Quick Start Guide

This guide provides a fast path to getting the AI-Native Textbook up and running for both reading and development.

For Readers

Reading Online

The textbook is deployed at: https://muhammadwaheedairi.github.io/hackathon_textbook_ai_robotics/

Simply visit the link to start reading the complete 13-week curriculum covering:

• Module 1: The Robotic Nervous System (ROS 2)
• Module 2: The Digital Twin (Gazebo & Unity)
• Module 3: The AI-Robot Brain (NVIDIA Isaac™)
• Module 4: Vision-Language-Action (VLA)

Reading Locally

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/muhammadwaheedairi/hackathon_textbook_ai_robotics.git

2. Navigate to the website directory:

   cd hackathon_textbook_ai_robotics/my-website

3. Install dependencies:

   npm install

4. Start the development server:

   npm start

5. Open your browser to http://localhost:3000 to view the textbook

For Content Developers

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ LTS (recommended)
• npm package manager
• Git for version control

Setup Process

1. Install Node.js from nodejs.org
2. Clone the repository
3. Install dependencies with npm install
4. Start development with npm start

Adding New Content

1. Create a new Markdown file in the appropriate module directory under my-website/docs/
2. Follow the existing file naming convention (e.g., week-1-introduction-to-physical-ai.md)
3. Include proper Docusaurus frontmatter:

   ---
   title: Your Week Title
   sidebar_label: Week Title
   sidebar_position: X
   ---

4. Update my-website/sidebars.ts to include your new content in the navigation
5. Test locally before committing

Content Structure

The textbook follows a strict 4-module, 13-week curriculum:

• Module 1 (Weeks 1-3): ROS 2 fundamentals and physical AI
• Module 2 (Weeks 4-5): Gazebo simulation and Unity
• Module 3 (Weeks 6-8): NVIDIA Isaac and advanced AI
• Module 4 (Weeks 9-13): Vision-Language-Action and capstone

Deployment

The textbook is automatically deployed to GitHub Pages when changes are pushed to the main branch. The deployment workflow is defined in .github/workflows/deploy.yml and configured in docusaurus.config.ts.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Build fails with memory errors:

• Increase Node.js memory limit: export NODE_OPTIONS="--max_old_space_size=4096"

Local server doesn't start:

• Clear Docusaurus cache: npx docusaurus clear
• Reinstall dependencies: rm -rf node_modules && npm install

Navigation not showing new content:

• Verify the new file is referenced in sidebars.ts
• Check that the file has proper frontmatter
• Restart the development server

Getting Help

• Check the full README.md for detailed instructions
• Open an issue in the GitHub repository for problems
• Review the Docusaurus documentation for platform-specific issues

Next Steps

1. Explore the curriculum - Start with Module 1, Week 1
2. Try hands-on exercises - Each week includes practical exercises
3. Contribute improvements - Submit pull requests for content enhancements
4. Join the community - Engage with other learners and educators