Code

StarCoder

One of the first open coding models, trained on an open set of source code with an option to exclude your own repository. Today it is more a base for fine-tuning than a leader.

The last open version came out in Apr 2024. The family has not been updated for a long time: the model still works, but do not expect fixes or new sizes.

Developer
BigCode (Hugging Face and ServiceNow), USA / France
First release
May 2023
Latest release
Apr 2024
Sizes
1B – 15B
License
Commercial use with conditionsBigCode OpenRAIL-M (commercial use allowed, but there is a list of prohibited uses)
Russian
Not supported
Ready-made builds
GGUF, AWQ
Running
Available in OllamaAlso runs without a GPU
Industries
Software development
Deploy on your server Hugging Face GitHub

What it does

  • Code autocompletion in the editor
  • Fine-tuning on the company's internal code
  • Generating boilerplate code and tests

Where it is used

IT departmentsInternal systems development

Hardware requirements

LaptopLaptop or regular PC, up to 8 GB of VRAM — smaller versions
fits
1 GPUOne GPU with 16–80 GB — mid-size versions
fits
ClusterServer with several GPUs — flagship versions
no versions

Versions

  1. StarCoder2-15B-Instruct
  2. StarCoder2 (3B, 7B, 15B)
  3. StarCoder / StarCoderBase

How to run it

With Ollama — the fastest wayInstall Ollama on your computer or server and find the model in its library by name. Good enough to try the model on your own tasks in one evening.Find it in the Ollama library
On your own serverWeights are downloaded from Hugging Face and served with vLLM (load and API) or llama.cpp (modest hardware). The model then runs in a closed network with no per-request fees.Hugging Face
How much hardware you needCalculate the VRAM for the model size, context length and number of concurrent requests.Open the hardware calculator

I can set this up end to end: pick the model size, deploy it on your server and connect it to your systems. Quantization compresses a model so it takes less video memory and runs on more modest hardware. Answers change slightly, so quality is checked on your own examples.

Frequently asked questions

Can StarCoder be used in a commercial project?

With conditions. License: BigCode OpenRAIL-M (commercial use allowed, but there is a list of prohibited uses). Restrictions vary — region, company revenue, attribution requirements. Have a lawyer check the terms before a commercial launch.

What hardware does StarCoder need?

At minimum: Laptop or regular PC, up to 8 GB of VRAM — smaller versions. Some versions also run on an ordinary CPU, without a GPU. You can calculate the exact VRAM for your model size and context in the hardware calculator.

Does StarCoder support Russian?

No. The model card lists its languages and Russian is not among them.

Where can I download StarCoder and what does it cost?

The StarCoder weights are open and free to download. You only pay for the hardware it runs on and for the setup. Source links are at the bottom of this page.

How I deploy it for clients

  1. SelectionI pick the model size for your task and hardware and test it on your examples.
  2. DeploymentI deploy it on your server or in a closed network and provide an API.
  3. Fine-tuningI fine-tune it on your data (LoRA) or connect a knowledge base — whichever is cheaper for the task.
  4. IntegrationI connect it to your CRM, ERP, bot, website or team chat and set up monitoring.

Comparisons

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DetailsCodeDeepSeek-CoderDeepSeek · ChinaCommercial use with conditions

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DetailsCodeMellumJetBrains · Czech RepublicCommercial use allowed

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Details

Source: huggingface.co/bigcode/starcoder2-15b-instruct-v0.1. Data checked against the model card on 22 Sep 2026. Have a lawyer review the license before commercial launch.