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How to Run LLM Locally With Ollama – November 2025

Author/Source: LLM: A very smart computer program that understands and generates human language.
Ollama: A helpful tool that makes it easy to run these smart language programs on your own computer.
Large Language Model: Another name for an LLM, emphasizing its large size and powerful language abilities.
AI: Artificial Intelligence, which refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that usually require human intelligence.
Prompt: The instruction or question you give to an AI model to get a response.
Model: The specific AI program itself, like a particular version of a language understanding system.
Local: Running something directly on your own computer, rather than over the internet on someone else’s server.
Cloud: Using computer services and data storage over the internet, provided by a company, instead of on your own machine.
GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, a specialized computer chip very good at handling complex calculations quickly, often used for AI.
CPU: Central Processing Unit, the main brain of a computer that performs most calculations.
RAM: Random Access Memory, your computer’s short-term memory used for active programs and data.
CLI: Command Line Interface, a way to interact with your computer by typing commands instead of clicking icons.
Terminal: The application on your computer where you type commands into the CLI.
Inference: The process where an AI model uses what it has learned to make predictions or generate responses based on new input.
Quantization: A technique to make AI models smaller and faster to run by using less precise numbers, while still keeping them effective.
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Takeaway

This article explains how to set up and run large language models on your own computer using a simple tool called Ollama. It guides you through the process, allowing you to experiment with AI models privately and without needing constant internet access. By following these steps, you can explore the capabilities of artificial intelligence directly from your personal device.


Technical Subject Understandability

Intermediate


Analogy/Comparison

Imagine wanting to bake a special cake, but instead of ordering it from a bakery or using a big shared kitchen, you get all the ingredients and a recipe book to bake it right in your own kitchen. Ollama is like that recipe book and a helpful assistant that makes it easy for you to bake the cake at home, letting you try different flavors and decorate it however you like, all by yourself.


Why It Matters

This article is important because it shows how to bring powerful artificial intelligence technology directly to your personal computer. This allows for more privacy with your data, lets you use AI without an internet connection, and saves money by not relying on cloud services. For example, a writer could use a local LLM to brainstorm ideas or proofread a document without their work ever leaving their computer, ensuring complete confidentiality.


Related Terms

LLM
Ollama
Large Language Model
AI
Prompt
Model
Local
Cloud
GPU
CPU
RAM
CLI
Terminal
Inference
Quantization

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