Official components · needs a real run0 successful reportsReviewed 2026-08-16

Add Open WebUI above Ollama and Qwen3 8B on a 16GB Apple Silicon Mac

A two-layer local stack for users who already have Qwen3 8B working in Ollama and want a persistent web interface without changing the underlying model-fit calculation.

Report result

Evidence status

Both components document this integration path. The complete two-layer stack on the exact 16GB Mac has not yet been reported to LocalAIRun.

Requirements

  • A working Ollama Qwen3 8B baseline
  • Docker Desktop or a supported Python 3.11/3.12 environment
  • Persistent local storage for Open WebUI
  • Port 3000 or 8080 available

Stack

Web application
Open WebUI · Pinned stable release recommended

Use a named persistent volume and pin a release for a durable installation.

Runtime
Ollama · Current stable release

Ollama remains responsible for loading Qwen3 and using Metal.

Model artifact
Qwen3 8B Q4_K_M · GGUF Q4_K_M

Verify the Ollama-only recipe before adding the web layer.

Manual mode

Step-by-step execution

0 / 4 complete

Use the same safeguards as the Skill

Check the machine first, use only the linked official sources, confirm large downloads and file locations, and do not bypass macOS security. Mark a step complete only after its check passes.

  1. 1. Verify Ollama first

    • •Complete the Ollama Qwen3 8B baseline before installing another layer.
    • •Confirm the Ollama API responds on localhost.
    Check: Qwen3 works directly through Ollama.

  2. 2. Choose and install Open WebUI

    Official instructions →
    • •Use the official Docker path for the most reproducible installation, or the documented Python 3.11/3.12 path.
    • •Create persistent storage and do not use the dev image for real data.
    Check: Open WebUI opens locally and retains its configuration after restart.

  3. 3. Connect the local runtime

    • •Configure Open WebUI to reach the existing Ollama service.
    • •Select Qwen3 8B and keep the baseline context unchanged.
    Check: The Qwen3 model appears and responds through Open WebUI.

  4. 4. Check persistence and report

    • •Restart Open WebUI and confirm the local account and conversation persist.
    • •Record image or package version, installation method, model response, and any connectivity error.
    Check: The web UI survives restart and completes the fixed prompt.

Baseline settings

context length
8192
open webui storage
persistent
open webui release
pinned

Comparable test

Prompt

Summarize the difference between a model runtime and a chat interface in five bullet points.

Seed: 20260816

Did it run on your hardware?

Success and failure reports both improve this recipe's evidence level.

Submit test result

Sources

Open WebUI quick start →Ollama quickstart →