Do I need to know how to code to install Hermes?

No. The desktop app installer requires no terminal experience. For the terminal version, you can copy and paste the commands in this article; if something is missing, the installer suggests how to resolve it.

Which systems does Hermes run on?

Windows and macOS through the desktop app installer, and Linux, macOS, WSL2, and Android (Termux) through the terminal. The installer checks which components are present and installs missing dependencies such as Python and Node.js.

What does Hermes cost?

The software itself is open source and free. You pay for the AI model that powers the agent, through a subscription such as Nous Portal or API keys from a provider you choose. You select that during the setup wizard.

Can I move from desktop to a server later?

Yes. The agent saves configuration, memory, and skills in a fixed directory. The built-in backup and import commands let you move the complete installation to another machine without starting over.

Can I use Hermes without an internet connection?

Installation and externally hosted models need an internet connection. To work fully offline, connect a local model through your own endpoint. Read how that works in our article about local and hybrid AI solutions for businesses.

Install Hermes: desktop app or terminal

You do not have to be a developer to work with an AI agent like Hermes. In this guide, I show you how to install Hermes: first through the Hermes Desktop app, then through the terminal with commands you can copy and paste. Both routes lead to the same agent, with the same memory and capabilities. The examples are based on our own Hermes installation at Voltti. The installation output and startup screen were assembled for this explanation; what you see depends on your version and configuration.

Installing Hermes through the desktop app or terminal, with a penguin as your guide — Two routes to the same agent: the desktop app or the terminal.

Why two routes? The desktop app is the quickest start if you rarely open a terminal: download it, double-click, and sign in. The terminal version gives you more control and is the starting point if you later want to run the agent on a server or small computer at your premises. Whichever you choose, the Hermes documentation explains each step in detail.

Route 1: install Hermes Desktop without a terminal

Windows and macOS have an official installer for the desktop app. Download the installation file from the Hermes website, run it, and the installer handles the rest: the agent itself, the command-line version, and the initial configuration. You do not need to install anything through a screen full of terminal commands.

After installation, a short wizard asks which AI model you want to use. You can sign in to Nous Portal, for example: one account covers the model and built-in tools such as web search and image generation. If you already have API keys from a provider such as OpenRouter or Anthropic, you can enter those instead. The wizard asks for them.

Once you have signed in, type your first question and the agent responds. From then on, you use the app for conversations, files, and memory. We explain the options for teams working together in our article about Hermes for teams.

When should you choose the terminal version?

The desktop app runs on the computer you are using. If you want the agent to stay on when your laptop is closed, or to run on an inexpensive small computer or server at your premises, install it through the terminal. You can then connect the agent to Google data, as explained in our article about retrieving marketing data with an AI agent. The agent can also configure that connection from Hermes Desktop if the necessary tools and access are available.

You can copy the commands below and paste them into your terminal. Wait for each step to finish before continuing. If something fails, the installer tells you what is missing. Often, one additional command suggested on screen resolves it.

installing hermes on Linux

$ curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash

Hermes Agent Installer

→ Detected: Linux (arch) ✓ Managed uv found (uv 0.9.27) ✓ Python found: 3.11.15 ✓ Git 2.51.0 found ✓ C++ compiler found ✓ Node.js v26.14.0 found (Hermes-managed) ✓ Internet connectivity looks good → Cloning hermes-agent repository... → Creating virtual environment... → Installing dependencies...

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ ✓ Installation Complete! │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

📁 Your files:

Config: ~/.hermes/config.yaml API Keys: ~/.hermes/.env Data: ~/.hermes/cron/, sessions/, logs/ Code: ~/.hermes/hermes-agent/

🚀 Commands:

hermes Start chatting hermes setup Configure API keys & settings hermes config View/edit configuration hermes update Update to latest version

⚡ Reload your shell to use 'hermes' command:

source ~/.bashrc

Illustrative installation output assembled from the installation script and checks of our own installation. The original terminal text is preserved unchanged.

After installation: choose your model

After installation, start the configuration wizard with hermes setup. It asks which model you want to use and which tools to enable. Then run hermes doctor, a built-in health check that tells you whether your configuration is complete. The source example from our own installation reports Hermes Agent v0.21.1 (2026.9.7). Versions change quickly; the setup process is the point of the example.

source ~/.bashrc
hermes setup
hermes doctor

Windows users who prefer the terminal can use the PowerShell version of the installation command in the installation guide. Already installed the command-line version? Run hermes desktop to add the desktop app.

hermes — first launch after installation

$ hermes


██╗  ██╗███████╗██████╗ ███╗   ███╗███████╗███████╗       █████╗  ██████╗ ███████╗███╗   ██╗████████╗
██║  ██║██╔════╝██╔══██╗████╗ ████║██╔════╝██╔════╝      ██╔══██╗██╔════╝ ██╔════╝████╗  ██║╚══██╔══╝
███████║█████╗  ██████╔╝██╔████╔██║█████╗  ███████╗█████╗███████║██║  ███╗█████╗  ██╔██╗ ██║   ██║
██╔══██║██╔══╝  ██╔══██╗██║╚██╔╝██║██╔══╝  ╚════██║╚════╝██╔══██║██║   ██║██╔══╝  ██║╚██╗██║   ██║
██║  ██║███████╗██║  ██║██║ ╚═╝ ██║███████╗███████║      ██║  ██║╚██████╔╝███████╗██║ ╚████║   ██║
╚═╝  ╚═╝╚══════╝╚═╝  ╚═╝╚═╝     ╚═╝╚══════╝╚══════╝      ╚═╝  ╚═╝ ╚═════╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝  ╚═══╝   ╚═╝

┌─ Hermes Agent v0.21.1 (2026.9.7) · upstream ead7e91d ───────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                     Available Tools                                                     │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⡀⠀⣀⣀⠀⢀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     browser-use: browser_exec                                           │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣇⠸⣿⣿⠇⣸⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     clarify: clarify                                                    │
│  ⠀⢀⣠⣴⣶⠿⠋⣩⡿⣿⡿⠻⣿⡇⢠⡄⢸⣿⠟⢿⣿⢿⣍⠙⠿⣶⣦⣄⡀⠀     code_execution: execute_code                                        │
│  ⠀⠀⠉⠉⠁⠶⠟⠋⠀⠉⠀⢀⣈⣁⡈⢁⣈⣁⡀⠀⠉⠀⠙⠻⠶⠈⠉⠉⠀⠀     cronjob: cronjob_manage                                             │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⡿⠛⢁⡈⠛⢿⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     delegation: delegate_task                                           │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠿⣿⣦⣤⣈⠁⢠⣴⣿⠿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     file: patch, read_file, search_files, write_file                    │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠻⢿⣿⣦⡉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     memory: memory                                                      │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢷⣦⣈⠛⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     process: process_manage                                             │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣴⠦⠈⠙⠿⣦⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     (and 7 more toolsets...)                                            │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣤⡈⠁⢤⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀                                                                         │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠷⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     Available Skills                                                    │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⠑⢶⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     apple: apple-notes, apple-reminders, findmy +1 more                 │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠁⢰⡆⠈⡿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     autonomous-ai-agents: claude-code, codex, computer-use +2 more      │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠳⠈⣡⠞⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     creative: architecture-diagram, ascii-video +8 more                 │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     devops: sdlc-review                                                 │
│                                     email: email-inbox-triage, himalaya                                 │
│  glm-5.3 · Nous Research            media: gif-search, songsee, youtube-content                         │
│  /home/gebruiker                    note-taking: obsidian                                               │
│  Session: 20260909_203509_397644    productivity: airtable, box +12 more                                │
│                                     research: arxiv, competitor-news-monitor +2 more                    │
│                                     social-media: xurl                                                  │
│                                     software-development: codebase-inspection, dogfood, github +9 more  │
│                                     web: blocked-page-recovery                                          │
│                                                                                                         │
│                                     21 tools · 58 skills · /help for commands                           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.
* Tip: Smart model routing can auto-route simple queries to a cheaper model.

# glm-5.3 | ctx -- [██████████] -- | 1s | 0s
❯

An illustrative fresh-install startup screen: the banner, model and session, tools and skills enabled by default, and the prompt. The original output, including the Dutch example directory name, is unchanged. You can type your questions in English or Dutch.

hermes — first launch after installation

$ hermes


██╗  ██╗███████╗██████╗ ███╗   ███╗███████╗███████╗       █████╗  ██████╗ ███████╗███╗   ██╗████████╗
██║  ██║██╔════╝██╔══██╗████╗ ████║██╔════╝██╔════╝      ██╔══██╗██╔════╝ ██╔════╝████╗  ██║╚══██╔══╝
███████║█████╗  ██████╔╝██╔████╔██║█████╗  ███████╗█████╗███████║██║  ███╗█████╗  ██╔██╗ ██║   ██║
██╔══██║██╔══╝  ██╔══██╗██║╚██╔╝██║██╔══╝  ╚════██║╚════╝██╔══██║██║   ██║██╔══╝  ██║╚██╗██║   ██║
██║  ██║███████╗██║  ██║██║ ╚═╝ ██║███████╗███████║      ██║  ██║╚██████╔╝███████╗██║ ╚████║   ██║
╚═╝  ╚═╝╚══════╝╚═╝  ╚═╝╚═╝     ╚═╝╚══════╝╚══════╝      ╚═╝  ╚═╝ ╚═════╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝  ╚═══╝   ╚═╝

┌─ Hermes Agent v0.21.1 (2026.9.7) · upstream ead7e91d ───────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                     Available Tools                                                     │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⡀⠀⣀⣀⠀⢀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     browser-use: browser_exec                                           │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣇⠸⣿⣿⠇⣸⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     clarify: clarify                                                    │
│  ⠀⢀⣠⣴⣶⠿⠋⣩⡿⣿⡿⠻⣿⡇⢠⡄⢸⣿⠟⢿⣿⢿⣍⠙⠿⣶⣦⣄⡀⠀     code_execution: execute_code                                        │
│  ⠀⠀⠉⠉⠁⠶⠟⠋⠀⠉⠀⢀⣈⣁⡈⢁⣈⣁⡀⠀⠉⠀⠙⠻⠶⠈⠉⠉⠀⠀     cronjob: cronjob_manage                                             │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⡿⠛⢁⡈⠛⢿⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     delegation: delegate_task                                           │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠿⣿⣦⣤⣈⠁⢠⣴⣿⠿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     file: patch, read_file, search_files, write_file                    │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠻⢿⣿⣦⡉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     memory: memory                                                      │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢷⣦⣈⠛⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     process: process_manage                                             │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣴⠦⠈⠙⠿⣦⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     (and 7 more toolsets...)                                            │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣤⡈⠁⢤⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀                                                                         │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠷⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     Available Skills                                                    │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⠑⢶⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     apple: apple-notes, apple-reminders, findmy +1 more                 │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠁⢰⡆⠈⡿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     autonomous-ai-agents: claude-code, codex, computer-use +2 more      │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠳⠈⣡⠞⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     creative: architecture-diagram, ascii-video +8 more                 │
│  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀     devops: sdlc-review                                                 │
│                                     email: email-inbox-triage, himalaya                                 │
│  glm-5.3 · Nous Research            media: gif-search, songsee, youtube-content                         │
│  /home/gebruiker                    note-taking: obsidian                                               │
│  Session: 20260909_203509_397644    productivity: airtable, box +12 more                                │
│                                     research: arxiv, competitor-news-monitor +2 more                    │
│                                     social-media: xurl                                                  │
│                                     software-development: codebase-inspection, dogfood, github +9 more  │
│                                     web: blocked-page-recovery                                          │
│                                                                                                         │
│                                     21 tools · 58 skills · /help for commands                           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.
* Tip: Smart model routing can auto-route simple queries to a cheaper model.

# glm-5.3 | ctx -- [██████████] -- | 1s | 0s
❯

What can you do with it?

A working installation is the start. From here, the agent can develop with your work: it saves agreements in memory, builds skills for recurring tasks, and can connect to tools such as Google Search Console through MCP servers. We explain what that looks like for a business on our page about the Hermes AI agent for businesses.

Prefer not to install it yourself? Voltti installs Hermes and provides support for businesses in Belgium and the Netherlands. See how a pilot works or discuss your needs using the button below.