diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 87617b600..dcbbb56aa 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ agent-browser/
 *.pem
 privvy*
 images/
+__pycache__/
+hermes_agent.egg-info/
 
 # CLI config (may contain sensitive SSH paths)
 cli-config.yaml
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a2c4bf269..aa603d64a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/ins
 ```
 
 The installer will:
-- Clone to `~/.hermes-agent` (with submodules: mini-swe-agent, tinker-atropos)
-- Create a virtual environment
-- Install all dependencies
+- Clone to `~/.hermes/hermes-agent` (with submodules: mini-swe-agent, tinker-atropos)
+- Create a virtual environment (Python 3.11+ recommended)
+- Install all dependencies and submodule packages
 - Run the interactive setup wizard
 - Add `hermes` to your PATH
 
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ hermes config set terminal.singularity_image ~/python.sif
 
 **Modal** (serverless cloud):
 ```bash
-pip install modal boto3
-modal setup  # Authenticate
+pip install "swe-rex[modal]"   # Installs swe-rex + modal + boto3
+modal setup                    # Authenticate with Modal
 hermes config set terminal.backend modal
 ```
 
@@ -275,16 +275,19 @@ See [docs/messaging.md](docs/messaging.md) for WhatsApp and advanced setup.
 
 Train language models with reinforcement learning using the Tinker API and Atropos framework.
 
+> **Note:** RL training tools require **Python 3.11+** (the upstream `tinker` package has this requirement). On Python 3.10, the RL toolset will be automatically disabled — all other features work fine.
+
 #### Requirements
 
-1. **API Keys:** Add to `~/.hermes/.env`:
+1. **Python 3.11+** (check with `python3 --version`)
+2. **API Keys:** Add to `~/.hermes/.env`:
 ```bash
 TINKER_API_KEY=your-tinker-key      # Get from https://tinker-console.thinkingmachines.ai/keys
 WANDB_API_KEY=your-wandb-key        # Get from https://wandb.ai/authorize
 OPENROUTER_API_KEY=your-key         # Optional: for rl_test_inference
 ```
 
-2. **That's it!** tinker-atropos is included as a submodule - no separate installation needed.
+3. **That's it!** tinker-atropos is included as a submodule — the installer handles it automatically.
 
 #### Using RL Tools
 
@@ -425,26 +428,332 @@ skills/
 
 ## Manual Installation
 
-If you prefer not to use the installer:
+If you prefer full control over the installation process (or the quick-install script doesn't suit your environment), follow these steps to set everything up by hand.
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+| Requirement | Minimum Version | Check Command | Notes |
+|-------------|----------------|---------------|-------|
+| **Python** | 3.11+ recommended (3.10 minimum) | `python3 --version` | Required. 3.11+ needed for RL training tools |
+| **Git** | Any recent | `git --version` | Required |
+| **pip** | 21+ | `pip --version` | Comes with Python |
+| **Node.js** | 18+ | `node --version` | Optional — needed for browser automation tools |
+| **ripgrep** | Any | `rg --version` | Optional — faster file search in terminal tool (falls back to grep) |
+
+<details>
+<summary><strong>Installing prerequisites by platform</strong></summary>
+
+**Ubuntu / Debian:**
+```bash
+sudo apt update
+sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv python3-pip git
+# Optional:
+sudo apt install ripgrep nodejs npm
+```
+
+**macOS (Homebrew):**
+```bash
+brew install python@3.11 git
+# Optional:
+brew install ripgrep node
+```
+
+**Windows (WSL recommended):**
+Use the [Windows Subsystem for Linux](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install) and follow the Ubuntu instructions above. Alternatively, use the PowerShell quick-install script at the top of this README.
+
+</details>
+
+---
+
+### Step 1: Clone the Repository
+
+Clone with `--recurse-submodules` to pull the required submodules ([mini-swe-agent](https://github.com/SWE-agent/mini-swe-agent) for the terminal tool backend and [tinker-atropos](https://github.com/nousresearch/tinker-atropos) for RL training):
 
 ```bash
-# Clone the repository (with submodules)
+git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
+cd hermes-agent
+```
+
+If you already cloned without `--recurse-submodules`, initialize them manually:
+```bash
+git submodule update --init --recursive
+```
+
+---
+
+### Step 2: Create & Activate a Virtual Environment
+
+A virtual environment keeps Hermes dependencies isolated from your system Python:
+
+```bash
+python3 -m venv venv
+source venv/bin/activate
+
+# Upgrade core packaging tools
+pip install --upgrade pip wheel setuptools
+```
+
+> **Tip:** Every time you open a new terminal to use Hermes, activate the venv first:
+> `source /path/to/hermes-agent/venv/bin/activate`
+
+---
+
+### Step 3: Install Python Dependencies
+
+Install the main package in editable mode with all optional extras (messaging, cron, CLI menus):
+
+```bash
+pip install -e ".[all]"
+```
+
+If you only want the core agent (no Telegram/Discord/cron support):
+```bash
+pip install -e "."
+```
+
+<details>
+<summary><strong>Optional extras breakdown</strong></summary>
+
+| Extra | What it adds | Install command |
+|-------|-------------|-----------------|
+| `all` | Everything below | `pip install -e ".[all]"` |
+| `messaging` | Telegram & Discord gateway | `pip install -e ".[messaging]"` |
+| `cron` | Cron expression parsing for scheduled tasks | `pip install -e ".[cron]"` |
+| `cli` | Terminal menu UI for setup wizard | `pip install -e ".[cli]"` |
+| `modal` | Modal cloud execution backend (swe-rex + modal + boto3) | `pip install -e ".[modal]"` |
+| `dev` | pytest & test utilities | `pip install -e ".[dev]"` |
+
+You can combine extras: `pip install -e ".[messaging,cron]"`
+
+</details>
+
+---
+
+### Step 4: Install Submodule Packages
+
+These are local packages checked out as Git submodules. Install them in editable mode:
+
+```bash
+# Terminal tool backend (required for the terminal/command-execution tool)
+pip install -e "./mini-swe-agent"
+
+# RL training backend (requires Python 3.11+)
+pip install -e "./tinker-atropos"
+```
+
+Both are optional — if you skip them, the corresponding toolsets simply won't be available.
+
+> **Note:** `tinker-atropos` requires Python 3.11+ (the upstream `tinker` package has this constraint). On Python 3.10, skip this line — RL tools will be disabled but everything else works.
+
+---
+
+### Step 5: Install Node.js Dependencies (Optional)
+
+Only needed if you plan to use the **browser automation** toolset (Browserbase-powered):
+
+```bash
+npm install
+```
+
+This installs the `agent-browser` package defined in `package.json`. Skip this step if you don't need browser tools.
+
+---
+
+### Step 6: Create the Configuration Directory
+
+Hermes stores all user configuration in `~/.hermes/`:
+
+```bash
+# Create the directory structure
+mkdir -p ~/.hermes/{cron,sessions,logs}
+
+# Copy the example config file
+cp cli-config.yaml.example ~/.hermes/config.yaml
+
+# Create an empty .env file for API keys
+touch ~/.hermes/.env
+```
+
+Your `~/.hermes/` directory should now look like:
+```
+~/.hermes/
+├── config.yaml     # Agent settings (model, terminal, toolsets, compression, etc.)
+├── .env            # API keys and secrets (one per line: KEY=value)
+├── cron/           # Scheduled job data
+├── sessions/       # Messaging gateway sessions
+└── logs/           # Conversation logs
+```
+
+---
+
+### Step 7: Add Your API Keys
+
+Open `~/.hermes/.env` in your editor and add at minimum an LLM provider key:
+
+```bash
+# Required — at least one LLM provider:
+OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-your-key-here
+
+# Optional — enable additional tools:
+FIRECRAWL_API_KEY=fc-your-key          # Web search & scraping
+BROWSERBASE_API_KEY=bb-your-key        # Browser automation
+BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID=your-project-id # Browser automation
+FAL_KEY=your-fal-key                   # Image generation (FLUX)
+TINKER_API_KEY=your-tinker-key         # RL training
+WANDB_API_KEY=your-wandb-key           # RL training metrics
+
+# Optional — messaging gateway:
+TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=123456:ABC-DEF      # From @BotFather
+TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS=your-user-id    # Comma-separated
+DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=MTIz...              # From Developer Portal
+DISCORD_ALLOWED_USERS=your-user-id     # Comma-separated
+```
+
+Or set them one at a time via the CLI:
+```bash
+hermes config set OPENROUTER_API_KEY sk-or-v1-your-key-here
+```
+
+---
+
+### Step 8: Add `hermes` to Your PATH
+
+The `hermes` command is installed into the virtual environment's `bin/` directory. Add it to your shell PATH so you can run `hermes` from anywhere:
+
+**Bash** (`~/.bashrc`):
+```bash
+echo '' >> ~/.bashrc
+echo '# Hermes Agent' >> ~/.bashrc
+echo 'export PATH="$HOME/hermes-agent/venv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
+source ~/.bashrc
+```
+
+**Zsh** (`~/.zshrc`):
+```bash
+echo '' >> ~/.zshrc
+echo '# Hermes Agent' >> ~/.zshrc
+echo 'export PATH="$HOME/hermes-agent/venv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
+source ~/.zshrc
+```
+
+**Fish** (`~/.config/fish/config.fish`):
+```fish
+fish_add_path $HOME/hermes-agent/venv/bin
+```
+
+> **Note:** Adjust the path if you cloned to a different location. The key is to add the `venv/bin` directory inside your clone to your PATH.
+
+Alternatively, if you don't want to modify your PATH, you can create a symlink:
+```bash
+mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
+ln -sf "$(pwd)/venv/bin/hermes" ~/.local/bin/hermes
+```
+(Most distributions already have `~/.local/bin` on the PATH.)
+
+---
+
+### Step 9: Run the Setup Wizard (Optional)
+
+The interactive setup wizard walks you through configuring your API keys and preferences:
+
+```bash
+hermes setup
+```
+
+This is optional if you already configured `~/.hermes/.env` and `~/.hermes/config.yaml` manually in the steps above.
+
+---
+
+### Step 10: Verify the Installation
+
+```bash
+# Check that the command is available
+hermes version
+
+# Run diagnostics to verify everything is working
+hermes doctor
+
+# Check your configuration
+hermes status
+
+# Test with a quick query
+hermes chat -q "Hello! What tools do you have available?"
+```
+
+If `hermes doctor` reports issues, it will tell you exactly what's missing and how to fix it.
+
+---
+
+### Quick-Reference: Manual Install (Condensed)
+
+For those who just want the commands without the explanations:
+
+```bash
+# Clone & enter
 git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
 cd hermes-agent
 
-# Run setup script
-./setup-hermes.sh
-
-# Or manually:
+# Virtual environment
 python3 -m venv venv
 source venv/bin/activate
+pip install --upgrade pip wheel setuptools
+
+# Install everything
 pip install -e ".[all]"
+pip install -e "./mini-swe-agent"
+pip install -e "./tinker-atropos"
+npm install  # optional, for browser tools
 
-# Install submodules (required for terminal and RL tools)
-pip install -e "./mini-swe-agent"    # Terminal tool backend
-pip install -e "./tinker-atropos"    # RL training backend
+# Configure
+mkdir -p ~/.hermes/{cron,sessions,logs}
+cp cli-config.yaml.example ~/.hermes/config.yaml
+touch ~/.hermes/.env
+echo 'OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-your-key' >> ~/.hermes/.env
 
-hermes setup
+# Add to PATH (adjust for your shell)
+echo 'export PATH="'$(pwd)'/venv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
+source ~/.bashrc
+
+# Verify
+hermes doctor
+hermes
+```
+
+---
+
+### Updating a Manual Installation
+
+To update an existing manual install to the latest version:
+
+```bash
+cd /path/to/hermes-agent
+source venv/bin/activate
+
+# Pull latest code and submodules
+git pull origin main
+git submodule update --init --recursive
+
+# Reinstall (picks up new dependencies)
+pip install -e ".[all]"
+pip install -e "./mini-swe-agent"
+pip install -e "./tinker-atropos"
+
+# Check for new config options added since your last update
+hermes config check
+hermes config migrate   # Interactively add any missing options
+```
+
+### Uninstalling a Manual Installation
+
+```bash
+# Remove the cloned repository
+rm -rf /path/to/hermes-agent
+
+# Remove user configuration (optional — keep if you plan to reinstall)
+rm -rf ~/.hermes
+
+# Remove the PATH line from your shell config (~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
+# Look for the "# Hermes Agent" comment and remove that block
 ```
 
 ---
diff --git a/example-skill/SKILL.md b/example-skill/SKILL.md
deleted file mode 100644
index df20ff209..000000000
--- a/example-skill/SKILL.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,70 +0,0 @@
----
-name: example-skill
-description: An example skill demonstrating the skill file format and structure
----
-
-# Example Skill
-
-This is an example skill file that demonstrates how to create skills for the Hermes Agent.
-
-## Skill File Format
-
-Skills are markdown files with YAML frontmatter at the top:
-
-```yaml
----
-name: your-skill-name
-description: A brief one-line description of what this skill does
----
-```
-
-The frontmatter fields:
-- **name**: The identifier used to reference this skill (lowercase, hyphens for spaces)
-- **description**: A brief description shown when listing skills (keep under 200 chars)
-
-## Writing Effective Skills
-
-### 1. Be Specific and Actionable
-
-Good skills provide clear, actionable instructions:
-
-```
-When reviewing code:
-1. Check for security vulnerabilities first
-2. Verify error handling is comprehensive
-3. Ensure tests cover edge cases
-```
-
-### 2. Include Examples
-
-Show concrete examples of what you want:
-
-```python
-# Good: Descriptive variable names
-user_authentication_token = get_token()
-
-# Bad: Cryptic abbreviations  
-uat = gt()
-```
-
-### 3. Define When to Use
-
-Help the agent understand when this skill applies:
-
-> Use this skill when: reviewing pull requests, auditing security, or checking code quality.
-
-## Skill Categories
-
-Consider organizing skills by purpose:
-
-- **Conventions**: Coding standards, API patterns, naming rules
-- **Workflows**: Step-by-step processes for deployments, reviews, releases
-- **Knowledge**: Domain-specific information, system architecture, gotchas
-- **Templates**: Boilerplate for common tasks, response formats
-
-## Tips
-
-1. Keep the description concise - it's shown in the skills list
-2. Use headers to organize longer skills
-3. Include code examples where helpful
-4. Reference other skills if they're related
diff --git a/hermes_cli/doctor.py b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
index 5e0ee39fa..7c770cf8a 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/doctor.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
@@ -58,8 +58,11 @@ def run_doctor(args):
     print(color("◆ Python Environment", Colors.CYAN, Colors.BOLD))
     
     py_version = sys.version_info
-    if py_version >= (3, 10):
+    if py_version >= (3, 11):
         check_ok(f"Python {py_version.major}.{py_version.minor}.{py_version.micro}")
+    elif py_version >= (3, 10):
+        check_ok(f"Python {py_version.major}.{py_version.minor}.{py_version.micro}")
+        check_warn("Python 3.11+ recommended for RL Training tools (tinker requires >= 3.11)")
     elif py_version >= (3, 8):
         check_warn(f"Python {py_version.major}.{py_version.minor}.{py_version.micro}", "(3.10+ recommended)")
     else:
@@ -263,6 +266,39 @@ def run_doctor(args):
         except Exception as e:
             check_warn("Anthropic API", f"({e})")
     
+    # =========================================================================
+    # Check: Submodules
+    # =========================================================================
+    print()
+    print(color("◆ Submodules", Colors.CYAN, Colors.BOLD))
+    
+    # mini-swe-agent (terminal tool backend)
+    mini_swe_dir = PROJECT_ROOT / "mini-swe-agent"
+    if mini_swe_dir.exists() and (mini_swe_dir / "pyproject.toml").exists():
+        try:
+            __import__("minisweagent")
+            check_ok("mini-swe-agent", "(terminal backend)")
+        except ImportError:
+            check_warn("mini-swe-agent found but not installed", "(run: pip install -e ./mini-swe-agent)")
+            issues.append("Install mini-swe-agent: pip install -e ./mini-swe-agent")
+    else:
+        check_warn("mini-swe-agent not found", "(run: git submodule update --init --recursive)")
+    
+    # tinker-atropos (RL training backend)
+    tinker_dir = PROJECT_ROOT / "tinker-atropos"
+    if tinker_dir.exists() and (tinker_dir / "pyproject.toml").exists():
+        if py_version >= (3, 11):
+            try:
+                __import__("tinker_atropos")
+                check_ok("tinker-atropos", "(RL training backend)")
+            except ImportError:
+                check_warn("tinker-atropos found but not installed", "(run: pip install -e ./tinker-atropos)")
+                issues.append("Install tinker-atropos: pip install -e ./tinker-atropos")
+        else:
+            check_warn("tinker-atropos requires Python 3.11+", f"(current: {py_version.major}.{py_version.minor})")
+    else:
+        check_warn("tinker-atropos not found", "(run: git submodule update --init --recursive)")
+    
     # =========================================================================
     # Check: Tool Availability
     # =========================================================================
diff --git a/hermes_cli/setup.py b/hermes_cli/setup.py
index 83f42730c..5f9f045a3 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/setup.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/setup.py
@@ -652,6 +652,23 @@ def run_setup_wizard(args):
         print_info("Modal Cloud Configuration:")
         print_info("Get credentials at: https://modal.com/settings")
         
+        # Check if swe-rex[modal] is installed, install if missing
+        try:
+            from swerex.deployment.modal import ModalDeployment
+            print_info("swe-rex[modal] package: installed ✓")
+        except ImportError:
+            print_info("Installing required package: swe-rex[modal]...")
+            import subprocess
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "swe-rex[modal]>=1.4.0"],
+                capture_output=True, text=True
+            )
+            if result.returncode == 0:
+                print_success("swe-rex[modal] installed (includes modal + boto3)")
+            else:
+                print_warning("Failed to install swe-rex[modal] — install manually:")
+                print_info('  pip install "swe-rex[modal]>=1.4.0"')
+        
         # Always show current status and allow reconfiguration
         current_token = get_env_value('MODAL_TOKEN_ID')
         if current_token:
@@ -917,6 +934,24 @@ def run_setup_wizard(args):
                 save_env_value("BROWSERBASE_API_KEY", api_key)
             if project_id:
                 save_env_value("BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID", project_id)
+            
+            # Check if Node.js dependencies are installed (required for browser tools)
+            import shutil
+            node_modules = PROJECT_ROOT / "node_modules" / "agent-browser"
+            if not node_modules.exists() and shutil.which("npm"):
+                print_info("    Installing Node.js dependencies for browser tools...")
+                import subprocess
+                result = subprocess.run(
+                    ["npm", "install", "--silent"],
+                    capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=str(PROJECT_ROOT)
+                )
+                if result.returncode == 0:
+                    print_success("    Node.js dependencies installed")
+                else:
+                    print_warning("    npm install failed — run manually: cd ~/.hermes/hermes-agent && npm install")
+            elif not node_modules.exists():
+                print_warning("    Node.js not found — browser tools require: npm install (in the hermes-agent directory)")
+            
             print_success("    Configured ✓")
     print()
     
@@ -950,6 +985,11 @@ def run_setup_wizard(args):
     tinker_configured = get_env_value('TINKER_API_KEY')
     wandb_configured = get_env_value('WANDB_API_KEY')
     
+    # Check Python version requirement upfront
+    rl_python_ok = sys.version_info >= (3, 11)
+    if not rl_python_ok:
+        print_warning(f"  Requires Python 3.11+ (current: {sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor})")
+    
     if tinker_configured and wandb_configured:
         print_success("  Status: Configured ✓")
         if prompt_yes_no("  Update RL training credentials?", False):
@@ -969,18 +1009,46 @@ def run_setup_wizard(args):
             print_warning("  Status: Not configured (tools will be disabled)")
         
         if prompt_yes_no("  Set up RL Training?", False):
-            print_info("    Get Tinker key at: https://tinker-console.thinkingmachines.ai/keys")
-            print_info("    Get WandB key at: https://wandb.ai/authorize")
-            api_key = prompt("    Tinker API key", password=True)
-            if api_key:
-                save_env_value("TINKER_API_KEY", api_key)
-            wandb_key = prompt("    WandB API key", password=True)
-            if wandb_key:
-                save_env_value("WANDB_API_KEY", wandb_key)
-            if api_key and wandb_key:
-                print_success("    Configured ✓")
+            # Check Python version before proceeding
+            if not rl_python_ok:
+                print_error(f"    Python 3.11+ required (current: {sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor})")
+                print_info("    Upgrade Python and reinstall to enable RL training tools")
             else:
-                print_warning("    Partially configured (both keys required)")
+                print_info("    Get Tinker key at: https://tinker-console.thinkingmachines.ai/keys")
+                print_info("    Get WandB key at: https://wandb.ai/authorize")
+                api_key = prompt("    Tinker API key", password=True)
+                if api_key:
+                    save_env_value("TINKER_API_KEY", api_key)
+                wandb_key = prompt("    WandB API key", password=True)
+                if wandb_key:
+                    save_env_value("WANDB_API_KEY", wandb_key)
+                
+                # Check if tinker-atropos submodule is installed
+                try:
+                    __import__("tinker_atropos")
+                except ImportError:
+                    tinker_dir = PROJECT_ROOT / "tinker-atropos"
+                    if tinker_dir.exists() and (tinker_dir / "pyproject.toml").exists():
+                        print_info("    Installing tinker-atropos submodule...")
+                        import subprocess
+                        result = subprocess.run(
+                            [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "-e", str(tinker_dir)],
+                            capture_output=True, text=True
+                        )
+                        if result.returncode == 0:
+                            print_success("    tinker-atropos installed")
+                        else:
+                            print_warning("    tinker-atropos install failed — run manually:")
+                            print_info('      pip install -e "./tinker-atropos"')
+                    else:
+                        print_warning("    tinker-atropos submodule not found — run:")
+                        print_info("      git submodule update --init --recursive")
+                        print_info('      pip install -e "./tinker-atropos"')
+                
+                if api_key and wandb_key:
+                    print_success("    Configured ✓")
+                else:
+                    print_warning("    Partially configured (both keys required)")
     
     # =========================================================================
     # Save config and show summary
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 0924ceaf6..1af0cb2a7 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ dependencies = [
   "requests",
   "jinja2",
   "pydantic>=2.0",
+  # Interactive CLI (prompt_toolkit is used directly by cli.py)
+  "prompt_toolkit",
   # Tools
   "firecrawl-py",
   "fal-client",
@@ -32,12 +34,12 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-modal = ["modal", "boto3"]
+modal = ["swe-rex[modal]>=1.4.0"]
 dev = ["pytest", "pytest-asyncio"]
-messaging = ["python-telegram-bot>=20.0", "discord.py>=2.0"]
+messaging = ["python-telegram-bot>=20.0", "discord.py>=2.0", "aiohttp>=3.9.0"]
 cron = ["croniter"]
 cli = ["simple-term-menu"]
-all = ["croniter", "python-telegram-bot>=20.0", "discord.py>=2.0", "simple-term-menu"]
+all = ["croniter", "python-telegram-bot>=20.0", "discord.py>=2.0", "aiohttp>=3.9.0", "simple-term-menu"]
 
 [project.scripts]
 hermes = "hermes_cli.main:main"
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 98db357c9..d950a50ba 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ httpx
 rich
 tenacity
 prompt_toolkit
+pyyaml
+requests
+jinja2
+pydantic>=2.0
 
 # Web tools
 firecrawl-py
@@ -15,10 +19,6 @@ fal-client
 
 # mini-swe-agent dependencies (for terminal tool)
 # Note: Install mini-swe-agent itself with: pip install -e ./mini-swe-agent
-pyyaml
-requests
-jinja2
-pydantic>=2.0
 litellm>=1.75.5
 typer
 platformdirs
@@ -27,18 +27,17 @@ platformdirs
 # Requires Docker installed and user in 'docker' group
 
 # Optional: For Modal backend (cloud execution)
-# modal
-# boto3
+# swe-rex[modal]>=1.4.0  # Includes modal + boto3 + swe-rex runtime
 
 # Optional: For cron expression parsing (cronjob scheduling)
 croniter
 
 # Optional: For messaging platform integrations (gateway)
-# Telegram: pip install python-telegram-bot
+# Telegram
 python-telegram-bot>=20.0
 
-# Discord: pip install discord.py
+# Discord
 discord.py>=2.0
 
-# WhatsApp: Requires Node.js bridge (see docs/messaging.md)
-# aiohttp  # For WhatsApp bridge communication
\ No newline at end of file
+# WhatsApp bridge communication + general async HTTP (used by gateway)
+aiohttp>=3.9.0
diff --git a/scripts/install.ps1 b/scripts/install.ps1
index 8170abba6..86b914d3e 100644
--- a/scripts/install.ps1
+++ b/scripts/install.ps1
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ function Write-Error {
 function Test-Python {
     Write-Info "Checking Python..."
     
-    # Try different python commands
+    # Try different python commands (prefer 3.11+ for full feature support)
     $pythonCmds = @("python3", "python", "py -3")
     
     foreach ($cmd in $pythonCmds) {
@@ -79,7 +79,15 @@ function Test-Python {
                 $major, $minor = $version.Split('.')
                 if ([int]$major -ge 3 -and [int]$minor -ge 10) {
                     $script:PythonCmd = $cmd
+                    $script:PythonVersion = $version
                     Write-Success "Python $version found"
+                    
+                    # Warn if < 3.11 (RL training tools require 3.11+)
+                    if ([int]$minor -lt 11) {
+                        Write-Warning "Python 3.11+ recommended — RL Training tools (tinker-atropos) require >= 3.11"
+                        Write-Info "Core agent features will work fine on $version"
+                    }
+                    
                     return $true
                 }
             }
@@ -89,7 +97,7 @@ function Test-Python {
     }
     
     Write-Error "Python 3.10+ not found"
-    Write-Info "Please install Python 3.10 or newer from:"
+    Write-Info "Please install Python 3.11 or newer (recommended) from:"
     Write-Info "  https://www.python.org/downloads/"
     Write-Info ""
     Write-Info "Make sure to check 'Add Python to PATH' during installation"
@@ -312,11 +320,18 @@ function Install-Dependencies {
     
     Write-Info "Installing tinker-atropos (RL training backend)..."
     if (Test-Path "tinker-atropos\pyproject.toml") {
-        try {
-            pip install -e ".\tinker-atropos" 2>&1 | Out-Null
-            Write-Success "tinker-atropos installed"
-        } catch {
-            Write-Warning "tinker-atropos install failed (RL tools may not work)"
+        # tinker-atropos depends on the 'tinker' package which requires Python >= 3.11
+        $major, $minor = $PythonVersion.Split('.')
+        if ([int]$minor -ge 11) {
+            try {
+                pip install -e ".\tinker-atropos" 2>&1 | Out-Null
+                Write-Success "tinker-atropos installed"
+            } catch {
+                Write-Warning "tinker-atropos install failed (RL tools may not work)"
+            }
+        } else {
+            Write-Warning "tinker-atropos requires Python 3.11+ (skipping — RL training tools won't be available)"
+            Write-Info "Upgrade to Python 3.11+ to enable RL training features"
         }
     } else {
         Write-Warning "tinker-atropos not found (run: git submodule update --init)"
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index c3ff5a793..c97cbc8a8 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -149,22 +149,29 @@ detect_os() {
 check_python() {
     log_info "Checking Python..."
     
-    # Try different python commands
+    # Try different python commands (prefer 3.11+ for full feature support)
     for cmd in python3.12 python3.11 python3.10 python3 python; do
         if command -v $cmd &> /dev/null; then
             PYTHON_CMD=$cmd
             PYTHON_VERSION=$($cmd -c 'import sys; print(f"{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}")')
             
-            # Check version
-            if python3 -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 10) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
+            # Check minimum version (3.10)
+            if $cmd -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 10) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
                 log_success "Python $PYTHON_VERSION found"
+                
+                # Warn if < 3.11 (RL training tools require 3.11+)
+                if ! $cmd -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 11) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
+                    log_warn "Python 3.11+ recommended — RL Training tools (tinker-atropos) require >= 3.11"
+                    log_info "Core agent features will work fine on $PYTHON_VERSION"
+                fi
+                
                 return 0
             fi
         fi
     done
     
     log_error "Python 3.10+ not found"
-    log_info "Please install Python 3.10 or newer:"
+    log_info "Please install Python 3.11 or newer (recommended):"
     
     case "$OS" in
         linux)
@@ -179,7 +186,7 @@ check_python() {
                     log_info "  sudo pacman -S python"
                     ;;
                 *)
-                    log_info "  Use your package manager to install Python 3.10+"
+                    log_info "  Use your package manager to install Python 3.11+"
                     ;;
             esac
             ;;
@@ -480,8 +487,14 @@ install_deps() {
     
     log_info "Installing tinker-atropos (RL training backend)..."
     if [ -d "tinker-atropos" ] && [ -f "tinker-atropos/pyproject.toml" ]; then
-        pip install -e "./tinker-atropos" > /dev/null 2>&1 || log_warn "tinker-atropos install failed (RL tools may not work)"
-        log_success "tinker-atropos installed"
+        # tinker-atropos depends on the 'tinker' package which requires Python >= 3.11
+        if $PYTHON_CMD -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 11) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
+            pip install -e "./tinker-atropos" > /dev/null 2>&1 || log_warn "tinker-atropos install failed (RL tools may not work)"
+            log_success "tinker-atropos installed"
+        else
+            log_warn "tinker-atropos requires Python 3.11+ (skipping — RL training tools won't be available)"
+            log_info "Upgrade to Python 3.11+ to enable RL training features"
+        fi
     else
         log_warn "tinker-atropos not found (run: git submodule update --init)"
     fi
diff --git a/setup-hermes.sh b/setup-hermes.sh
index e22511b39..e1a9dcb44 100755
--- a/setup-hermes.sh
+++ b/setup-hermes.sh
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ fi
 PYTHON_VERSION=$($PYTHON_CMD -c 'import sys; print(f"{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}")')
 echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC} Python $PYTHON_VERSION found"
 
+# Warn if < 3.11 (RL training tools require 3.11+)
+if ! $PYTHON_CMD -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 11) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC} Python 3.11+ recommended — RL Training tools (tinker-atropos) require >= 3.11"
+fi
+
 # ============================================================================
 # Virtual environment
 # ============================================================================
@@ -80,6 +85,34 @@ pip install -e ".[all]" > /dev/null 2>&1 || pip install -e "." > /dev/null
 
 echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC} Dependencies installed"
 
+# ============================================================================
+# Submodules (terminal backend + RL training)
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo -e "${CYAN}→${NC} Installing submodules..."
+
+# mini-swe-agent (terminal tool backend)
+if [ -d "mini-swe-agent" ] && [ -f "mini-swe-agent/pyproject.toml" ]; then
+    pip install -e "./mini-swe-agent" > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC} mini-swe-agent installed" || \
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC} mini-swe-agent install failed (terminal tools may not work)"
+else
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC} mini-swe-agent not found (run: git submodule update --init --recursive)"
+fi
+
+# tinker-atropos (RL training backend — requires Python 3.11+)
+if [ -d "tinker-atropos" ] && [ -f "tinker-atropos/pyproject.toml" ]; then
+    if $PYTHON_CMD -c "import sys; exit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 11) else 1)" 2>/dev/null; then
+        pip install -e "./tinker-atropos" > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+            echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC} tinker-atropos installed" || \
+            echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC} tinker-atropos install failed (RL tools may not work)"
+    else
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC} tinker-atropos requires Python 3.11+ (skipping — RL training tools won't be available)"
+    fi
+else
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC} tinker-atropos not found (run: git submodule update --init --recursive)"
+fi
+
 # ============================================================================
 # Optional: ripgrep (for faster file search)
 # ============================================================================
diff --git a/tools/rl_training_tool.py b/tools/rl_training_tool.py
index 770c542c7..8b901ad5e 100644
--- a/tools/rl_training_tool.py
+++ b/tools/rl_training_tool.py
@@ -1300,10 +1300,26 @@ async def rl_test_inference(
 # Requirements Check
 # ============================================================================
 
+def check_rl_python_version() -> bool:
+    """
+    Check if Python version meets the minimum for RL tools.
+    
+    tinker-atropos depends on the 'tinker' package which requires Python >= 3.11.
+    """
+    return sys.version_info >= (3, 11)
+
+
 def check_rl_api_keys() -> bool:
     """
-    Check if required API keys are available.
+    Check if required API keys and Python version are available.
+    
+    RL training requires:
+    - Python >= 3.11 (tinker package requirement)
+    - TINKER_API_KEY for the Tinker training API
+    - WANDB_API_KEY for Weights & Biases metrics
     """
+    if not check_rl_python_version():
+        return False
     tinker_key = os.getenv("TINKER_API_KEY")
     wandb_key = os.getenv("WANDB_API_KEY")
     return bool(tinker_key) and bool(wandb_key)
@@ -1311,9 +1327,11 @@ def check_rl_api_keys() -> bool:
 
 def get_missing_keys() -> List[str]:
     """
-    Get list of missing required API keys.
+    Get list of missing requirements for RL tools (API keys and Python version).
     """
     missing = []
+    if not check_rl_python_version():
+        missing.append(f"Python >= 3.11 (current: {sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor})")
     if not os.getenv("TINKER_API_KEY"):
         missing.append("TINKER_API_KEY")
     if not os.getenv("WANDB_API_KEY"):