LocalAI
LocalAI is the open-source AI engine. Run any model - LLMs, vision, voice, image, video - on any hardware. No GPU required.
What is it?
What it is
LocalAI is a free, open-source OpenAI API drop-in replacement that runs LLMs, image generation, and audio models locally or on-premises.
Why it exists
Applications built for OpenAI API should run against local models without code changes.
Who should use it
Teams needing OpenAI-compatible API for local/air-gapped deployments of LLMs, image, or audio models.
Who should avoid it
Users wanting a simple chat UI (use Open WebUI or Ollama instead).
How it works
A quick walkthrough in plain English
How LocalAI replaces the cloud API
Step 1 of 4
Your app calls the API
Use the same code as OpenAI — just point it at your LocalAI server.
Features
Advantages
- Minimal code changes from OpenAI SDK
- Runs air-gapped
- Supports many model formats (GGUF, etc.)
- Active community
Disadvantages
- Configuration can be complex
- Performance varies by hardware
- Less polished than Ollama for simple LLM use
Installation
docker
docker run -p 8080:8080 --name local-ai -ti localai/localai:latest
native
curl https://localai.io/install.sh | sh
FAQ
LocalAI vs Ollama?
Ollama is simpler for running LLMs. LocalAI is broader (image, audio) and OpenAI API compatible for existing apps.
Does it work without GPU?
Yes. CPU inference is supported but slower.
Featured in Videos
YouTube tutorials and walkthroughs for LocalAI
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