3.12 Local models
AI capabilities → Local models manages Ollama and models on your computer and can set a supported model as the Agent main model. This requires desktop or a deployment that permits local model execution.
Steps
- Detect the local runtime and install it if needed.
- Start the Ollama service.
- Enter a model ID, download it, and wait for completion.
- Test that the model responds.
- Confirm tool-calling support, then select Set as main model configuration.
- Check the current model in Settings → Models & providers, then try a workbench task.
Model capabilities
The Agent main model requires tool calling. A successful chat test does not prove tool support. Embedding-only, vision-only, or other models without tool calling cannot directly serve as the main Agent model. Follow detection results for the specific model.
Computer resources, model size, and task complexity affect speed. Verify a small task before attempting multi-step development.
Common states
| State | Action |
|---|---|
| Not installed | Install the runtime and detect again |
| Installed but stopped | Start the service |
| Port occupied or startup failed | Check existing Ollama services and processes |
| Model missing | Check the full model name and tag, download, and retry |
| Cannot set as main model | Check tool-calling support |
| Insufficient disk space | Check capacity and directories in Data locations before downloading |
The interface can manage runtime, model, and cache locations. Changing a directory does not automatically migrate files; follow its guidance, including restart requirements. Whether Stop controls the current service depends on the process ownership shown by the page.
Related configuration
Local models manages runtime and model files; Models & providers manages model entries. Setting a local main model does not change Moss/DSH task bindings or guarantee that DSH uses the same configuration.
Board OpenClaw needs a separately configured model service. Your computer's localhost refers to that computer and is not automatically a reachable board endpoint.