Running a Large Language Model Locally on Your PC: A Beginner's Guide

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Set Up Your Own Offline LLM Locally.

Ever wondered what it would be like to run your very own AI language model on your computer? Imagine having a powerful language model like GPT or Meta's LLaMA running locally on your hardware—no cloud, no external servers, just you and the model. If you're curious about diving into this world, Ollama is the perfect tool to help you do just that. Here’s how you can get started!

What is Ollama?

Ollama is a platform designed for enthusiasts, developers, and researchers who want to run, manage, and interact with large language models (LLMs) locally. It’s an easy-to-use tool that lets you host powerful models like Meta’s LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI) directly on your own machine. Whether you’re building AI-powered apps, conducting research, or just exploring AI for fun, Ollama makes it simple.

Key Features of Ollama:

  1. Run Models Locally
    Ollama lets you run LLMs entirely on your own hardware, so there’s no need to send sensitive data to external servers. This gives you better control, privacy, and security over your work.
  2. Support for Open-Source Models
    Ollama supports a wide range of open-source models, including LLaMA 2 and 3, which range from smaller 7-billion parameter versions to massive 70-billion parameter models. In addition to LLaMA, Ollama also provides support for other cutting-edge models such as Gemma, Mistral, and Microsoft's Phi-4.
    You can experiment with different model sizes depending on your machine’s power.
  3. Super Easy to Use
    Setting up and running LLMs with Ollama is straightforward. It requires minimal command-line interaction, so even beginners can get started without a steep learning curve. You’ll be able to manage and switch between models effortlessly.
  4. Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Ollama works across Windows, macOS, and Linux, meaning no matter what OS you’re on, you’re good to go.
  5. Customizable and Offline
    Ollama not only lets you fine-tune models for specific tasks, but it also allows you to run models offline. This is perfect if you’re working in areas with limited internet access or if you want to keep your work completely private.

Why Use Ollama?

  • For Developers: Build AI-powered applications and services that run directly on your hardware.
  • For Researchers: Experiment with and test new ideas, all without depending on cloud services.
  • For Enthusiasts: Dive into the world of AI and LLMs with hands-on exploration for personal projects.

Installing Ollama

Let’s get started by installing Ollama on your PC. Ollama supports macOS, Windows, and Linux, so no matter your platform, you can follow along.

Download Ollama

Go to Ollama's official website and download the version for your platform - https://ollama.com

Install Ollama

Once downloaded, run the installation file and follow the prompts. Ollama will automatically start running when you log into your computer. On macOS, you’ll see an icon in the menu bar, and on Windows, it will appear in the system tray.

Verify Installation

Open your terminal (or command prompt on Windows) and type the following command to confirm Ollama is installed and running:

ollama --version

You should see ollama output the version number in your terminal.

Running Your First LLM Model

Now that Ollama is up and running, let’s download and launch your first model: Meta’s LLaMA 3.2.

Download LLaMA 3.2 Model

In your terminal, type the following command to download the LLaMA model:

ollama pull llama3.2

The model will download and is stored on your local drive. The LLaMA 3.2 model is approximatly 2.0GB in size.

Run LLaMA 3.2 Model

In your terminal, type the following command to run the LLaMA model:

ollama run llama3.2

Input Your Prompt

Once the model is running, you’ll be prompted to enter a message for the LLM. Try asking it a question or giving it a creative prompt, and see how it responds!
For my test, I entered - list the main characters from bram stoker's dracula

Here is the result...

That’s it! You’ve just set up and run your own LLM locally with Ollama. Now you have the freedom to explore, experiment, and build all sorts of AI-powered applications right on your own computer. The possibilities are endless!

Close the ollama promt as follows:

/bye

Ready to take your AI projects to the next level? Try switching to different models, fine-tuning them, or integrating them into your own software. With Ollama, you’re in complete control.