Getting started

You only need Docker Desktop installed (macOS, Windows, or Linux).

1. Open a terminal in this project folder.

   • macOS / Linux: Terminal

   • Windows: PowerShell or Command Prompt

2. Start Soju (same command on every OS):

   docker compose up
   

3. In your browser, open http://localhost:8080.

To stop, press Ctrl+C in the terminal (or quit Docker Desktop).

Browsing words, grammar, and flashcards works right away. Practice and Chat are optional and need a local AI model:

1. Install Ollama.

2. Download the default models (same command on every OS):

   ollama pull gemma4:e4b
   ollama pull nomic-embed-text
   

3. Start Soju again with docker compose up. With Ollama running on your computer, Practice and Chat work in the browser at http://localhost:8080.

The browser talks only to the Soju API (never to Ollama directly). Ollama stays on the backend host; Practice embed/retrieve/generate run server-side.

Next steps: Adding vocabulary · Adding verbs