#Hermes Agent Installation & Usage

This chapter walks you through installation, initial configuration, and your first conversation.

#System Requirements

• OS: Linux, macOS, WSL2, or Termux on Android
• Network: access to your chosen LLM provider (Nous Portal / OpenRouter, etc.)
• The installer automatically sets up uv, Python 3.11, Node.js, ripgrep, ffmpeg, and bundled Git (MinGit)

You do not need to install Python manually — the one-line script prepares the runtime for you.

#One-Line Install

Linux / macOS / WSL2 / Termux:

curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc

Windows (PowerShell):

iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)

The script clones the repo, creates a virtual environment, installs dependencies, and registers the hermes command.

#From Source (developers)

git clone https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
cd hermes-agent
./setup-hermes.sh
./hermes

Manual equivalent:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
uv venv .venv --python 3.11
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install -e ".[all,dev]"

#Initial Configuration: hermes setup

After installing, run the setup wizard:

hermes setup

It guides you through:

1. Choosing a provider (Nous Portal / OpenRouter / local vLLM / custom endpoint)
2. Entering credentials (OAuth login or API key)
3. Picking a default model
4. Selecting tools to enable
5. (optional) Configuring the message gateway

To do an individual step, use the focused commands:

hermes model            # Choose LLM provider and model
hermes tools            # Configure enabled tools
hermes config set <key> <value>   # Set a single config value
hermes gateway setup    # Configure messaging platforms

#Your First Conversation

Run hermes to enter the interactive terminal UI:

hermes

You'll see a chat interface. Try:

Hi, please introduce yourself and tell me what you can help me with.

Then give it a real task:

Create a folder called "notes" in the current directory and add a README.md describing its purpose.

Hermes will request the relevant tools (write file, run command) and execute them after you approve.

#Common CLI Commands

#Update & Diagnose

hermes update     # Upgrade to the latest version
hermes doctor     # Self-check: environment, dependencies, config

When something breaks, run hermes doctor first — it inspects your runtime, dependencies, and config and suggests fixes.

#Migrating from OpenClaw

If you previously used OpenClaw, migrate personas, memories, skills, and keys in one step:

hermes claw migrate                    # Full migration
hermes claw migrate --dry-run          # Preview changes only
hermes claw migrate --preset user-data # User data, no secrets
hermes claw migrate --overwrite        # Overwrite conflicts

#Next Steps

• Model Configuration — connect and switch LLMs
• Slash Commands — in-chat shortcuts
• Hands-on Practice — build a personal assistant from scratch