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sidebar_position, title, description
| sidebar_position | title | description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quickstart | Your first conversation with Hermes Agent — from install to chatting in 2 minutes |
Quickstart
This guide walks you through installing Hermes Agent, setting up a provider, and having your first conversation. By the end, you'll know the key features and how to explore further.
1. Install Hermes Agent
Run the one-line installer:
# Linux / macOS / WSL2
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
:::tip Windows Users Install WSL2 first, then run the command above inside your WSL2 terminal. :::
After it finishes, reload your shell:
source ~/.bashrc # or source ~/.zshrc
2. Set Up a Provider
The installer runs the setup wizard automatically. If you skipped it, run:
hermes setup
This walks you through selecting an inference provider:
| Provider | What it is | How to set up |
|---|---|---|
| Nous Portal | Subscription-based, zero-config | OAuth login via hermes model |
| OpenAI Codex | ChatGPT OAuth, uses Codex models | Device code auth via hermes model |
| OpenRouter | 200+ models, pay-per-use | Enter your API key |
| Custom Endpoint | VLLM, SGLang, any OpenAI-compatible API | Set base URL + API key |
:::tip
You can switch providers at any time with hermes model — no code changes, no lock-in.
:::
3. Start Chatting
hermes
That's it! You'll see a welcome banner with your model, available tools, and skills. Type a message and press Enter.
❯ What can you help me with?
The agent has access to tools for web search, file operations, terminal commands, and more — all out of the box.
4. Try Key Features
Ask it to use the terminal
❯ What's my disk usage? Show the top 5 largest directories.
The agent will run terminal commands on your behalf and show you the results.
Use slash commands
Type / to see an autocomplete dropdown of all commands:
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/help |
Show all available commands |
/tools |
List available tools |
/model |
Switch models interactively |
/personality pirate |
Try a fun personality |
/save |
Save the conversation |
Multi-line input
Press Alt+Enter or Ctrl+J to add a new line. Great for pasting code or writing detailed prompts.
Interrupt the agent
If the agent is taking too long, just type a new message and press Enter — it interrupts the current task and switches to your new instructions. Ctrl+C also works.
Resume a session
When you exit, hermes prints a resume command:
hermes --continue # Resume the most recent session
hermes -c # Short form
5. Explore Further
Here are some things to try next:
Set up a sandboxed terminal
For safety, run the agent in a Docker container or on a remote server:
hermes config set terminal.backend docker # Docker isolation
hermes config set terminal.backend ssh # Remote server
Connect messaging platforms
Chat with Hermes from your phone via Telegram, Discord, Slack, or WhatsApp:
hermes gateway setup # Interactive platform configuration
Schedule automated tasks
❯ Every morning at 9am, check Hacker News for AI news and send me a summary on Telegram.
The agent will set up a cron job that runs automatically via the gateway.
Browse and install skills
hermes skills search kubernetes
hermes skills install openai/skills/k8s
Or use the /skills slash command inside chat.
Try MCP servers
Connect to external tools via the Model Context Protocol:
# Add to ~/.hermes/config.yaml
mcp_servers:
github:
command: npx
args: ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"]
env:
GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN: "ghp_xxx"
Quick Reference
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
hermes |
Start chatting |
hermes setup |
Configure providers and settings |
hermes model |
Switch provider or model |
hermes tools |
Configure which tools are enabled per platform |
hermes doctor |
Diagnose issues |
hermes update |
Update to latest version |
hermes gateway |
Start the messaging gateway |
hermes --continue |
Resume last session |
Next Steps
- CLI Guide — Master the terminal interface
- Configuration — Customize your setup
- Messaging Gateway — Connect Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp
- Tools & Toolsets — Explore available capabilities