# External memory providers: deeper long-term recall

> Add one external memory backend, such as Honcho, Mem0, Hindsight or Supermemory, on top of Hermes's built-in memory.

Canonical: https://hermeswatcher.com/tools/memory-providers  
Kind: Provider setup · Memory & context  
Last reviewed: Oct 20, 2026  
Basis: Explained from the official Hermes Agent docs and repository (Nous Research). Steps follow the linked official sources.

## What it is for

Hermes ships with built-in memory files, and you can add one external memory provider for richer recall and user modelling across sessions. The plugin catalog includes Honcho, OpenViking, Mem0, Hindsight, Holographic and Supermemory, and some can be self-hosted. `hermes memory setup` walks you through picking and configuring one. The external provider works alongside built-in memory rather than replacing it. It suits long-running personal assistants and project agents that need to remember context over weeks. Each provider has its own config file and API key, kept in the active profile's .env.

## What you need

- An account or self-hosted server for the chosen provider, plus its API key where needed (for example MEM0_API_KEY or SUPERMEMORY_API_KEY)
- The provider's catalog plugin installed for the active profile

## Setting it up

1. Install the provider plugin, for example `hermes plugins install honcho`
2. Run `hermes memory setup` to choose and configure the provider, or `hermes config set memory.provider <name>`
3. Put the provider's secrets in the active profile's .env (~/.hermes/.env for the default profile)

## How to check it works

- Run `hermes memory status` to confirm which provider is active
- Run `hermes plugins list` to confirm the plugin is installed and enabled

## Limits

- Only one external provider can be active at a time; use `hermes memory off` to disable it
- The bundled RetainDB and ByteRover providers are unmaintained and were scheduled to leave core on October 15, 2026
- Secret scrubbing only catches recognizable credential shapes, and Mem0's SDK sends anonymous telemetry unless MEM0_TELEMETRY=false

## Related workflows

- [Carry project knowledge into the next session](https://hermeswatcher.com/workflows/project-knowledge.md)

## Sources

- [Hermes Agent docs: Memory Providers](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory-providers)
- [Hermes Agent docs: Persistent Memory](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory)

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