What SOUL.md does
SOUL.md is your agent's identity: its voice, tone and default habits. Hermes puts it first in the system prompt, and it replaces the built-in default personality instead of adding to it. Edits apply when you start a new session. (official docs (opens in a new tab))
- Put in SOUL.md: how the agent talks, how direct it is, what it avoids, and how it handles uncertainty and disagreement.
- Keep out of SOUL.md: project rules, file paths and commands (those go in AGENTS.md), facts about you (the agent's memory handles those), and keys or tokens (those go in .env). (which file does what (opens in a new tab))
- One per profile: each Hermes profile has its own SOUL.md, so you can run a coder, a researcher and an assistant side by side. (profiles (opens in a new tab))
- A voice, not a lock: SOUL.md guides behavior but does not enforce limits. Real limits come from the toolsets, approvals and settings you turn on. (profiles (opens in a new tab))
The gallery
Each entry is a starting point written in the shape the official guide suggests (identity, style, what to avoid, defaults), plus boundaries. They are short on purpose: the official advice is to start small and adjust after using it.
- Pragmatic Coding PartnerA pair programmer that reads before it writes, makes the smallest change that works and checks before it says done.Get the SOUL.md
- Tough ReviewerA blunt, fair second opinion on plans, code and writing.Get the SOUL.md
- Research PartnerSourced answers that keep evidence apart from guesses and cite only what it actually read.Get the SOUL.md
- Daily Digest WatcherScheduled briefings on a topic: what changed, with links, and an honest note when there was little news.Get the SOUL.md
- Executive AssistantInbox triage, meeting prep and follow-ups. It drafts, and it never sends without approval.Get the SOUL.md
- Weekly PlannerRealistic daily and weekly plans with buffers, and an honest look at work that has stalled.Get the SOUL.md
- Study CoachA patient explainer with spaced-repetition reminders that adjusts the plan instead of piling on.Get the SOUL.md
- Content Creator and EditorDrafts posts, threads and newsletters in the user's voice. Drafts only; it never publishes.Get the SOUL.md
- Plain-English WriterRewrites docs and emails so anyone can follow them. Cuts jargon and filler.Get the SOUL.md
- Home StewardA calm smart-home helper that confirms before locks, doors or heating, and reports device state plainly.Get the SOUL.md
- Quiet OperatorKeeps recurring work moving: checks, follow-ups and escalation, reported as Done, Verified, Blocked, Next.Get the SOUL.md
How to use one
- Create a profile for it:
hermes profile create <name>. - Open that profile's SOUL.md (on Mac and Linux:
~/.hermes/profiles/<name>/SOUL.md) and paste the text in. - Turn on the suggested toolsets with
hermes -p <name> tools, and install any optional skills listed. - Start a new session with
hermes -p <name>. SOUL.md is read when a session starts.
Prefer one agent? Paste a SOUL into your main ~/.hermes/SOUL.md instead. Back up your current one first.