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Ollama's v0.23.3-rc1 fixes macOS 26 Metal library target leak

New release patches a build bug affecting Metal v3 on upcoming macOS 26 SDK.

Deep Dive

Ollama, the popular local AI model runner, has tagged v0.23.3-rc1, a release candidate that addresses a critical build issue on macOS. The bug, described as 'macOS 26 target leakage in v3 metallib', occurred when compiling Metal shaders using the MLX framework. Specifically, MLX compiles AIR objects with the requested minimum macOS version, but its final metallib step mistakenly uses the `metal` command instead of `metallib`. With the macOS 26 SDK, this can stamp the Metal v3 library with a macOS 26 deployment target, breaking compatibility with older macOS versions. The fix relinks the generated AIR files with `metallib` before installation until the upstream MLX issue is resolved.

This release is particularly relevant for developers running Ollama on cutting-edge macOS betas or those who build from source. While the patch is temporary (waiting for upstream MLX to correct the build pipeline), it ensures that Ollama continues to function correctly across macOS versions. The v0.23.3-rc1 tag includes the commit 421faa0, signed with GitHub's verified signature. Users on macOS should update to this release candidate to avoid deployment target mismatches that could cause Metal shader failures in local AI inference.

Key Points
  • Fixes macOS 26 target leakage in Metal v3 library by relinking AIR files with metallib instead of metal.
  • Upstream MLX bug causes incorrect deployment target stamping when using macOS 26 SDK; fix is a workaround until upstream patch.
  • Release candidate v0.23.3-rc1 is signed and available on GitHub; essential for macOS users compiling from source.

Why It Matters

Ensures Ollama's local AI models run reliably on future macOS versions without Metal compatibility errors.