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Migration guide

How to migrate from OpenAI API to Ollama

AI chat conversations rarely migrate between different platforms — what usually matters is your history of useful prompts, not the full conversation.

  1. 1

    Export your conversation history from OpenAI API

    If OpenAI API allows it, export your conversations (usually as JSON) before switching — at least as a reference file, even if it can't be re-imported as-is.

  2. 2

    Set up your model provider in Ollama

    Ollama needs you to connect an API key (OpenAI, Anthropic, or a local model) — decide whether to use a cloud provider or local models based on your budget and privacy needs.

  3. 3

    Recreate your saved prompts and flows

    Review your exported history and re-save the prompts, templates or "custom instructions" you used most often in Ollama.

  4. 4

    Validate response quality with real cases

    Test Ollama with 3-5 real tasks you used to solve in OpenAI API before relying on it fully — quality varies depending on the model you connect.

Before cancelling OpenAI API

Before cancelling OpenAI API, confirm you've exported any conversation with information you don't have saved anywhere else.

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These steps are a general guideline — the exact export menu can vary depending on OpenAI API's plan and version.