Is llama.cpp open source?

Yes. llama.cpp is open source under the MIT licence. It is free to use.

What are the alternatives to llama.cpp?

The closest alternatives to llama.cpp are Ollama, llamafile and KoboldCpp.

llama.cpp

Q: When should you use llama.cpp?

Use llama.cpp when: the constraint is hardware, not throughput — no GPU, or an edge box.

Q: When should you not use llama.cpp?

Skip llama.cpp when: you need maximum concurrent throughput on datacentre GPUs.

github.comruntimeself-hosted

llama.cpp is a self-hosted runtime in the Inference & Serving layer of the AI stack. Portable CPU/GPU inference for quantized GGUF models.

By Lattice editorial · Facts verified 2026-09 · method

licence: MIT
language: C++
cost: free
owned by: AI Infrastructure

Verified 2026-09build refuses it from 2027-04

Use llama.cpp when

The constraint is hardware, not throughput — no GPU, or an edge box.

Skip llama.cpp when

You need maximum concurrent throughput on datacentre GPUs.

Turns weights into throughput. — that is what this layer of the stack is answerable for. See the full Inference & Serving section for the rest of the options.

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Quick answers

Is llama.cpp open source?: Yes. llama.cpp is open source under the MIT licence. It is free to use.
What are the alternatives to llama.cpp?: The closest alternatives to llama.cpp are Ollama, llamafile and KoboldCpp.

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vLLM vs SGLang vs TGI vs llama.cppThe four open inference runtimes compared on prefix reuse, hardware floor, structured output and operational complexity — with a recommendation for each traffic shape.

llama.cpp

Use llama.cpp when

Skip llama.cpp when

Quick answers

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