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[GH-ISSUE #584] Adhere to the MacOS File System Programming Guide #46773

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opened 2026-04-27 23:56:55 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 4 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-27 23:56:55 -05:00
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Originally created by @offsetcyan on GitHub (Sep 24, 2023).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/584

The user's home directory is not the place to dump program data, and for future cross-platform compatibility handling this would be inappropriate. Currently Ollama stores user data in ~/.ollama, however Apple have a specification for where to place files of various types (link). In Ollama's case, ~/Library/Application Support/Ollama seems appropriate.

Originally created by @offsetcyan on GitHub (Sep 24, 2023). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/584 The user's home directory is not the place to dump program data, and for future cross-platform compatibility handling this would be inappropriate. Currently Ollama stores user data in `~/.ollama`, however Apple have a specification for where to place files of various types ([link](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/FileManagement/Conceptual/FileSystemProgrammingGuide/FileSystemOverview/FileSystemOverview.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40010672-CH2-SW1)). In Ollama's case, `~/Library/Application Support/Ollama` seems appropriate.
GiteaMirror added the feature requestmacos labels 2026-04-27 23:56:56 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-27 23:56:57 -05:00
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@mtorsten commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023):

Using ~/.ollama should be fine for local single user installs, if you follow posix/linux/unix rules. Only system wide installs should go to /usr, /var, and so on. I hope the Mac use soft-links for those strange "/Library" style directories, pointing to /var... :)

<!-- gh-comment-id:1734897413 --> @mtorsten commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023): Using ~/.ollama should be fine for local single user installs, if you follow posix/linux/unix rules. Only system wide installs should go to /usr, /var, and so on. I hope the Mac use soft-links for those strange "/Library" style directories, pointing to /var... :)
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-27 23:56:58 -05:00
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@offsetcyan commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023):

I'm not sure what "rules" you mean - the XDG spec used commonly on Linux called for $HOME/.config/ollama.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1735048568 --> @offsetcyan commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023): I'm not sure what "rules" you mean - the XDG spec used commonly on Linux called for `$HOME/.config/ollama`.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-27 23:56:59 -05:00
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@mtorsten commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023):

Unix/POSIX/linux file system layouts, as defined in POSIX and LSB (Linux Standard Base). XDG is typically for user-specific installs, where the base is ~ or $HOME file system, while for system wide installs (services and multi-user installs) are based on / file system. So the original question for MacOS would imply that it should use a system approach using /Library and not based on the users home directory, meaning it would differ from the Linux version of ollama.

I am fine with either, but it should be consistent accross OS platforms, and ideally configurable.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1735097996 --> @mtorsten commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023): Unix/POSIX/linux file system layouts, as defined in POSIX and LSB (Linux Standard Base). XDG is typically for user-specific installs, where the base is ~ or $HOME file system, while for system wide installs (services and multi-user installs) are based on / file system. So the original question for MacOS would imply that it should use a system approach using /Library and not based on the users home directory, meaning it would differ from the Linux version of ollama. I am fine with either, but it should be consistent accross OS platforms, and ideally configurable.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-27 23:56:59 -05:00
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@offsetcyan commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023):

My bad, and I'll clear this up in the OP, but I meant ~/Library. I didn't realise that was incorrect. Your response threw me off because dumping dotfiles in a user's home directory is not standard in POSIX or LSB.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1736009887 --> @offsetcyan commented on GitHub (Sep 26, 2023): My bad, and I'll clear this up in the OP, but I meant `~/Library`. I didn't realise that was incorrect. Your response threw me off because dumping dotfiles in a user's home directory is not standard in POSIX or LSB.
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