---
title: "Hermes Agent — NousResearch Self-Improving AI Agent"
aliases: [hermes-agent, nousresearch-hermes, openclaw-successor]
tags: [ai-agent, nousresearch, self-improving, skills, memory, telegram, multi-platform]
sources: [raw/nousresearch-hermes-agent.md]
created: 2026-05-18
updated: 2026-05-18
---

# Hermes Agent

Open-source, self-improving AI agent by [Nous Research](https://nousresearch.com/). MIT licensed. Differentiator: **closed learning loop** — creates skills from experience, improves them during use, and builds a persistent user model across sessions.

- GitHub: `NousResearch/hermes-agent`
- Docs: hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs

---

## Key Takeaways

- **Self-improving loop** — after complex tasks the agent autonomously creates/refines procedural "skills"; nudges itself to persist learnings to memory
- **Model-agnostic** — OpenRouter (200+ models), NovitaAI, NVIDIA NIM, OpenAI, Anthropic, Kimi, Hugging Face, or your own endpoint; switch with `hermes model`
- **Multi-platform** — single gateway process: Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, Email + full TUI CLI; conversation continuity across platforms
- **Runs anywhere** — seven terminal backends: local, Docker, SSH, Singularity, Modal, Daytona, Vercel Sandbox; serverless (Modal/Daytona hibernate when idle, ~$0 between sessions)
- **Built-in cron** — natural-language scheduled tasks with delivery to any messaging platform
- **Subagents + RPC** — spawn isolated parallel subagents; Python scripts call tools via RPC (zero context cost)
- **agentskills.io** standard — skills are portable, compatible with the open Skills Hub
- **OpenClaw migration** — `hermes claw migrate` imports settings, memories, skills, API keys from `~/.openclaw`

---

## Install

```bash
# Linux / macOS / WSL2 / Termux
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
hermes
```

```powershell
# Windows (PowerShell, early beta)
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex
```

Installer bundles: `uv`, Python 3.11, Node.js, ripgrep, ffmpeg, MinGit (Windows only).

---

## Core Commands

| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `hermes` | Start interactive TUI |
| `hermes model` | Choose provider + model |
| `hermes tools` | Toggle which tools are enabled |
| `hermes gateway` | Start messaging gateway (Telegram/Discord/etc.) |
| `hermes setup` | Full setup wizard |
| `hermes update` | Update to latest |
| `hermes doctor` | Diagnose issues |
| `hermes claw migrate` | Migrate from OpenClaw |

### In-session slash commands (shared: CLI + messaging)
`/new`, `/reset`, `/model [provider:model]`, `/personality [name]`, `/retry`, `/undo`, `/compress`, `/usage`, `/insights [--days N]`, `/skills`, `/stop`

---

## Learning Loop Architecture

```
Complex task completed
        ↓
Agent autonomously drafts skill (procedural memory)
        ↓
Skill stored in ~/.hermes/skills/
        ↓
Used in future sessions → self-improves during use
        ↓
FTS5 full-text search across past sessions (LLM summarization)
        ↓
Honcho dialectic user modeling → deepening user profile
```

Skills conform to the **agentskills.io** open standard — importable/exportable across compatible agents.

---

## Memory System

- **MEMORY.md** — persistent facts the agent curates
- **USER.md** — user profile, built by [Honcho](https://github.com/plastic-labs/honcho) dialectic modeling
- **Session search** — FTS5 index over all past conversations, queried with LLM summarization
- Periodic nudges prompt the agent to persist key learnings before session ends

---

## Terminal Backends

| Backend | Use case |
|---------|---------|
| Local | Default laptop/desktop |
| Docker | Isolated container per session |
| SSH | Remote server execution |
| Singularity | HPC / GPU clusters |
| Modal | Serverless, hibernates when idle |
| Daytona | Dev environment, serverless persistence |
| Vercel Sandbox | Edge serverless |

---

## OpenClaw Migration

```bash
hermes claw migrate              # interactive (full preset)
hermes claw migrate --dry-run    # preview only
hermes claw migrate --preset user-data   # no secrets
hermes claw migrate --overwrite  # overwrite conflicts
```

Migrates: SOUL.md, MEMORY.md/USER.md, skills, command allowlist, messaging configs, API keys, TTS assets, AGENTS.md.

---

## vs Claude Agent SDK

| | Hermes Agent | [[wiki/agent-sdk/overview\|Claude Agent SDK]] |
|---|---|---|
| Target | End-users + developers | Developers embedding Claude in apps |
| Model | Any (OpenRouter, etc.) | Claude only |
| Interface | TUI + messaging bots | Programmatic (Python/TS `query()`) |
| Skills | Self-created, agentskills.io | Skills via settingSources / CLAUDE.md |
| Memory | Built-in (MEMORY.md + Honcho) | File-based or custom |
| Scheduling | Built-in cron | External (hooks, infra) |
| Deployment | VPS / serverless / GPU cluster | Your own infra |

---

## Research Features

- Batch trajectory generation
- Trajectory compression for fine-tuning tool-calling models
- Compatible with [[wiki/llm-models/openai-models\|OpenAI]], [[wiki/llm-models/claude-anthropic-models\|Anthropic]], and open-weight models

---

## Related Tools

- [computer-use-linux](https://github.com/avifenesh/computer-use-linux) — Linux desktop-control MCP server (AT-SPI, Wayland/X11, screenshots)
- [HermesClaw](https://github.com/AaronWong1999/hermesclaw) — WeChat bridge for Hermes + OpenClaw

---

## Sources

- `raw/nousresearch-hermes-agent.md` — official README
- Docs: hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs
- Skills Hub: agentskills.io
