AI and machine learning · Free · ₹0

AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot

Use AI coding agents the way an engineer should: set up Claude Code, Cursor and GitHub Copilot, write the spec before the prompt, review every diff, let tests and Git catch the mistakes, connect tools with MCP, keep secrets out, build a Python Modbus and OPC UA logger, and generate PLC Structured Text that is checked and simulated before it goes near a machine.

13 modules 10h 13m of video English · self-paced

Inside the course

AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot: Syllabus at a glanceAI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot: What you will be able to doAI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot: Tools and credits

From the lessons

  • What Is Agentic Coding? How AI Agents Modernize Code

    What agentic coding is, and what it is not

    IBM Technology

  • Cursor 3.0 - Full Course for Beginners

    Setting up Cursor

    Tech With Tim

  • Spec-Driven Development: AI Assisted Coding Explained

    Spec first: prompting an agent for code

    IBM Technology

  • Please Learn How To Write Tests in Python… • Pytest Tutorial

    Tests as guardrails

    Tech With Tim

  • What is MCP? Integrate AI Agents with Databases & APIs

    MCP and tool use

    IBM Technology

  • Python Modbus

    Worked build: a Python Modbus and OPC UA data logger

    APMonitor.com

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.

What you will learn

Explain what a coding agent does and where it fits in engineering work; install and configure Claude Code, Cursor and GitHub Copilot with project instructions and safe permission modes; write a spec and acceptance tests before prompting; review AI code with a checklist; use pytest and Git so any agent change can be proved or undone; connect tools through MCP and keep plant-facing tools read only; keep credentials out of prompts and repositories and check what an agent installs; build a tested Python Modbus and OPC UA data logger; and review and simulate AI-generated IEC 61131-3 Structured Text before it goes near a machine.

  • Explain what a coding agent does and which engineering tasks to give it
  • Install and configure Claude Code, Cursor and GitHub Copilot with safe permission modes
  • Write a one-page spec with acceptance tests before prompting
  • Review AI code with a checklist and catch invented functions and swallowed errors
  • Use pytest and Git so every agent change can be proved or undone
  • Connect tools through MCP and keep plant-facing tools read only
  • Keep credentials out of prompts and repositories and check every new dependency
  • Build a tested Python Modbus and OPC UA logger and review AI-written Structured Text in a simulator

The course project · about 10 hours

Building a tank skid dashboard with an AI coding agent: spec, tests, review log and a read-only data path

Use Claude Code, Cursor or GitHub Copilot to build a small plant dashboard for a clear-water tank skid: it reads the CSV written by the course's Modbus logger, shows the latest good values, raises high and low alarms and reports data availability. You write the spec and the tests first, review and log everything the agent produces, keep the data path read only and the secrets out of the repository. The sample pack shows each document for a textile processing unit in Egypt.

Sample document pack, 5 documents, filled in for the scenario

  • FDSFunctional specification: T-101 clear-water tank dashboard
  • Tag listTag list: T-101 dashboard
  • Risk registerRisk register: building the dashboard with an AI agent
  • Test reportTest report: T-101 dashboard, version A
  • ReportAI review log: what the agent produced and what was changed

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Course content

13 modules · 33 lessons · 10h 13m

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

  1. 01What agentic coding is, and what it is not31m
  2. 02Setting up Claude Code1h 4m
  3. 03Setting up Cursor1h 5m
  4. 04Setting up GitHub Copilot30m
  5. 05Spec first: prompting an agent for code1h 4m
  6. 06Reading and reviewing AI code45m
  7. 07Tests as guardrails51m
  8. 08Git and safe rollbacks52m

Requirements

Who it is for
Beginner to intermediate. For engineers who script or want to: PLC and SCADA engineers, data and AI learners, and engineering students. You should be able to read a short Python program; no professional software experience is needed.
Software
VS Code, Python 3.10 or later, Git, and at least one of Claude Code, Cursor or GitHub Copilot. Cursor and Copilot have free plans; Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan or a Console account. A PLC simulator (PLCSIM, CODESYS or OpenPLC) for the Structured Text module. What to download, and how
Hardware
A computer that runs VS Code. No PLC or plant equipment: every exercise runs against simulators.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

One AI coding tool is enough for every exercise. pymodbus, asyncua, pytest and streamlit install with pip; the Structured Text module needs one PLC simulator.

Required

  1. 01

    Python

    Python Software Foundation

    Free
    Runs on
    Windows (not Windows 7 or earlier), macOS and Linux. Windows builds for x64, 32-bit and Arm64.
    Account
    None needed

    Python is free, open source software. You can use it for learning and for commercial work at no cost.

    Official download pagepython.org

    Alternatives

  2. 02

    Visual Studio Code

    Microsoft

    Free
    Runs on
    Windows 64-bit (supported Windows client versions), macOS (latest and two previous releases), Linux (Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 10, RHEL 8, Fedora 36 or later)
    Account
    None needed
    Size
    Less than 200 MB download, under 500 MB installed

    Free to download and use. Extensions from the Marketplace each have their own licence.

    Official download pagecode.visualstudio.com
  3. 03

    Git

    Git project (git-scm.com)

    Free
    Runs on
    Windows (x64 and ARM64), macOS, Linux
    Account
    None needed

    Git is free and open source software. Use it for any purpose at no cost.

    Official download pagegit-scm.com

One AI coding tool

Any one is enough.

  1. 04

    Claude Code

    Anthropic

    Paid plan or API account
    Runs on
    macOS 13 or later, Windows 10 1809 or later, Ubuntu 20.04 or later, Debian 10 or later; 4 GB of RAM
    Account
    A Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, or a Claude Console (API) account

    The free claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code. It runs in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains through extensions, and in a desktop app.

    Anthropic product pagecode.claude.com

    Legitimate free routes

  2. 05

    Cursor

    Anysphere

    Free plan with limited Agent requests
    Runs on
    macOS 12 or later (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 10 or later, Linux (apt, dnf or AppImage)
    Account
    A Cursor account (email, Google or GitHub sign-in)

    The Hobby plan is free with limited Agent requests and needs no card. Paid individual and team plans give more usage; check cursor.com/pricing for the current plans.

    Official download pagecursor.com
  3. 06

    GitHub Copilot in VS Code

    GitHub (Microsoft)

    Free plan with a monthly allowance
    Runs on
    Wherever VS Code runs: Windows, macOS and Linux
    Account
    A GitHub account

    Copilot Free gives a monthly allowance of inline suggestions and AI credits. Verified students can use Copilot Student. Paid plans (Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, Enterprise) add more usage and Copilot cloud agent; check GitHub's plans page for the current terms.

    Official download pagecode.visualstudio.com

Optional

Useful, not needed to finish the course.

  1. 07

    PyModbus

    pymodbus-dev (open source project), a Python or npm package

    Free
    Runs on
    Windows, macOS and Linux with Python 3.10 or later
    Account
    None needed

    Free, open source under the BSD 3-Clause licence.

    Official download pagegithub.com
  2. 08

    CODESYS Development System V3

    CODESYS GmbH

    Free
    Runs on
    Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit (8 GB RAM and 12 GB free disk recommended)
    Account
    A free CODESYS Store account (one-time registration)

    The Development System is free in the CODESYS Store. The setup also installs a demo of the CODESYS Control Win SL SoftPLC, which runs for two hours without a licence and then needs a manual restart.

    Official download pagestore.codesys.com
  3. 09

    OpenPLC Editor and OpenPLC Runtime

    Autonomy Logic (OpenPLC project)

    Free
    Runs on
    Editor: Windows 10 or 11 (x64), macOS (Apple silicon or Intel), Linux x64. Runtime: Linux or Docker
    Account
    None needed

    OpenPLC is free and open source. The Runtime v4 is MIT licensed and the Editor source is on GitHub under GPL-3.0.

    Official download pageautonomylogic.com
  4. 10

    S7-PLCSIM V21 (TIA Portal) Trial

    Siemens

    Free trial: 21 days
    Runs on
    Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit (24H2), Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC, or Windows Server 2022/2025. Windows 11 Home is supported only for the Basic editions.
    Account
    A free Siemens account registered for Industry Online Support (SiePortal)
    Size
    about 2.5 GB (ISO)

    S7-PLCSIM V21 is offered as a 21-day trial on the same Siemens page as the STEP 7 and WinCC V21 trial. It needs STEP 7 V21 installed on the same PC.

    Official download pagesupport.industry.siemens.com
  5. 11

    Docker Desktop

    Docker, Inc.

    Free for personal use, education and small businesses
    Runs on
    Windows 10 64-bit version 22H2 (build 19045) or Windows 11 64-bit version 23H2 (build 22631) or later, with WSL 2 and hardware virtualisation on, 8 GB RAM. Also macOS and Linux.
    Account
    None needed

    Free for personal use, education, non-commercial open source projects, and businesses with fewer than 250 employees and less than 10 million US dollars in annual revenue. Larger businesses need a paid subscription. Docker Engine on Linux is open source and is not covered by these terms.

    Official download pagedocker.com

    Alternatives

    • Docker Engine (Linux): Free, open source engine for Linux. Not covered by the Docker Desktop subscription terms.

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot at a glance

AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineers who script: PLC and SCADA engineers, data and AI learners, and engineering students. It has 13 modules and 10h 13m of video lessons by Anthropic, Tech With Tim, freeCodeCamp.org and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

All course facts
Price
₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹5,999.
Who it is for
Engineers who script: PLC and SCADA engineers, data and AI learners, and engineering students
Format
13 self-paced modules, 10h 13m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level
Beginner. Beginner to intermediate. For engineers who script or want to: PLC and SCADA engineers, data and AI learners, and engineering students. You should be able to read a short Python program; no professional software experience is needed.
Brand
Vendor-neutral
Software
VS Code, Python 3.10 or later, Git, and at least one of Claude Code, Cursor or GitHub Copilot. Cursor and Copilot have free plans; Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan or a Console account. A PLC simulator (PLCSIM, CODESYS or OpenPLC) for the Structured Text module.
Hardware
A computer that runs VS Code. No PLC or plant equipment: every exercise runs against simulators.
Certificate
Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by
Anthropic, Tech With Tim, freeCodeCamp.org, Cursor, Visual Studio Code, GitHub, IBM Technology, Microsoft Developer, Corey Schafer, Jakob Sagatowski (independent creators, credited below)
Language
English
Last updated
27 September 2026

A shareable EDWartens certificate

Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.

The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.

Stuck? Ask a practising engineer

A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.

Pairs well with

Siemens TIA Portal free course coverPLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours free course coverPLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA Portal in Three HoursThe first three hours of the Siemens TIA Portal course, cut to end on a win: what a PLC is, how it is wired, a project configured in TIA Portal, and your first ladder program running in simulation. Finish it in an evening or two, earn a certificate, and carry straight on into the full course.TIA Portal: Build a Machine free course coverPLC programming · FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.Instrumentation for PLC Engineers free course coverInstrumentation · FreeInstrumentation for PLC EngineersThe half of the loop that is not code. Follow one measurement from the transmitter in the field, down the 4-20 mA loop, into the analog card, through NORM_X and SCALE_X into engineering units, out again to a valve, and back to the control room when the reading is wrong.

More free courses: Free AI courses for engineers

Learner reviews

No reviews yet

Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.

Common questions

Who is the AI Coding for Engineers course for?

Engineers who write scripts or want to: PLC and SCADA engineers, instrumentation and maintenance engineers, data and AI learners, and engineering students. You should be able to read a short Python program.

Do I need to pay for Claude Code, Cursor or Copilot?

No. One tool is enough to do every exercise, and Cursor and GitHub Copilot both have free plans. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan or a Console account, so every exercise can be done in Cursor or Copilot instead. EDWartens is not affiliated with Anthropic, Cursor, GitHub or Microsoft.

Will this course go out of date?

These tools change every month. The course was checked against each tool's official documentation on 30 September 2026, the notes say so, and they point you to the official pages to check the current steps. The engineering habits it teaches, specs, tests, review and Git, do not change.

Can AI write PLC programs for my machine?

It can draft Structured Text, and the course shows how convincing and how wrong the drafts can be. Every line must be reviewed against a control narrative and tested in a simulator such as PLCSIM, CODESYS or OpenPLC before it goes near a machine, and safety functions stay in safety-rated systems.

Is this the same as the prompt engineering or Python courses?

No. Prompt Engineering for Engineers teaches writing prompts, and Python for AI and Engineering Data teaches Python itself. This course teaches working with coding agents: setup, specs, review, tests, Git, MCP and security, applied to automation work.

Is the AI Coding for Engineers course really free?

Yes. Every module, the notes, the project and the final assessment. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.

What certificate does the AI Coding for Engineers course give?

An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site. It is not a certification from Anthropic, Cursor, GitHub or Microsoft.

How long does the AI Coding for Engineers course take?

About 15 hours of video lessons, notes and practice, taken at your own pace. The optional project takes about 10 hours more.

What is the project in the AI Coding for Engineers course?

You build a small dashboard for a clear-water tank skid at a textile unit in Tiruppur with an AI agent: a specification, a tag list, tests written first, a read-only data path, a risk register, a test report and an honest log of what the agent produced and what you changed.

Is the AI Coding for Engineers course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹459 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample EDWartens Certificate of Completion for AI Coding for Engineers: Claude Code, Cursor and Copilot
Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, admission number, a unique certificate number and its own QR code.

  • Verifiable by anyone

  • Adds to LinkedIn in one click

  • QR code on the certificate

  • Names what you can do

  • A permanent link

  • Earned, not attended

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.

Issued by EDWartens India (Wartens Automation Private Limited) as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

  • Anthropicthe talk on the future of agentic coding with Claude Code, and Mastering Claude Code in 30 minutes
  • Tech With Timthe full beginner tutorials for Claude Code and Cursor 3.0, and the pytest tutorial on writing tests in Python
  • freeCodeCamp.orgthe Claude Code full course on VS Code setup, autonomous goals, MCP servers and GitHub
  • Cursorten working tips for Cursor's Agent
  • Visual Studio Codegetting started with Copilot Free, the agent mode tutorial with MCP and custom agents, and local, background and cloud agents
  • GitHubwhen to use Copilot's cloud (coding) agent versus agent mode, and automating code review and testing with Copilot
  • IBM Technologythe explainers on agentic coding, spec-driven development, agentic engineering versus vibe coding, AI in code review, and MCP
  • Microsoft Developerthe session on planning, specifying and implementing with GitHub Spec Kit
  • Owain Lewisthe lessons on coding with AI agents from a spec and on test-driven development with Claude Code
  • John Kimthe lesson on how an experienced engineer reviews AI-written code
  • Corey Schaferthe Git command-line fundamentals and the lesson on fixing mistakes and undoing bad commits
  • Snykthe lesson on securing AI-generated code
  • SiteGround.comthe security checklist for vibe-coded projects
  • Nate Herk | AI Automationthe lesson on using Claude Code's safer permission modes instead of bypassing permissions
  • Fuzz Puppyrunning Claude Code safely inside a VS Code dev container
  • APMonitor.comreading and writing Modbus from Python
  • Fusion Automatea basic Modbus data logger in Python with SQLite
  • Siemens Knowledge Hubthe introduction to the Industrial Copilot for engineering
  • Jakob Sagatowskithe TwinCAT specialist's test of ChatGPT for PLC programming
  • Automatedothe guide from prompt to PLC code with AI
  • LEARNACONgenerating PLC code with AI for TIA Portal

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.