Getting Started

Your First Steps

1. Star the GitHub Repository

Visit github.com/DataTalksClub/data-engineering-zoomcamp and star the repo. This helps others discover the course.

Everything you need is here:

  • Video lessons
  • Homework questions
  • Module content
  • Cohort-specific materials

Join the Data Engineering Zoomcamp Telegram channel for course announcements and updates.

This is optional but very helpful because all course announcements are published here (and automatically reposted to Slack). Telegram ensures you never miss important updates, as Slack can be busy and announcements may get lost there.

3. Join the Slack Workspace

The DataTalks.Club Slack is where the community interacts.

  1. Join the workspace
  2. Browse channels and join #course-data-engineering
  3. Use threads when replying to keep conversations organized

For a complete list of Slack channels and their purposes, see the Slack community guide.

4. Subscribe to YouTube

Pre-recorded videos are available on the DataTalks.Club YouTube channel. Subscribe and check out the main course playlist. See the Resources section for all playlists.

5. Set Up GCP Account

Google Cloud Platform offers $300 free credits for new accounts. Using Cloud is not mandatory, but very helpful.

6. Start Module 1

Begin with Docker, PostgreSQL, and Terraform. This module gets two weeks because environment setup can be challenging.