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Hermes Desktop - A desktop app for Hermes Agent, ready to use out of the box

Author: AI小集 · Original source: AI工具集

What is Hermes Desktop

Hermes Desktop is a developer sir1st launched Hermes Agent community edition desktop app. It packages the Python runtime, the hermes-agent core, and the hermes-web-ui visual interface into a single executable file, so users do not need to manually install dependencies such as Python and Node; just double-click to launch. The app is built on Electron and supports all platforms including macOS (Apple Silicon/Intel), Windows x64, and Linux (x64/arm64). It works out of the box, freeing non-technical users entirely from terminal command lines and browser tabs.

Hermes Desktop

Main features of Hermes Desktop

  • Out-of-the-box operation: Built-in Python 3.12.13 and hermes-agent v0.14.0. Users do not need to manually install dependencies such as Python, uv, or Node.js; just download the installer and double-click to launch.
  • Cross-platform native app: Provides .dmg（macOS Apple Silicon/Intel）、.exe（Windows x64）、.AppImage/.deb(Linux x64/arm64) and other installation formats, with a higher degree of system integration than browser tabs.
  • Full Web UI capabilities: Built on hermes-web-ui, it supports all visualization features such as session management, model switching, skill management, memory viewing, and usage monitoring.
  • Quick Profile switching: Switch between different agent configurations (such as copywriting mode/code mode) with one click through the user menu in the lower-left corner, with no need to memorize complex command-line parameters.
  • Multi-LLM provider access: Supports 11+ model providers including OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, xAI Grok, Qwen, MiniMax, Ollama, LM Studio, and more.
  • Streaming chat and slash commands: Real-time SSE streaming rendering of replies, supports /new、/web、/code、/shell、/memory and other shortcut commands.
  • Rich toolset: Built-in 14+ tool categories, covering web search, browser automation, terminal commands, file operations, code execution, visual analysis, image generation, TTS voice, and more.
  • Memory and persona management: Supports a persistent memory system (can connect to providers such as Honcho and Mem0), and allows direct editing of the SOUL.md persona file.
  • Skill management: Browse, install, and edit Skills in the GUI, covering 28+ categories, with support for visualizing skill learning trajectories.
  • Scheduled task orchestration: Built-in Cron builder, allowing you to create automated tasks and configure 15 delivery targets (such as daily reports and nightly backups).
  • Messaging gateway integration: Supports configuring gateways for 15+ messaging platforms including Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Feishu, WeCom, and more.
  • Seamless switching between terminal and GUI: Shares the ~/.hermes data directory with Hermes installed via the command line, so sessions and memory are interoperable, and you can switch between the desktop app and the terminal at any time.
  • Automatic update mechanism: Integrates electron-updater, automatically checks for new versions at startup and prompts for updates; you can also manually go to GitHub Releases to download and overwrite-install.

How to use Hermes Desktop

  • Download the installer: Visit GitHub Releases and select the installation file for your platform (choose .dmgfor macOS, choose .exefor Windows, choose .AppImage or .deb）
  • First-run authorization：
    • macOS: Drag the app into Applications Afterwards, in the terminal run xattr -cr "/Applications/Hermes Desktop.app" to bypass Gatekeeper's "damaged" warning (v0.x is not yet code-signed)
    • Windows: SmartScreen will show "unrecognized"; just click "More info → Run anyway"
  • Launch the app: Double-click the icon to launch; the Electron main process will automatically start the hermes-web-ui Koa service in the background (127.0.0.1:8648), and the renderer window loads the local page directly
  • Configure the LLM provider: After the first launch, follow the wizard to configure the API Key (supports OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama, etc.), or choose a local model endpoint
  • Start chatting: Once in the main interface, you can have streaming conversations with the Hermes Agent, using all features such as slash commands, tool calls, and skill management.

Hermes Desktop's project address

  • Github repository：https://github.com/sir1st/hermes-desktop

Hermes Desktop's core advantages

  • Zero environment barrier: Traditional Hermes Agent requires users to install dependencies such as Python 3.11+, uv, Node.js, and Git themselves; the desktop version solves this all at once with a built-in runtime, greatly reducing the cost of use for non-developers.
  • More stable than the browser: The web version hermes-web-ui runs in the browser and suffers from cumbersome permission configuration, gateway dependencies, unexpected crashes, and other issues; as an independent process, the desktop app has more controllable system resource usage and stability.
  • Free switching between terminal and GUI: The desktop version shares the same data directory with the command-line-installed Hermes (~/.hermes), so users can seamlessly switch between the desktop app and the terminal at any time without losing sessions or memory.
  • Community-driven rapid iteration: As an unofficial community project, the sir1st version keeps pace with updates to the upstream hermes-agent and hermes-web-ui, automatically building multi-platform release packages via CI.
  • Open source and auditable: The project itself uses the MIT license, with fully public code, so users can review the packaging logic and security themselves.

Hermes Desktop's application scenarios

  • Local AI assistant for daily office work: A replacement for the ChatGPT web version, continuously conversing with the Hermes Agent on the desktop to handle tasks such as copy organization, code writing, and file management.
  • Visual configuration of IM gateways: Configure gateways for 15+ messaging platforms such as Telegram, Discord, Slack, Feishu, and WeCom through the desktop interface, with no need to memorize command-line parameters.
  • Skill and memory management: Browse, install, and edit Skills in the GUI, view and modify persistent memory entries, and manage user profiles.
  • Scheduled task orchestration: Use the Cron builder to create automated tasks (such as daily reports and nightly backups), and manage delivery targets through the interface.
  • Multi-Profile workflow isolation: Create independent Profiles for different projects or roles, switch contexts with one click, and avoid memory confusion.