New in llama.cpp: Model Management

llama.cpp server now ships with router mode , which lets you dynamically load, unload, and switch between multiple models without restarting.

Reminder: llama.cpp server is a lightweight, OpenAI-compatible HTTP server for running LLMs locally.

This feature was a popular request to bring Ollama-style model management to llama.cpp. It uses a multi-process architecture where each model runs in its own process, so if one model crashes, others remain unaffected.

This auto-discovers models from your llama.cpp cache ( LLAMA_CACHE or ~/.cache/llama.cpp ). If you've previously downloaded models via llama-server -hf user/model , they'll be available automatically.

On the first request, the server automatically loads the model into memory (loading time depends on model size). Subsequent requests to the same model are instant since it's already loaded.

Returns all discovered models with their status ( loaded , loading , or unloaded ).