Install on Linux, desktop or headless

KoboldCpp for Linux is a single file. There is no installer and no package to add.

Pick your file. See Download KoboldCpp if you are unsure.
Your PC File
NVIDIA graphics card koboldcpp-linux-x64
AMD, Intel or no graphics card koboldcpp-linux-x64-nocuda
Older processor or older NVIDIA card koboldcpp-linux-x64-oldpc
Download it with your browser. It usually lands in ~/Downloads.
In a terminal, go to the folder with the file, make it executable and run it. This example uses the NVIDIA file; replace the name with yours:
Terminal
```
cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x koboldcpp-linux-x64
./koboldcpp-linux-x64
```
The launcher opens.

Your PC	File
NVIDIA graphics card	`koboldcpp-linux-x64`
AMD, Intel or no graphics card	`koboldcpp-linux-x64-nocuda`
Older processor or older NVIDIA card	`koboldcpp-linux-x64-oldpc`

To download from the terminal instead, for example on a server:

curl -fLO https://github.com/LostRuins/koboldcpp/releases/latest/download/koboldcpp-linux-x64

"Permission denied" means the file is not executable yet; run chmod +x on it. If the main build fails on an older system, try koboldcpp-linux-x64-oldpc, the build with the greatest compatibility.

Programs the launcher uses

Program	Needed for
`yad` or `zenity`	A better file picker. `yad` is used if both are installed; without either, the launcher uses its built-in picker.
`vulkan-tools`	Detecting your graphics card and its memory with `vulkaninfo`. NVIDIA cards are also detected with `nvidia-smi`, and AMD cards with `rocminfo` if ROCm is installed. If none of these works, you see "Unable to detect VRAM."
`xdg-open`	Opening the browser after the model has loaded.

Launcher problems

The file picker does nothing (often on Wayland). Install yad, or turn on Use Classic FilePicker on the launcher's Extra tab. The console may show Zenity/YAD sanity check failed.
"Warning, GUI failed to start". The launcher could not open a window, for example because there is no display. KoboldCpp then tells you to use the command line. See Headless use.
You want to see the console output. Spawn Terminal on the Extra tab opens an xterm window that mirrors it.

More: OS-specific problems.

AMD graphics cards

Start with the Vulkan backend in koboldcpp-linux-x64-nocuda. Install vulkan-tools first, so the launcher can detect your card and select Use Vulkan by itself. Without it, KoboldCpp does not find the card and runs on the CPU.

If generation is slow with Vulkan, try the experimental official ROCm build. It does not need ROCm installed. See ROCm build for AMD on Linux and GPU backends: ROCm.

Headless use

With a model on the command line, KoboldCpp skips the launcher and needs no display:

./koboldcpp-linux-x64 --model mymodel.gguf

./koboldcpp-linux-x64 --help lists all flags.
--config mysettings.kcpps starts with a saved configuration. A config that contains a model also skips the launcher.
--skiplauncher overrides --showgui, including a showgui saved in a config. It does not pick a model: without a model from the command line or a config, KoboldCpp exits with an error.
By default KoboldCpp listens on all network interfaces, so other devices on your network can reach it. Add --host 127.0.0.1 to allow connections from this machine only.

More: Command line, Remote access, Passwords and security.

Advanced: ARM and other systems

There is no ready-made file for ARM Linux. Build from source; koboldcpp.sh supports aarch64.

The x64 files need glibc 2.29 or newer, for example Ubuntu 20.04 or newer. ldd --version shows your glibc version.

Advanced: unofficial packages

The community maintains packages that are unofficial and get no official support: koboldcpp-cuda and koboldcpp-hipblas in the AUR, and koboldcpp in Nixpkgs.