ChatGPT-Ollama

A ChatGPT-like web interface powered by Ollama for running large language models locally. This application provides a familiar chat interface while leveraging the power of locally hosted AI models through Ollama.

video

Cointab.webm

Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js/Express.js - Server-side runtime and web framework
• Ollama - Local LLM inference engine
• Database - SQLite/PostgreSQL for chat history and user sessions
• WebSocket/Socket.io - Real-time communication for streaming responses

Frontend

• Next.js - Frontend framework
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first CSS framework
• Axios - HTTP client for API requests
• React Router - Client-side routing

Additional Tools

• Vite - Build tool and development server
• ESLint & Prettier - Code linting and formatting
• Docker - Containerization (optional)

Prerequisites

Before setting up the project, ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v18.0.0 or higher)
• npm or yarn package manager
• Git for version control
• Ollama (see setup instructions below)

Setup Instructions

1. Ollama Setup

Install Ollama

# For macOS
brew install ollama

# For Linux
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

# For Windows
# Download installer from https://ollama.com/download/windows

Start Ollama Service

ollama serve

Pull Required Models

# Pull a lightweight model (recommended for testing)
ollama pull gamma3:1b

# Or pull a more capable model (requires more resources)
ollama pull llama3.2:3b
ollama pull mistral:7b

Verify Installation

ollama list

2. Database Setup

For PostgreSQL (Optional)

# Install PostgreSQL
# macOS
brew install postgresql
brew services start postgresql

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib

# Create database
createdb chatgpt_ollama

3. Project Setup

Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/Cvr421/ChatGPT-ollama.git
cd ChatGPT-ollama

Install Dependencies

# Install backend dependencies
cd backend
npm install

# Install frontend dependencies
cd ../frontend
npm install

Environment Configuration

Create .env files in both backend and frontend directories:

Backend .env:

PORT=3001
OLLAMA_URL=http://localhost:11434
DB_TYPE=postgres
DB_PATH=./database.sqlite

# For PostgreSQL (uncomment if using)
# DB_TYPE=postgres
# DB_HOST=localhost
# DB_PORT=5432
# DB_NAME=chatgpt_ollama
# DB_USER=your_username
# DB_PASSWORD=your_password

NODE_ENV=development
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:3000

Frontend .env:

VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:3001
VITE_WS_URL=ws://localhost:3001

Local Run Instructions

Development Mode

1. Start Ollama (if not already running)

ollama serve

2. Start Backend Server

cd backend
npm run dev

The backend will start on http://localhost:3001

3. Start Frontend Development Server

cd frontend
npm run dev

The frontend will start on http://localhost:3000

4. Access the Application

Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000

Production Mode

Build Frontend

cd frontend
npm run build

Start Production Server

cd backend
npm start

Using Docker (Optional)

Build and Run with Docker Compose

docker-compose up --build

This will start all services including the application and database.

Usage

1. Select Model: Choose from available Ollama models in the interface
2. Start Chatting: Type your message and press Enter or click Send