Hermes Agent

In recent years, the field of AI agents has developed rapidly, evolving from simple chatbots to agents that can actually do things, have persistent memory, and grow autonomously.

Hermes Agent is an autonomous AI agent framework open-sourced by Nous Research. As an autonomous AI agent that interacts through natural language, it can execute terminal commands, control a browser, read and write files, search the internet, generate images, and maintain memory across sessions.

• GitHub repository:https://github.com/nousresearch/hermes-agent
• Hermes Agent official website:https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/

The official definition is very straightforward:

The agent that grows with you.
一个会随着使用不断成长的 Agent。

It is an autonomous agent that becomes more capable the longer it runs.

The core philosophy of Hermes Agent is:Make AI a long-term always-on digital worker, not a disposable chatbot.

Hermes Agent is one of the few in the industryan AI Agent with a natively built-in learning loop, which can distill skills from execution experience, autonomously optimize capabilities, persist knowledge, retrieve historical conversations, and continuously refine the user cognitive model across sessions.

Differences from ordinary AI chat tools:

Dimension	Ordinary AI chat (e.g., ChatGPT)	Hermes Agent
Memory	Each conversation starts from scratch	Persistent memory across sessions; understands you better the more you use it
Execution capability	Can only generate text	Can execute terminal commands, manipulate files, control browser
Runtime location	Cloud, data uploaded to the service provider	Local or your own server, data never leaves you
Extensibility	Closed ecosystem	Open skill standard (agentskills.io), MCP ecosystem
Access methods	Web	CLI + Telegram/Discord/Slack/WhatsApp, etc.
Model binding	Fixed model	Supports 300+ models, switch anytime, no lock-in

Core features:

• Connect:Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, Email, CLI—one Agent, unified memory, all platforms. A conversation started on Telegram can seamlessly continue in the terminal.
• Remember:Hermes learns your projects, automatically generates skills, and never forgets the problems it has solved. After each session, important information is written to persistent memory.
• Schedule:Set scheduled tasks in natural language—daily reports, backups, routine reviews, morning briefings—running unattended in the background.
• Delegate:Generate isolated sub-agents with independent conversation contexts, independent terminals, and Python RPC scripts, enabling parallel pipelines with zero context cost.
• Search & Multimodal:Web search, browser automation, visual understanding, image generation, text-to-speech, and multi-model reasoning—all built in.

Hermes Agent supports free switching between any major model, includingNous Portal, OpenRouter (200+ models), OpenAI, GLM, Kimi, MiniMaxetc., executehermes modelto switch instantly, no code changes, no vendor lock-in.

Provider	Description	Setup method
Nous Portal	Subscription-based, zero configuration	viahermes modelOAuth login
OpenAI Codex	ChatGPT OAuth, uses Codex model	viahermes modelDevice code authentication
Anthropic	Use Claude model directly	Via Claude Code authentication or Anthropic API key
OpenRouter	Multi-provider routing	Enter your API key
DeepSeek	Direct DeepSeek API access	SetupDEEPSEEK_API_KEY
Hugging Face	Access 20+ open models via unified router	SettingsHF_TOKEN
Custom endpoint	VLLM, SGLang, Ollama, or any OpenAI-compatible API	Set base URL and API key

Of course, buying something like the Coding Plan is still the most cost-effective, since it's a monthly subscription:

Features	Capability description
Native terminal interaction	Full TUI interface, supporting multi-line editing, command completion, history recall, streaming output, etc.
Cross-platform access	A single gateway connecting CLI, Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, and other platforms
Closed-loop learning system	Autonomous memory management, skill generation and optimization, cross-session recall, user modeling
Scheduled automation	Built-in Cron scheduler, supporting 7×24 automated tasks such as daily reports, backups, and audits
Parallel task processing	Supports parallel execution of sub-agents, multi-workflow splitting, and RPC tool calls
Multi-environment operation	Supports 6 backends including local, Docker, SSH, Daytona, Modal, etc.
Research-grade capabilities	Supports trajectory generation, reinforcement learning environments, and training data compression

Overall Architecture

Overall workflow:

Architecture diagram:

Module	Function	Example
Access layer (Clients)	Receives user requests	Web, App, API, Feishu
Input layer (Input)	Processes various input data	Text, images, PDF, Excel
Scheduler (Agent Orchestrator)	Understands tasks and breaks down execution workflows	Analyze requirements → Formulate plan
Capability layer (Capabilities)	Provides execution capabilities	Dialogue, retrieval, code execution
Memory layer (Memory)	Saves context and historical information	Session memory, long-term memory
Knowledge layer (Knowledge)	Provides knowledge retrieval capabilities	RAG, vector database
Model layer (Model Layer)	Provides reasoning capabilities	GPT, Claude, local models
Tool layer (Tools)	Calls external tools to complete tasks	Search, database, API
External Services	Integration with business systems	ERP, CRM, cloud services
Infrastructure layer (Infrastructure)	Support the operation of the system.	Permissions, Logs, Monitoring

---

Quick Installation

The following installation commands apply to Linux, macOS, and WSL2 systems:

curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash

After installation is complete, reload the Shell:

bashsource ~/.bashrc   # 使用 bash
# 或
source ~/.zshrc    # 使用 zsh

Native Windows installation (PowerShell):

iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)

Windows native support is still experimental; it is recommended to prioritize using WSL2.

macOS / Windows Desktop version (Desktop App):Go tohermes-agent.nousresearch.comDownload the desktop installer for your platform; the CLI and desktop app will be installed together.

After downloading, just double-click to install:

Verify installation

hermes --version

Outputting the version number indicates successful installation.

The installer will automatically handle all dependencies:

• uvFast Python package manager
• Python 3.11— Install via uv, no sudo required.
• Node.js v22— For browser automation and WhatsApp bridging.
• ripgrepQuick file search
• ffmpegTTS audio format conversion

Windows System Instructions: : Native Windows environment is not supported. Please install WSL2 first, then run the above command in the WSL2 terminal.

If you have installed OpenClaw, you can also directly import the configuration:

Then configure the service provider, you can set your existing API key, here select Bailian's Coding Plan: <img decoding="async" src="../wp-content/uploads/2026/04/d186a7cf-fe80-4ea7-8631-dd3f9e425cc5.png"> Set the model name, for example <span class="marked">MiniMax-M2.5</span>.

Here, choose not to import; input.n, enter model settings, select the first quick setting:

Next, we select the penultimate item, More providers:

Here you can choose more domestic or international large models:

Next, we use.Byte Ark Coding Plan, so what was chosen isCustomer endpointThat is, the custom API address and API key.

Base URL configures the ByteDance Ark tool compatible with the OpenAI interface protocol:https://ark.cn-beijing.volces.com/api/coding/v3

Set the API key and supported large models, for exampleark-code-latest。

After installation, run the following command:

source ~/.bashrc    # 重载shell配置（若使用zsh，执行：source ~/.zshrc）
hermes              # 开启智能体对话！

Quick Start

hermes              # 交互式命令行界面 — 开启对话
hermes model        # 选择大语言模型服务商与对应模型
hermes tools        # 配置启用的工具集
hermes config set   # 设置单项配置项
hermes gateway      # 启动消息网关（支持Telegram、Discord等平台）
hermes setup        # 运行全量配置向导（一站式完成所有配置）
hermes claw migrate # 从OpenClaw迁移数据（适用于原OpenClaw用户）
hermes update       # 更新至最新版本
hermes doctor       # 诊断运行环境与配置问题

---

Manual Installation

If you prefer full control over the installation process, follow these steps.

Step 1: Clone the repository

Use--recurse-submodulesto clone and fetch the required submodules:

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
cd hermes-agent

If you have already cloned but without submodules:

git submodule update --init --recursive

Step 2: Install uv and create a virtual environment

# 安装 uv（如果尚未安装）
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# 创建 Python 3.11 的虚拟环境（uv 会在需要时下载，无需 sudo）
uv venv venv --python 3.11

Step 3: Install Python dependencies

# 告诉 uv 要安装到哪个虚拟环境
export VIRTUAL_ENV="$(pwd)/venv"

# 安装所有扩展
uv pip install -e ".[all]"

If you only want the core agent (without Telegram/Discord/cron support):

uv pip install -e "."

Optional extension notes:

Extension	Feature	Install command
all	Includes all of the following features	uv pip install -e ".[all]"
messaging	Telegram and Discord gateways	uv pip install -e ".[messaging]"
cron	Cron expression parsing for scheduled tasks	uv pip install -e ".[cron]"
voice	CLI microphone input and audio playback	uv pip install -e ".[voice]"
mcp	Model Context Protocol support	uv pip install -e ".[mcp]"
honcho	AI-native memory (Honcho integration)	uv pip install -e ".[honcho]"

We can use them in combination:uv pip install -e ".[messaging,cron]"

Step 4: Create the configuration directory

# 创建目录结构
mkdir -p ~/.hermes/{cron,sessions,logs,memories,skills,pairing,hooks,image_cache,audio_cache,whatsapp/session}

# 复制示例配置文件
cp cli-config.yaml.example ~/.hermes/config.yaml

# 创建空的 .env 文件用于存储 API 密钥
touch ~/.hermes/.env

Step 5: Add API keys

Open~/.hermes/.envand add at least one LLM provider key:

# 必需 — 至少一个 LLM 提供商：
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-your-key-here

# 可选 — 启用其他工具：
FIRECRAWL_API_KEY=fc-your-key          # 网页搜索和抓取
FAL_KEY=your-fal-key                   # 图像生成（FLUX）

Or set it via the CLI:

hermes config set OPENROUTER_API_KEY sk-or-v1-your-key-here

Step 6: Add hermes to PATH

mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
ln -sf "$(pwd)/venv/bin/hermes" ~/.local/bin/hermes

If~/.local/binis not in PATH, please add it to your shell configuration:

# Bash
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

# Zsh
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

Step 7: Configure your provider

hermes model       # 选择您的 LLM 提供商和模型

Step 8: Verify installation

hermes version    # 检查命令是否可用
hermes doctor     # 运行诊断以验证一切正常
hermes status     # 检查您的配置
hermes chat -q "Hello! What tools do you have available?"

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
hermes: command not found	Reload the shell (source ~/.bashrc) or check PATH
API key not set	Runhermes modelto configure the provider, orhermes config set OPENROUTER_API_KEY your_key
Configuration lost after update	Runhermes config checkthenhermes config migrate

For more diagnostic information, runhermes doctor— it will tell you what is missing and how to fix it.

Note:You can always, viahermes modelSwitch providers—no code changes, no lock-in.

---

Message Gateway

The Hermes Agent Message Gateway lets you interact with the agent across multiple platforms—Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, Email, Home Assistant, and more.

Supported Platforms

Platform	Description	Status
Telegram	The most complete messaging platform integration	✅ Supported
Discord	Supports servers and voice channels	✅ Supported
Slack	Workspace integration	✅ Supported
WhatsApp	Via WhatsApp Web	✅ Supported
Signal	Private messaging app	✅ Supported
Matrix	Decentralized communication	✅ Supported
Mattermost	Self-hosted messaging	✅ Supported
Email	SMTP email	✅ Supported
SMS	SMS sending	✅ Supported
DingTalk	DingTalk	✅ Supported
Feishu	Feishu	✅ Supported
WeCom	WeCom	✅ Supported
BlueBubbles	macOS iMessage	✅ Supported
Home Assistant	Smart Home	✅ Supported
Webhooks	Custom HTTP Callback	✅ Supported

Setting Up the Messaging Platform

Interactive Setup:

hermes gateway setup

This launches an interactive configuration wizard that guides you through the setup of each platform.

Manual Configuration:

Or edit directly~/.hermes/config.yaml：

Telegram:

# 在 ~/.hermes/.env 中
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=your-bot-token

# config.yaml
gateway:
  adapters:
    telegram:
      enabled: true

Discord:

# 在 ~/.hermes/.env 中
DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=your-discord-token

# config.yaml
gateway:
  adapters:
    discord:
      enabled: true
      allowed_channels:
        - "123456789"

Slack:

# 在 ~/.hermes/.env 中
SLACK_BOT_TOKEN=xoxb-your-token
SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET=your-signing-secret

# config.yaml
gateway:
  adapters:
    slack:
      enabled: true

WhatsApp:

# WhatsApp 需要浏览器自动化
# 首次设置需要扫描二维码

# config.yaml
gateway:
  adapters:
    whatsapp:
      enabled: true
      session_dir: ~/.hermes/whatsapp/session

Email (SMTP):

# 在 ~/.hermes/.env 中
SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
SMTP_PORT=587
[email protected]
SMTP_PASSWORD=your-app-password

# config.yaml
gateway:
  adapters:
    email:
      enabled: true
      from_email: [email protected]

Home Assistant:

# 在 ~/.hermes/.env 中
HA_URL=http://homeassistant.local:8123
HA_TOKEN=your-long-lived-access-token

# config.yaml
gateway:
  adapters:
    homeassistant:
      enabled: true

Starting the Gateway

Run in foreground:

hermes gateway

Run in background (recommended):

hermes gateway &
# 或使用 systemd
systemctl enable hermes-agent
systemctl start hermes-agent

Run with Docker:

docker run -d \
  --name hermes-gateway \
  -v ~/.hermes:/home/hermes/.hermes \
  ghcr.io/nousresearch/hermes-agent:latest \
  hermes gateway

Platform-Specific Configuration

Telegram:

1. Create a new bot via @BotFather
2. Get the bot token
3. Configure and run Hermes
4. Send a message to your bot in Telegram/start

Discord:

1. Create an application in the Discord Developer Portal
2. Add the bot to a server
3. Get bot token
4. Configure and run Hermes

Slack:

1. Create a new app in the Slack App Portal
2. Add bot token scopes
3. Install to workspace
4. Configure and run Hermes

Send messages:

Usesend_messagetool to send messages through any configured channel:

send_message(
  platform="telegram",
  chat_id="123456789",
  message="Hello from Hermes!"
)

Or schedule automated messages via cron:

# 设置每日简报
hermes
❯ 每天早上9点检查 Hacker News 上的 AI 新闻，并通过 Telegram 给我发送摘要

Voice Support

Some platforms support voice interaction:

• Telegram: voice messages and voice calls
• Discord: voice channels and voice messages
• CLI: microphone input and TTS

For details on voice modes, see the Voice Mode Guide.

Security Considerations

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Bot is unresponsive	Check if the gateway is running
Permission errors	Verify bot token and permissions
Messages not sent	Check channel ID and configuration
Connection timeout	Check network and firewall settings

Tip:Usehermes gateway --verboseto view detailed logs to debug issues.

Other extensions