Developing Applications with Claude API
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Developing Applications with Claude API
This course is part of Mastering Claude AI: Prompting, APIs, RAG, and MCP Specialization
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December 2025
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There are 3 modules in this course
This course focuses on building real-world applications using the Claude API, moving beyond basic prompts to structured, reliable, and scalable API-driven systems.
Designed for developers and technical learners, the course teaches how to interact with Claude programmatically, structure API requests, manage multi-turn conversations, and generate consistent, machine-readable outputs using JSON. You’ll learn how to design applications that maintain context, validate responses, and handle tasks reliably. Through guided lessons and hands-on demonstrations, you’ll set up Claude API requests, build chat-based and text-processing applications, and progressively add context-awareness, task-based logic, and structured outputs. The course also covers advanced techniques such as streaming responses, error handling, performance optimization, and cost control. You will explore how to maintain conversation state across multiple interactions, enforce output formats for downstream systems, design small task-based agents, and improve application reliability using retries, validation, and controlled workflows. By the end of this course, you will be able to: - Structure and send well-formed requests to the Claude API - Build multi-turn, context-aware API applications - Generate and enforce structured JSON responses - Design task-based mini agents for automated workflows - Implement streaming responses and real-time updates - Handle API errors, rate limits, and retries effectively - Optimize API usage for performance and cost This course is ideal for software developers, backend engineers, and AI practitioners who want to build production-ready applications using Claude’s API. A basic understanding of Python and familiarity with APIs will be helpful, but no prior experience with advanced AI systems is required. Join us to learn how to design reliable, efficient, and scalable applications powered by the Claude API.
This module introduces the core foundations of working with the Claude API. Learners explore how API requests are structured, how Claude processes instructions, and how to design multi-turn and structured-response workflows. Through hands-on practice, learners gain confidence in sending requests, managing state, and producing reliable JSON and formatted outputs.
What's included
12 videos5 readings4 assignments
12 videos•Total 60 minutes
- Specialization Introduction•7 minutes
- Course Introduction•5 minutes
- Overview of the Claude API•4 minutes
- How to Structure an API Request•4 minutes
- Hands-on: Sending Your First API Call•5 minutes
- Hands-on: Passing Instructions Through API•3 minutes
- How Multi-Turn Conversations Work in API•4 minutes
- Hands-on: Creating a Conversation Loop•5 minutes
- Hands-on: Maintaining Conversation State•7 minutes
- Working with JSON and Structured Output•4 minutes
- Hands-on: Generating JSON Responses via API•8 minutes
- Hands-on: Enforcing Output Format in Responses•5 minutes
5 readings•Total 50 minutes
- Course Outline•10 minutes
- Understanding How to Make and Structure API Requests with Claude•10 minutes
- Designing Effective Multi-Turn Conversations with the Claude API•10 minutes
- Working with JSON and Enforcing Structured Output Using the Claude API•10 minutes
- Summary of Claude API Fundamentals•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 33 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Claude API Fundamentals•15 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Making API Requests•6 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Multi-Turn Conversations•6 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Structured Responses•6 minutes
This module focuses on building practical applications using the Claude API. Learners explore application patterns, context-aware design, and the creation of small task-based agents. Hands-on exercises develop the ability to architect simple workflows, integrate runtime context, and build agents that automate well-defined tasks.
What's included
10 videos4 readings4 assignments
10 videos•Total 61 minutes
- Understanding Application Patterns with Claude•4 minutes
- Hands-on: Building a Simple Chatbot with API•7 minutes
- Hands-on: Creating a Text Processing App•6 minutes
- Understanding Context in Claude API Applications•5 minutes
- Hands-On: Adding Runtime Context to API Requests•5 minutes
- Hands-On: Building a Context-Aware Response System•6 minutes
- What Are Small Task Agents•6 minutes
- Hands-on: Building a Task Planning Agent•6 minutes
- Hands-on: Creating a Simple Data-Checking Agent•7 minutes
- Hands-on: Creating a Content-Review Agent•7 minutes
4 readings•Total 45 minutes
- Building Simple and Practical Applications Using the Claude API•10 minutes
- Using Context, Roles, and Tone to Guide Claude’s Behavior•15 minutes
- Building Task-Based Mini Agents for Automated Workflows with Claude•10 minutes
- Summary of Building with Claude API•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 33 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Building with Claude API•15 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Creating Basic API Applications•6 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Context-Aware Applications with Claude API•6 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Task-Based Mini Agents•6 minutes
This module explores advanced techniques for production-grade Claude API applications, including streaming responses, reliability strategies, error handling, and cost optimization. Learners learn to implement real-time output, improve application robustness, and optimize workflows for performance and efficiency.
What's included
10 videos5 readings5 assignments
10 videos•Total 54 minutes
- How Streaming Responses Work•7 minutes
- Hands-on: Implementing Streaming in Your App•5 minutes
- Hands-on: Updating UI with Streaming Output•5 minutes
- Common API Errors and How to Handle Them•5 minutes
- Hands-on: Adding Retry Logic to Your App•4 minutes
- Hands-on: Handling Rate Limits and Timeouts•6 minutes
- Understanding Cost and Latency Factors•7 minutes
- Hands-on: Reducing Token Usage in API Calls•6 minutes
- Hands-on: Optimizing Multi-Step API Workflows•6 minutes
- Course Summary•2 minutes
5 readings•Total 60 minutes
- Implementing Streaming Responses and Real-Time Output with Claude•10 minutes
- Improving Reliability and Handling Errors in Claude API Applications•10 minutes
- Optimizing API Performance, Cost, and Multi-Step Workflows with Claude•10 minutes
- Summary of Advanced API Techniques•10 minutes
- Practice Project: Build a Multi-Turn, Structured Claude API Chat Application•20 minutes
5 assignments•Total 78 minutes
- Designing a Context-Aware Claude API Application - Scenario Assignment•30 minutes
- End Course Knowledge Check: Developing Intelligent AI Applications with Claude API•30 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Streaming and Real-Time Output•6 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Reliability and Error Handling•6 minutes
- Practice Knowledge Check: Performance and Cost Optimization•6 minutes
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Frequently asked questions
This course teaches how to build real applications using the Claude API, from basic requests to advanced workflows.
Basic familiarity with APIs or HTTP requests is helpful, but everything is explained step by step.
Yes, the course covers how to structure requests, send instructions, and handle responses using the Claude API.
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Financial aid available,
¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.
