Installation Guide

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing the AutoResearch package. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’ll find the information you need here.

Quick Guide

For users who are highly familiar with Git, pip, and the command line, here’s a quick installation guide:

Requirements:

  • Linux-based OS

  • Python >= 3.10

Installation:

$ git clone https://github.com/JLX0/auto_research
$ cd auto_research
$ pip install .

Detailed Installation Guide

If you’re new to Python, Git, or the command line, follow the detailed steps below.

Requirements

Before installing, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

  • Operating System: Linux-based (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS).

  • Python Version: Python 3.10 or higher.

If you’re unsure whether Python is installed or which version you have, follow the steps below to check.

Step 1: Check Python Installation

  1. Open a Terminal: - On Linux, you can open a terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or searching for “Terminal” in your applications menu.

  2. Check Python Version: - Type the following command in the terminal and press Enter:

    $ python3 --version

    • If Python is installed, you’ll see something like Python 3.10.12. If the version is 3.10 or higher, you’re good to go.

    • If Python is not installed or the version is too old, follow the official Python installation guide: https://www.python.org/downloads/.

Step 2: Install Git (if needed)

Git is a tool used to download the AutoResearch code from GitHub. If you don’t have Git installed, follow these steps:

  1. Install Git: - On Ubuntu or Debian, run the following command in the terminal:

    $ sudo apt install git

    • On CentOS, run:

      $ sudo yum install git

  2. Verify Git Installation: - After installation, check if Git is installed correctly:

    $ git --version

    • You should see something like git version 2.25.1. If not, revisit the installation steps.

Step 3: Download the AutoResearch Code

  1. Clone the Repository: - Use Git to download the AutoResearch code from GitHub. Run the following command in the terminal:

    $ git clone https://github.com/JLX0/auto_research

    • This will create a folder named auto_research in your current directory.

  2. Navigate to the Project Folder: - Move into the auto_research folder by running:

    $ cd auto_research

Step 4: Install the Package Using pip

pip is a tool used to install Python packages. If you don’t have pip installed, follow these steps:

  1. Install pip: - Run the following command to install pip:

    $ sudo apt install python3-pip

  2. Install *AutoResearch*: - Once pip is installed, run the following command to install AutoResearch:

    $ pip install .

    • This will install the package and all its dependencies.

Step 5: Verify the Installation

To confirm that AutoResearch was installed successfully, run the following command:

$ python3 -c "import auto_research; print(auto_research.__version__)"

If the installation was successful, this will print the version of AutoResearch (e.g., 1.0.0).

Setting up API keys for LLMs

The package uses the get_api_key function from LLM_utilities to process the keys for LLMs.

To set the keys for your Python application, you have two options: using a JSON file or directly typing the key into the code. If you choose the JSON file method, create a file named key.json in the specified directory (e.g., the same folder as your script or a custom path). Inside the file, format the content as a JSON object with key-value pairs, like this:

{
    "OpenAI": "aa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa",
    "DeepSeek": "aa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
}

Replace the dummy keys (aa-aaaaaaaa…) with your actual API keys. Ensure the file is valid JSON and contains the target key you want to retrieve.

Alternatively, you can directly type the key into the code by setting the default_key parameter in the get_api_key function, such as default_key="your_key_here". This method skips the file check and uses the provided key directly. Choose the option that best fits your workflow that best fits your workflow.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues during installation, here are some common solutions:

  1. Permission Errors: - If you see a permission error when running pip install ., try adding --user to the command:

    $ pip install --user .

  2. Python or pip Not Found: - Ensure Python and pip are installed correctly. You can check their versions with:

    $ python3 --version
$ pip3 --version

  3. Git Not Found: - If the git command is not recognized, ensure Git is installed by following Step 2 above.

  4. Still Stuck?: - Visit Discussions for more help or open an issue on the GitHub repository.

Next Steps

Now that AutoResearch is installed, you can start using it! Check out the Examples to learn how to use the package.