# Your first local model

Your prompt stays on this computer; this guide does not send it to a hosted inference service.
Guide updated 26 October 2026. Current availability is checked on the linked exact-file page; this guide’s date is not an availability check.
Use the same exact file for both paths: **qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct-q4_k_m.gguf**, **491,400,032 bytes**, license **Apache-2.0**. SHA-256: **74a4da8c9fdbcd15bd1f6d01d621410d31c6fc00986f5eb687824e7b93d7a9db**.

## Desktop app on Apple silicon Mac

1. [Download the desktop app](https://huggingbay.xyz/desktop), install it, and open it on an Apple silicon Mac with at least 8 GB memory.
2. [Open this model’s files](https://huggingbay.xyz/artifact/hf-model-qwen-qwen2-5-0-5b-instruct-gguf/files). Download exactly **qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct-q4_k_m.gguf** (491,400,032 bytes). If availability is being checked, wait for the displayed retry time and reload that page. Do not substitute a different file.
3. In Terminal, run `shasum -a 256 "$HOME/Downloads/qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct-q4_k_m.gguf"`. Compare the full 64-character hash at the start of the output with **74a4da8c9fdbcd15bd1f6d01d621410d31c6fc00986f5eb687824e7b93d7a9db**. Stop if it differs. If your browser saved the file elsewhere, use that actual path.
4. Open **Library** in the app. Drag the downloaded GGUF from Finder into Library. The add-file control may show a drop area rather than a file chooser. Select **Chat** on its row.
5. After it loads, turn off Wi-Fi and unplug Ethernet. Ask: **In one sentence, explain why the sky looks blue.** A short reply while disconnected is the first offline-use check. Reconnect when you are finished.

## Terminal on macOS or Linux

This uses the published native `hbay` CLI and the same exact file (about 469 MiB). Read the source license terms before using it. Check that `hbay info` still lists this file and SHA-256 before downloading. The explicit data folder below keeps the saved path the same on macOS and Linux.
The installer needs `curl` and OpenSSL 3 or newer. On macOS, if `openssl version` reports LibreSSL or an older version, install OpenSSL 3 with `brew install openssl@3` first.

### 1. Install and find the model

```sh
if command -v brew >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -x "$(brew --prefix openssl@3 2>/dev/null)/bin/openssl" ]; then export PATH="$(brew --prefix openssl@3)/bin:$PATH"; fi
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
curl -fsSL 'https://huggingbay.xyz/cli/install.sh' | sh
hbay --version
hbay catalog 'Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct-GGUF'
```

### 2. Download and verify the exact file

```sh
set -eu
hbay info hf-model-qwen-qwen2-5-0-5b-instruct-gguf
hbay --data-dir "$HOME/HuggingBay-first-model" download hf-model-qwen-qwen2-5-0-5b-instruct-gguf qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct-q4_k_m.gguf
MODEL="$HOME/HuggingBay-first-model/models/qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct-q4_k_m.gguf"
hbay verify "$MODEL" --sha256 "74a4da8c9fdbcd15bd1f6d01d621410d31c6fc00986f5eb687824e7b93d7a9db"
```

If the download gets HTTP 429 or 503, wait for the service's retry window and run the same download command again; hbay can resume saved bytes.

### 3. Run it on this computer

```sh
hbay --data-dir "$HOME/HuggingBay-first-model" prompt "$MODEL" --sha256 "74a4da8c9fdbcd15bd1f6d01d621410d31c6fc00986f5eb687824e7b93d7a9db" --prompt 'In one sentence, explain why the sky looks blue.' --max-tokens 96
```

Disconnect the network after the download and fingerprint check, before running the prompt above. The download command prints the saved path and SHA-256; verify must report a match. The prompt hashes the file again and refuses inference if it differs. A short answer while disconnected establishes first offline use. [Open the catalog record](https://huggingbay.xyz/artifact/hf-model-qwen-qwen2-5-0-5b-instruct-gguf) · [Check the live download plan](https://huggingbay.xyz/api/v1/artifacts/hf-model-qwen-qwen2-5-0-5b-instruct-gguf/download-plan). If `hbay info` shows a different file or SHA-256, stop: this guide’s exact file is not confirmed.
Keep a local receipt: exact filename, SHA-256, date, app or CLI version, and the first offline reply. Sharing it is optional; completing a download alone does not establish first use.

[Open the HTML guide](https://huggingbay.xyz/docs/first-model) · [CLI details](https://huggingbay.xyz/developers/cli) · [Desktop app](https://huggingbay.xyz/desktop)