Meet Hermes: Your AI Agent for Multi-Platform Collaboration

If you've been following along with our OpenClaw adventures, you've seen how powerful a single AI agent can be when it has the right tools. But what happens when one agent isn't enough? What if you want specialized agents for different tasks—or different platforms entirely?

Enter Hermes: a general-purpose AI agent built for exactly this scenario. Think of it as the perfect companion to OpenClaw. While OpenClaw is designed for deep workspace integration and development workflows, Hermes shines as a multi-platform, multi-tool coordinator that can work alongside it—or completely independently.

What Makes Hermes Different?

Both Hermes and OpenClaw are AI agents. Both can browse the web, run code, manage files, and integrate with external services. But they approach the problem from slightly different angles:

Hermes + OpenClaw: The Dream Team

Here's where it gets interesting. These agents aren't competitors—they're collaborators. Running both on the same VPS gives you incredible flexibility:

🎯 Use Case: Multi-Platform Presence

Use OpenClaw for your primary Telegram bot handling complex development tasks and workspace operations. Use Hermes for Discord community management or SMS notifications. Both share the same underlying models and can access the same files through the shared workspace.

🎯 Use Case: Specialized Agents

Configure OpenClaw for heavy coding tasks with deep workspace integration. Set up Hermes for research, monitoring, and communication—complete with its own memory, skills, and scheduled cron jobs.

🎯 Use Case: Failover & Load Distribution

If one agent is busy processing a long-running task, the other can handle incoming messages. Both can run simultaneously on the same VPS without conflict, using separate Telegram bots and isolated sessions.

Essential Hermes Commands Reference

Here's the comprehensive command reference you'll need to get the most out of Hermes. Bookmark this section—you'll come back to it.

🌍 Global Options (usable with any command)

--version, -V              # Show version and exit
--profile <name>, -p <name>  # Use a specific profile
--resume <session>, -r <session>  # Resume a session by ID
--continue [name], -c [name]  # Resume the most recent session
--worktree, -w             # Start in an isolated git worktree
--yolo                     # Bypass dangerous-command approval
--pass-session-id          # Include session ID in system prompt

⚡ Most Common Commands

🌐 Gateway Commands (Telegram, Discord, etc.)

hermes gateway setup       # Interactive setup for Telegram/Discord
hermes gateway run           # Run in foreground (use in tmux)
hermes gateway start         # Start systemd service
hermes gateway stop          # Stop the service
hermes gateway restart       # Restart (same as openclaw gateway restart)
hermes gateway status        # Check service status
hermes gateway install       # Install as background service

💬 Chat Mode Tricks

hermes chat -q "your prompt"           # One-shot mode
hermes chat --model "llama-3.3-70b"    # Use specific model
hermes chat --toolsets web,terminal    # Enable specific tools
hermes chat -s my-skill                # Preload a skill
hermes --continue                      # Resume last session
hermes --resume my-session             # Resume specific session

⚙️ Config & Management

hermes config show         # Display current config
hermes config edit         # Open in editor
hermes config set display.skin mono
hermes tools               # Enable/disable tools
hermes skills              # Browse and manage skills
hermes sessions list       # List all sessions
hermes sessions browse     # Interactive session picker

🔧 Maintenance & Debugging

hermes status              # Show agent, auth, platform status
hermes logs                # View, tail, or filter logs
hermes backup              # Create full backup of ~/.hermes
hermes import              # Restore from backup
hermes dump                # Generate debug summary
hermes debug               # Upload logs for support
hermes profile             # Manage multiple profiles

🔗 Integration Commands

hermes auth                # Manage API keys (Nous, Anthropic, etc.)
hermes user                # OpenClaw migration tools
hermes cron                # Inspect or trigger cron jobs
hermes webhook             # Manage webhook subscriptions
hermes memory              # Configure external memory (Honcho)
hermes honcho              # Cross-session memory integration

🤖 Advanced Protocols

hermes acp                 # Run as ACP server (editor integration)
hermes mcp                 # Run as MCP server
hermes plugins             # Install/enable/disable plugins

💡 In-Chat Slash Commands

These work inside hermes chat or in Telegram/Discord:

/help       # Show help
/model      # Change model
/tools      # Toggle tools
/skills     # List skills
/skin       # Change UI theme
/personality # Adjust persona
/background  # Check session info
/compress    # Compress context
/usage       # Token usage stats
/new         # Start new session
/reset       # Clear context
/retry       # Retry last response
/undo        # Undo last action

Quick Start: Running Hermes Alongside OpenClaw

If you're already running OpenClaw, adding Hermes is straightforward. Here's the minimal setup:

1. Install Hermes

pip install hermes-agent  # or follow the official install guide
cd ~
hermes setup              # Run the interactive wizard

2. Configure for a Different Platform

If OpenClaw handles Telegram, let Hermes take Discord:

hermes gateway setup
# Select Discord, follow the bot creation flow
# This keeps them from competing for the same messages

3. Launch the Dashboard (Optional)

hermes dashboard          # Opens on port 9119
# Access at http://your-vps-ip:9119

4. Use tmux for Persistence

tmux new -s hermes
hermes gateway run        # or: hermes chat
# Detach: Ctrl+B, then D
# Reattach: tmux attach -t hermes

dashboard:
  port: 9120  # or any available port

When to Use Which?

Still unsure which agent to reach for? Here's my mental model:

Final Thoughts

Hermes isn't a replacement for OpenClaw—it's a complement. Together, they give you the flexibility to build truly sophisticated multi-agent workflows on a single VPS. Whether you need a web dashboard, Discord integration, or just a different approach to session management, Hermes has you covered.

The best part? Since both agents speak the same underlying protocols (ACP) and can share the same workspace, you're not choosing sides. You're expanding your toolkit.

Ready to add Hermes to your setup? Start with hermes doctor to check your environment, then run hermes setup to get configured. Your future multi-agent self will thank you.