---
title: "Hermes"
description: "Hermes Agent is an open-source, self-hosted agent from Nous Research. An always-on agent needs an always-on home."
url: https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/hermes-agent
category: "AI agents"
updated: 2026-10-17
---

# Hermes

Hermes Agent, the self-hosted agent from Nous Research

- **Software:** Hermes Agent (https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com)
- **Source:** https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent
- **License:** MIT
- **Example VM name:** `my-hermes-agent` (yours will differ; on the VM, `hostname` prints it)
- **Machine-readable:** https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/hermes-agent/manifest.json

## What you get

- Hermes Agent, installed with the one-line installer
- A model provider and the messaging gateway, configured with `hermes setup`
- A clean bill of health from `hermes doctor`

Running on the VM:

- **Hermes Agent**: Installed with the one-line installer, with its messaging gateway

## Deploy with Shelley

Open https://exe-staging.dev/new?prompt=Set%20up%20Hermes%20Agent%20on%20this%20VM%20by%20following%20the%20exe.dev%20recipe%20at%20https%3A%2F%2Fexe-staging.dev%2Fdeploy%2Fhermes-agent.md%20from%20top%20to%20bottom.%0A%0AThe%20recipe%27s%20example%20VM%20name%20is%20my-hermes-agent.%20This%20VM%27s%20name%20is%20the%20output%20of%20%60hostname%60%3A%20use%20it%20wherever%20the%20recipe%20writes%20my-hermes-agent.%20Skip%20the%20step%20that%20creates%20the%20VM%3B%20you%20are%20on%20it.%0A%0AYou%20are%20done%20when%20all%20of%20these%20are%20true.%20Check%20each%20one%20yourself%3A%0A-%20Hermes%20Agent%2C%20installed%20with%20the%20one-line%20installer%0A-%20A%20model%20provider%20and%20the%20messaging%20gateway%2C%20configured%20with%20%60hermes%20setup%60%0A-%20A%20clean%20bill%20of%20health%20from%20%60hermes%20doctor%60%0A%0A%60hermes%20setup%60%20asks%20questions.%20Ask%20me%20for%20each%20answer%20%28model%20provider%2C%0Amessaging%20platforms%2C%20tokens%29%20rather%20than%20guessing%2C%20and%20never%20echo%20a%0Atoken%20back.%20If%20I%27m%20coming%20from%20OpenClaw%2C%20offer%20%60hermes%20claw%20migrate%60.%0A%0AFinish%20with%20the%20URLs%20I%20should%20open.%0A to create a VM whose agent, Shelley, follows this recipe. From a terminal:

```sh
curl -fsSL https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/hermes-agent/prompt.txt | ssh exe.dev new --prompt=/dev/stdin
```

Or follow the steps below by hand.

[Hermes Agent](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/) is an open-source,
self-hosted agent from Nous Research. It keeps persistent memory across
sessions, builds reusable skills from the tasks it completes, and talks to
you over Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal, or the CLI through a
single gateway.

An always-on agent needs an always-on home. Our [exe.dev](https://exe.dev/)
VMs are ideal places to run it, because they are isolated by default, with a
protected, authenticated HTTPS endpoint by default.

To set it up, create a VM with `ssh exe.dev new`, SSH in, and run the
one-line installer:

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

Then run `hermes setup` to pick a model provider and configure the messaging
gateway, and `hermes doctor` to verify the install. Run `hermes` to start
chatting.

Coming from [Openclaw](/deploy/openclaw)? `hermes claw migrate`
imports your existing settings, memories, and skills.

## Related

- [Host OpenClaw](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/openclaw.md): An AI sidekick with its own computer. Your laptop can take a nap.
- [Running Agents](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/agents.md): Use exe.dev VMs as a sandbox
- [Run Claude Code on a remote server](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/claude-code.md): A computer for Claude. A breather for your laptop.
- [Host a Pi Durable agent](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/pi-durable.md): An agent that picks up where it left off, even after kill -9.
- [Flue](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/flue.md): Run Flue agentic apps on exe.dev
- [Jev](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/jev.md): Call TypeSafe's decision model through an HTTP integration