---
slug: "ollama"
name: "Ollama"
effect: "Runs open models locally behind a CLI and a REST API, with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint"
category: "model-api"
tier: "standard"
url: "https://ollama.com"
github: "ollama/ollama"
pricing: "open-source"
license: "MIT"
tags: ["local-models", "inference", "cli", "rest-api", "openai-compatible", "self-hosted"]
platforms: ["macos", "linux", "windows", "docker", "claude-code", "codex"]
install_kind: "cli"
date_added: "2026-10-14"
rank: null
rising_score: 57
stars: 183196
star_velocity: 151.9
velocity_basis: "since creation"
created_at: "2023-06-26T19:39:32Z"
pushed_at: "2026-10-15T04:58:46Z"
signals_status: "ok"
signals_fetched_at: "2026-10-15T05:02:45.913Z"
page: "https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/ollama"
---

# Ollama

Runs open models locally behind a CLI and a REST API, with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint

Category: Models and APIs. Tier: standard (a well-known tool, listed for reference, not ranked). Pricing: Open source. License: MIT.

Platforms: macos, linux, windows, docker, claude-code, codex.

## Why you would want it

Ollama downloads and runs open models such as Gemma with one command (`ollama run gemma4`) and serves them on a local REST API at localhost:11434. It supports a subset of the OpenAI API, so OpenAI clients work by changing the base URL, and it ships official Python and JavaScript libraries. `ollama launch` connects local models to coding agents including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot CLI and OpenCode, and the same API can reach Ollama's cloud models with an API key.

## Best for

- Running open models on your own machine
- Offline or private agent development
- Pointing coding agents at local models

## Use it when

You want a local model server that existing OpenAI-style clients and coding agents can talk to with minimal setup.

## Skip it if

You only use hosted models from providers like Anthropic or OpenAI. Its OpenAI compatibility covers a subset of the OpenAI API, so check the docs if you depend on less common endpoints.

## Install

Install on macOS or Linux:

```sh
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh
```

Source: https://github.com/ollama/ollama#readme

## Live signals

Fetched 2026-10-15T05:02:45.913Z (status: ok).

- Repository: ollama/ollama
- Repository created: 2023-06-26
- Stars: 183,196 (GitHub's count; it cannot be authenticated)
- Stars per day, since repo creation: 151.9 (an average over the repo's life, not a growth rate)
- Forks: 18,282
- Open issues and PRs: 4,280
- License (GitHub): MIT
- Last push: 2026-10-15
- Latest release: v0.40.4 (2026-10-12)

## Links

- Website: https://ollama.com
- GitHub: https://github.com/ollama/ollama
- Install instructions verified at: https://github.com/ollama/ollama#readme
- Source for this entry: https://github.com/ollama/ollama#readme
- AgentToolDrop page: https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/ollama
- Full catalog (JSON): https://agenttooldrop.com/tools.json