docs/docs/getting-started/index.md

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2	🚀 Getting Started

How to Install 🚀

:::info Important Note on User Roles and Privacy

• Admin Creation: The very first account to sign up on Open WebUI will be granted Administrator privileges. This account will have comprehensive control over the platform, including user management and system settings.

• User Registrations: All subsequent users signing up will initially have their accounts set to Pending status by default. These accounts will require approval from the Administrator to gain access to the platform functionalities.

• Privacy and Data Security: We prioritize your privacy and data security above all. Please be reassured that all data entered into Open WebUI is stored locally on your device. Our system is designed to be privacy-first, ensuring that no external requests are made, and your data does not leave your local environment. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of data privacy and security, ensuring that your information remains confidential and under your control.

:::

Before You Begin

1. **Installing Docker:**

• For Windows and Mac Users:

  • Download Docker Desktop from Docker's official website.
  • Follow the installation instructions provided on the website. After installation, open Docker Desktop to ensure it's running properly.

• For Ubuntu and Other Linux Users:

  • Open your terminal.
  • Set up your Docker apt repository according to the Docker documentation
  • Update your package index:

    sudo apt-get update
    

  • Install Docker using the following command:

    sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io
    

  • Verify the Docker installation with:

    sudo docker run hello-world
    

    This command downloads a test image and runs it in a container, which prints an informational message.

2. Ensure You Have the Latest Version of Ollama:

   • Download the latest version from https://ollama.com/.

3. Verify Ollama Installation:

   • After installing Ollama, check if it's working by visiting http://127.0.0.1:11434/ in your web browser. Remember, the port number might be different for you.

One-line Command to Install Ollama and Open WebUI Together

Using Docker Compose

• If you don't have Ollama yet, use Docker Compose for easy installation. Run this command:

  docker compose up -d --build
  

• For GPU Support: Use an additional Docker Compose file:

  docker compose -f docker-compose.yaml -f docker-compose.gpu.yaml up -d --build
  

• To Expose Ollama API: Use another Docker Compose file:

  docker compose -f docker-compose.yaml -f docker-compose.api.yaml up -d --build
  

Using run-compose.sh Script (Linux or Docker-Enabled WSL2 on Windows)

• Give execute permission to the script:

  chmod +x run-compose.sh
  

• For CPU-only container:

  ./run-compose.sh
  

• For GPU support (read the note about GPU compatibility):

  ./run-compose.sh --enable-gpu
  

• To build the latest local version, add --build:

  ./run-compose.sh --enable-gpu --build
  

Quick Start with Docker 🐳

:::info When using Docker to install Open WebUI, make sure to include the -v open-webui:/app/backend/data in your Docker command. This step is crucial as it ensures your database is properly mounted and prevents any loss of data. :::

• If Ollama is on your computer, use this command:

  docker run -d -p 3000:8080 --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway -v open-webui:/app/backend/data --name open-webui --restart always ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
  

• If Ollama is on a Different Server, use this command:

• To connect to Ollama on another server, change the OLLAMA_API_BASE_URL to the server's URL:

  docker run -d -p 3000:8080 -e OLLAMA_API_BASE_URL=https://example.com/api -v open-webui:/app/backend/data --name open-webui --restart always ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
  

• After installation, you can access Open WebUI at http://localhost:3000. Enjoy! 😄

Open WebUI: Server Connection Error

If you're experiencing connection issues, it’s often due to the WebUI docker container not being able to reach the Ollama server at 127.0.0.1:11434 (host.docker.internal:11434) inside the container . Use the --network=host flag in your docker command to resolve this. Note that the port changes from 3000 to 8080, resulting in the link: http://localhost:8080.

Example Docker Command:

docker run -d --network=host -v open-webui:/app/backend/data -e OLLAMA_API_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:11434/api --name open-webui --restart always ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main

Installing with Podman

Rootless (Podman) local-only Open WebUI with Systemd service and auto-update

• Important: Consult the Docker documentation because much of the configuration and syntax is interchangeable with Podman. See also rootless_tutorial. This example requires the slirp4netns network backend to facilitate server listen and Ollama communication over localhost only.

1. Pull the latest image:

   podman pull ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
   

2. Create a new container using desired configuration:

   Note: -p 127.0.0.1:3000:8080 ensures that we listen only on localhost, --network slirp4netns:allow_host_loopback=true permits the container to access Ollama when it also listens strictly on localhost. --add-host=ollama.local:10.0.2.2 --env 'OLLAMA_API_BASE_URL=http://ollama.local:11434/api' adds a hosts record to the container and configures open-webui to use the friendly hostname. 10.0.2.2 is the default slirp4netns address used for localhost mapping. --env 'ANONYMIZED_TELEMETRY=False' isn't necessary since Chroma telemetry has been disabled in the code but is included as an example.

   podman create -p 127.0.0.1:3000:8080 --network slirp4netns:allow_host_loopback=true --add-host=ollama.local:10.0.2.2 --env 'OLLAMA_API_BASE_URL=http://ollama.local:11434/api' --env 'ANONYMIZED_TELEMETRY=False' -v open-webui:/app/backend/data --label io.containers.autoupdate=registry --name open-webui ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
   

3. Prepare for systemd user service:

   mkdir -p ~/.config/systemd/user/
   

4. Generate user service with Podman:

   podman generate systemd --new open-webui > ~/.config/systemd/user/open-webui.service
   

5. Reload systemd configuration:

   systemctl --user daemon-reload
   

6. Enable and validate new service:

   systemctl --user enable open-webui.service
   systemctl --user start open-webui.service
   systemctl --user status open-webui.service
   

7. Enable and validate Podman auto-update:

   systemctl --user enable podman-auto-update.timer
   systemctl --user enable podman-auto-update.service
   systemctl --user status podman-auto-update.timer
   

   Dry run with the following command (omit --dry-run to force an update):

   podman auto-update --dry-run
   

Alternative Installation Methods

For other ways to install, like using Kustomize or Helm, check out INSTALLATION. Join our Open WebUI Discord community for more help and information.

Updating your Docker Installation

In case you want to update your local Docker installation to the latest version, you can do it with Watchtower:

docker run --rm --volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock containrrr/watchtower --run-once open-webui

In the last part of the command, replace open-webui with your container name if it is different.

How to Install Without Docker

While we strongly recommend using our convenient Docker container installation for optimal support, we understand that some situations may require a non-Docker setup, especially for development purposes. Please note that non-Docker installations are not officially supported, and you might need to troubleshoot on your own.

Project Components

Open WebUI consists of two primary components: the frontend and the backend (which serves as a reverse proxy, handling static frontend files, and additional features). Both need to be running concurrently for the development environment.

:::info The backend is required for proper functionality :::

Requirements 📦

• 🐰 Node.js >= 20.10 or Bun >= 1.0.21
• 🐍 Python >= 3.11

Build and Install 🛠️

Run the following commands to install:

git clone https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui.git
cd open-webui/

# Copying required .env file
cp -RPp .env.example .env

# Building Frontend Using Node
npm i
npm run build

# Serving Frontend with the Backend
cd ./backend
pip install -r requirements.txt -U
bash start.sh

You should have Open WebUI up and running at http://localhost:8080/. Enjoy! 😄