8/27/2024

Setting Up Ollama with GitLab CI/CD

Introduction

In this HOW-TO guide, we're diving deep into Ollama, a powerful open-source framework that enables you to run Large Language Models (LLMs) locally. We'll be coupling that with GitLab CI/CD, a robust service for software development and DevOps, allowing for continuous integration & deployment. Our goal is to set everything up effectively so you can run your language models in an efficient manner while taking advantage of GitLab's capabilities.

What is Ollama?

Ollama is an open-source framework designed to make running large language models easy. Whether you're working with models like Mistral, LLama 3.1, or others, Ollama can help you deploy them on local machines. This platform is incredibly flexible and supports numerous models that you can serve locally with ease. When you combine Ollama with GitLab CI/CD, you have a powerful setup that allows for continual testing & deployment of updates, ensuring your models are always at their best without any downtime.

Learn more about Ollama here.

Setting Up GitLab CI/CD

To get anything rolling, we first need a GitLab CI/CD pipeline configured.

Create a GitLab repository. If you don't already have one, go to GitLab & create a new repository for your Ollama project.
Create your
1.gitlab-ci.yml
file. This file will define your CI/CD process. Here's a basic structure to get you started: ```yaml image: python:3.9 stages:
- build
- test
- deploy
  Define the job for building the project
  build: stage: build script:
  - echo "Building the project..."
  Define the job for testing the project
  test: stage: test script:
  - echo "Testing the project..."
  - pytest
  Define the job for deploying
  deploy: stage: deploy script:
  - echo "Deploying the project..." ```
  - This YAML structure is straightforward where we specify jobs for building, testing & deploying the code.
Configure your environment. In your GitLab repository settings, you might want to define any variables you will refer to in your scripts.

Installing Ollama Locally

To run Ollama on your local machine, follow these steps based on your Operating System:

For MacOS

If you're on MacOS, use Homebrew for installation:

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bash
brew install ollama

For Other OS

If you're using another OS, you can install Ollama by following these instructions:

Go to the Ollama download page here.
Select your appropriate operating system & follow their installation instructions.

Once installed, you can pull the model you're interested in. For example:

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bash
ollama pull mistral:instruct

Running the Model

To serve the model, use:

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bash
ollama run mistral:instruct

Open your browser & visit

http://localhost:11434/

to check if it’s running. If not, run:

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bash
ollama serve

This is where the magic happens! 🎉

Integrating Ollama with GitLab CI/CD

Now that we have Ollama running locally, the next step is to tie it into our GitLab CI/CD setup. This allows us to perform actions like testing our models every time we make a change in the codebase.

Create a CI/CD Pipeline to Test the Ollama Model

Our next YAML configuration looks something like this: ```yaml image: python:3.9

stages:

build
test
run-ollama

build: stage: build script:

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- echo "Building the Ollama model..."

test: stage: test script:

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- echo "Running tests..."

run-ollama: stage: run-ollama script:

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- echo "Running the Ollama model!"
- ollama run mistral:instruct

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``
In this configuration, we now have a

run-ollama` stage where we execute our model in addition to the simple build & test operations. Make sure to customize it to suit your project's needs!

Debugging CI/CD Jobs

It’s common to encounter issues while integrating GitLab CI/CD with Ollama. To troubleshoot:

Check your pipeline logs in GitLab for any errors.
Ensure all necessary ports are open and Ollama can receive requests from your CI job.
Verify that you properly configured Ollama in your
1docker-compose.yml
or directly in the CI/YAML configuration.

Conclusion

With these steps, you've successfully configured Ollama with GitLab CI/CD. Now, every change you make can be automatically tested and deployed using the capabilities of GitLab, streamlining your development process significantly. Don't forget to leverage Arsturn to create custom chatbots that can enhance your engagement with your audience by Automating responses and ensuring they receive timely information. This will increase customer satisfaction & engagement, allowing more time to focus on your core business tasks.

Benefits of Using Ollama & GitLab CI/CD Together

Seamless Integration: When linked, they allow for continuous updates & improvements to your language models.
Efficiency: Save time with automated testing and deployment, enabling faster iterations and reduced downtime.
Scalability: As your needs grow, adding models and projects becomes much simpler.

Are you ready to boost your coding & engagement prowess? Dive into implementing Ollama with GitLab now and remember to check out Arsturn for AI-driven solutions that could revolutionize how you interact with your clients!

Feel free to ask questions in the supported forums or communities; the more we share knowledge, the better we all become!