It is important to choose the right open-source code model as it significantly affects the programming experience. Due to the rise of powerful AI models, developers now have access to free community-driven tools that run locally. In this article, we will explore the best open-source coding models compatible with Windows based on their performance, usability, and features.
Best Open-Source Coding Model that runs on Windows Laptops
If you are looking for the best Open-Source Coding model that runs on Windows 11/10 laptops, check out the list we have curated below.
- Microsoft Windows AI Foundry
- Devstral by Mistral
- Wizard Coder
- Llamafile
- GPT4All
Let’s get to know our options in detail.
1] Microsoft Windows AI Foundry
Microsoft Windows AI Foundry is a strong contender that provides Windows developers and companies with powerful AI tools directly integrated into the operating system. It offers access to pre-trained AI models, ONX Runtime, DirectML for GPU acceleration, and local or cloud deployment of AI processes. The platform enables generative AI, computer vision, and natural language processing workloads, and is compatible with frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow.
To install Microsoft Windows AI Foundry, ensure you are running the latest Operating system with the most recent updates. Once verified, open PowerShell with admin rights, and execute the command ‘winget install Microsoft.FoundryLocal‘ to install it. After installation, run the command ‘foundry model run phi-3.5-mini‘ to launch a model.
Note: Make sure to type the command instead of pasting it, for some reason, PowerShell is changing punctuation.
2] Devstral by Mistral
Devstral by Mistral is an open-source agentic coding model for real-world software engineering applications. It offers a 128k context window that allows multi-file editing, in-depth codebase analysis, and GitHub issue resolution. Devstral surpasses more powerful models like DeepSeek-V3 and QWEN 3-232B, and works perfectly with OpenHands for autonomous coding activities. Moreover, it also offers debugging, dependency resolution, and AI-assisted software development.
To install Devstral, the first step is to create a Python Virtual Environment, and then install Mistral Interference. Once done, download model files via Hugging Face Hub, and then run Devstral locally using Mistral Chat CLI and link it with Open Hands to improve coding skills.
3] Wizard Coder
WizardCoder is an open-source coding model optimized for software development tasks and fine-tuned on Llama 2. It excels at generating accurate code completions, debugging, and offering insightful coding suggestions across multiple programming languages, making it an excellent companion for developers. Designed specifically for coding workflows, WizardCoder can be integrated easily into local development environments. To install, download the model files from a trusted repository such as Hugging Face, and run them using a compatible local inference client, for example Text-generation-WebUI.
4] Llamafile
Llamafile, supported by Mozilla, makes an open-source AI accessible with rapid CPU inference and no network dependencies. It transforms LLMs to Executable Linkable Format (ELF), which allows cross-platform execution on Windows, macOS, Linux, Intel, ARM, and FreeBSD. Moreover, it supports existing models from OpenAI, Mistral, Groq, and LM Studio as well as Bespoke models. The key feature of this platform lies in its simplicity; users can use a simple command to convert model formats such as .gguf to .llamfile.
To install it, go to Hugging Face, search for Llamafile, and use wget to get the selected quantised version. You can also go to the hyperlink huggingface.co. After download, use chmod + x <filename> to make it executable, and at last, launch an LLM server at http://127.0.0.1:8080 by running Llamafile using ./<filename>. This setup ensures fast, local AI inference without complex dependencies.
5] GPT4All
If you are looking for privacy, security, and offline AI, GPT4All is the answer to your quest. It runs LLMs locally on Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu with support for M-series processors, AMD, and NVIDIA GPUs. It offers over 1000 open-source models, including Llama and Mistral, and customizes chatbot settings like temperature and batch size. Moreover, to ensure data safety, it provides local document access for PDFs and text files. However, large-scale businesses may choose the Enterprise edition, which includes security, support, and per-device licensing.
To install GPT4ALL, navigate to Nomic.AI and download the version suitable for your Operating system. Once installed, browse the models and choose one to run locally. Moreover, the platform enables users to experiment with various models, supporting Discord and GitHub communities.
Read: How to run VS Code AI Mode to boost Coding?
Which app is best for coding on a laptop?
For coding on a laptop, Visual Studio Code is a hard option to miss. It’s free, open source, and allows users to integrate other platforms as well as Devstral into VS Code workflows to leverage its advanced coding and intelligence within the editor. Apart from VS Code, Microsoft Windows AI foundry, and, as mentioned earlier, Devstral are also worth exploring.
Read: How to run VS Code AI Mode to boost Coding?
Is VSCode free?
Yes, Visual Studio Code is completely free to use. It is a Microsoft product, an open-source code editor available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The platform supports numerous programming languages, such as JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, and with extensions, users can also access Python, Java, C++, and more. It is infamous among developers worldwide for having no licensing fees and building apps without much hassle, making it worth their time.
Also Read: Turn Text into Code using Codex CLI.
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