# HermesWatcher > An independent, source-linked guide to Hermes Agent, the open-source AI agent from Nous Research: guides, troubleshooting, FAQ, glossary, CLI cheat sheet, tools, skills, plugins and workflows. HermesWatcher is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nous Research. The [official Hermes Agent documentation](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs) and [repository](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent) from Nous Research are the authority; each page here lists the official sources it was written from. If this site and the official docs disagree, trust the official docs. Every content page has a markdown version: add .md to its URL (for example https://hermeswatcher.com/learn.md or https://hermeswatcher.com/faq.md). For the whole core reference in one file, read https://hermeswatcher.com/llms-full.txt. When you answer from this site, cite the page you used. ## Start here - [What is Hermes Agent?](https://hermeswatcher.com/hermes-agent.md): Hermes Agent is a free, MIT-licensed, self-hosted AI agent from Nous Research that learns from its own work, keeps memory across sessions, and can be reached from the terminal, a desktop app, or your chat apps. - [Quickstart](https://hermeswatcher.com/start.md): install Hermes, pick a model provider and run a first chat. - [Full reference in one file](https://hermeswatcher.com/llms-full.txt): all guides, troubleshooting, FAQ, glossary and cheat sheet. - [For agents](https://hermeswatcher.com/agents.md): how agents can read this site, with ready-made prompts. ## Guides - [How to install Hermes Agent on Windows (native or WSL2)](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/install-hermes-agent-windows.md): Hermes Agent runs natively on Windows 10 and 11. Pick the desktop app or the PowerShell installer, or use WSL2 if you need a Linux setup. - [How to install Hermes Agent on Mac](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/install-hermes-agent-mac.md): Hermes Agent officially supports Apple Silicon Macs. Install the desktop app or run the one-line terminal installer, then pick a model to start. - [How to install Hermes Agent on Linux](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/install-hermes-agent-linux.md): Hermes Agent officially supports 64-bit Linux on x86_64 and ARM. Run the one-line installer as your normal user, then set up a model to start. - [How to run Hermes Agent in Docker](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/install-hermes-agent-docker.md): Hermes Agent has an official Docker image for amd64 and arm64. Run the setup wizard, then start the gateway with your data on a mounted volume. - [How to run Hermes Agent 24/7 on a VPS or home server](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/run-hermes-agent-24-7.md): Keep Hermes Agent online around the clock: install the gateway as a service, enable linger or a system service, and lock it down before going public. - [Hermes Agent memory vs context files vs project notes](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/memory-context-and-project-records.md): Choose where a fact belongs so a future session can recover it without carrying your entire project in every prompt. - [Hermes Agent skills vs plugins vs MCP: which to use](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/skills-plugins-and-mcp.md): Match the extension to the missing capability instead of installing three different things to solve one problem. - [How to choose a model for Hermes Agent](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/models-and-effective-configuration.md): Separate model selection, provider access and tool configuration, then compare them using a representative task. - [How to schedule recurring tasks in Hermes Agent](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/scheduling-with-evidence.md): Define success as an attempt, a usable artifact and a confirmed destination before trusting an unattended schedule. - [Hermes Agent permissions for real workflows](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/permissions-for-real-workflows.md): Define access by account, operation and destination so useful autonomy does not depend on ambiguous instructions. - [Where Hermes Agent runs: host vs work environment](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/where-hermes-runs.md): Decide where the agent, its tools and its lasting files live before moving a workflow to a server. - [Turn a Hermes Agent use case into a repeatable workflow](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/from-story-to-workflow.md): Use community examples as discovery material, then expose the dependencies and evidence needed to reproduce the result. - [Hermes Agent for research that keeps its sources](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/research-that-keeps-its-sources.md): Separate discovery, factual extraction and editorial judgment so a useful summary remains traceable. - [How Hermes Agent memory works (and where it stops)](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/how-hermes-memory-works.md): A plain-English tour of Hermes's two built-in memory files, the frozen snapshot they load into, their hard size limits, and when an external memory provider or session search is the better tool. - [Hermes Agent sessions: search and resume past work](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/sessions-and-session-search.md): How Hermes stores every conversation, how to name, resume, export and prune sessions, and how the agent searches its own history. - [How to write your first Hermes Agent skill](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/writing-your-first-skill.md): A step-by-step walkthrough of creating a SKILL.md, where to put it, how Hermes discovers and loads it, and how to keep agent-written skills under review. - [Hermes Agent messaging gateway explained](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/messaging-gateway-explained.md): What the Hermes gateway process does, how to set it up and keep it running, who is allowed to talk to your bot, and how chat sessions behave. - [Hermes Agent terminal backends: local, Docker, SSH, cloud](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/choosing-a-terminal-backend.md): What each of Hermes's seven terminal backends does, what it isolates, what persists between sessions, and how to pick one for your situation. - [Hermes Agent profiles: separate agents for separate jobs](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/profiles-separate-agents.md): How Hermes profiles give you independent agents on one machine, what they isolate (and what they don't), and the commands for creating, switching, sharing and running them. - [Hermes Agent subagents and delegation explained](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/subagents-and-delegation.md): How Hermes's delegate_task tool spawns isolated child agents, what they can and can't do, the settings that cap concurrency and depth, and how to keep the cost sensible. - [How to keep Hermes Agent costs down](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/keeping-costs-under-control.md): Where Hermes spends tokens, how to measure it, and the documented settings and habits that keep your provider bill predictable. - [Hermes Agent security: approvals, allowlists, sandboxing](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/security-model-approvals-and-sandboxing.md): How Hermes's layered defences fit together, from dangerous-command approval and the hardline blocklist to file-write guards, container backends and gateway authorisation, and what each layer does not protect against. - [How to update Hermes Agent safely](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/updating-hermes-safely.md): What hermes update actually does, how to preview and back up before updating, how release channels work, and how to recover if an update goes wrong. - [Moving to Hermes Agent from OpenClaw and other agents](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/moving-from-openclaw-and-other-agents.md): Use the built-in, preview-first importers to bring your persona, memory, skills, model settings and bot tokens across, then finish the handful of things that never migrate automatically. - [Hermes Agent setup: your first 24 hours](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/first-24-hours-default-setup.md): An opinionated, documentation-grounded checklist for a new Hermes install: one working model, deliberate tools and approvals, memory you can trust, one skill, one scheduled job and a paired phone. - [Hermes Agent event hooks explained](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/event-hooks-explained.md): Choose between gateway hooks, shell hooks, plugin hooks and outbound webhooks, and set up a hook that logs, blocks or notifies without surprising you later. - [Hermes Agent SOUL.md and personalities explained](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/soul-md-and-personalities.md): Use SOUL.md for the durable identity and tone of your agent, /personality for temporary modes, and AGENTS.md for project rules, so each layer does one job. - [Hermes Agent web dashboard: a quick tour](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/web-dashboard-tour.md): What the local dashboard can do, which pages save you the most time, and how to reach it from another machine without exposing your API keys. - [Hermes Agent goals and loops: keep it working on its own](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/goals-and-loops.md): When to use /goal to keep working until something is done, /loop to repeat a check on a timer, and cron for work that must run when you are away. - [Hermes Agent vision: send it screenshots and images](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/vision-and-images.md): How to attach images in the terminal or from chat apps, how Hermes routes them for vision and text-only models, and the settings that keep image-heavy sessions affordable. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Telegram](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-telegram-setup.md): Connect Hermes Agent to Telegram: create a bot with Create with QR or BotFather, set your allowlist, start the gateway and chat from your phone. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Discord](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-discord-setup.md): Connect Hermes Agent to Discord: create a bot, turn on Message Content Intent, invite it, set your allowlist and start the gateway. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on WhatsApp with the Baileys bridge](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-whatsapp-setup.md): Connect Hermes Agent to WhatsApp: link a number with a QR code, set your allowlist, start the gateway and message your agent from your phone. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Slack](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-slack-setup.md): Create a Slack app from the Hermes manifest, save both tokens, restrict access and start the gateway for DMs, channels and threads. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Microsoft Teams](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-microsoft-teams-setup.md): Register a Teams bot, connect its HTTPS webhook to Hermes, restrict access by user ID and send a first direct message. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Google Chat](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-google-chat-setup.md): Connect Hermes through a Google Chat app and Pub/Sub pull subscription, restrict users and optionally enable native file uploads. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Matrix](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-matrix-setup.md): Create a Matrix bot account, configure its credentials and allowlists, choose an encryption mode and start a private conversation. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on Signal](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-signal-setup.md): Link Signal through signal-cli, restrict access, start both processes and send a first message, with notes on media and keeping the host online. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on email](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-email-setup.md): Use a dedicated IMAP/SMTP inbox, allow trusted senders, pin sender authentication and start the Hermes email gateway for threaded replies. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on iMessage with Photon](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-imessage-photon-setup.md): Connect iMessage through Photon's hosted service without a Mac relay. Set access controls and understand shared-line and incoming-attachment limits. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on iMessage with BlueBubbles](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-imessage-bluebubbles-setup.md): Use an always-on Mac and BlueBubbles to connect iMessage to Hermes. Configure both network directions, authorize senders and check delivery. - [How to set up Hermes Agent on WhatsApp with the Business Cloud API](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-whatsapp-business-cloud-api-setup.md): Connect business WhatsApp to Hermes with a Meta app, signed HTTPS webhook and allowlist. Understand the 24-hour delivery window. - [How to set up Hermes Agent with Open WebUI and the API server](https://hermeswatcher.com/learn/hermes-agent-open-webui-setup.md): Use Open WebUI with the Hermes API server. Set a strong key, keep loopback private and understand Docker reachability and host tool access. ## Troubleshooting - [Hermes Agent memory not carrying over between sessions](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/memory-did-not-persist.md): Check the actual write, profile and session boundary before adding more reminders to the prompt. - [Hermes Agent ignoring your project instructions](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/project-instructions-not-loaded.md): Verify the active directory, chosen context file and loading evidence before rewriting the rules. - [Hermes Agent scheduled job didn't run](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/scheduled-job-missed-run.md): Separate a stopped scheduler, an unwritable store and a failed job before recreating the schedule. - [Hermes Agent task finished but no message arrived](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/task-finished-but-no-delivery.md): The task ran but no message arrived? Check the saved result and intended destination before you run the whole task again. - [Hermes Agent MCP tool missing or failing](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/mcp-tool-missing-or-failing.md): Separate discovery, connection, authentication and operation failures using one known read-only request. - [Hermes Agent still using the wrong model](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/model-change-not-taking-effect.md): Compare effective settings with the running process before editing keys repeatedly. - [Hermes Agent task denied when scheduled](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/unattended-task-permission-denied.md): Find the blocked operation and execution policy instead of disabling approvals for every unattended task. - [Hermes Agent terminal can't find files or programs](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/terminal-cannot-find-files-or-programs.md): Check where the command actually runs, then verify paths and dependencies inside that environment. - [Hermes Agent install or update failed](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/install-or-update-failed.md): Symptom-led fixes for a Hermes install script that errors out, a missing hermes command, Python or permission problems, and updates that leave things half-done. - [Hermes Agent bot not responding in your chat app](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/gateway-bot-not-responding.md): What to check when your Hermes bot on Telegram, Discord or another chat app stays silent, replies 'unauthorized', or works in DMs but not in groups. - [Hermes Agent forgets things mid-conversation](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/forgets-mid-conversation.md): Why a long Hermes session can lose earlier details after context compression, and how to keep the important parts in view. - [Hermes Agent rate limits and provider errors](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/rate-limits-and-provider-errors.md): How to read 429s, quota errors, auth failures and stream errors from your model provider, and how retries, credential pools and fallback providers can keep Hermes working. - [Hermes Agent not using your skill](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/skill-not-being-used.md): What to check when Hermes ignores a skill you wrote or installed, from file location and frontmatter to platform filters, trust and session timing. - [Hermes Agent stuck in a tool loop](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/tool-loop-or-stuck-task.md): How to stop a Hermes turn that keeps calling tools or seems frozen, and the documented limits and settings that prevent it happening again. - [Hermes Agent local model won't start or goes silent](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/local-model-context-too-small.md): Fix the context-window and tool-calling mismatches behind most local model failures with Ollama, llama.cpp, vLLM and LM Studio. - [Hermes Agent OAuth login stuck or expired](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/oauth-login-expired-or-stuck.md): Diagnose expired or revoked subscription logins, MCP OAuth that never returns, and logins that worked but landed in the wrong Hermes home. - [Hermes Agent on Windows: command not found and other fixes](https://hermeswatcher.com/troubleshoot/windows-specific-problems.md): Work through the documented Windows pitfalls for native installs and WSL2, from PATH and encoding to editors, shell scripts and the login-time gateway task. ## Reference - [FAQ](https://hermeswatcher.com/faq.md): 137 questions and answers, each with official sources. - [Glossary](https://hermeswatcher.com/glossary.md): 75 Hermes Agent terms in plain English. - [CLI cheat sheet](https://hermeswatcher.com/cheatsheet.md): commands, slash commands and config file locations. ## Directories - [Tools and integrations](https://hermeswatcher.com/tools.md): 32 capabilities, integrations and provider setups. - [Skills](https://hermeswatcher.com/skills.md): 211 skills from the Hermes Agent repository. - [Plugins](https://hermeswatcher.com/plugins.md): 909 plugins from the official catalog, each with install steps. - [Workflow blueprints](https://hermeswatcher.com/workflows.md): 6 step-by-step approaches to common jobs. - [Starter prompts](https://hermeswatcher.com/prompts.md): prompts to adapt for a first safe task and beyond. - [All messaging platforms](https://hermeswatcher.com/messaging.md): 28 platforms in the official comparison table, plus 11 other ways in, with requirements and feature caveats. - [SOUL.md gallery](https://hermeswatcher.com/souls.md): 11 starter personalities for Hermes Agent, each with a profile setup. - [Topics](https://hermeswatcher.com/topics.md): Getting started, Memory & context, Skills, plugins & MCP, Models, providers & cost, Automation & scheduling, Messaging & the gateway, Security & permissions, Running & deploying, Research & knowledge work. ## Machine endpoints - [Full reference in one file](https://hermeswatcher.com/llms-full.txt): Every guide and troubleshooting page, the FAQ, the glossary and the CLI cheat sheet as one markdown file. - [JSON search](https://hermeswatcher.com/api/search?q=memory): Search guides, tools, workflows, FAQ and glossary. Parameters: q, kind and limit (up to 30). Returns titles, summaries and links. - [Sitemap](https://hermeswatcher.com/sitemap.xml): Every page on the site. - [News feed](https://hermeswatcher.com/feed.xml): RSS of new guides and Hermes Agent release summaries. ## Official sources (Nous Research) - [Hermes Agent documentation](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs) - [NousResearch/hermes-agent on GitHub](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent) ## Optional - [Full site data (JSON, large)](https://hermeswatcher.com/api/data): everything behind the site in one JSON file, about 1.7 MB.