A developer has created the first Claude Code client that works with Ollama's local models. Released on Hacker News, the tool detects available local models and automatically switches to offline inference when internet access is unavailable. The workflow remains identical to the standard Claude Code experience, just backed by local hardware.

The project became possible after Ollama added an Anthropic-compatible API in January. This allows local models to plug directly into the existing Claude Code architecture. The creator tested several models, finding qwen3-coder:30b to be the most reliable for tool-calling instructions in this workflow.

This development addresses a key gap for developers wanting local-first AI coding assistance. While cloud-based tools like Claude Code offer convenience, they require constant internet access and raise privacy concerns. A local alternative lets teams run coding agents on their own machines, keeping proprietary code entirely in-house.

Looking ahead, the community will likely test more models for compatibility. The GLM-4.7-Flash model, though recently released, struggled with consistent tool-calling. As Ollama's ecosystem grows, expect broader model support and potential integration into other local-first developer tools.