Self-Hosting Open WebUI with Docker: Setup Guide

Self-Hosting Open WebUI with Docker TL;DR Open WebUI is a self-hosted web interface for running local LLMs through Ollama, providing a ChatGPT-like experience without cloud dependencies. This guide walks you through Docker-based deployment, configuration, and integration with local models. What you’ll accomplish: Deploy Open WebUI in under 10 minutes using Docker Compose, connect it to Ollama for model inference, configure authentication, and set up persistent storage for chat history and model configurations. ...

February 21, 2026 · 7 min · Local AI Ops

llama.cpp vs Ollama: Which Local LLM Runner Should You Use

llama.cpp vs Ollama: Which Local LLM Runner Should You Use TL;DR Ollama wins for most self-hosters who want their local LLM running in under 5 minutes. It handles model downloads, GPU acceleration, and exposes a clean OpenAI-compatible API at localhost:11434. Perfect for Docker Compose stacks with Open WebUI, and it integrates seamlessly with tools like Continue.dev for VSCode or n8n workflows. ...

February 21, 2026 · 8 min · Local AI Ops

Best Local LLMs for 8GB RAM: Llama, Mistral, Phi

Best Local LLMs for 8GB RAM: Llama, Mistral, Phi TL;DR Running local LLMs on 8GB RAM systems is entirely feasible in 2026, but requires careful model selection and quantization strategies. Llama 3.2 3B (Q4_K_M quantization) delivers the best balance of capability and efficiency, using approximately 2.3GB RAM while maintaining strong reasoning abilities. Mistral 7B (Q3_K_M) pushes boundaries at 3.8GB RAM, offering superior performance for coding tasks but requiring aggressive quantization. Phi-3 Mini (3.8B parameters, Q4_K_S) sits in the middle at 2.1GB, excelling at structured outputs and JSON generation. ...

February 21, 2026 · 8 min · Local AI Ops

Open WebUI vs Ollama Web UI: Choosing the Right One

Open WebUI vs Ollama Web UI: Choosing the Right One TL;DR Open WebUI (formerly Ollama WebUI) is the actively maintained, feature-rich choice for most users, while Ollama Web UI refers to the deprecated original project that’s no longer developed. Open WebUI offers a ChatGPT-like interface with multi-user support, RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) for document chat, model management, conversation history, and plugin architecture. It runs as a Docker container or Python application, connecting to your local Ollama instance on port 11434. Perfect for teams, homelab setups, or anyone wanting a polished UI with authentication and persistent storage. ...

February 21, 2026 · 9 min · Local AI Ops

How to Install and Run Ollama on Debian Linux

How to Install and Run Ollama on Debian Linux TL;DR Ollama transforms your Debian system into a private AI inference server, letting you run models like Llama 3.1, Mistral, and Phi-3 locally without cloud dependencies. This guide walks you through installation, model deployment, API integration, and production hardening. Quick Install: curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh sudo systemctl enable ollama ollama pull llama3.1:8b ollama run llama3.1:8b You’ll configure Ollama as a systemd service, expose its REST API on port 11434, and integrate it with Open WebUI for a ChatGPT-like interface. We cover GPU acceleration (NVIDIA/AMD), resource limits, and reverse proxy setup with Nginx for secure remote access. ...

February 21, 2026 · 8 min · Local AI Ops
Buy Me A Coffee