# Before We Start

The recipes in this primer are implemented using the [Interactive Composition Explorer](https://github.com/oughtinc/ice) (ICE). If you’d like to follow along with the implementation (strongly recommended), set it up first.

## Requirements

ICE requires Python 3.9, 3.10, or 3.11. If you don't have a supported version of Python installed, we recommend using [pyenv](https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv) to install a supported Python version and manage multiple Python versions.

If you use Windows, you'll need to run ICE inside of [WSL](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install).

## Run ICE

As part of general good Python practice, consider first creating and activating a [virtual environment](https://docs.python.org/3/library/venv.html) to avoid installing ICE 'globally'. For example:

```shell
python3.10 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
```

Install ICE:

```shell
pip install ought-ice
```

The first time you run a recipe that uses `recipe.agent()`, you will be prompted for an [OpenAI API key](https://beta.openai.com/account/api-keys) that will automatically be stored in `~/.ought-ice/.env`.


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://primer.ought.org/intro/before-we-start.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.