What it does
This project is a small program written in the C language that runs Kimi K3, a very large open AI model, without a graphics card or extra software libraries.
Instead of loading the whole model into memory, it reads the parts it needs from a fast disk each step. The author says the answers are the same on small and large machines; more memory only makes it faster.
It is slow: the README reports tens of seconds per word-piece on a laptop. The model files also take up about 1.5 terabytes of disk space.
Who it's for
Curious engineers and researchers who want to see how a huge model can run on modest hardware.
Can I use it without coding?
Developers only. You build the program from source and prepare the model files with command-line steps. New to this? Start here.
Can I run it?
- Cost
- FreeNothing to pay or sign up for.
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Computer
- Works best on a powerful computer or one with a graphics card (GPU)
- Privacy
- Runs on your own device: your data stays with you
- API key
- Not needed
Try it
Using Claude Code, Cursor or another AI coding assistant? Paste the prompt and it will walk you through the setup.New to this?
Before you install
- Only download from the official GitHub page. Copies with similar names exist for many popular projects.
- License (Apache-2.0): Permissive: free to use, change and share, including for business.
- More on staying safe