Last updated: 2026-06-20
Hermes
Long-horizon · Persistent memory · Autonomous tasks · MCP tools
MIT licensed
v0.17.0 stable
SQLite & PostgreSQL memory
MCP tool support
Self-improving via reflection
Hermes is an open-source AI agent built for tasks that outlast a single conversation. Where OpenClaw handles one session at a time, Hermes maintains a persistent memory database, schedules autonomous workflows with natural language deadlines, and reflects on past performance to improve future tasks. Give it a goal by Friday — it plans, executes, checks in when needed, and delivers.
v0.17.0 now available — pip install to upgrade
Hermes v0.16.0 (the "Surface Release", June 2026) shipped Hermes Desktop — a native Electron app for macOS, Linux, and Windows — plus a full browser-based admin panel and an /undo command. v0.17.0 (the "Reach Release", June 19 2026) extends how far the agent reaches: an iMessage channel (via Photon, no Mac relay), the Raft agent network, background subagents, image editing, and a rebuilt dashboard with secure login. Run pip install --upgrade hermes-agent to get v0.17.0. Windows native support (no WSL required) is stable as of v0.14.0.
Guides
Quick Start — 20 Minutes
Install Hermes, run the setup wizard, start the daemon, pick the right model for long-context tasks, and submit your first scheduled task.
Live
Write Your Own Skills
Self-writing skills are Hermes's whole identity. How the self-improvement loop works, a copy-paste prompt to have the agent author a skill safely, and the review checklist before you let one persist.
LiveNew
Security & Hardening
The five controls that matter most for an autonomous agent: max-iteration limits, skill and MCP allowlisting, keeping the dashboard on localhost, key hygiene, and prompt-injection defense — with a copy-paste checklist.
LiveNew
Web Dashboard (localhost:9119)
The friendliest on-ramp for non-terminal users: a tour of every panel — tasks, memory, skills, channels — and how to reach it safely from a remote server over an SSH tunnel.
LiveNew
Channel Setup: Telegram
Put Hermes in your pocket: create a bot with BotFather, wire the token, and lock it to your account with a per-sender allowlist. Mention-only setup for groups.
LiveNew
Best Free Models
Which free OpenRouter, Nous-portal, and Gemini models actually clear the 64K-context + reliable-tool-use bar to drive the agent — and the two-model trick to dodge rate limits.
LiveNew
Persistent Memory Architecture
How Hermes's three-tier memory works: episodic (raw sessions), semantic (compressed facts), procedural (learned patterns). SQLite vs PostgreSQL, compression, retrieval tuning.
Live
Long-Running Tasks & Scheduling
Task submission, natural language scheduling, TASKS.md format, check-ins via Telegram, autonomous multi-step execution, safety controls, and self-reflection after completion.
Live
MCP Tool Integration
Connect GitHub, web search, filesystem, Puppeteer, PostgreSQL, and more via Model Context Protocol. Native MCP support — covers tool authorisation, persistent connections, and writing custom servers.
Live
Hermes vs OpenClaw
Full comparison: memory model, execution style, tool ecosystem, cost per outcome, and the recommended hybrid setup — Hermes for long tasks, OpenClaw for conversations.
Live
VPS Install — Side-by-Side with Kilo Code
Tested install path: Hermes Agent v0.11+ and Kilo Code CLI on one Hetzner Ubuntu 24.04 VPS. Per-user isolation, OpenRouter, zero public ports beyond SSH. Every gotcha with the fix.
LiveNew
Discord Gateway — The Definitive Setup
Five silent failure modes the Discord gateway can hit. Developer Portal config, the systemd linger + bus-socket fix, the
auto_thread trap, channel-permission overrides, multi-channel project layout.LiveNew
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Every error message and weird behavior we hit during a real April 2026 Hermes + Kilo install on Hetzner, with the fix that actually worked. SSH, isolation, install, runtime, Discord, systemd, Kilo, and operational FAQ.
LiveNew
Hermes FAQ
Top Hermes Agent questions answered: why it needs a 64K-context model, how to fix tool-use failures, memory tuning, model selection, and when Hermes beats OpenClaw. Updated weekly from community discussion.
Live
At a Glance
| License | MIT (fully free) |
| Install | pip install hermes-agent (PyPI; npm no longer updated) |
| Current version | v0.17.0 (June 2026) — run pip install --upgrade hermes-agent |
| Requires | Node.js 22.16+ or Node 24; 500 MB+ disk for memory store |
| Memory store | SQLite (default, personal) or PostgreSQL (team/multi-machine) |
| Memory types | Episodic · Semantic · Procedural — three-tier architecture |
| Scheduling | Natural language: "by friday", "every monday 9am", ISO 8601 |
| Tool support | MCP native — 100+ compatible servers |
| Notification channel | Telegram or email for check-ins and completion alerts |
| Recommended model | Claude Sonnet 4.6 (default) with auto-escalation to Opus |
| Typical monthly cost | $5–30 depending on task frequency and complexity |
Hermes Use Cases — Long-Running & Memory-Enabled
Hermes is built for always-on agents that learn over time. These are the canonical use cases.
- Email triage with auto-draft replies — the canonical Hermes use case
- Customer support triage — three-layer memory means it learns from every ticket
- Lead research automation — runs unattended, accumulates context
- Release notes generator — ongoing summaries with audience memory
- All 12 use cases →
Hermes Troubleshooting
- Memory backend connection refused — SQLite/Postgres/Redis connection strings
- All troubleshooting entries →
Hermes Security
Managed cloud means OAuth scope discipline and memory hygiene matter most.
- Email & calendar scopes — read-only by default, draft-only for sending
- Secrets & credentials — Hermes memory contains conversation history; review periodically
- Incident response — what to do when an always-on agent goes wrong
- 15-minute hardening checklist
Related on This Site
- OpenClaw hub — conversational agent with rich skill ecosystem; pairs well with Hermes for day-to-day interaction
- SOUL.md & Agent Personas — the workspace file system Hermes extends with TASKS.md and REFLECTIONS.md
- Cost Optimisation Guide — model tiering and context strategies that apply to Hermes as well
- Decision guide — when Hermes wins vs OpenClaw or Cowork
- Weekly News Digest — Hermes release notes and MCP ecosystem updates
Latest Hermes News
Recent releases, tutorials, and video summaries:
