Most open-source LLM chat interfaces follow the exact same blueprint: a heavy Python or Node.js backend, a Postgres/Redis database, and a multi-container Docker Compose setup just to pass a JSON prompt to an API.
If you just want a clean, responsive workspace to inspect token counts, test system prompts, or chat with your local Ollama instance, deploying 2GB+ of Docker containers is massive overkill.
That’s why I built Lab - a lightweight, completely serverless, local-first web environment for LLMs.
Since Lab runs entirely in your browser over HTTPS, connecting to a local Ollama instance (http://localhost:11434) requires allowing browser cross-origin requests.
Simply set the environment variable on your Ollama host:
sudo systemctl edit ollama.service
[Service]
Environment="OLLAMA_ORIGINS=*"
Restart Ollama, and Lab connects instantly directly from your browser tab.
The project is fully open-source under the MIT license:
Feedback, bug reports, and PRs are more than welcome!