Hermes Agent

---
name: hermes-agent
description: Complete guide to using and extending Hermes Agent — CLI usage, setup, configuration, spawning additional agents, gateway platforms, skills, voice, tools, profiles, and a concise contributor reference. Load this skill when helping users configure Hermes, troubleshoot issues, spawn agent instances, or make code contributions.
version: 2.0.0
author: Hermes Agent + Teknium
license: MIT
metadata:
  hermes:
    tags: [hermes, setup, configuration, multi-agent, spawning, gateway, tools, skills, voice, cli, development, routing, s6, container-supervision]

    related_skills: [claude-code, opencode]
---

# Hermes Agent

## Consolidated Hermes internals
This umbrella also owns former narrow Hermes maintenance skills:
- `hermes-routing`: configuring skill-router/project-router/skill-index mappings, especially Chinese trigger aliases and route misses.
- `hermes-s6-container-supervision`: modifying or debugging the Docker image s6-overlay supervision tree, gateway/profile services, and Architecture B main-program patterns.

Full original packages are preserved under `references/absorbed-skills/` for detailed recipes and support files.

Hermes Agent is an open-source AI agent framework by Nous Research that runs in your terminal, messaging platforms, and IDEs. It belongs to the same category as Claude Code (Anthropic), Codex (OpenAI), and OpenClaw — autonomous coding and task-execution agents that use tool calling to interact with your system. Hermes works with any LLM provider (OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, local models, and 15+ others) and runs on Linux, macOS, and WSL.

What makes Hermes different:

- **Self-improving through skills** — Hermes learns from experience by saving reusable procedures as skills. When it solves a complex problem, discovers a workflow, or gets corrected, it can persist that knowledge as a skill document that loads into future sessions. Skills accumulate over time, making the agent better at your specific tasks and environment.
- **Persistent memory across sessions** — remembers who you are, your preferences, environment details, and lessons learned. Pluggable memory backends (built-in, Honcho, Mem0, and more) let you choose how memory works.
- **Multi-platform gateway** — the same agent runs on Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, Matrix, Email, and 8+ other platforms with full tool access, not just chat.
- **Provider-agnostic** — swap models and providers mid-workflow without changing anything else. Credential pools rotate across multiple API keys automatically.
- **Profiles** — run multiple independent Hermes instances with isolated configs, sessions, skills, and memory.
- **Extensible** — plugins, MCP servers, custom tools, webhook triggers, cron scheduling, and the full Python ecosystem.

People use Hermes for software development, research, system administration, data analysis, content creation, home automation, and anything else that benefits from an AI agent with persistent context and full system access.

**This skill helps you work with Hermes Agent effectively** — setting it up, configuring features, spawning additional agent instances, troubleshooting issues, finding the right commands and settings, and understanding how the system works when you need to extend or contribute to it.

**Docs:** https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/

## Quick Start

```bash
# Install
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

# Interactive chat (default)
hermes

# Single query
hermes chat -q "What is the capital of France?"

# Setup wizard
hermes setup

# Change model/provider
hermes model

# Check health
hermes doctor
```

---

## CLI Reference

### Global Flags

```
hermes [flags] [command]

  --version, -V             Show version
  --resume, -r SESSION      Resume session by ID or title
  --continue, -c [NAME]     Resume by name, or most recent session
  --worktree, -w            Isolated git worktree mode (parallel agents)
  --skills, -s SKILL        Preload skills (comma-separate or repeat)
  --profile, -p NAME        Use a named profile
  --yolo                    Skip dangerous command approval
  --pass-session-id         Include session ID in system prompt
```

No subcommand defaults to `chat`.

### Chat

```
hermes chat [flags]
  -q, --query TEXT          Single query, non-interactive
  -m, --model MODEL         Model (e.g. anthropic/claude-sonnet-4)
  -t, --toolsets LIST       Comma-separated toolsets
  --provider PROVIDER       Force provider (openrouter, anthropic, nous, etc.)
  -v, --verbose             Verbose output
  -Q, --quiet               Suppress banner, spinner, tool previews
  --checkpoints             Enable filesystem checkpoints (/rollback)
  --source TAG              Session source tag (default: cli)
```

### Configuration

```
hermes setup [section]      Interactive wizard (model|terminal|gateway|tools|agent)
hermes model                Interactive model/provider picker
hermes config               View current config
hermes config edit          Open config.yaml in $EDITOR
hermes config set KEY VAL   Set a config value
hermes config path          Print config.yaml path
hermes config env-path      Print .env path
hermes config check         Check for missing/outdated config
hermes config migrate       Update config with new options
hermes login [--provider P] OAuth login (nous, openai-codex)
hermes logout               Clear stored auth
hermes doctor [--fix]       Check dependencies and config
hermes status [--all]       Show component status
```

### Tools & Skills

```
hermes tools                Interactive tool enable/disable (curses UI)
hermes tools list           Show all tools and status
hermes tools enable NAME    Enable a toolset
hermes tools disable NAME   Disable a toolset

hermes skills list          List installed skills
hermes skills search QUERY  Search the skills hub
hermes skills install ID    Install a skill
hermes skills inspect ID    Preview without installing
hermes skills config        Enable/disable skills per platform
hermes skills check         Check for updates
hermes skills update        Update outdated skills
hermes skills uninstall N   Remove a hub skill
hermes skills publish PATH  Publish to registry
hermes skills browse        Browse all available skills
hermes skills tap add REPO  Add a GitHub repo as skill source
```

### MCP Servers

```
hermes mcp serve            Run Hermes as an MCP server
hermes mcp add NAME         Add an MCP server (--url or --command)
hermes mcp remove NAME      Remove an MCP server
hermes mcp list             List configured servers
hermes mcp test NAME        Test connection
hermes mcp configure NAME   Toggle tool selection
```

### Gateway (Messaging Platforms)

```
hermes gateway run          Start gateway foreground
hermes gateway install      Install as background service
hermes gateway start/stop   Control the service
hermes gateway restart      Restart the service
hermes gateway status       Check status
hermes gateway setup        Configure platforms
```

Supported platforms: Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, Email, SMS, Matrix, Mattermost, Home Assistant, DingTalk, Feishu, WeCom, API Server, Webhooks, Open WebUI.

Platform docs: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/messaging/

### Sessions

```
hermes sessions list        List recent sessions
hermes sessions browse      Interactive picker
hermes sessions export OUT  Export to JSONL
hermes sessions rename ID T Rename a session
hermes sessions delete ID   Delete a session
hermes sessions prune       Clean up old sessions (--older-than N days)
hermes sessions stats       Session store statistics
```

### Cron Jobs

```
hermes cron list            List jobs (--all for disabled)
hermes cron create SCHED    Create: '30m', 'every 2h', '0 9 * * *'
hermes cron edit ID         Edit schedule, prompt, delivery
hermes cron pause/resume ID Control job state
hermes cron run ID          Trigger on next tick
hermes cron remove ID       Delete a job
hermes cron status          Scheduler status
```

### Webhooks

```
hermes webhook subscribe N  Create route at /webhooks/<name>
hermes webhook list         List subscriptions
hermes webhook remove NAME  Remove a subscription
hermes webhook test NAME    Send a test POST
```

### Profiles

```
hermes profile list         List all profiles
hermes profile create NAME  Create (--clone, --clone-all, --clone-from)
hermes profile use NAME     Set sticky default
hermes profile delete NAME  Delete a profile
hermes profile show NAME    Show details
hermes profile alias NAME   Manage wrapper scripts
hermes profile rename A B   Rename a profile
hermes profile export NAME  Export to tar.gz
hermes profile import FILE  Import from archive
```

### Credential Pools

```
hermes auth add             Interactive credential wizard
hermes auth list [PROVIDER] List pooled credentials
hermes auth remove P INDEX  Remove by provider + index
hermes auth reset PROVIDER  Clear exhaustion status
```

Bulk custom-provider key insertion: see `references/custom-provider-credential-pool-bulk-keys.md` for the safe `auth.json` credential_pool merge pattern, including backup, manual source entries, and no-secret verification.

Bulk CPA Manager OpenAI-compatible provider key insertion and paced key-pool maintenance: see `references/cpa-openai-compatible-provider-bulk-keys.md` for the `/v0/management/openai-compatibility` API pattern, management-key auth, scheduler cooldown policy, backup, merge, and no-secret verification.

### Other

```
hermes insights [--days N]  Usage analytics
hermes update               Update to latest version
hermes pairing list/approve/revoke  DM authorization
hermes plugins list/install/remove  Plugin management
hermes honcho setup/status  Honcho memory integration
hermes memory setup/status/off  Memory provider config
hermes completion bash|zsh  Shell completions
hermes acp                  ACP server (IDE integration)
hermes claw migrate         Migrate from OpenClaw
hermes uninstall            Uninstall Hermes
```

---

## Slash Commands (In-Session)

Type these during an interactive chat session.

### Session Control
```
/new (/reset)        Fresh session
/clear               Clear screen + new session (CLI)
/retry               Resend last message
/undo                Remove last exchange
/title [name]        Name the session
/compress            Manually compress context
/stop                Kill background processes
/rollback [N]        Restore filesystem checkpoint
/background <prompt> Run prompt in background
/queue <prompt>      Queue for next turn
/resume [name]       Resume a named session
```

### Configuration
```
/config              Show config (CLI)
/model [name]        Show or change model
/provider            Show provider info
/prompt [text]       View/set system prompt (CLI)
/personality [name]  Set personality
/reasoning [level]   Set reasoning (none|low|medium|high|xhigh|show|hide)
/verbose             Cycle: off → new → all → verbose
/voice [on|off|tts]  Voice mode
/yolo                Toggle approval bypass
/skin [name]         Change theme (CLI)
/statusbar           Toggle status bar (CLI)
```

### Tools & Skills
```
/tools               Manage tools (CLI)
/toolsets            List toolsets (CLI)
/skills              Search/install skills (CLI)
/skill <name>        Load a skill into session
/cron                Manage cron jobs (CLI)
/reload-mcp          Reload MCP servers
/plugins             List plugins (CLI)
```

### Info
```
/help                Show commands
/commands [page]     Browse all commands (gateway)
/usage               Token usage
/insights [days]     Usage analytics
/status              Session info (gateway)
/profile             Active profile info
```

### Exit
```
/quit (/exit, /q)    Exit CLI
```

---

## Key Paths & Config

```
~/.hermes/config.yaml       Main configuration
~/.hermes/.env              API keys and secrets
~/.hermes/skills/           Installed skills
~/.hermes/sessions/         Session transcripts
~/.hermes/logs/             Gateway and error logs
~/.hermes/auth.json         OAuth tokens and credential pools
~/.hermes/hermes-agent/     Source code (if git-installed)
```

Profiles use `~/.hermes/profiles/<name>/` with the same layout.

### Config Sections

Edit with `hermes config edit` or `hermes config set section.key value`.

| Section | Key options |
|---------|-------------|
| `model` | `default`, `provider`, `base_url`, `api_key`, `context_length` |
| `agent` | `max_turns` (90), `tool_use_enforcement` |
| `terminal` | `backend` (local/docker/ssh/modal), `cwd`, `timeout` (180) |
| `compression` | `enabled`, `threshold` (0.50), `target_ratio` (0.20) |
| `display` | `skin`, `tool_progress`, `show_reasoning`, `show_cost` |
| `stt` | `enabled`, `provider` (local/groq/openai) |
| `tts` | `provider` (edge/elevenlabs/openai/kokoro/fish) |
| `memory` | `memory_enabled`, `user_profile_enabled`, `provider` |
| `security` | `tirith_enabled`, `website_blocklist` |
| `delegation` | `model`, `provider`, `max_iterations` (50) |
| `smart_model_routing` | `enabled`, `cheap_model` |
| `checkpoints` | `enabled`, `max_snapshots` (50) |

Full config reference: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/configuration

### Providers

18 providers supported. Set via `hermes model` or `hermes setup`.

| Provider | Auth | Key env var |
|----------|------|-------------|
| OpenRouter | API key | `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` |
| Anthropic | API key | `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` |
| Nous Portal | OAuth | `hermes login --provider nous` |
| OpenAI Codex | OAuth | `hermes login --provider openai-codex` |
| GitHub Copilot | Token | `COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN` |
| DeepSeek | API key | `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` |
| Hugging Face | Token | `HF_TOKEN` |
| Z.AI / GLM | API key | `GLM_API_KEY` |
| MiniMax | API key | `MINIMAX_API_KEY` |
| Kimi / Moonshot | API key | `KIMI_API_KEY` |
| Alibaba / DashScope | API key | `DASHSCOPE_API_KEY` |
| Kilo Code | API key | `KILOCODE_API_KEY` |
| Custom endpoint | Config | `model.base_url` + `model.api_key` in config.yaml |

Plus: AI Gateway, OpenCode Zen, OpenCode Go, MiniMax CN, GitHub Copilot ACP.

Full provider docs: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/integrations/providers

### Toolsets

Enable/disable via `hermes tools` (interactive) or `hermes tools enable/disable NAME`.

| Toolset | What it provides |
|---------|-----------------|
| `web` | Web search and content extraction |
| `browser` | Browser automation (Browserbase, Camofox, or local Chromium) |
| `terminal` | Shell commands and process management |
| `file` | File read/write/search/patch |
| `code_execution` | Sandboxed Python execution |
| `vision` | Image analysis |
| `image_gen` | AI image generation |
| `tts` | Text-to-speech |
| `skills` | Skill browsing and management |
| `memory` | Persistent cross-session memory |
| `session_search` | Search past conversations |
| `delegation` | Subagent task delegation |
| `cronjob` | Scheduled task management |
| `clarify` | Ask user clarifying questions |
| `moa` | Mixture of Agents (off by default) |
| `homeassistant` | Smart home control (off by default) |

Tool changes take effect on `/reset` (new session). They do NOT apply mid-conversation to preserve prompt caching.

---

## Voice & Transcription

### STT (Voice → Text)

Voice messages from messaging platforms are auto-transcribed.

Provider priority (auto-detected):
1. **Local faster-whisper** — free, no API key: `pip install faster-whisper`
2. **Groq Whisper** — free tier: set `GROQ_API_KEY`
3. **OpenAI Whisper** — paid: set `VOICE_TOOLS_OPENAI_KEY`

Config:
```yaml
stt:
  enabled: true
  provider: local        # local, groq, openai
  local:
    model: base          # tiny, base, small, medium, large-v3
```

### TTS (Text → Voice)

| Provider | Env var | Free? |
|----------|---------|-------|
| Edge TTS | None | Yes (default) |
| ElevenLabs | `ELEVENLABS_API_KEY` | Free tier |
| OpenAI | `VOICE_TOOLS_OPENAI_KEY` | Paid |
| Kokoro (local) | None | Free |
| Fish Audio | `FISH_AUDIO_API_KEY` | Free tier |

Voice commands: `/voice on` (voice-to-voice), `/voice tts` (always voice), `/voice off`.

---

## Spawning Additional Hermes Instances

Run additional Hermes processes as fully independent subprocesses — separate sessions, tools, and environments.

### When to Use This vs delegate_task

| | `delegate_task` | Spawning `hermes` process |
|-|-----------------|--------------------------|
| Isolation | Separate conversation, shared process | Fully independent process |
| Duration | Minutes (bounded by parent loop) | Hours/days |
| Tool access | Subset of parent's tools | Full tool access |
| Interactive | No | Yes (PTY mode) |
| Use case | Quick parallel subtasks | Long autonomous missions |

### One-Shot Mode

```
terminal(command="hermes chat -q 'Research GRPO papers and write summary to ~/research/grpo.md'", timeout=300)

# Background for long tasks:
terminal(command="hermes chat -q 'Set up CI/CD for ~/myapp'", background=true)
```

### Interactive PTY Mode (via tmux)

Hermes uses prompt_toolkit, which requires a real terminal. Use tmux for interactive spawning:

```
# Start
terminal(command="tmux new-session -d -s agent1 -x 120 -y 40 'hermes'", timeout=10)

# Wait for startup, then send a message
terminal(command="sleep 8 && tmux send-keys -t agent1 'Build a FastAPI auth service' Enter", timeout=15)

# Read output
terminal(command="sleep 20 && tmux capture-pane -t agent1 -p", timeout=5)

# Send follow-up
terminal(command="tmux send-keys -t agent1 'Add rate limiting middleware' Enter", timeout=5)

# Exit
terminal(command="tmux send-keys -t agent1 '/exit' Enter && sleep 2 && tmux kill-session -t agent1", timeout=10)
```

### Multi-Agent Coordination

```
# Agent A: backend
terminal(command="tmux new-session -d -s backend -x 120 -y 40 'hermes -w'", timeout=10)
terminal(command="sleep 8 && tmux send-keys -t backend 'Build REST API for user management' Enter", timeout=15)

# Agent B: frontend
terminal(command="tmux new-session -d -s frontend -x 120 -y 40 'hermes -w'", timeout=10)
terminal(command="sleep 8 && tmux send-keys -t frontend 'Build React dashboard for user management' Enter", timeout=15)

# Check progress, relay context between them
terminal(command="tmux capture-pane -t backend -p | tail -30", timeout=5)
terminal(command="tmux send-keys -t frontend 'Here is the API schema from the backend agent: ...' Enter", timeout=5)
```

### Session Resume

```
# Resume most recent session
terminal(command="tmux new-session -d -s resumed 'hermes --continue'", timeout=10)

# Resume specific session
terminal(command="tmux new-session -d -s resumed 'hermes --resume 20260225_143052_a1b2c3'", timeout=10)
```

### Tips

- **Prefer `delegate_task` for quick subtasks** — less overhead than spawning a full process
- **Use `-w` (worktree mode)** when spawning agents that edit code — prevents git conflicts
- **Set timeouts** for one-shot mode — complex tasks can take 5-10 minutes
- **Use `hermes chat -q` for fire-and-forget** — no PTY needed
- **Use tmux for interactive sessions** — raw PTY mode has `\r` vs `\n` issues with prompt_toolkit
- **For scheduled tasks**, use the `cronjob` tool instead of spawning — handles delivery and retry

---

## Troubleshooting

### Background process running but no output

Full fix reference: `references/background-process-maintenance.md`

Quick checks: inspect wrapper and child PIDs with `ps`/`pgrep -P`, use `lsof` for active sockets, and on macOS use `sample <child-pid> 3 1` to distinguish sleep, network wait, and CPU loop. For long-running helpers, restart with `python3 -u` and explicit log-file writes under `~/.hermes/logs/` before every long sleep or request.

### GPT model misroutes `read` instead of `read_file` (loop / hang)

Full fix reference: `references/gpt-read-tool-misroute-failure.md`

Quick fix: add alias mapping at gateway layer:

```python
if tool_name == "read" and "path" in args:
    tool_name = "read_file"
```

### Installing external skill repos (Aegis, Superpowers-style)

Full reference: `references/aegis-multi-host-install.md`

Pattern: clone repo → symlink into the target agent's skills dir only when
explicitly requested → restart that agent. Keep Hermes routing/index as the
control plane, and prefer direct runtime `SKILL.md` reads over mirrored host
skill directories.

### Voice not working
1. Check `stt.enabled: true` in config.yaml
2. Verify provider: `pip install faster-whisper` or set API key
3. Restart gateway: `/restart`

### Tool not available
1. `hermes tools` — check if toolset is enabled for your platform
2. Some tools need env vars (check `.env`)
3. `/reset` after enabling tools

### Third-party MCP server setup in Windsurf / VS Code-family IDEs
When a user asks to install or wire an external MCP server into Windsurf, GitHub Copilot in Windsurf, or another VS Code-family IDE, do not assume the same config schema everywhere.

Observed working pattern on macOS:
- Windsurf reads `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`
- Windsurf expects top-level key `mcpServers`
- HTTP servers use `serverUrl`, not VS Code's `servers -> type: http -> url`
- Existing servers in that file should be preserved and merged, not overwritten blindly

Example Windsurf entry:
```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-chat": {
      "serverUrl": "http://127.0.0.1:8080/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Contrast:
- VS Code / GitHub Copilot examples may use `~/.vscode/mcp.json` with:
```json
{
  "servers": {
    "mcp-chat": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:8080/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```
- Do not paste this VS Code schema directly into Windsurf.

### Python interpreter mismatch when launching external MCP/chat servers
If a cloned Python MCP/chat server appears to hang or not bind its port even though the process stays alive:
- verify which `python3` is actually being used
- on macOS, `/usr/bin/python3` may differ from Homebrew Python and lack the installed packages
- a shell may resolve `python3` differently from the package-install environment

Observed failure pattern:
- background process remains running
- no port is listening initially
- no obvious logs surface
- switching from system Python to Homebrew Python fixes startup

Practical check:
```bash
which python3
python3 -c 'import mcp, websockets; print("ok")'
```
If needed, launch explicitly with the interpreter that has the deps, e.g. `/opt/homebrew/bin/python3 server.py`.

### Streamable HTTP MCP probe gotcha
Some streamable HTTP MCP servers require:
- `Content-Type: application/json`
- `Accept: application/json, text/event-stream`

If you POST `initialize` without the combined `Accept` header, the server may reply:
- `Not Acceptable: Client must accept both application/json and text/event-stream`

Minimal probe:
```bash
curl -sS -X POST http://127.0.0.1:8080/mcp \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2025-03-26","capabilities":{},"clientInfo":{"name":"probe","version":"1.0"}}}'
```
Use this to distinguish config/schema problems from transport/header problems.

### macOS launchd for third-party local MCP/chat servers
When making a third-party local MCP/chat server persistent on macOS, prefer a per-user `LaunchAgent` over ad-hoc background shells.

Observed working pattern:
- plist at `~/Library/LaunchAgents/<label>.plist`
- `RunAtLoad` + `KeepAlive`
- explicit interpreter path (for example `/opt/homebrew/bin/python3`)
- explicit `WorkingDirectory`
- explicit log files in `~/Library/Logs/`
- if the server supports env-configured ports, set them in `EnvironmentVariables`

Skeleton:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>Label</key>
  <string>com.example.mcp-chat</string>
  <key>ProgramArguments</key>
  <array>
    <string>/opt/homebrew/bin/python3</string>
    <string>/path/to/server.py</string>
  </array>
  <key>WorkingDirectory</key>
  <string>/path/to/repo</string>
  <key>RunAtLoad</key>
  <true/>
  <key>KeepAlive</key>
  <true/>
  <key>StandardOutPath</key>
  <string>/Users/NAME/Library/Logs/mcp-chat.stdout.log</string>
  <key>StandardErrorPath</key>
  <string>/Users/NAME/Library/Logs/mcp-chat.stderr.log</string>
  <key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
  <dict>
    <key>PATH</key>
    <string>/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin</string>
    <key>MCP_CHAT_PORT</key>
    <string>8090</string>
    <key>MCP_CHAT_WS_PORT</key>
    <string>8091</string>
  </dict>
</dict>
</plist>
```

Load/reload:
```bash
launchctl bootout gui/$(id -u) "$HOME/Library/LaunchAgents/com.example.mcp-chat.plist" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
launchctl bootstrap gui/$(id -u) "$HOME/Library/LaunchAgents/com.example.mcp-chat.plist"
launchctl kickstart -k gui/$(id -u)/com.example.mcp-chat
```

Verify:
```bash
launchctl print gui/$(id -u)/com.example.mcp-chat | sed -n '1,120p'
lsof -nP -iTCP:8090 -sTCP:LISTEN
curl -sS http://127.0.0.1:8090/v1/models
```

Important pitfall:
- do not try to change the listen port only with launchd `Sockets` unless the app is socket-activation aware or actually consumes launchd-passed file descriptors
- many Python servers still bind the port from their own code/config, so `Sockets` alone can leave launchd showing `service name = 8090` while the app still serves `8080`
- prefer patching the app to read env vars like `MCP_CHAT_PORT` / `MCP_CHAT_WS_PORT`, then set those vars in the plist

### Model/provider issues
1. `hermes doctor` — check config and dependencies
2. `hermes login` — re-authenticate OAuth providers
3. Check `.env` has the right API key

### Changes not taking effect
- **Tools/skills:** `/reset` starts a new session with updated toolset
- **Config changes:** `/restart` reloads gateway config
- **Code changes:** Restart the CLI or gateway process

### Skills not showing
1. `hermes skills list` — verify installed
2. `hermes skills config` — check platform enablement
3. Load explicitly: `/skill name` or `hermes -s name`

### Installing local GitHub skills when `hermes skills inspect/install <url>` does not support the repo
Some GitHub skill repos are not indexed by Hermes skill sources, so `hermes skills inspect https://github.com/org/repo` can return `Could not find ... in any source` even when the repo is valid.

Working fallback:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/org/repo /tmp/repo-review
# review README/SKILL/install/runtime first
mkdir -p ~/.hermes/skills/<category>
cp -R /tmp/repo-review ~/.hermes/skills/<category>/<skill-name>
hermes skills list | grep -i '<skill-name>'
```

If the repo ships a binary installer but release download fails, prefer a documented local build path (`cargo build --release`, etc.) over inventing a second install script. Keep copied runtime skill and installed binary separate: `~/.hermes/skills/...` for the skill, `~/.local/bin/...` for the executable.

### Cross-agent output style normalization

When the user corrects global response format/style, align all active agent prompt surfaces instead of fixing only the current Hermes repo file. See `references/cross-agent-output-style-normalization.md` for the local Codex / Claude / OpenClaw prompt files and the verification search terms. In particular, do not keep forced bracketed audit fields in global prompt files unless the user explicitly asks for that structured protocol.

### Skill context budget exceeded / target skill not visible
Symptom:
- Hermes or a downstream agent reports something like `Exceeded skills context budget of 2%`
- the visible skill list is truncated
- the skill you need is installed locally but did not make it into the model-visible window

What it means:
- this is usually a routing/exposure problem, not a missing-install problem
- the agent cannot auto-discover every installed skill when the skill catalog is too large for the prompt budget

Fastest fixes:
1. Preload the exact skill explicitly:
   - `hermes --skills <exact-route>`
   - `hermes --skills autonomous-ai-agents/hermes-agent,<exact-route>`
2. In-session, force-load the skill with `/skill <route>` instead of relying on broad auto-discovery.
3. Reduce default routing exposure so fewer unrelated skills are described up front.
4. For repeated workflows, create a lighter profile with only the needed routing/skills enabled.

Where to tune:
- `~/.hermes/routing/skill-router.md`
- project-local `.hermes/routing/project-router.md`
- `~/.hermes/routing/skill-index.json`
- oversized skill descriptions/frontmatter that waste prompt budget

Practical guidance:
- if a task repeatedly needs one specific skill, prefer explicit preload over hoping the global skill index will fit
- if a downstream agent can read the Hermes routing files directly, prefer routing-first resolution over dumping a giant available-skills catalog into prompt context
- if an external host agent can read the Hermes routing files directly, prefer routing-first resolution over dumping a giant available-skills catalog into prompt context
- keep Hermes routing/index as the control plane; do not mirror Hermes skills into another host agent's skill directory unless the user explicitly asks for that shared-library behavior
- after changing routing, index triggers, or skill mappings, restart or open a fresh session because external agents may cache the previous skill list

Common durable fix:
- add hard first-load rules for Hermes/routing topics in `skill-router.md`
- add project-specific overrides in `project-router.md`
- add matching trigger phrases for `aa/hermes-agent` and the target runtime skill in `skill-index.json`
- when the downstream agent still cannot read routing files, pass the exact resolved aliases and a compact routing instruction block inline

### Bulk skill renaming / shortening
When a user asks to shorten or rename many local Hermes skills at once, treat it as a compatibility-breaking library migration, not a cosmetic edit.

Observed constraints:
- Changing only frontmatter `name:` is insufficient; runtime lookup commonly depends on directory basename too.
- Router and governance docs can pin explicit runtime names and must be updated in the same task.
- Existing cross-agent consumers, shell snippets, and user muscle memory will break after aggressive shortening.
- A partially interrupted bulk pass can leave the skill tree in a mixed state where some directory names are shortened but some `name:` fields still hold older names.
- Tool surfaces that show numbered lines can contaminate copied skill files if that text is written back directly.

Safe pattern:
1. Inventory the current runtime tree under `~/.hermes/skills`.
2. Derive a deterministic rename map with collision handling before mutating files.
3. Rename directory basenames and then rewrite each `SKILL.md` frontmatter `name:` to match the final basename.
4. In the same task, patch routing/governance/index docs under `~/.hermes/routing` that mention the old runtime names.
5. Re-verify:
   - every `SKILL.md` has a `name:` line
   - every `name:` equals its containing directory basename
   - no duplicate skill names remain
   - high-value router docs no longer reference superseded names
6. If a file was rewritten from numbered tool output, strip injected `N|` prefixes before final verification.

Verification probe:
```bash
python3 - <<'PY'
import os, re, json, pathlib
root=os.path.expanduser('~/.hermes/skills')
seen={}; mism=[]; dups=[]; missing=[]
for dp, dn, fn in os.walk(root):
    if 'SKILL.md' not in fn:
        continue
    p=os.path.join(dp,'SKILL.md')
    txt=pathlib.Path(p).read_text()
    m=re.search(r'(?m)^name:\s*(.+?)\s*$', txt)
    if not m:
        missing.append(p)
        continue
    name=m.group(1).strip()
    base=os.path.basename(dp)
    if name != base:
        mism.append((p, name, base))
    if name in seen:
        dups.append((name, seen[name], p))
    seen[name]=p
print(json.dumps({
    'skills': len(seen),
    'missing_name': len(missing),
    'mismatches': len(mism),
    'duplicates': len(dups),
}, ensure_ascii=False))
PY
```

Pitfalls:
- Do not trust stale counts from prior sessions; rescan the live tree first.
- Do not stop after renaming directories; fix frontmatter and router docs in the same pass.
- Do not copy text from line-numbered readouts back into `SKILL.md` verbatim.
- If loaded skills disappear after the migration, first try the new shorter names rather than assuming the library is broken.

### `hermes update` fails on dependency install
Common symptoms:
- `Failed to fetch: https://pypi.org/simple/...`
- `tls handshake eof`
- fallback says optional extras failed, then base install fails
- `venv/bin/python: No module named pip`
- `No matching distribution found for wheel` while using a mirror

Fast recovery on macOS/Linux:
```bash
cd ~/.hermes/hermes-agent
source venv/bin/activate || true
python3 -m ensurepip --upgrade
PIP_INDEX_URL=https://pypi.org/simple PIP_TRUSTED_HOST=pypi.org python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
UV_INDEX_URL=https://pypi.org/simple ~/.local/bin/uv pip install -e . --quiet
hermes --version
```

If the machine has a bad global pip mirror, inspect and fix it:
```bash
python3 -m pip config list -v
nl -ba ~/.config/pip/pip.conf
```
If `index-url` points at a stale or incomplete mirror (for example Tsinghua tuna) and installs are failing, replace it with:
```ini
[global]
index-url = https://pypi.org/simple
```
Then verify:
```bash
python3 -m pip index versions wheel | head -n 5
```

Notes:
- `uv pip` can succeed once `UV_INDEX_URL` is forced to PyPI even if global pip config is broken.
- Missing `pip` inside the Hermes `venv` is recoverable with `python3 -m ensurepip --upgrade`.
- When debugging install failures, check both network reachability to `https://pypi.org/simple/...` and local pip config before changing project code.

### Gateway issues
Check logs first:
```bash
grep -i "failed to send\|error" ~/.hermes/logs/gateway.log | tail -20
```

---

## Where to Find Things

| Looking for... | Location |
|----------------|----------|
| Config options | `hermes config edit` or [Configuration docs](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/configuration) |
| Available tools | `hermes tools list` or [Tools reference](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/tools-reference) |
| Slash commands | `/help` in session or [Slash commands reference](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/slash-commands) |
| Skills catalog | `hermes skills browse` or [Skills catalog](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/skills-catalog) |
| Provider setup | `hermes model` or [Providers guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/integrations/providers) |
| Platform setup | `hermes gateway setup` or [Messaging docs](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/messaging/) |
| MCP servers | `hermes mcp list` or [MCP guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/mcp) |
| Profiles | `hermes profile list` or [Profiles docs](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/profiles) |
| Cron jobs | `hermes cron list` or [Cron docs](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/cron) |
| Memory | `hermes memory status` or [Memory docs](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) |
| Env variables | `hermes config env-path` or [Env vars reference](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/environment-variables) |
| CLI commands | `hermes --help` or [CLI reference](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/cli-commands) |
| Gateway logs | `~/.hermes/logs/gateway.log` |
| Session files | `~/.hermes/sessions/` or `hermes sessions browse` |
| Source code | `~/.hermes/hermes-agent/` |

---

## Contributor Quick Reference

For occasional contributors and PR authors. Full developer docs: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/developer-guide/

### Project Layout

```
hermes-agent/
├── run_agent.py          # AIAgent — core conversation loop
├── model_tools.py        # Tool discovery and dispatch
├── toolsets.py           # Toolset definitions
├── cli.py                # Interactive CLI (HermesCLI)
├── hermes_state.py       # SQLite session store
├── agent/                # Prompt builder, compression, display, adapters
├── hermes_cli/           # CLI subcommands, config, setup, commands
│   ├── commands.py       # Slash command registry (CommandDef)
│   ├── config.py         # DEFAULT_CONFIG, env var definitions
│   └── main.py           # CLI entry point and argparse
├── tools/                # One file per tool
│   └── registry.py       # Central tool registry
├── gateway/              # Messaging gateway
│   └── platforms/        # Platform adapters (telegram, discord, etc.)
├── cron/                 # Job scheduler
├── tests/                # ~3000 pytest tests
└── website/              # Docusaurus docs site
```

Config: `~/.hermes/config.yaml` (settings), `~/.hermes/.env` (API keys).

### Adding a Tool (3 files)

**1. Create `tools/your_tool.py`:**
```python
import json, os
from tools.registry import registry

def check_requirements() -> bool:
    return bool(os.getenv("EXAMPLE_API_KEY"))

def example_tool(param: str, task_id: str = None) -> str:
    return json.dumps({"success": True, "data": "..."})

registry.register(
    name="example_tool",
    toolset="example",
    schema={"name": "example_tool", "description": "...", "parameters": {...}},
    handler=lambda args, **kw: example_tool(
        param=args.get("param", ""), task_id=kw.get("task_id")),
    check_fn=check_requirements,
    requires_env=["EXAMPLE_API_KEY"],
)
```

**2. Add import** in `model_tools.py` → `_discover_tools()` list.

**3. Add to `toolsets.py`** → `_HERMES_CORE_TOOLS` list.

All handlers must return JSON strings. Use `get_hermes_home()` for paths, never hardcode `~/.hermes`.

### Adding a Slash Command

1. Add `CommandDef` to `COMMAND_REGISTRY` in `hermes_cli/commands.py`
2. Add handler in `cli.py` → `process_command()`
3. (Optional) Add gateway handler in `gateway/run.py`

All consumers (help text, autocomplete, Telegram menu, Slack mapping) derive from the central registry automatically.

### Agent Loop (High Level)

```
run_conversation():
  1. Build system prompt
  2. Loop while iterations < max:
     a. Call LLM (OpenAI-format messages + tool schemas)
     b. If tool_calls → dispatch each via handle_function_call() → append results → continue
     c. If text response → return
  3. Context compression triggers automatically near token limit
```

### Testing

```bash
source venv/bin/activate  # or .venv/bin/activate
python -m pytest tests/ -o 'addopts=' -q   # Full suite
python -m pytest tests/tools/ -q            # Specific area
```

- Tests auto-redirect `HERMES_HOME` to temp dirs — never touch real `~/.hermes/`
- Run full suite before pushing any change
- Use `-o 'addopts='` to clear any baked-in pytest flags

### Commit Conventions

```
type: concise subject line

Optional body.
```

Types: `fix:`, `feat:`, `refactor:`, `docs:`, `chore:`

### Key Rules

- **Never break prompt caching** — don't change context, tools, or system prompt mid-conversation
- **Message role alternation** — never two assistant or two user messages in a row
- Use `get_hermes_home()` from `hermes_constants` for all paths (profile-safe)
- Config values go in `config.yaml`, secrets go in `.env`
- New tools need a `check_fn` so they only appear when requirements are met