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docs(windows): fix Get-Command PATH guidance to venv\Scripts\hermes.exe (#40613)

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Closes #40464.

Salvaged from #40488; re-verified on main, tightened, tested.

Co-authored-by: gauravsaxena1997 <gauravsaxena1997@users.noreply.github.com>
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Teknium 2026-06-07 18:28:23 -07:00 • committed by GitHub
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10
tests/hermes_cli/test_windows_native_docs.py Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
from pathlib import Path
def test_windows_native_install_path_docs_match_installer() -> None:
doc = Path("website/docs/user-guide/windows-native.md").read_text()
install = Path("scripts/install.ps1").read_text()
assert "%LOCALAPPDATA%\\hermes\\hermes-agent\\venv\\Scripts" in doc
assert "Get-Command hermes # should print C:\\Users\\<you>\\AppData\\Local\\hermes\\hermes-agent\\venv\\Scripts\\hermes.exe" in doc
assert '$hermesBin = "$InstallDir\\venv\\Scripts"' in install

110
website/docs/user-guide/windows-native.md
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@ -17,12 +17,10 @@ If you prefer a real POSIX environment (for the dashboard's embedded terminal, `
## Quick install
[Download the Hermes Desktop installer](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/desktop) from our website and run it.
Or, for a command-line only install, open **PowerShell** (or Windows Terminal) and run:
Open **PowerShell** (or Windows Terminal) and run:
```powershell
iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)
iex (irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.ps1)
```
No admin rights required. The installer goes to `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\` and adds `hermes` to your **User PATH** — open a new terminal after it finishes.
@ -30,32 +28,38 @@ No admin rights required. The installer goes to `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\` and add
**Installer options** (requires the scriptblock form to pass parameters):
```powershell
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1))) -NoVenv -SkipSetup -Branch main
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.ps1))) -NoVenv -SkipSetup -Branch main
```
| Parameter | Default | Purpose |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-Branch` | `main` | Clone a specific branch (useful for testing PRs) |
| `-Commit` | unset | Pin install to a specific commit SHA (overrides `-Branch`) |
| `-Tag` | unset | Pin install to a specific git tag (e.g. `v0.14.0`) |
| `-NoVenv` | off | Skip venv creation (advanced — you manage Python yourself) |
| `-SkipSetup` | off | Skip the post-install `hermes setup` wizard |
| `-HermesHome` | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes` | Override data directory |
| `-InstallDir` | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\hermes-agent` | Override code location |
| Parameter | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `-Branch` | `main` | Clone a specific branch (useful for testing PRs) |
| `-Commit` | unset | Pin install to a specific commit SHA (overrides `-Branch`) |
| `-Tag` | unset | Pin install to a specific git tag (e.g. `v0.14.0`) |
| `-NoVenv` | off | Skip venv creation (advanced — you manage Python yourself) |
| `-SkipSetup` | off | Skip the post-install `hermes setup` wizard |
| `-HermesHome` | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes` | Override data directory |
| `-InstallDir` | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\hermes-agent` | Override code location |
The installer auto-retries flaky git fetches and strips BOM from any downloaded `install.ps1` payload, so a UTF-8 BOM picked up during HTTP transit no longer breaks the `[scriptblock]::Create((irm ...))` form.
### Desktop installer (alternative)
A thin GUI installer is also available — useful if you'd rather double-click an `.exe` than open PowerShell. Download Hermes Desktop, run the installer, and on first launch the GUI calls `install.ps1` under the hood to provision Python (via `uv`), Node, PortableGit, and the rest of the dependency bootstrap described below. After the first run, the desktop app and the PowerShell-installed `hermes` CLI share the same `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\hermes-agent` install and `%USERPROFILE%\.hermes` data directory — switch between the GUI and the CLI freely.
Use the desktop installer when you want a familiar Windows install experience or you're handing Hermes to a non-developer; use the PowerShell one-liner when you're already in a terminal.
### Dependency bootstrap (`dep_ensure`)
On first launch (and on demand when a missing tool is detected), Hermes runs a small Python bootstrapper — `hermes_cli/dep_ensure.py` — that checks for and lazily installs the non-Python dependencies it needs. On Windows, the relevant ones are:
| Dependency | Why Hermes needs it |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **PortableGit** | Provides `bash.exe` for the terminal tool and `git` for in-session clones. Provisioned at install time, not by `dep_ensure`. |
| **Node.js 22** | Required for the browser tool (`agent-browser`), the TUI's web bridge, and the WhatsApp bridge. |
| **ffmpeg** | Audio format conversion for TTS / voice messages. |
| **ripgrep** | Fast file search — falls back to `grep` if unavailable. |
| **npm packages** | `agent-browser`, Playwright Chromium, and any per-toolset Node deps are installed once at first browser-tool use. |
| Dependency | Why Hermes needs it |
|---|---|
| **PortableGit** | Provides `bash.exe` for the terminal tool and `git` for in-session clones. Provisioned at install time, not by `dep_ensure`. |
| **Node.js 22** | Required for the browser tool (`agent-browser`), the TUI's web bridge, and the WhatsApp bridge. |
| **ffmpeg** | Audio format conversion for TTS / voice messages. |
| **ripgrep** | Fast file search — falls back to `grep` if unavailable. |
| **npm packages** | `agent-browser`, Playwright Chromium, and any per-toolset Node deps are installed once at first browser-tool use. |
Each dep has a `shutil.which(...)`-style check; if a binary is missing and the run is interactive, `dep_ensure` offers to install it (deferring to `scripts\install.ps1 -ensure <dep>` for the actual install logic). Non-interactive runs (gateway, cron, headless desktop launches) skip the prompt and surface a clear `this feature needs <dep>` error instead.
@ -82,18 +86,18 @@ On Windows, per-tool API key setup (Firecrawl, FAL, Browser Use, OpenAI TTS) is
Everything except the dashboard's embedded terminal pane runs natively on Windows.
| Feature | Native Windows | WSL2 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------- |
| CLI (`hermes chat`, `hermes setup`, `hermes gateway`, …) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interactive TUI (`hermes --tui`) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Messaging gateway (Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, 15+ platforms) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cron scheduler | ✓ | ✓ |
| Browser tool (Chromium via Node) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MCP servers (stdio and HTTP) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Local Ollama / LM Studio / llama-server | ✓ | ✓ (via WSL networking) |
| Web dashboard (sessions, jobs, metrics, config) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dashboard `/chat` embedded terminal pane | ✗ (needs POSIX PTY) | ✓ |
| Auto-start at login | ✓ (schtasks) | ✓ (systemd) |
| Feature | Native Windows | WSL2 |
|---|---|---|
| CLI (`hermes chat`, `hermes setup`, `hermes gateway`, …) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interactive TUI (`hermes --tui`) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Messaging gateway (Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, 15+ platforms) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cron scheduler | ✓ | ✓ |
| Browser tool (Chromium via Node) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MCP servers (stdio and HTTP) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Local Ollama / LM Studio / llama-server | ✓ | ✓ (via WSL networking) |
| Web dashboard (sessions, jobs, metrics, config) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dashboard `/chat` embedded terminal pane | ✗ (needs POSIX PTY) | ✓ |
| Auto-start at login | ✓ (schtasks) | ✓ (systemd) |
The dashboard's `/chat` tab embeds a real terminal via a POSIX PTY (`ptyprocess`). Native Windows has no equivalent primitive; Python's `pywinpty` / Windows ConPTY would work but is a separate implementation — treat as future work. **The rest of the dashboard works natively** — only that one tab shows a "use WSL2 for this" banner.
@ -136,12 +140,12 @@ Hermes's Windows stdio shim now sets `EDITOR=notepad` as a default. Notepad ship
**User overrides still win** (they're checked before the setdefault):
| Editor | PowerShell command |
| --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| VS Code | `$env:EDITOR = "code --wait"` |
| Editor | PowerShell command |
|---|---|
| VS Code | `$env:EDITOR = "code --wait"` |
| Notepad++ | `$env:EDITOR = "'C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe' -multiInst -nosession"` |
| Neovim | `$env:EDITOR = "nvim"` |
| Helix | `$env:EDITOR = "hx"` |
| Neovim | `$env:EDITOR = "nvim"` |
| Helix | `$env:EDITOR = "hx"` |
The `--wait` flag on VS Code is critical — without it the editor returns immediately and Hermes gets a blank buffer back.
@ -196,13 +200,13 @@ Services require admin rights to install and tie the gateway's lifecycle to mach
## Data layout
| Path | Contents |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\hermes-agent\` | Git checkout + venv. Safe to `Remove-Item -Recurse` and reinstall. |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\git\` | PortableGit (only if the installer provisioned it). |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\node\` | Portable Node.js (only if the installer provisioned it). |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\bin\` | `hermes.cmd` shim, added to User PATH. |
| `%USERPROFILE%\.hermes\` | Your config, auth, skills, sessions, logs. **Survives reinstalls.** |
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\hermes-agent\` | Git checkout + venv. Safe to `Remove-Item -Recurse` and reinstall. |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\git\` | PortableGit (only if the installer provisioned it). |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\node\` | Portable Node.js (only if the installer provisioned it). |
| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\bin\` | `hermes.cmd` shim, added to User PATH. |
| `%USERPROFILE%\.hermes\` | Your config, auth, skills, sessions, logs. **Survives reinstalls.** |
The split is deliberate: `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes` is disposable infrastructure (you can blow it away and the one-liner restores it). `%USERPROFILE%\.hermes` is your data — config, memory, skills, session history — and is identical in shape to a Linux install. Mirror it between machines and your Hermes moves with you.
@ -220,12 +224,12 @@ The browser tool uses `agent-browser` (a Node helper) to drive Chromium. On Wind
### PATH after install
The installer adds `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\bin` to your **User PATH** via `[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable`. Existing terminals don't pick this up — open a new PowerShell window (or Windows Terminal tab) after installation. Close-and-reopen, don't `$env:PATH += …` by hand unless you know what you're doing.
The installer adds `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\hermes-agent\venv\Scripts` to your **User PATH** via `[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable`. Existing terminals don't pick this up — open a new PowerShell window (or Windows Terminal tab) after installation. Close-and-reopen, don't `$env:PATH += …` by hand unless you know what you're doing.
Verify:
```powershell
Get-Command hermes # should print C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\hermes\bin\hermes.cmd
Get-Command hermes # should print C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\hermes\hermes-agent\venv\Scripts\hermes.exe
hermes --version
```
@ -244,11 +248,11 @@ Don't put secrets in User environment variables unless you specifically want eve
These only affect native Windows installs:
| Variable | Effect |
| ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `HERMES_GIT_BASH_PATH` | Override bash.exe discovery. Point at any bash — full Git-for-Windows, WSL bash via symlink, MSYS2, Cygwin. The installer sets this automatically. |
| `HERMES_DISABLE_WINDOWS_UTF8` | Set to `1` to disable the UTF-8 stdio shim and fall back to the locale code page. Useful for bisecting an encoding bug. |
| `EDITOR` / `VISUAL` | Your editor for `/edit` and `Ctrl-X Ctrl-E`. Hermes defaults to `notepad` if both are unset. |
| Variable | Effect |
|---|---|
| `HERMES_GIT_BASH_PATH` | Override bash.exe discovery. Point at any bash — full Git-for-Windows, WSL bash via symlink, MSYS2, Cygwin. The installer sets this automatically. |
| `HERMES_DISABLE_WINDOWS_UTF8` | Set to `1` to disable the UTF-8 stdio shim and fall back to the locale code page. Useful for bisecting an encoding bug. |
| `EDITOR` / `VISUAL` | Your editor for `/edit` and `Ctrl-X Ctrl-E`. Hermes defaults to `notepad` if both are unset. |
## Uninstall
@ -283,7 +287,7 @@ Consequence: any codepath that said "check if this PID is alive" via `os.kill(pi
## Common pitfalls
**`hermes: command not found` right after install.**
Open a new PowerShell window. The installer added `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\bin` to User PATH, but existing shells need to be restarted to pick it up.
Open a new PowerShell window. The installer added `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\bin` to User PATH, but existing shells need to be restarted to pick it up. In the meantime you can run `& "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\bin\hermes.cmd"`.
**`WinError 193: %1 is not a valid Win32 application` when running a tool.**
You hit a shebang-script invocation that bypassed the `.cmd` shim. Hermes resolves commands through `shutil.which(cmd, path=local_bin)` so PATHEXT picks up `.CMD` — if you're invoking the tool via a hardcoded path instead, switch to the `.cmd` variant (e.g., `npx.cmd`, not `npx`).