Atlas can keep your code private by building its codebase index with local Ollama embeddings, so source is never sent to a third-party service. You still get hybrid semantic and keyword search, and the index is stored outside the repository and keyed per project in 2026.
Why local embeddings matter
Semantic code search normally sends code to an embedding service. Atlas can run embeddings locally with Ollama instead, so your source never leaves your machine while still being searchable by meaning.
For teams under privacy or compliance constraints, that distinction is decisive. You get the benefits of meaning-aware retrieval, hybrid semantic and keyword search fused by reciprocal rank fusion, without shipping proprietary code to an external provider.
How Atlas stores the index
Atlas keeps the code index outside the indexed repository, keyed per project, so it never pollutes your working tree. Indexing is incremental and hash-keyed, so only changed files are re-embedded.
Keeping the index out of the repo means no accidental commits of index data and clean separation per project. Incremental indexing keeps it fast: editing a file re-embeds just that file, not the whole codebase, so search stays current with low overhead.
Open source and auditable
Because Atlas is open source, you can read exactly how code is read, chunked, embedded, and stored. There is no hidden data path to trust.
Combined with permission-gated tools and local embeddings, an auditable open-source codebase gives security-conscious teams a clear story: you can verify where code goes and control what the agent does. Privacy is a property you can inspect, not a promise you have to take on faith.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Atlas keep my code private?
- Yes. Atlas can build its code index with local Ollama embeddings, so source code is never sent to third-party servers.
- Do I lose semantic search if I run locally?
- No. Local embeddings still power hybrid semantic and keyword search, so you keep meaning-aware retrieval.
- Where is the code index stored?
- Outside the indexed repository, keyed per project, and updated incrementally so only changed files are re-embedded.
- Is the data path auditable?
- Yes. Atlas is open source, so you can read exactly how code is read, chunked, embedded, and stored.
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