ollamar: An R package for running large language models

Abstract

Large language models (LLMs) have transformed natural language processing and AI applications across numerous domains. While cloud-based LLMs are common, locally deployed models offer distinct advantages in reproducibility, data privacy, security, and customization. ollamar is an R package that provides an interface to Ollama, enabling researchers and data scientists to integrate locally-hosted LLMs into their R workflows seamlessly. It implements a consistent API design that aligns with other programming languages and follows established LLM usage conventions. It further distinguishes itself by offering flexible output formats and easy management of conversation history. ollamar is maintained on GitHub and available through the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), where it regularly undergoes comprehensive continuous integration testing across multiple platforms.