Building Openbench, a local-first LLM workspace

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Openbench is a local-first LLM workspace for experimenting with local models, focusing on prompt iteration, model comparison, and transparency

intermediate Published 11 Apr 2026

Action Steps

Experiment with local LLMs using Openbench
Compare different models and refine system prompts
Analyze and understand what's happening under the hood with Openbench's transparency features

Who Needs to Know This

AI engineers, data scientists, and researchers can benefit from Openbench as it provides a comprehensive workspace for testing and refining LLMs, allowing for more efficient collaboration and development

Key Insight

💡 Openbench provides a comprehensive workspace for testing and refining LLMs, allowing for more efficient collaboration and development

Key Takeaways

Openbench is a local-first LLM workspace for experimenting with local models, focusing on prompt iteration, model comparison, and transparency

Full Article

Title: Building Openbench, a local-first LLM workspace

URL Source: https://dev.to/theoslater/uilding-openbench-a-local-first-llm-workspace-24fm

Published Time: 2026-04-11T17:37:38Z

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# Building Openbench, a local-first LLM workspace - DEV Community
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[Theo Slater](https://dev.to/theoslater)
Posted on Apr 11

# Building Openbench, a local-first LLM workspace

[#webdev](https://dev.to/t/webdev)[#programming](https://dev.to/t/programming)[#productivity](https://dev.to/t/productivity)[#ai](https://dev.to/t/ai)

I've been using local LLMs for a while now, but the tools still feel rough. Ollama makes running models easy. However, when you want to do more than just a basic prompt, like comparing two models, refining a system prompt, or checking what was actually sent, you end up piecing things together.

So, I started building Openbench.

## [](https://dev.to/theoslater/uilding-openbench-a-local-first-llm-workspace-24fm#what-it-is) What it is

This is a desktop app for experimenting with local models. It’s not just another chat wrapper; it’s more of a workspace. The goal is to focus on prompt iteration, model comparison, and being able to see what’s happening under the hood.

Here are the main features I’m working on:

*

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Building Openbench, a local-first LLM workspace

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