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This course now features Coursera Coach!

A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course.

In this course, you will learn how to create local language models using Ollama and Python. By the end, you will be equipped with the tools to build LLM-based applications for real-world use cases. The course introduces Ollama's powerful features, installation, and setup, followed by a hands-on guide to exploring and utilizing Ollama models through Python. You'll dive into topics such as REST APIs, the Python library for Ollama, and how to customize and interact with models effectively.

You'll begin by setting up your development environment, followed by an introduction to Ollama, its key features, and system requirements. After grasping the fundamentals, you'll start working with Ollama CLI commands and explore the REST API for interacting with models. The course provides practical exercises such as pulling and testing models, customizing them, and using various endpoints for tasks like sentiment analysis and summarization.

The journey continues as you dive into Python integration, using the Ollama Python library to build LLM-based applications. You'll explore advanced features like working with multimodal models, creating custom models, and using the show function to stream chat interactions. Then, you'll develop full-fledged applications, such as a grocery list categorizer and a RAG system, exploring vector stores, embeddings, and more.

This course is ideal for those looking to build advanced LLM applications using Ollama and Python. If you have a background in Python programming and want to create sophisticated language-based applications, this course will help you achieve that goal. Expect a hands-on learning experience with the opportunity to work on several projects using the Ollama framework.

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Syllabus

Introduction
In this module, we will introduce the course's objectives, outline the prerequisites needed to succeed, and provide an engaging demo to showcase the tools and concepts that will be used throughout the course.
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Learners who complete Harnessing Ollama – Create Local LLMs with Python will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.
Offers an accessible overview of generative AI, explaining the core ideas without excessive technical jargon. It is suitable for gaining a broad understanding of the field that Ollama operates within. It serves as helpful background reading for those new to generative AI.
Another classic and comprehensive textbook covering a wide range of topics in NLP and computational linguistics. Similar to Manning and Schütze, it provides foundational knowledge essential for a thorough understanding of the field that LLMs belong to. This widely used textbook in academic settings.
Transformers are the architecture behind most modern LLMs. provides a deep dive into transformers and using the Hugging Face library, a popular tool for working with these models. While not directly about Ollama, it's highly relevant for understanding and potentially customizing models used with Ollama.
This foundational text in the field of deep learning, providing the theoretical and mathematical background necessary to understand the internal workings of LLMs. While not specific to Ollama, it offers essential prerequisite knowledge for a deep understanding of the models. It is widely considered a classic textbook in deep learning.
Provides a hands-on approach to building applications with LLMs, including the creation of intelligent agents. It covers practical aspects and frameworks like LangChain, which are directly applicable to developing applications that utilize local LLMs via Ollama.
Focuses on key techniques like RAG and fine-tuning, which are directly applicable to enhancing the performance and relevance of LLMs run with Ollama. It provides practical guidance for improving the capabilities of local models for specific tasks. This book is highly relevant for contemporary LLM application development.
Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) crucial technique for providing LLMs with up-to-date and domain-specific information, a common need when using local models via Ollama. delves into building RAG pipelines, making it highly relevant for enhancing LLM applications. This book is valuable for understanding and implementing RAG.
Given the course names mentioning AI agents, this book is highly relevant. It focuses on building intelligent agents powered by LLMs, covering frameworks and techniques for creating autonomous systems. This aligns with the advanced applications of LLMs that can be explored using Ollama.
Prompt engineering crucial skill for effectively using LLMs. focuses on the principles and techniques for designing prompts to get reliable outputs from generative AI models. This is directly applicable to interacting with and getting the best results from LLMs run locally with Ollama.
While broader than just LLMs, this book covers the essential principles of designing and deploying machine learning systems, including aspects of MLOps relevant to putting LLMs into production environments. It provides a solid understanding of the system-level considerations. is valuable for understanding the broader context of deploying AI systems.
Focuses on the practical aspects of MLOps, which are highly relevant for deploying and managing LLMs with a tool like Ollama. It covers topics like monitoring, deployment, and operationalization. It provides hands-on guidance for putting models into practice.
Introduces the fundamental concepts of MLOps, providing a framework for understanding the lifecycle of machine learning models in production. While not solely focused on LLMs, the principles discussed are directly applicable to deploying and managing LLMs with Ollama. It good starting point for understanding MLOps.
Is excellent for gaining a deep, foundational understanding of how LLMs work by guiding you through building one from scratch using Python and PyTorch. It covers the core concepts and is highly valuable for solidifying understanding, serving as a strong prerequisite for working with tools like Ollama. This book practical guide rather than a theoretical reference. It is well-regarded in the field and is suitable for those with intermediate Python and some machine learning knowledge.
This concise book offers a hands-on introduction to language models and transformers using PyTorch. It provides a solid technical overview without being overly lengthy, making it a good resource for quickly grasping the core concepts behind LLMs that can be used with Ollama.
Focusing on the LangChain framework, this book is highly relevant for building applications with LLMs, a key theme in the provided course names. It covers practical aspects of using LLMs and frameworks like LangChain, which are often used in conjunction with local LLMs served by Ollama. is valuable for hands-on application development.
Focuses specifically on the Transformer architecture, which is the backbone of most modern LLMs. Understanding this architecture is key to a deeper technical understanding of the models that Ollama makes accessible. It valuable resource for those wanting to understand the core technology.
Discusses the engineering challenges and practices involved in building AI applications with foundation models, including LLMs. It provides valuable insights into the practical aspects of developing and deploying LLM-powered systems, which is relevant for professionals working with Ollama in a production context.
Known for its highly visual approach, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to LLMs, covering their architecture, training, and applications. It's a practical guide that helps solidify understanding through clear explanations and examples. It serves as a good resource for understanding the underlying concepts of the models that Ollama can run.
This foundational textbook in pattern recognition and machine learning, providing essential mathematical and theoretical background relevant to understanding the principles behind many AI models, including LLMs. While not specific to generative AI or LLMs, it offers crucial underlying knowledge. It is considered a classic in the field and is suitable as a textbook or reference.
Provides a broad introduction to the concepts and techniques behind generative AI, including the models that Ollama can run. It's a good starting point for understanding the 'what' and 'how' of generative models before diving into specific tools like Ollama. It is valuable as foundational reading.

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