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What Are the Prerequisites for Using Ollama

Before getting started, ensure your system meets these requirements:
  • Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows
  • RAM: Minimum 8GB (16GB+ recommended)
  • Storage: At least 10GB free space
  • Continue extension installed

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How to Install Ollama - Step-by-Step

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Step 1: How to Install Ollama

Choose the installation method for your operating system: 
# macOS
brew install ollama

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

# Windows
# Download from ollama.ai

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Step 2: How to Download Models

After installing Ollama, download the models you want to use. Here are some popular options: 
# Popular models for development
ollama pull mistral
ollama pull qwen2.5-coder:1.5b-base
ollama pull nomic-embed-text:latest

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How to Configure Ollama with Continue

Configure Continue to work with your local Ollama instance:

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How to Set Up Continue Configuration

models:
  - name: mistral
    provider: ollama
    apiBase: http://localhost:11434
    model: mistral
    roles:
      - chat
      - edit
      - apply
  - name: Qwen2.5-Coder 1.5B
    provider: ollama
    apiBase: http://localhost:11434
    model: qwen2.5-coder:1.5b-base
    roles:
      - autocomplete
  - name: Nomic Embed
    provider: ollama
    apiBase: http://localhost:11434
    model: nomic-embed-text:latest
    roles:
      - embed
You can update apiBase with the IP address of a remote machine serving Ollama.

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How to Configure Advanced Settings

For optimal performance, consider these advanced configuration options:
  • Memory optimization
  • GPU acceleration
  • Custom model parameters
  • Performance tuning

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What Are the Best Practices for Ollama

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How to Choose the Right Model

Choose models based on your specific needs:
  1. Code Generation: Use CodeLlama or Mistral
  2. Chat: Llama2 or Mistral
  3. Specialized Tasks: Domain-specific models

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How to Optimize Performance

To get the best performance from Ollama:
  • Monitor system resources
  • Adjust context window size
  • Use appropriate model sizes
  • Enable GPU acceleration when available

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How to Troubleshoot Ollama Issues

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What Are Common Issues

Here are solutions to common problems you might encounter:

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How to Fix Connection Problems

  • Check Ollama service status
  • Verify port availability
  • Review firewall settings

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How to Resolve Performance Issues

  • Insufficient RAM
  • Model too large for system
  • GPU compatibility

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How to Apply Solutions

Try these solutions in order:
  1. Restart Ollama service
  2. Clear model cache
  3. Update to latest version
  4. Check system requirements

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What Are Example Workflows with Ollama

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How to Use Ollama for Code Generation

# Example: Generate a FastAPI endpointdef create_user_endpoint():    # Continue will help generate the implementation    pass

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How to Use Ollama for Code Review

Use Continue with Ollama to:
  • Analyze code quality
  • Suggest improvements
  • Identify potential bugs
  • Generate documentation

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Conclusion

Ollama with Continue provides a powerful local development environment for AI-assisted coding. You now have complete control over your AI models, ensuring privacy and enabling offline development workflows.
This guide is based on Ollama v0.1.x and Continue v0.8.x. Please check for updates regularly.