Agents and Workflows

• Agents and Workflows Overview
• Parallelizing Workflows
• Chained Workflows
• Routing Workflows
• Agents and Tools
• Environment Checks
• Workflows vs. Agents
• Agents and Workflows Quiz

11. Final Assessment

• Comprehensive Assessment Test

12. Wrapping up!

• Course Summary Review

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. API Fundamentals

   • Set up and authenticate the Anthropic API
   • Manage API keys and request configurations
   • Implement single-turn and multi-turn conversations

2. Advanced Prompting Techniques

   • Master effective prompt engineering strategies
   • Use XML tags for structured output
   • Implement prompt evaluation and optimization

3. Tool Integration

   • Build and deploy tool use functionalities
   • Implement complex multi-tool workflows
   • Master the Model Context Protocol

4. Production-Grade Capabilities

   • Implement Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
   • Leverage multimodal capabilities
   • Deploy agent systems

5. Practical Applications

   • Build conversational AI applications
   • Create automated workflows
   • Deploy production-ready AI systems

Course Features

• Practice-Oriented: Learn through numerous exercises and real-world case studies
• Comprehensive Coverage: A complete learning path from foundational to advanced topics
• Interactive Learning: Online quizzes and practical exercises
• Progress Tracking: Learning management system to monitor study progress
• Certification: Receive an official certificate upon course completion
• Up-to-date Content: Covers the latest features and capabilities of Claude 4

Technical Requirements

• Programming Foundation: Python programming experience
• API Knowledge: Basic understanding of API request concepts
• Development Environment: A development environment capable of running Python code

Learning Platform

The course is hosted on the Skilljar learning management system, providing:

• A structured learning path
• An interactive learning experience
• Learning progress tracking
• A certificate of completion
• Organized access to course resources

Course Value

This is an authoritative course officially provided by Anthropic, offering developers a complete learning path from beginner to expert in the Claude API, making it an essential resource for building AI-driven applications.