ollama-chat

Ollama Chat is a conversational AI chat client that uses Ollama to interact with local large language models (LLMs) entirely offline. Ideal for AI enthusiasts, developers, or anyone wanting private, offline LLM chats.

Features

Chat with local large language models (LLMs) entirely offline
Prompt Commands to include files, images, and URL content
Conversation Templates for repeating prompts with variable substitutions
Browse, download, monitor, and select local models directly in the app
Multiple concurrent chats
Show/hide thinking of reasoning models
Regenerate the most recent conversation response
Delete the most recent conversation exchange
View responses as Markdown or text
Save conversations as Markdown text
Start a conversation or template from the command line
Platform independent - tested on macOS, Windows, and Linux

Installation

To get up and running with Ollama Chat follow these steps:

Install Ollama

Install Ollama Chat

macOS and Linux

python3 -m venv $HOME/venv --upgrade-deps
. $HOME/venv/bin/activate
pip install ollama-chat

Windows

python3 -m venv %USERPROFILE%\venv --upgrade-deps
%USERPROFILE%\venv\Scripts\activate
pip install ollama-chat

Start Ollama Chat

To start Ollama Chat, open a terminal prompt and follow the steps for your OS. When you start Ollama Chat, a web browser is launched and opens the Ollama Chat application.

By default, a configuration file, "ollama-chat.json", is created in the user's home directory.

macOS and Linux

. $HOME/venv/bin/activate
ollama-chat

Windows

%USERPROFILE%\venv\Scripts\activate
ollama-chat

Start a Conversation from the Command Line

To start a conversation from the command line, use the -m argument:

ollama-chat -m "Why is the sky blue?"

Start a Template from the Command Line

To start a named template from the command line, use the -t and -v arguments:

ollama-chat -t askAristotle -v question "Why is the sky blue?"

Add a Desktop Launcher

To add a desktop launcher, follow the steps for your OS.

macOS

In Finder, locate the "ollama-chat" executable and drag-and-drop it into the lower portion of the Dock.

Windows

In File Explorer, locate the "ollama-chat" executable, right-click it, and select "Pin to Start".

GNOME (Linux)

Copy the following Ollama Chat desktop file contents:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Ollama Chat
Exec=sh -c "$HOME/venv/bin/ollama-chat"
Type=Application
Icon=dialog-information
Terminal=true
Categories=Utility;

Create the Ollama Chat desktop file and paste the contents:
```
nano $HOME/.local/share/applications/ollama-chat.desktop
```
Update the "Exec" path, if necessary, and save

Conversation Templates

Conversation Templates allow you to repeat a sequence of prompts. Templates can include variable substitutions in the title text and the prompt text (e.g., {{var}}).

Create a Template

There are two ways to create a template:

Click "Add Template" from the home page
Click "Template" on a conversation page

Run a Template

To run a template, click on its title on the home page. If the template has any variables, the user is prompted for their values prior to running the template. When a template runs, a new conversation is created and each prompt is entered in sequence.

Edit a Template

To edit a template, from the home page, click "Select" on the template you want to edit, and then click "Edit". On the template editor page you can update the template's title, set its name, add or remove variables, and add or remove prompts.

Prompt Commands

Ollama Chat supports special prompt commands that allow you to include files, images, and URL content in your prompt, among other things. The following prompt commands are available:

/file - include a file
```
/file README.md
```
/image - include an image
```
/image image.jpeg
```
/dir - include files from a directory
```
/dir src/ollama_chat py
```

/url - include a URL resource

/url https://craigahobbs.github.io/ollama-chat/README.md

/do - execute a conversation template by name

/do city-report -v CityState "Seattle, WA"

/? - list available prompt commands
```
/?
```

To get prompt command help use the -h option:

/file -h

File Format and API Documentation

Ollama Chat File Format

Ollama Chat API

Development

This package is developed using python-build. It was started using python-template as follows:

template-specialize python-template/template/ ollama-chat/ -k package ollama-chat -k name 'Craig A. Hobbs' -k email 'craigahobbs@gmail.com' -k github 'craigahobbs' -k noapi 1

Metadata

Release files for ollama-chat 1.4.1

For a detailed explanation of source distributions (sdists) and built distributions (wheels), please see the package formats documentation.

Source distribution (sdist)

Source distribution for ollama-chat 1.4.1
File	Size	Uploaded
ollama_chat-1.4.1.tar.gz	33.0 kB	Aug 26, 2026	Details

Built distribution (wheel)

Table of built distributions (wheels) for ollama-chat 1.4.1
File	Interpreter	ABI	Platform	Reset
ollama_chat-1.4.1-py3-none-any.whl 36.3 kB Aug 26, 2026	Python 3	none	any	Details

Total release size: 69.2 kB

Release files / ollama_chat-1.4.1.tar.gz

Download URL	ollama_chat-1.4.1.tar.gz
Size	33.0 kB
Tags	Source
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums	`1f4fd731ae04cbddf1590c8885cfca113395f53351b1037e240e99500d2ce09d`
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums	`617b25da969f3624d0c57e1605d8ff09683a8f7ef9014612b50acd3b606898fd`
Upload date	Aug 26, 2026
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing?	No
Uploaded via	`twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.14.7`

Release files / ollama_chat-1.4.1-py3-none-any.whl

Download URL	ollama_chat-1.4.1-py3-none-any.whl
Size	36.3 kB
Tags	Python 3
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums	`0c6fa31282d4d0c0f815412a4930175281fc3408c8b7c2ed1101fa34ee54d0bf`
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums	`029727e752f7f04753f6075d4a95cc72a6f36cd13f958d6d5813dc52c4cc509d`
Upload date	Aug 26, 2026
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing?	No
Uploaded via	`twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.14.7`