Llama (Meta)
Also known as: Meta Llama, Llama 4, LLaMA
Llama is the open language model family from Meta AI. Since 2023 it has shaped the open-source LLM ecosystem like no other. Hundreds of derivatives and fine-tunes build on Llama weights.
Current versions
The latest open generation is Llama 4 (April 2025) with the Scout and Maverick variants: natively multimodal, mixture-of-experts architecture, 17 billion active parameters each. Meta’s newest frontier model (April 2026), by contrast, launched as a closed, API-only release for the first time.
Why it is so popular
Llama brought open weights into the mainstream. A large community, broad tool support, and many specialized derivatives lower the barrier to entry. Anyone evaluating open models rarely gets past Llama.
Self-hosting entry point
Llama models run locally via tools like Ollama or vLLM and on every major cloud provider. That makes them the typical starting point for self-hosted AI.
License specifics
Llama uses the Meta Community License, not a genuine open-source license under the OSI definition. Among other things, it requires a special license above 700 million monthly active users and imposes naming rules for derivatives. Uncritical for most companies, but worth checking.
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Last updated: June 2026
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