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Self-host faster-chat

v0.2.1

Privacy-first AI chat interface for local and cloud LLMs

ReleaseOpen SourceMIT
Updated6 months ago
LanguageJavaScript
Setup difficultyModerate
MobileResponsive
ThemeDark mode
Stars
175
CPU
0.5-1.0 CPU cores
RAM
256-512 MB
Port
8787 (HTTP server (Docker production))
Install with Docker Compose
faster-chat screenshot 1faster-chat screenshot 2faster-chat screenshot 3faster-chat screenshot 4faster-chat screenshot 5faster-chat screenshot 6

What is faster-chat?

Should you self-host faster-chat?

faster-chat scores 47/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #36 of 69 in AI Chat. It has 175 GitHub stars.

It shipped 1 stable release in the past year. The latest, v0.2.1, came out on 24 April 2026.

Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. It is MIT-licensed and written mostly in JavaScript.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Onyx Community Edition (80/100, 33 047 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See faster-chat vs Onyx Community Edition side by side.

Features

  • ChatGPT import
  • Cross-conversation memory
  • Encrypted API Key Storage
  • File attachments
  • Image Generation
  • Image upload and vision
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Markdown rendering with syntax highlighting and LaTeX
  • Multi-Provider LLM Support
  • Multi-user authentication with RBAC
  • Offline/local model support
  • Real-time streaming chat
  • Themable UI with dark/light mode
  • Voice Input/Output
  • Web Search

faster-chat README

How to install faster-chat

Install faster-chat with Docker Compose

Docker, Docker Compose
Environment variables
API_KEY_ENCRYPTION_KEY (auto-generated), APP_PORT=8787, OLLAMA_BASE_URL=http://host.docker.internal:11434, DATABASE_URL=sqlite:///app/server/data/chat.db

git clone https://github.com/1337hero/faster-chat.git cd faster-chat docker compose up -d

One-command deployment, access at http://localhost:8787

How to configure faster-chat

  • API_KEY_ENCRYPTION_KEYEncryption key for API keys (required, auto-generated if omitted)

    Encryption key for API keys (required, auto-generated if omitted)

  • APP_PORT8787Internal port (configurable via server/.env)

    Internal port (configurable via server/.env)

  • APP_URLhttp://localhost:3000Application URL for CORS in production

    Application URL for CORS in production

  • DATABASE_URLsqlite://./data/chat.dbDatabase connection string

    Database connection string

  • NODE_ENVproductionEnvironment mode

    Environment mode

    values: production/development

  • OLLAMA_BASE_URLhttp://host.docker.internal:11434Base URL for local Ollama access from Docker

    Base URL for local Ollama access from Docker

  • PORT8787Server port for Hono API

    Server port for Hono API

  • TRUST_PROXYfalseSet to true if behind a proxy like Nginx

    Set to true if behind a proxy like Nginx

    values: true/false

faster-chat releases & version history

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