fix(windows): rip out unused submodule support in installer & docker & docs

we have no submodules anymore, so #37702 was kinda right, but we can just delete it entirely.

.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml

@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd  # v6.0.2
-        with:
-          submodules: recursive
 
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@8d2750c68a42422c14e847fe6c8ac0403b4cbd6f  # v3
@@ -194,8 +192,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd  # v6.0.2
-        with:
-          submodules: recursive
 
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@8d2750c68a42422c14e847fe6c8ac0403b4cbd6f  # v3

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ This isn't a quality bar — it's a coupling-and-maintenance decision. Memory pr
 ### Clone and install
 
 ```bash
-git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
+git clone https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
 cd hermes-agent
 
 # Create venv with Python 3.11

scripts/install.ps1

@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ function Install-Repository {
         Write-Info "Trying SSH clone..."
         $env:GIT_SSH_COMMAND = "ssh -o BatchMode=yes -o ConnectTimeout=5"
         try {
-            git -c windows.appendAtomically=false clone --branch $Branch --recurse-submodules $RepoUrlSsh $InstallDir
+            git -c windows.appendAtomically=false clone --branch $Branch $RepoUrlSsh $InstallDir
             if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { $cloneSuccess = $true }
         } catch { }
         $env:GIT_SSH_COMMAND = $null
@@ -1114,7 +1114,7 @@ function Install-Repository {
             if (Test-Path $InstallDir) { Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $InstallDir -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue }
             Write-Info "SSH failed, trying HTTPS..."
             try {
-                git -c windows.appendAtomically=false clone --branch $Branch --recurse-submodules $RepoUrlHttps $InstallDir
+                git -c windows.appendAtomically=false clone --branch $Branch $RepoUrlHttps $InstallDir
                 if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { $cloneSuccess = $true }
             } catch { }
         }
@@ -1210,16 +1210,6 @@ function Install-Repository {
         }
     }
 
-    # Ensure submodules are initialized and updated
-    Write-Info "Initializing submodules..."
-    git -c windows.appendAtomically=false submodule update --init --recursive 2>$null
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        Write-Warn "Submodule init failed (terminal/RL tools may need manual setup)"
-    } else {
-        Write-Success "Submodules ready"
-    }
-    Pop-Location
-
     Write-Success "Repository ready"
 }
 

website/docs/getting-started/termux.md

@@ -80,16 +80,10 @@ Why these packages?
 ### 2. Clone Hermes
 
 ```bash
-git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
+git clone https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
 cd hermes-agent
 ```
 
-If you already cloned without submodules:
-
-```bash
-git submodule update --init --recursive
-```
-
 ### 3. Create a virtual environment
 
 ```bash

website/docs/getting-started/updating.md

@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ git log --oneline -10
 
 # Roll back to a specific commit
 git checkout <commit-hash>
-git submodule update --init --recursive
 uv pip install -e ".[all]"
 
 # Restart the gateway if running
@@ -206,7 +205,6 @@ To roll back to a specific release tag (substitute your previous tag — e.g. a
 
 ```bash
 git checkout vX.Y.Z
-git submodule update --init --recursive
 uv pip install -e ".[all]"
 ```
 

website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/getting-started/termux.md

@@ -80,16 +80,10 @@ pkg install -y git python clang rust make pkg-config libffi openssl nodejs ripgr
 ### 2. 克隆 Hermes
 
 ```bash
-git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
+git clone https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git
 cd hermes-agent
 ```
 
-如果你已经克隆但未包含子模块：
-
-```bash
-git submodule update --init --recursive
-```
-
 ### 3. 创建虚拟环境
 
 ```bash

website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/getting-started/updating.md

@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ git log --oneline -10
 
 # Roll back to a specific commit
 git checkout <commit-hash>
-git submodule update --init --recursive
 uv pip install -e ".[all]"
 
 # Restart the gateway if running
@@ -194,7 +193,6 @@ hermes gateway restart
 
 ```bash
 git checkout v0.6.0
-git submodule update --init --recursive
 uv pip install -e ".[all]"
 ```