Ollama

Run large language models locally with one command. The default choice for local AI in 2026.

Quick Facts

Attribute	Value
Pricing	Free
License	MIT
Best For	Developers, CLI users
Platform	Mac, Linux, Windows
Models	Llama 4, DeepSeek, Qwen, Mistral, 100+
Backend	llama.cpp

What is Ollama?

Ollama makes running local LLMs as simple as ollama run llama4. One command downloads the model, optimizes it for your hardware, and starts an interactive session. No Python environments, no dependency hell, no configuration.

If local LLMs had a default choice in 2026, it would be Ollama. It has the largest model library, fastest setup, and works seamlessly with tools that need a local AI backend.

Key Features

• One-Line Setup - ollama run model-name and go
• 100+ Models - Llama 4, DeepSeek V3, Qwen3, Mistral, Gemma 3, more
• OpenAI-Compatible API - Drop-in replacement for many apps
• Model Customization - Create variants with Modelfiles
• Multi-Model - Run multiple models simultaneously
• GPU Acceleration - NVIDIA, AMD, Apple Silicon
• Embedding Models - For RAG applications
• Vision Models - LLaVA, Llama 4 Scout multimodal

Installation

# macOS/Linux
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

# Windows (download installer from ollama.com)

# Run a model
ollama run llama4

# List available models
ollama list

Popular Models (2026)

Model	Size	Best For
llama4	8B-400B	General, coding
deepseek-v3	32B	Coding, math
qwen3	7B-72B	Multilingual
mistral-large-3	123B	Balanced
gemma3	2B-27B	Efficient
codestral	22B	Coding specific

Hardware Requirements

Model Size	RAM	GPU VRAM
7B	8GB	Optional
13B	16GB	8GB
32B	32GB	24GB
70B+	64GB	Multi-GPU

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Simplest local LLM experience
• Huge model library
• OpenAI-compatible API
• Excellent hardware optimization
• Active development

Cons:

• CLI-focused (no GUI)
• Less customization than llama.cpp directly
• Model sizes can consume disk space

Alternatives

• LM Studio - GUI-based alternative
• llama.cpp - More control, manual setup
• Jan - Beautiful desktop UI

FAQ

Is Ollama free? Yes, completely free and open-source.

Ollama vs LM Studio? Ollama is CLI-based and developer-focused. LM Studio has a GUI. Use Ollama if you’re comfortable with terminal.

Can I use Ollama with other apps? Yes, Ollama provides an OpenAI-compatible API at localhost:11434. Many apps support it directly.

How much disk space do models need? 7B models: ~4GB, 13B: ~8GB, 70B: ~40GB. Models are stored in ~/.ollama.

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Last verified: 2026-03-04