Run Claude Code for Free Using Ollama (No API Bill, No Compromise)

If you've been using Claude Code — Anthropic's powerful agentic coding tool — you already know how good it is. The problem? The API bills can add up fast, especially if you're a student, indie developer, or just someone experimenting. A small team can easily burn through hundreds of dollars a month. Here's the good news: you don't have to pay a single rupee to use Claude Code anymore. Thanks to a recent update in Ollama (v0.14.0+), Claude Code now supports local and cloud open-source models out of the box. No hacks, no fragile adapters — just a clean, simple setup. This guide will walk you through everything, from installation to running your first AI-assisted coding session, completely free. Quick note: If you've been exploring self-hosted AI tools, you might already be familiar with Moltbot (formerly OpenClaw) — a free, self-hosted AI assistant. This guide takes a similar philosophy — powerful AI, zero cloud cost — but focused entirely on your coding workflow. What Changed? Why This