🎒 Introduction to local.ai
local.ai is a desktop application designed specifically for local, private, and secure AI experimentation. This tool stands out by offering a comprehensive set of features that make AI research and development accessible and manageable directly from your personal computer without relying on cloud services. Here's what local.ai offers:
Key Features
-
Model Management: local.ai includes a robust model API and a model downloader. The app provides essential information, like recommended hardware specifications, model licenses, and integrity checks through blake3/sha256 hashes. This ensures users know the resources each model requires and the legalities of its use.
-
Note-Taking Application: The app features a simple but effective note-taking tool. Each note can have its custom inference configurations, making it easy to document and experiment with different AI setups. Notes are saved as plain text in the
.mdxformat, making them easy to share and edit. -
Inference Server: The application includes a model inference streaming server. This feature is akin to the "/completion" endpoint from OpenAI, allowing models to process and respond to queries directly from your machine.
local.ai integrates seamlessly with window.ai, enabling any web app to utilize AI technology without incurring additional costs to developers or users.
Technology
At its core, local.ai uses the llm rust crate, which provides efficient processing for AI models. This allows users to harness the power of AI locally.
🚀 Installation Guide
Installing local.ai is straightforward. Visit the official website at localai.app and choose the version that matches your system architecture. The binaries for Windows and macOS are signed and verified, ensuring user safety and trustworthiness.
For those interested in compiling the application themselves, instructions and source code can be found on the GitHub release page.
🧵 Development Guide
Developers who wish to explore or improve local.ai can follow these simple steps to set up the project locally:
Prerequisites
- Node.js version 18 or higher.
- Rust version 1.69 or higher.
- pnpm version 8 or higher.
Workflow
To begin development, execute the following commands:
git submodule update --init --recursive
pnpm i
pnpm dev
🪪 Licensing
The desktop and web application is licensed under the GNU GPLv3, ensuring that all derivative works remain open-source. The client SDK is licensed under MIT, offering flexibility to developers.
🤔 Trivia and Community Engagement
Why the Backpack Icon?
The backpack symbolizes the concept of "bringing your own model," aligning with local.ai's philosophy of personalizing AI tools.
Open Source Philosophy
Choosing GPLv3 emphasizes the importance of transparency in AI, advocating that all contributions and derivatives remain open for public scrutiny.
Community and Contributions
local.ai encourages an active community and welcomes contributions ranging from code enhancements to bug reports. Beginners can start with Good First Issues, while experienced developers might focus on Help Wanted Issues.
Naming and Future Plans
Although similar in name to LocalAI, local.ai got its name independently. Any future renaming plans would be discussed in the project's GitHub discussions page.
Stay engaged by joining discussions on GitHub where users can share creations, ask questions, and offer praise for the project.