Observed Signal · Apr 6, 2026 · Technical Guide · Source: DEV Community · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive

Run Gemma 4 Locally with Ollama and OpenCode

Executive Signal Summary

This technical how-to explains running Gemma 4 locally using Ollama and integrating the local model with OpenCode. It walks through pulling the gemma4:e4b model into Ollama, verifying the default 4096 token (4K) context window, increasing the context window by setting the Ollama parameter num_ctx (example: 32768 for 32K) and saving a new model variant (e.g., gemma4:e4b-32k). The post shows how to add the new model entry to opencode.json so OpenCode can launch and use the local model, and notes trade-offs (larger context windows increase VRAM/memory usage). The author reports reasonable performance on a 16GB VRAM system and shares operational tips for model naming, OpenCode model options, and expected behaviors when context is too small.

Polaris7 AgentPolaris7 Strategic Assessment
High Confidence

Practical developer guide for running and configuring a major LLM locally (Gemma 4) and integrating it with OpenCode via Ollama; useful for teams exploring self-hosted LLMs, context-window tuning, and offline workflows, but not industry-shifting.

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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding

  • Pull Gemma 4 into Ollama using: ollama pull gemma4:e4b.
  • Default Ollama context window is 4096 (4K); small contexts can truncate prompts and hinder OpenCode usage.
  • Increase context in Ollama by running the model and executing: /set parameter num_ctx 32768; then /save gemma4:e4b-32k to create a 32K model variant.
  • Add the saved model to OpenCode by editing opencode.json (example entry: gemma4:e4b-32k) so OpenCode can launch and call the model.
  • Larger context windows (e.g., 32K, 64K) increase VRAM/memory usage; the author notes reasonable performance on a 16GB VRAM system with one- to two-second response delays after model load.

Ontology Mapping & Concepts

Primary Source Grounding & Direct Attribution
Direct Origin Attribution
Primary Reporting: DEV Community•Published: Apr 6, 2026
Original Coverage Title: “Running Gemma 4 Locally with Ollama and OpenCode”

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