home / skills / jeremylongshore / claude-code-plugins-plus-skills / langchain-hello-world
/plugins/saas-packs/langchain-pack/skills/langchain-hello-world
This skill helps you create and test minimal LangChain integrations by guiding setup, prompts, and chains with a hello world example.
npx playbooks add skill jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills --skill langchain-hello-worldReview the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.
---
name: langchain-hello-world
description: |
Create a minimal working LangChain example.
Use when starting a new LangChain integration, testing your setup,
or learning basic LangChain patterns with chains and prompts.
Trigger with phrases like "langchain hello world", "langchain example",
"langchain quick start", "simple langchain code", "first langchain app".
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit
version: 1.0.0
license: MIT
author: Jeremy Longshore <[email protected]>
---
# LangChain Hello World
## Overview
Minimal working example demonstrating core LangChain functionality with chains and prompts.
## Prerequisites
- Completed `langchain-install-auth` setup
- Valid LLM provider API credentials configured
- Python 3.9+ or Node.js 18+ environment ready
## Instructions
### Step 1: Create Entry File
Create a new file `hello_langchain.py` for your hello world example.
### Step 2: Import and Initialize
```python
from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI
from langchain_core.prompts import ChatPromptTemplate
llm = ChatOpenAI(model="gpt-4o-mini")
```
### Step 3: Create Your First Chain
```python
from langchain_core.output_parsers import StrOutputParser
prompt = ChatPromptTemplate.from_messages([
("system", "You are a helpful assistant."),
("user", "{input}")
])
chain = prompt | llm | StrOutputParser()
response = chain.invoke({"input": "Hello, LangChain!"})
print(response)
```
## Output
- Working Python file with LangChain chain
- Successful LLM response confirming connection
- Console output showing:
```
Hello! I'm your LangChain-powered assistant. How can I help you today?
```
## Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Import Error | SDK not installed | Run `pip install langchain langchain-openai` |
| Auth Error | Invalid credentials | Check environment variable is set |
| Timeout | Network issues | Increase timeout or check connectivity |
| Rate Limit | Too many requests | Wait and retry with exponential backoff |
| Model Not Found | Invalid model name | Check available models in provider docs |
## Examples
### Simple Chain (Python)
```python
from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI
from langchain_core.prompts import ChatPromptTemplate
from langchain_core.output_parsers import StrOutputParser
llm = ChatOpenAI(model="gpt-4o-mini")
prompt = ChatPromptTemplate.from_template("Tell me a joke about {topic}")
chain = prompt | llm | StrOutputParser()
result = chain.invoke({"topic": "programming"})
print(result)
```
### With Memory (Python)
```python
from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI
from langchain_core.prompts import ChatPromptTemplate, MessagesPlaceholder
from langchain_core.messages import HumanMessage, AIMessage
llm = ChatOpenAI(model="gpt-4o-mini")
prompt = ChatPromptTemplate.from_messages([
("system", "You are a helpful assistant."),
MessagesPlaceholder(variable_name="history"),
("user", "{input}")
])
chain = prompt | llm
history = []
response = chain.invoke({"input": "Hi!", "history": history})
print(response.content)
```
### TypeScript Example
```typescript
import { ChatOpenAI } from "@langchain/openai";
import { ChatPromptTemplate } from "@langchain/core/prompts";
import { StringOutputParser } from "@langchain/core/output_parsers";
const llm = new ChatOpenAI({ modelName: "gpt-4o-mini" });
const prompt = ChatPromptTemplate.fromTemplate("Tell me about {topic}");
const chain = prompt.pipe(llm).pipe(new StringOutputParser());
const result = await chain.invoke({ topic: "LangChain" });
console.log(result);
```
## Resources
- [LangChain LCEL Guide](https://python.langchain.com/docs/concepts/lcel/)
- [Prompt Templates](https://python.langchain.com/docs/concepts/prompt_templates/)
- [Output Parsers](https://python.langchain.com/docs/concepts/output_parsers/)
## Next Steps
Proceed to `langchain-local-dev-loop` for development workflow setup.
This skill provides a minimal working LangChain example that demonstrates core patterns: prompts, chains, and basic memory. It helps you create a quick Python (and TypeScript reference) hello-world to verify environment, credentials, and basic chain composition. Use it to validate your LangChain integration and get a runnable sample in minutes.
The skill shows how to initialize an LLM client, build a ChatPromptTemplate, and pipe the prompt into the LLM and a simple output parser to produce a string response. It includes both a minimal Python chain and a TypeScript equivalent, plus an example of adding ephemeral conversation memory. The examples are executable: run the file to confirm the LLM responds and to surface common setup errors.
What are common errors and how do I fix them?
Import errors indicate missing SDKs—install langchain and the provider package. Auth errors mean invalid or missing credentials—check environment variables. Timeouts and rate limits require retries, increased timeouts, or using a smaller model.
Which Python version is required?
Use Python 3.9 or newer to run the provided examples reliably.
Can I use memory in the example?
Yes. The example includes a simple history placeholder pattern you can pass a list to so the chain can consider prior messages.