The Self-hosted AI Starter Kit is a comprehensive solution designed to facilitate the rapid setup and management of local AI workflows. This kit is an open, docker compose template that bootstraps a fully featured Local AI and Low Code development environment. Curated by n8n-io, it combines the self-hosted n8n platform with a curated list of compatible AI products and components, enabling users to quickly get started with building self-hosted AI workflows.

Key components of the Self-hosted AI Starter Kit include:

• Self-hosted n8n: A low-code platform with over 400 integrations and advanced AI components, allowing for seamless workflow creation.
• Ollama: A cross-platform LLM platform that facilitates the installation and running of the latest local LLMs.
• Qdrant: An open-source, high-performance vector store with a comprehensive API, ideal for managing large datasets.
• PostgreSQL: A robust database system that safely handles large amounts of data, essential for data-intensive operations.

With the Self-hosted AI Starter Kit, users can build a variety of AI applications, such as AI agents that schedule appointments, summarise company PDFs without data leakage, smarter Slack bots for company communications and IT operations, and private and cost-effective analysis of financial documents.

Installation is straightforward and can be tailored to users with Nvidia GPU capabilities or those without. The kit includes detailed instructions for both scenarios, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of users. Once installed, users can quickly start using the kit by opening the pre-configured n8n instance at http://localhost:5678/ and testing the included workflow.

The kit is equipped with over 400 integrations and a suite of basic and advanced AI nodes, such as AI Agent, Text Classifier, and Information Extractor nodes. It emphasizes local data handling, using Ollama for language models and Qdrant as the vector store, ensuring data privacy and security.

While the Self-hosted AI Starter Kit is designed primarily for proof-of-concept projects and may not be fully optimized for production environments, it provides a robust foundation that can be customized to meet specific needs. Users can easily upgrade their setup by pulling the latest images and recreating the containers.

For those new to n8n and AI workflows, the kit includes recommended reading materials and video walkthroughs to help users understand and utilize the platform effectively. Additionally, the official n8n AI template gallery offers more AI workflow ideas, allowing users to explore and implement various AI applications.

In summary, the Self-hosted AI Starter Kit is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to delve into the world of self-hosted AI applications. Its combination of ease of use, extensive integrations, and focus on data privacy makes it a standout choice for both beginners and experienced developers alike.