Local-first AI apps we use
The applications Owners Club features for running AI locally: inference, agents, containers, and generation.
appsindexlocal-first
Local-first AI apps we use
One page per application we feature, with the facts you need before installing anything: home page, repository, licence, platforms, then curated getting-started links, pitfalls, and verified videos.
Every licence and repository claim on these pages was read from the official source or the GitHub API on 2026-10-28. Every video link was resolved through YouTube's oEmbed API, so titles and channels are real rather than guessed.
Current recommendations
| Goal | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT-like local chat | Unsloth Desktop | One app for chat, local API, and fine-tuning |
| Agentic workflows | Agent Zero | Docker containment is the standard install |
| Containers (easiest) | Docker Desktop | Least friction; check the licence thresholds |
| Containers (fully OSS) | Podman | Apache-2.0, rootless by default, harder first run |
| Local image/video generation | ComfyUI | Node graphs, huge ecosystem |
All application pages
| App | OSS | Licence | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent Zero | Yes | MIT | Docker on macOS/Windows/Linux |
| ComfyUI | Yes | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker |
| Docker Desktop | No (engine yes) | Docker Subscription Service Agreement | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Hermes Agent | Yes | MIT | Linux, macOS, WSL2, Windows, Termux |
| Hermes devcontainer | Yes | Apache-2.0 | Docker, Podman, Codespaces |
| Jan | Yes | Apache-2.0 | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Podman | Yes | Apache-2.0 | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Unsloth Desktop | Yes | Apache-2.0 | macOS, Windows, Linux, WSL |
| Wiki3 App | Yes | AGPL-3.0 | macOS (documented) |
Where to go next
- Choosing local AI tools — pick by goal, not by hype.
- The local-first AI stack — how the pieces fit together.
- Choosing a container runtime — Docker Desktop vs Podman.
- Agent containment — why agents belong in containers.
- Own Your Own AI workshop — the event these pages grew out of.
Adding an app
Use the same shape: front matter with type: Application, then At a glance table, Why it is on our
list, Install, Configuration, Common pitfalls, Tips, Videos, Related. Do not add a video you have not
resolved, and do not state a licence you have not read.