👀 Create an AI Assistant with Ollama GUI (2025 Edition)

Date Created: 2024-09-19
Last Updated: 2025-04-29
By: 16BitMiker
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Ollama continues to lead the way in local AI development by making it easy to run large language models directly on your machine. With the addition of a graphical user interface (GUI), interacting with these models becomes even more accessible—no terminal required.

This guide shows you how to set up and run the Ollama GUI on both Debian-based Linux distributions (like Ubuntu) and macOS in 2025.

📋 Prerequisites

Make sure the following are ready before proceeding:

✅ Ollama is installed and running. (If not, visit ollama.com for installation instructions.)
✅ You have an internet connection to clone the GUI repository.
✅ You have basic command-line familiarity.

The Ollama GUI acts as a frontend—you must have the Ollama backend running for it to function properly.

📋 Step 1: Ensure `make` is Installed

The GUI build process depends on make, a common tool for compiling and automating project builds.

▶️ For Debian-based Linux (Ubuntu, Pop!_OS, Mint, etc.)

Check if make is installed:


make --version

If it's missing, install via:


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sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential

This installs make and other essential development tools.

▶️ For macOS (Ventura, Sonoma, etc.)

Check for make:


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make --version

If not found, install Xcode Command Line Tools:


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xcode-select --install

📦 This prompt installs make, gcc, and other necessary development utilities.

📋 Step 2: Clone and Build the Ollama GUI

The Ollama GUI source is hosted on GitHub. Let’s clone the repository and build it.


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mkdir -p $HOME/temp
cd $HOME/temp
git clone https://github.com/ollama-ui/ollama-ui
cd ollama-ui
make

🔄 What These Commands Do:

🏗️ mkdir -p $HOME/temp: Creates a temporary working directory.
📥 git clone: Downloads the Ollama GUI source code.
🛠️ make: Builds the GUI using the preconfigured Makefile.

📝 Note: The build process may take a minute or two. If you run into errors, double-check that you have all required dependencies installed.

📋 Step 3: Launch the Ollama GUI

Once built, you can launch the interface.

Ensure Ollama is running:


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ollama run llama3

In another terminal, run:


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cd $HOME/temp/ollama-ui
make run

Open your browser and go to:


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http://localhost:3000

✅ You should now see the GUI front-end for your Ollama models.

📋 Step 4: Create a Simple Startup Script (Optional)

To streamline launching the GUI, you can create a helper script.

📦 Create the Script


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nano ~/start_ollama_gui.sh

Paste the following:


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#!/bin/bash
# Simple launcher for Ollama GUI
cd $HOME/temp/ollama-ui
make run

Exit and save (Ctrl + O, then Ctrl + X).

🔐 Make It Executable


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chmod +x ~/start_ollama_gui.sh

Now, launching the GUI is as simple as running:


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~/start_ollama_gui.sh

🧠 Pro Tip: Add this script to your application launcher or system startup if you use Ollama often.

🔧 Troubleshooting

😕 GUI Not Loading?

Make sure Ollama is running:
```
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ollama list
```
If you get an error, the backend isn’t running.

Confirm the GUI is built correctly:


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make clean && make

Check for port conflicts. The GUI listens on port 3000—make sure nothing else is using it.

🐍 Missing Dependencies?

If you encounter Python or Node.js-related errors, check the project’s README for specific setup instructions or install the latest LTS version of Node.js with:


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curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

On macOS, use:


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brew install node

👥 Wrapping Up

You’ve now got a fully functional Ollama GUI running on your local system. This interface makes it easier to:

Interact with models like LLaMA 3, Mistral, and more
Manage prompts and responses visually
Enhance your productivity without relying solely on CLI tools

As local AI continues to evolve, having tools like Ollama and its GUI makes it easier to test, build, and deploy models without depending on cloud APIs.

Happy tinkering! 🧠💻

📚 Read More

If you're interested in integrating Ollama with other local AI tools or containerizing your setup, stay tuned for upcoming guides.