Ollama Local Inference
Run LLMs locally for cost savings, privacy, and offline development.
Quick Start
bash
# Install Ollama curl -fsSL https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh # Pull models ollama pull deepseek-r1:70b # Reasoning (GPT-4 level) ollama pull qwen2.5-coder:32b # Coding ollama pull nomic-embed-text # Embeddings # Start server ollama serve
Recommended Models (M4 Max 256GB)
| Task | Model | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | deepseek-r1:70b | ~42GB | GPT-4 level |
| Coding | qwen2.5-coder:32b | ~35GB | 73.7% Aider benchmark |
| Embeddings | nomic-embed-text | ~0.5GB | 768 dims, fast |
| General | llama3.3:70b | ~40GB | Good all-around |
LangChain Integration
python
from langchain_ollama import ChatOllama, OllamaEmbeddings
# Chat model
llm = ChatOllama(
model="deepseek-r1:70b",
base_url="http://localhost:11434",
temperature=0.0,
num_ctx=32768, # Context window
keep_alive="5m", # Keep model loaded
)
# Embeddings
embeddings = OllamaEmbeddings(
model="nomic-embed-text",
base_url="http://localhost:11434",
)
# Generate
response = await llm.ainvoke("Explain async/await")
vector = await embeddings.aembed_query("search text")
Tool Calling with Ollama
python
from langchain_core.tools import tool
@tool
def search_docs(query: str) -> str:
"""Search the document database."""
return f"Found results for: {query}"
# Bind tools
llm_with_tools = llm.bind_tools([search_docs])
response = await llm_with_tools.ainvoke("Search for Python patterns")
Structured Output
python
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
class CodeAnalysis(BaseModel):
language: str = Field(description="Programming language")
complexity: int = Field(ge=1, le=10)
issues: list[str] = Field(description="Found issues")
structured_llm = llm.with_structured_output(CodeAnalysis)
result = await structured_llm.ainvoke("Analyze this code: ...")
# result is typed CodeAnalysis object
Provider Factory Pattern
python
import os
def get_llm_provider(task_type: str = "general"):
"""Auto-switch between Ollama and cloud APIs."""
if os.getenv("OLLAMA_ENABLED") == "true":
models = {
"reasoning": "deepseek-r1:70b",
"coding": "qwen2.5-coder:32b",
"general": "llama3.3:70b",
}
return ChatOllama(
model=models.get(task_type, "llama3.3:70b"),
keep_alive="5m"
)
else:
# Fall back to cloud API
return ChatOpenAI(model="gpt-5.2")
# Usage
llm = get_llm_provider(task_type="coding")
Environment Configuration
bash
# .env.local OLLAMA_ENABLED=true OLLAMA_HOST=http://localhost:11434 OLLAMA_MODEL_REASONING=deepseek-r1:70b OLLAMA_MODEL_CODING=qwen2.5-coder:32b OLLAMA_MODEL_EMBED=nomic-embed-text # Performance tuning (Apple Silicon) OLLAMA_MAX_LOADED_MODELS=3 # Keep 3 models in memory OLLAMA_KEEP_ALIVE=5m # 5 minute keep-alive
CI Integration
yaml
# GitHub Actions (self-hosted runner)
jobs:
test:
runs-on: self-hosted # M4 Max runner
env:
OLLAMA_ENABLED: "true"
steps:
- name: Pre-warm models
run: |
curl -s http://localhost:11434/api/embeddings \
-d '{"model":"nomic-embed-text","prompt":"warmup"}' > /dev/null
- name: Run tests
run: pytest tests/
Cost Comparison
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Latency |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud APIs | ~$675/month | 200-500ms |
| Ollama Local | ~$50 (electricity) | 50-200ms |
| Savings | 93% | 2-3x faster |
Best Practices
- •DO use
keep_alive="5m"in CI (avoid cold starts) - •DO pre-warm models before first call
- •DO set
num_ctx=32768on Apple Silicon - •DO use provider factory for cloud/local switching
- •DON'T use
keep_alive=-1(wastes memory) - •DON'T skip pre-warming in CI (30-60s cold start)
Troubleshooting
bash
# Check if Ollama is running curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags # List loaded models ollama list # Check model memory usage ollama ps # Pull specific version ollama pull deepseek-r1:70b-q4_K_M
Related Skills
- •
embeddings- Embedding patterns (works with nomic-embed-text) - •
llm-evaluation- Testing with local models - •
cost-optimization- Broader cost strategies
Capability Details
setup
Keywords: setup, install, configure, ollama Solves:
- •Set up Ollama locally
- •Configure for development
- •Install models
model-selection
Keywords: model, llama, mistral, qwen, selection Solves:
- •Choose appropriate model
- •Compare model capabilities
- •Balance speed vs quality
provider-template
Keywords: provider, template, python, implementation Solves:
- •Ollama provider template
- •Python implementation
- •Drop-in LLM provider