# Viability of local models for coding

DevFeed: [Viability of local models for coding](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/viability-of-local-models-for-coding-4416.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://martinfowler.com/articles/exploring-gen-ai/local-models-for-coding-factors.html>)

Author: Martin Fowler (martin@martinfowler.com)

Published: 2026-07-07T12:34:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Martin Fowler](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/martin-fowler.md>)

Topics: [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/coding.md>), [Large Language Model](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/llm.md>), [agentic-coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/agentic-coding.md>), [Hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hardware.md>), [quantization](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/quantization.md>), [MLX](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/mlx.md>), [Tooling](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/tooling.md>)

Tags: [agentic-coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agentic-coding.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding.md>), [hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hardware.md>), [llms](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/llms.md>), [local](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/local.md>), [mlx](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mlx.md>), [quantization](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/quantization.md>), [tooling](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tooling.md>)

## AI overview

This memo examines how viable local language models are for coding, with particular attention to agentic coding rather than autocomplete. It discusses hardware constraints, model size, context windows, response speed, quantization, runtimes, and tooling. The author reports that tool calling remains unreliable but that models can often recover from failures.

## Source excerpt

Birgitta Böckeler recently spent some time trying out running local LLMs for some programming tasks. In this memo she outlines the factors that influence how viable they are for the job. more...