9d07927a23
The desktop remote-gateway settings now auto-detect whether a gateway
authenticates with OAuth or a static session token and present the
matching UI + connection mechanism.
Detection: an unauthenticated GET {base}/api/status reads auth_required
(true => OAuth, false => session token); /api/auth/providers supplies the
provider label. The settings UI debounce-probes the entered URL and shows
either a 'Sign in with <provider>' button or the session-token box.
OAuth connection mechanism:
- REST is authed by the HttpOnly session cookie held in a persistent
Electron session partition (persist:hermes-remote-oauth); main-process
REST routes through electron net bound to that partition so the cookie
attaches automatically.
- Login opens a BrowserWindow on {base}/login in that partition and
resolves once the hermes_session_at cookie lands.
- WebSocket upgrades use a single-use ?ticket= minted at
POST /api/auth/ws-ticket (the gateway rejects ?token= in gated mode);
getGatewayWsUrl() re-mints before every (re)connect since tickets are
single-use and short-lived.
- Missing cookie / 401 surfaces needsOauthLogin to prompt re-sign-in
(Nous Portal contract v1 issues no refresh token).
Local and token modes are unchanged.
Pure helpers (URL normalize, ws-url token/ticket builders, auth-mode
classify/resolve, cookie detector) are extracted to a standalone
connection-config.cjs (no electron import) and unit-tested with
node --test (26 tests), matching the backend-probes.cjs pattern.
Hermes Desktop ☤
The native desktop app for Hermes Agent — the self-improving AI agent from Nous Research. Same agent, same skills, same memory as the CLI and gateway, in a polished native window — chat with streaming tool output, side-by-side previews, a file browser, voice, and settings, no terminal required. Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
| Chat with the full agent | Streaming responses, live tool activity, structured tool summaries, and the same conversation history as every other Hermes surface. |
| Side-by-side previews | Render web pages, files, and tool outputs in a right-hand pane while you keep chatting. |
| File browser | Explore and preview the working directory without leaving the app. |
| Voice | Talk to Hermes and hear it back. |
| Settings & onboarding | Manage providers, models, tools, and credentials from a real UI. First-run setup gets you to your first message in seconds. |
| Stays current | Built-in updates pull the latest agent and rebuild the app in place. |
Install
Install with Hermes (recommended)
Add --include-desktop to the one-line installer and it sets up the agent and builds the desktop app in one go:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --include-desktop
Already have the Hermes CLI? Just run:
hermes desktop
It builds and launches the GUI against your existing install — same config, keys, sessions, and skills. On first launch Hermes walks you through picking a provider and model; nothing else to configure.
Prebuilt installers
When a release ships desktop installers they're attached to its releases page — .dmg (macOS), .exe / .msi (Windows), .AppImage / .deb / .rpm (Linux). These are published manually, so the install-with-Hermes path above is the most reliable way to get the latest.
Updating
The app checks for updates in the background and offers a one-click update when one is ready. You can also update any time from the CLI:
hermes update
Requirements
The installer handles everything for you (Python 3.11+, a portable Git, ripgrep). The only thing worth knowing:
- Windows — the installer bundles its own Git and Python; no admin rights or system changes required.
- macOS / Linux — uses your system Python 3.11+ (installed automatically if missing).
Development
Want to hack on the app itself? Install workspace deps from the repo root once, then run the dev server from this directory:
npm install # from repo root — links apps/desktop, web, apps/shared
cd apps/desktop
npm run dev # Vite renderer + Electron, which boots the Python backend
Point the app at a specific source checkout, or sandbox it away from your real config:
HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES_ROOT=/path/to/clone npm run dev
HERMES_HOME=/tmp/throwaway npm run dev
npm run dev:fake-boot # exercise the startup overlay with deterministic delays
Building installers
npm run dist:mac # DMG + zip
npm run dist:win # NSIS + MSI
npm run dist:linux # AppImage + deb + rpm
npm run pack # unpacked app under release/ (no installer)
Installers are built and uploaded to GitHub Releases manually. macOS/Windows signing & notarization happen automatically when the relevant credentials are present in the environment (CSC_LINK / CSC_KEY_PASSWORD / APPLE_* for macOS, WIN_CSC_* for Windows).
How it works
The packaged app ships only the Electron shell. On first launch it installs the Hermes Agent runtime into HERMES_HOME (~/.hermes, or %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes on Windows) — the same layout a CLI install uses, so the two are interchangeable. The renderer (React, in src/) talks to a hermes dashboard --tui backend over the standard gateway APIs and reuses the embedded TUI rather than reimplementing chat. The install, backend-resolution, and self-update logic all live in electron/main.cjs.
Verification
Run before opening a PR (lint may surface pre-existing warnings but must exit cleanly):
npm run fix
npm run type-check
npm run lint
npm run test:desktop:all
Troubleshooting
Boot logs land in HERMES_HOME/logs/desktop.log (includes backend output and recent Python tracebacks) — check it first if the app reports a boot failure.
macOS / Linux:
# Force a clean first-launch setup
rm "$HOME/.hermes/hermes-agent/.hermes-bootstrap-complete"
# Rebuild a broken Python venv
rm -rf "$HOME/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv"
# Reset a stuck macOS microphone prompt (macOS only)
tccutil reset Microphone com.nousresearch.hermes
Windows (PowerShell):
# Force a clean first-launch setup
Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\hermes-agent\.hermes-bootstrap-complete"
# Rebuild a broken Python venv
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\hermes-agent\venv"
The default Hermes home on Windows is
%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes. Set theHERMES_HOMEenv var if you've relocated it.
Community
- 💬 Discord
- 📖 Documentation
- 🐛 Issues
License
MIT — see LICENSE.
Built by Nous Research.