Open-source handbook · Full text free · 4k+ Stars on GitHub
Free open-source handbook + paid course
THE OPEN-SOURCE FIELD GUIDE FOR FORWARD DEPLOYED ENGINEERS A hands-on handbook written for AI deliverers: from the full picture of the role and winning clients to activating deployments — how an FDE makes AI projects succeed on the client frontline.
WHY FDE · Role Background
The FDE (Forward Deployed Engineer) was pioneered by Palantir: sending engineers to the client frontline, turning platform capabilities into real business results on site.
In the era of large language models, "buying a model is easy, making it land is hard" is the common bottleneck for all enterprises — this role is going from a niche Silicon Valley job to a standard part of AI delivery: OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, Sierra, and Harvey are all building FDE teams.
+1165%
Annual growth in FDE job demand · per public reports
8,900 people
FDEs TCS alone plans to hire · per public reports
Tech giants competing for talent
OpenAI / Anthropic / Microsoft / Sierra / Harvey
Landing is a hard requirement
Buying a model is easy; turning it into results is hard
THE HANDBOOK · Handbook Contents
From the rise of the role to scaling and replication — the complete battle cycle of an FDE, covered in eight chapters.
Also includes the Author's Preface, the Afterword: "The Professional Ethics of the FDE", and three appendices: A · List of Common Metrics / B · Notable FDEs and Teams / C · Index of All Cases and Sources
Paid Course · FDE Online Course (2026) · Official Version Now Live
One course, hands-on
The open-source handbook solves "knowing": the full picture of the role, the methodological backbone, the deployment framework — the full text is free; if that's enough for you, stop here.
But if what you want is "doing" — this paid course is the practical extension of the handbook: less than 20% overlap with the book; the other 80% is entirely content not in the book.
Practice-first: grounded in the author's own firsthand consulting experience and failure retrospectives — two pitfalls, one delivery, all real fieldwork; course slides (PDF) and full replay delivered via Email after purchase.
About 2 hours
Full livestream replay · including live Q&A
80%
Incremental content not in the free handbook
6 sessions
Main course + live Q&A
Livestream + screen recording
Completed on 8/26 · full replay available
01 / CORE
Full livestream replay, including live Q&A
02 / PRACTICE
A real consulting engagement broken down step by step: two pitfalls, one delivery — walk through the three gates of delivery in full
03 / MATERIAL
Purchase includes viewable PDF slides and the full video replay (delivered via Email)
04 / LIVE
The livestream premiere was completed on August 26; the full screen recording is delivered with the course
| No. | Title | In one sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Opening: Learner Profile and Course Promise | Who your classmates are; what this course promises and what it doesn't |
| 02 | Is the Opportunity Real: Do the Math First | Beyond demand data, calculating the real size of the FDE job market in China; four types of roles competing to define it |
| 03 | Calibrating to the China Context: Three Deployment Barriers | Practical corrections since publication: China–US differences, trust cycles, and the three hurdles to deployment |
| 04 | Failure Retrospective: From Pitfalls to Deliverable | The author's own two pitfalls plus one delivery in real consulting engagements — the heaviest case of the course |
| 05 | Getting Into Enterprises: Barriers and Proof of Capability | Three rules to spot a fake FDE in ten minutes; how to build interview credentials and proof of capability |
| 06 | Going Independent: Client Acquisition, Pricing, and Turning Down Work | Client acquisition channels, pricing calculations (the math behind 20,000 yuan for 20 minutes), and screening out bad engagements |
| QA | Live Q&A Transcript | Q&A from the livestream, delivered together with the full replay |
Pricing · Early Bird Ended · Official Version Now Live
Pre-order Exclusive · Four Benefits for Pre-order Users Only
01 Ticket to the Premiere Livestream
Livestream at 21:00 on Wednesday, August 26, in the learning community; viewable only within the group, with questions answered live; purchases after the stream starts get the replay only
02 Your Question Goes Into the Class
When submitting the purchase form, leave the question you're most interested in — I'll most likely answer it directly in the course
03 Let Me Get to Know You
Leave your background / business introduction in the form: I'll introduce suitable projects to you; if your information is genuine and high-quality, you'll be included in the fde4.ai ecosystem map, industry directory, and case library, publicly showcased to the industry
04 Exclusive Learning Community
Early-bird-only privilege: pre-order users gather in an exclusive WeChat group, the premiere livestream happens in the group, and you can exchange ideas with fellow learners during the course; the official version does not include the community
All four benefits are pre-order exclusive — after the stream starts on August 26, purchases include only the replay and slides, with no further benefits
¥299 for everything — no backend upsells, no adding WeChat to sell consulting.
Ended
Early Bird Pre-sale
¥199
Pre-sale price ¥199 · ended on August 26 · early-bird privilege included the exclusive learning community (WeChat group)
Early bird has ended
- We assume you have field experience — we don't start from "what is a token"
- Engineers / delivery consultants / solutions staff looking to transition into FDE roles
- Frontline practitioners just getting started with FDE work
- Those with enterprise software / delivery / client-site experience who want to move into an FDE role
- People looking for a "quick-fix guaranteed offer" shortcut
- People with no enterprise software / delivery / client-site experience at all
- Bosses / decision-makers still in the early stages of learning about AI — an offline course better suited to you is in the works; this course's hands-on intensity may be too high for you
Open-source book with 4k+ Stars, author of *Growth Hacker* · Founder of ZengZhang.AI Real delivery cases (Dongfeng Motor / Huawei Honor / financial institutions / livestream MCNs, etc.)
FAQ · You Might Be Wondering
I've read the open-source handbook — do I still need to buy the course?
Less than 20% overlap. The handbook gives the methodological backbone; the course gives real cases and firsthand retrospectives.
Livestream or recorded?
The livestream premiere was completed on August 26; if you buy now, all slides and the full livestream recording will be sent to you via Email — learn as soon as you buy.
Is there a learning community (WeChat group)?
The learning community was an exclusive benefit for early-bird pre-sale users and ended along with the pre-sale on August 26. The current official version provides only the video course and slides (PDF + full replay, delivered via Email), with no community.
How are the slides delivered?
After purchase, the courseware PDF and video replays (cloud drive / YouTube links) will be sent to you via Email — we recommend using an international email service such as Gmail or iCloud; domestic email services like QQ or 163 may mistakenly filter it. If you don't receive it after purchase, please check your spam folder first. Customer service email: xdash@duck.com
Can I get an invoice? Can I get a refund after purchase?
Invoices: This course is a personal digital content product with no corporate entity, so invoices cannot be issued — please purchase with caution if this matters to you. Refunds: Virtual digital content is non-refundable once sold — if you have any questions before ordering, feel free to email xdash@duck.com first to clarify before buying.
I'm a business decision-maker / boss / non-frontline professional — is this course suitable for me?
It depends on your learning goals: If you're interested in business details and want to lead from the front to understand how AI projects get done on the frontline, you can take this course — it teaches exactly frontline hands-on practice; If you only want to build concepts and grasp the direction, the hands-on intensity of this course may be too high for you — an offline course better suited to you is currently in production.
After purchase, you'll receive the courseware via Email (PDF + video replays), with no reliance on any third-party platform
WHY NOW · A Final Word
Technology is depreciating faster and faster, while frontline delivery skills are becoming more and more valuable. The FDE is one of the few technical roles in this AI wave that is "closest to the money" — the handbook gives you the map, and the course walks with you through the first leg of the journey.