INSTALL HERMES
AI AGENT _

Complete installation guide for Hermes AI Agent — WSL, VPS, API Keys, Gateway setup, and more. Multi-model. Multi-platform. Open source.

WHAT IS HERMES

Understanding Hermes AI Agent before installation

ℹ Hermes is an open-source AI agent framework by Nous Research. It runs in your terminal, messaging platforms (Telegram, Discord, Slack), and IDEs. Think of it as your personal AI assistant with full system access.
Feature Description
Multi-ModelOpenRouter, Gemini, Claude, GPT, DeepSeek, local models
Multi-PlatformTelegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, Email
Persistent MemoryRemembers preferences, environment, lessons across sessions
Skills SystemSelf-improving through reusable skill documents
Tool AccessShell, files, browser, web search, code execution, cron jobs
Multi-InstanceRun multiple isolated agents with profiles

API KEYS SETUP

How to get free and paid API keys for Hermes

A

OpenRouter (Recommended)

OpenRouter gives you access to 100+ AI models through a single API. Free tier available with credit-based pricing.

Steps:

  1. Go to openrouter.ai and sign up
  2. Navigate to Keys in the sidebar
  3. Click Create Key — name it "hermes"
  4. Copy the key (starts with sk-or-v1-...)
  5. Add credits via crypto, card, or use free models
✓ Free models available: google/gemini-2.0-flash, deepseek/deepseek-chat, meta-llama/llama-3.3-70b

During hermes setup, select OpenRouter and paste your key.

B

Google Gemini (Free)

Google offers free API access to Gemini models. Great for getting started.

  1. Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey
  2. Sign in with Google account
  3. Click Create API Key
  4. Copy the key (starts with AIza...)
⚠ Free tier: 15 requests/minute, 1500 requests/day. Sufficient for personal use.
C

Other Providers

ProviderFree?URL
DeepSeekCreditsdeepseek.com
AnthropicNoconsole.anthropic.com
OpenAINoplatform.openai.com
GroqYesconsole.groq.com

INSTALLATION

Choose your platform to begin

W

WSL

Windows Subsystem for Linux

L

VPS

Linux server / cloud VPS

GATEWAY SETUP

Connect Hermes to Telegram, Discord, and other platforms

1

Configure Gateway

Run the gateway setup wizard:

Bash
hermes gateway setup
2

Telegram Bot

Create a bot via @BotFather on Telegram, get the bot token, then:

Bash
hermes gateway setup
# Select Telegram
# Paste your bot token from @BotFather
3

Start Gateway

Bash
# Start in foreground
hermes gateway run

# Or install as service (auto-start)
hermes gateway install
hermes gateway start

# Check status
hermes gateway status
4

Discord Bot

Create a Discord application at discord.com/developers, enable Message Content Intent, get bot token:

Bash
hermes gateway setup
# Select Discord
# Paste your bot token
# Enable Message Content Intent in Discord Developer Portal
⚠ You MUST enable "Message Content Intent" in Bot → Privileged Gateway Intents, or the bot won't read messages.

ESSENTIAL COMMANDS

Most used Hermes CLI commands

CommandDescription
hermesStart interactive chat
hermes setupConfiguration wizard
hermes modelChange model/provider
hermes doctorCheck system health
hermes statusShow component status
hermes skills listList installed skills
hermes skills search <q>Search skill hub
hermes cron listList scheduled jobs
hermes sessions listList chat sessions
hermes --yoloSkip command approval

In-Session Slash Commands

CommandDescription
/newStart fresh session
/model <name>Switch model mid-chat
/skill <name>Load a skill
/toolsManage toolsets
/cronManage cron jobs
/verboseToggle verbose output
/yoloToggle approval bypass
/helpShow all commands

CONTACT

Need help? Reach out on Twitter.

CONTACT PERSON
→ @0xjamp