Hermes Starter Profile: guide and resource for Hermes Agent

Beginner Hermes profile that leaves terminal, file and automation tools off while you learn the agent

What Hermes Starter Profile does

Hermes Starter Profile is a profile distribution for people trying Hermes Agent for the first time. Installing it creates a separate profile and a shortcut command, both named starter-hermes. The profile can answer questions, search the web and cite sources when search is configured, understand and generate images, create spoken audio from text, and help with writing, brainstorming, research and planning.

It deliberately cannot run terminal commands, change files, control the browser or desktop, schedule background jobs or create other agents, which keeps a first setup easier to understand. The README walks through five steps: install Hermes, install the profile with hermes profile install, connect a model, start a first chat, and check starter-hermes status and starter-hermes doctor. Its files live under ~/.hermes/profiles/starter-hermes/, so your normal Hermes profile is not changed.

Key features

Separate starter-hermes profile and shortcut command
Web search, image understanding, image generation and text-to-speech permitted
Terminal, file, browser-control, automation, memory, skill-management and subagent tools blocked
Nous Portal setup through starter-hermes setup --portal, or any other supported provider
Troubleshooting guidance when a permitted tool needs a working provider
Does not modify your existing Hermes profile

When to use it

Trying Hermes Agent for the first time without enabling tools that touch your files or system
Handing a non-technical colleague a limited Hermes setup for research and writing
Using it as an example of how a profile distribution is structured

Who it is for: Newcomers to Hermes Agent, including people with no terminal, Git or YAML experience.

How it fits with Hermes Agent

Built for Hermes Agent as an installable profile, using the hermes profile install command and the profile distributions feature.

How to install Hermes Starter Profile

These commands are copied from the project's README. Check the repository for the latest steps before you run them.

hermes profile install github.com/teknium1/hermes-starter-profile --alias
starter-hermes setup --portal
starter-hermes chat

Requirements: Hermes Agent installed (hermes --version should print a version) and a model provider of your choice, such as Nous Portal, because the profile includes no account or API key

Note: The profile includes no model account, subscription or API key, so you connect your own provider.

FAQ

What is Hermes Starter Profile?

It is a Hermes Agent profile for beginners. It permits chat, web search, image and speech tools but leaves terminal, file, browser, automation and subagent tools off.

How do I install Hermes Starter Profile?

With Hermes installed, run hermes profile install github.com/teknium1/hermes-starter-profile --alias and confirm the preview. This creates the starter-hermes profile and command.

What do I need to run Hermes Starter Profile?

You need Hermes Agent and your own model provider. The profile ships without an account, subscription or API key, and the README recommends Nous Portal as the simplest option.