fix(curator): defer first run and add --dry-run preview (#18373) (#18389)

* fix(curator): defer first run and add --dry-run preview (#18373)

Curator was meant to run 7 days after install, not on the very first
gateway tick. On a fresh install (no .curator_state), should_run_now()
returned True immediately because last_run_at was None — so the gateway
cron ticker fired Curator against a fresh skill library moments after
'hermes update'. Combined with the binary 'agent-created' provenance
model (anything not bundled and not hub-installed), this consolidated
hand-authored user workflow skills without consent.

Changes:
- should_run_now(): first observation seeds last_run_at='now' and returns
  False. The next real pass fires one full interval_hours later (7 days
  by default), matching the original design intent.
- hermes curator run --dry-run: produces the same review report without
  applying automatic transitions OR permitting the LLM to call
  skill_manage / terminal mv. A DRY-RUN banner is prepended to the
  prompt and the caller skips apply_automatic_transitions. State is
  NOT advanced so a preview doesn't defer the next scheduled real pass.
- hermes update: prints a one-liner on fresh installs pointing at
  --dry-run, pause, and the docs. Silent on steady state.
- Docs: curator.md and cli-commands.md explain the deferred first-run
  behavior and warn that hand-written SKILL.md files share the
  'agent-created' bucket, with guidance to pin or preview before the
  first pass.

Tests:
- test_first_run_defers replaces the old 'first run always eligible'
  assertion — same fixture, inverted expectation.
- test_maybe_run_curator_defers_on_fresh_install covers the gateway tick
  path end-to-end.
- Three new dry-run tests cover state-advance suppression, prompt
  banner injection, and apply_automatic_transitions skipping.

Fixes #18373.

* feat(curator): pre-run backup + rollback (#18373)

Every real curator pass now snapshots ~/.hermes/skills/ into
~/.hermes/skills/.curator_backups/<utc-iso>/skills.tar.gz before calling
apply_automatic_transitions or the LLM review. If a run consolidates or
archives something the user didn't want touched, 'hermes curator
rollback' restores the tree in one command. Dry-run is skipped — no
mutation means no snapshot needed.

Changes:
- agent/curator_backup.py (new): tar.gz snapshot + safe rollback. The
  snapshot excludes .curator_backups/ (would recurse) and .hub/ (managed
  by the skills hub). Extract refuses absolute paths and .. components,
  and uses tarfile's filter='data' on Python 3.12+. Rollback takes a
  pre-rollback safety snapshot FIRST, stages the current tree into
  .rollback-staging-<ts>/ so the extract lands in an empty dir, and
  cleans the staging dir on success. A failed extract restores the
  staged contents.
- agent/curator.py: run_curator_review() calls curator_backup.
  snapshot_skills(reason='pre-curator-run') before apply_automatic_
  transitions. Best-effort — a failed snapshot logs at debug and the
  run continues (a transient disk issue shouldn't silently disable
  curator forever).
- hermes_cli/curator.py: new 'hermes curator backup' and 'hermes curator
  rollback' subcommands. rollback supports --list, --id <ts>, -y.
- hermes_cli/config.py: curator.backup.{enabled, keep} config block
  with sane defaults (enabled=true, keep=5).
- Docs: curator.md gets a 'Backups and rollback' section; cli-commands
  .md table gets the new rows.

Tests (new file tests/agent/test_curator_backup.py, 16 cases):
- snapshot creates tarball + manifest with correct counts
- snapshot excludes .curator_backups/ (recursion guard) and .hub/
- snapshot disabled via config returns None without creating anything
- snapshot uniquifies ids within the same second (-01 suffix)
- prune honors keep count, newest-first
- list_backups + _resolve_backup cover newest-default and unknown-id
- rollback restores a deleted skill with content intact
- rollback is itself undoable — safety snapshot shows up in list_backups
- rollback with no snapshots returns an error
- rollback refuses tarballs with absolute paths or .. components
- real curator runs take a 'pre-curator-run' snapshot; dry-runs do not

All curator tests: 210 passing locally.
This commit is contained in:
Teknium 2026-05-01 09:49:59 -07:00 committed by GitHub
parent c5b4c48165
commit 77c0bc6b13
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9 changed files with 1226 additions and 20 deletions

View file

@ -184,7 +184,16 @@ def should_run_now(now: Optional[datetime] = None) -> bool:
Gates:
- curator.enabled == True
- not paused
- last_run_at missing, OR older than interval_hours
- last_run_at present AND older than interval_hours
First-run behavior: when there is no ``last_run_at`` (fresh install, or
install that predates the curator), we DO NOT run immediately. The
curator is designed to run after at least ``interval_hours`` (7 days by
default) of skill activity, not on the first background tick after
``hermes update``. On first observation we seed ``last_run_at`` to "now"
and defer the first real pass by one full interval. Users who want to
run it sooner can always invoke ``hermes curator run`` (with or without
``--dry-run``) explicitly that path bypasses this gate.
The idle check (min_idle_hours) is applied at the call site where we know
whether an agent is actively running here we only enforce the static
@ -198,7 +207,21 @@ def should_run_now(now: Optional[datetime] = None) -> bool:
state = load_state()
last = _parse_iso(state.get("last_run_at"))
if last is None:
return True
# Never run before. Seed state so we wait a full interval before the
# first real pass. Report-only; do not auto-mutate the library the
# very first time a gateway ticks after an update.
if now is None:
now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
try:
state["last_run_at"] = now.isoformat()
state["last_run_summary"] = (
"deferred first run — curator seeded, will run after one "
"interval; use `hermes curator run --dry-run` to preview now"
)
save_state(state)
except Exception as e: # pragma: no cover — best-effort persistence
logger.debug("Failed to seed curator last_run_at: %s", e)
return False
if now is None:
now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
@ -259,6 +282,33 @@ def apply_automatic_transitions(now: Optional[datetime] = None) -> Dict[str, int
# Review prompt for the forked agent
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CURATOR_DRY_RUN_BANNER = (
"═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════\n"
"DRY-RUN — REPORT ONLY. DO NOT MUTATE THE SKILL LIBRARY.\n"
"═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════\n"
"\n"
"This is a PREVIEW pass. Follow every instruction below EXCEPT:\n"
"\n"
" • DO NOT call skill_manage with action=patch, create, delete, "
"write_file, or remove_file.\n"
" • DO NOT call terminal to mv skill directories into .archive/.\n"
" • DO NOT call terminal to mv, cp, rm, or rewrite any file under "
"~/.hermes/skills/.\n"
" • skills_list and skill_view are FINE — read as much as you need.\n"
"\n"
"Your output IS the deliverable. Produce the exact same "
"human-readable summary and structured YAML block you would "
"produce on a live run — but describe the actions you WOULD take, "
"not actions you took. A downstream reviewer will read the report "
"and decide whether to approve a live run with "
"`hermes curator run` (no flag).\n"
"\n"
"If you accidentally take a mutating action, say so explicitly in "
"the summary so the reviewer can revert it.\n"
"═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════"
)
CURATOR_REVIEW_PROMPT = (
"You are running as Hermes' background skill CURATOR. This is an "
"UMBRELLA-BUILDING consolidation pass, not a passive audit and not a "
@ -1072,6 +1122,7 @@ def _render_candidate_list() -> str:
def run_curator_review(
on_summary: Optional[Callable[[str], None]] = None,
synchronous: bool = False,
dry_run: bool = False,
) -> Dict[str, Any]:
"""Execute a single curator review pass.
@ -1084,9 +1135,43 @@ def run_curator_review(
If *synchronous* is True, the LLM review runs in the calling thread; the
default is to spawn a daemon thread so the caller returns immediately.
If *dry_run* is True, the automatic stale/archive transitions are SKIPPED
and the LLM review pass is instructed to produce a report only no
skill_manage mutations, no terminal archive moves. The REPORT.md still
gets written and ``state.last_report_path`` still records it so users
can read what the curator WOULD have done.
"""
start = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
counts = apply_automatic_transitions(now=start)
if dry_run:
# Count candidates without mutating state.
try:
report = skill_usage.agent_created_report()
counts = {
"checked": len(report),
"marked_stale": 0,
"archived": 0,
"reactivated": 0,
}
except Exception:
counts = {"checked": 0, "marked_stale": 0, "archived": 0, "reactivated": 0}
else:
# Pre-mutation snapshot — best-effort, never blocks the run. A
# failed snapshot logs at debug and continues (the alternative is
# that a transient disk issue silently disables curator forever,
# which is worse). Users who want to require snapshots can disable
# curator entirely until they can fix disk space.
try:
from agent import curator_backup
snap = curator_backup.snapshot_skills(reason="pre-curator-run")
if snap is not None and on_summary:
try:
on_summary(f"curator: snapshot created ({snap.name})")
except Exception:
pass
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("Curator pre-run snapshot failed: %s", e, exc_info=True)
counts = apply_automatic_transitions(now=start)
auto_summary_parts = []
if counts["marked_stale"]:
@ -1098,11 +1183,16 @@ def run_curator_review(
auto_summary = ", ".join(auto_summary_parts) if auto_summary_parts else "no changes"
# Persist state before the LLM pass so a crash mid-review still records
# the run and doesn't immediately re-trigger.
# the run and doesn't immediately re-trigger. In dry-run we do NOT bump
# last_run_at or run_count — a preview shouldn't push the next scheduled
# real pass out. We still record a summary so `hermes curator status`
# shows that a preview ran.
state = load_state()
state["last_run_at"] = start.isoformat()
state["run_count"] = int(state.get("run_count", 0)) + 1
state["last_run_summary"] = f"auto: {auto_summary}"
if not dry_run:
state["last_run_at"] = start.isoformat()
state["run_count"] = int(state.get("run_count", 0)) + 1
prefix = "dry-run auto: " if dry_run else "auto: "
state["last_run_summary"] = f"{prefix}{auto_summary}"
save_state(state)
def _llm_pass():
@ -1118,7 +1208,7 @@ def run_curator_review(
try:
candidate_list = _render_candidate_list()
if "No agent-created skills" in candidate_list:
final_summary = f"auto: {auto_summary}; llm: skipped (no candidates)"
final_summary = f"{prefix}{auto_summary}; llm: skipped (no candidates)"
llm_meta = {
"final": "",
"summary": "skipped (no candidates)",
@ -1128,14 +1218,21 @@ def run_curator_review(
"error": None,
}
else:
prompt = f"{CURATOR_REVIEW_PROMPT}\n\n{candidate_list}"
if dry_run:
prompt = (
f"{CURATOR_DRY_RUN_BANNER}\n\n"
f"{CURATOR_REVIEW_PROMPT}\n\n"
f"{candidate_list}"
)
else:
prompt = f"{CURATOR_REVIEW_PROMPT}\n\n{candidate_list}"
llm_meta = _run_llm_review(prompt)
final_summary = (
f"auto: {auto_summary}; llm: {llm_meta.get('summary', 'no change')}"
f"{prefix}{auto_summary}; llm: {llm_meta.get('summary', 'no change')}"
)
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("Curator LLM pass failed: %s", e, exc_info=True)
final_summary = f"auto: {auto_summary}; llm: error ({e})"
final_summary = f"{prefix}{auto_summary}; llm: error ({e})"
llm_meta = {
"final": "",
"summary": f"error ({e})",

440
agent/curator_backup.py Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,440 @@
"""Curator snapshot + rollback.
A pre-run snapshot of ``~/.hermes/skills/`` (excluding ``.curator_backups/``
itself) is taken before any mutating curator pass. Snapshots are tar.gz
files under ``~/.hermes/skills/.curator_backups/<utc-iso>/`` with a
companion ``manifest.json`` describing the snapshot (reason, time, size,
counted skill files). Rollback picks a snapshot, moves the current
``skills/`` tree aside into another snapshot so even the rollback itself
is undoable, then extracts the chosen snapshot into place.
The snapshot does NOT include:
- ``.curator_backups/`` (would recurse)
- ``.hub/`` (hub-installed skills managed by the hub, not us)
It DOES include:
- all SKILL.md files + their directories (``scripts/``, ``references/``,
``templates/``, ``assets/``)
- ``.usage.json`` (usage telemetry needed to rehydrate state cleanly)
- ``.archive/`` (so rollback restores previously-archived skills too)
- ``.curator_state`` (so rolling back also restores the last-run-at
pointer otherwise the curator would immediately re-fire on the next
tick)
- ``.bundled_manifest`` (so protection markers stay consistent)
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import json
import logging
import os
import re
import shutil
import tarfile
import tempfile
import time
from datetime import datetime, timezone
from pathlib import Path
from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
DEFAULT_KEEP = 5
# Entries under skills/ that should NEVER be rolled up into a snapshot.
# .hub/ is managed by the skills hub; rolling it back would break lockfile
# invariants. .curator_backups is the backup dir itself — recursion bomb.
_EXCLUDE_TOP_LEVEL = {".curator_backups", ".hub"}
# Snapshot id regex: UTC ISO with colons replaced by dashes so the filename
# is portable (Windows-safe). An optional ``-NN`` suffix handles two
# snapshots landing in the same wallclock second.
_ID_RE = re.compile(r"^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}-\d{2}-\d{2}Z(-\d{2})?$")
def _backups_dir() -> Path:
return get_hermes_home() / "skills" / ".curator_backups"
def _skills_dir() -> Path:
return get_hermes_home() / "skills"
def _utc_id(now: Optional[datetime] = None) -> str:
"""UTC ISO-ish filesystem-safe timestamp: ``2026-05-01T13-05-42Z``."""
if now is None:
now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
# isoformat → "2026-05-01T13:05:42.123456+00:00"; strip subseconds and tz.
s = now.replace(microsecond=0).isoformat()
if s.endswith("+00:00"):
s = s[:-6]
return s.replace(":", "-") + "Z"
def _load_config() -> Dict[str, Any]:
try:
from hermes_cli.config import load_config
cfg = load_config()
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("Failed to load config for curator backup: %s", e)
return {}
if not isinstance(cfg, dict):
return {}
cur = cfg.get("curator") or {}
if not isinstance(cur, dict):
return {}
bk = cur.get("backup") or {}
return bk if isinstance(bk, dict) else {}
def is_enabled() -> bool:
"""Default ON — the whole point of the backup is safety by default."""
return bool(_load_config().get("enabled", True))
def get_keep() -> int:
cfg = _load_config()
try:
n = int(cfg.get("keep", DEFAULT_KEEP))
except (TypeError, ValueError):
n = DEFAULT_KEEP
return max(1, n)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Snapshot
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def _count_skill_files(base: Path) -> int:
try:
return sum(1 for _ in base.rglob("SKILL.md"))
except OSError:
return 0
def _write_manifest(dest: Path, reason: str, archive_path: Path,
skills_counted: int) -> None:
manifest = {
"id": dest.name,
"reason": reason,
"created_at": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
"archive": archive_path.name,
"archive_bytes": archive_path.stat().st_size,
"skill_files": skills_counted,
}
(dest / "manifest.json").write_text(
json.dumps(manifest, indent=2, sort_keys=True), encoding="utf-8"
)
def snapshot_skills(reason: str = "manual") -> Optional[Path]:
"""Create a tar.gz snapshot of ``~/.hermes/skills/`` and prune old ones.
Returns the snapshot directory path, or ``None`` if the snapshot was
skipped (backup disabled, skills dir missing, or an IO error occurred
in which case we log at debug and return None so the curator never
aborts a pass because of a backup failure).
"""
if not is_enabled():
logger.debug("Curator backup disabled by config; skipping snapshot")
return None
skills = _skills_dir()
if not skills.exists():
logger.debug("No ~/.hermes/skills/ directory — nothing to back up")
return None
backups = _backups_dir()
try:
backups.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
except OSError as e:
logger.debug("Failed to create backups dir %s: %s", backups, e)
return None
# Uniquify: if a snapshot with the same second already exists (can
# happen if two curator runs fire in the same second), append a short
# counter. Avoids clobbering and avoids timestamp collisions.
base_id = _utc_id()
snap_id = base_id
counter = 1
while (backups / snap_id).exists():
snap_id = f"{base_id}-{counter:02d}"
counter += 1
dest = backups / snap_id
try:
dest.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=False)
except OSError as e:
logger.debug("Failed to create snapshot dir %s: %s", dest, e)
return None
archive = dest / "skills.tar.gz"
try:
# Stream into the tarball — no tempdir copy needed.
with tarfile.open(archive, "w:gz", compresslevel=6) as tf:
for entry in sorted(skills.iterdir()):
if entry.name in _EXCLUDE_TOP_LEVEL:
continue
# arcname: store paths relative to skills/ so extraction
# drops cleanly back into the skills dir.
tf.add(str(entry), arcname=entry.name, recursive=True)
_write_manifest(dest, reason, archive, _count_skill_files(skills))
except (OSError, tarfile.TarError) as e:
logger.debug("Curator snapshot failed: %s", e, exc_info=True)
# Clean up partial snapshot
try:
shutil.rmtree(dest, ignore_errors=True)
except OSError:
pass
return None
_prune_old(keep=get_keep())
logger.info("Curator snapshot created: %s (%s)", snap_id, reason)
return dest
def _prune_old(keep: int) -> List[str]:
"""Delete regular snapshots beyond the newest *keep*. Returns deleted
ids. Staging dirs (``.rollback-staging-*``) are implementation detail
and pruned independently on every call."""
backups = _backups_dir()
if not backups.exists():
return []
entries: List[Tuple[str, Path]] = []
stale_staging: List[Path] = []
for child in backups.iterdir():
if not child.is_dir():
continue
if child.name.startswith(".rollback-staging-"):
# Staging dirs are only supposed to exist briefly during a
# rollback. If we find one here (e.g. from a crashed rollback),
# clean it up opportunistically.
stale_staging.append(child)
continue
if _ID_RE.match(child.name):
entries.append((child.name, child))
# Newest first (lexicographic works because the id is UTC ISO).
entries.sort(key=lambda t: t[0], reverse=True)
deleted: List[str] = []
for _, path in entries[keep:]:
try:
shutil.rmtree(path)
deleted.append(path.name)
except OSError as e:
logger.debug("Failed to prune %s: %s", path, e)
for path in stale_staging:
try:
shutil.rmtree(path)
except OSError as e:
logger.debug("Failed to clean stale staging dir %s: %s", path, e)
return deleted
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# List + rollback
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def _read_manifest(snap_dir: Path) -> Dict[str, Any]:
mf = snap_dir / "manifest.json"
if not mf.exists():
return {}
try:
return json.loads(mf.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError):
return {}
def list_backups() -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
"""Return all restorable snapshots, newest first. Only entries with a
real ``skills.tar.gz`` tarball are listed transient
``.rollback-staging-*`` directories created mid-rollback are
implementation detail and not shown."""
backups = _backups_dir()
if not backups.exists():
return []
out: List[Dict[str, Any]] = []
for child in sorted(backups.iterdir(), reverse=True):
if not child.is_dir():
continue
if not _ID_RE.match(child.name):
continue
if not (child / "skills.tar.gz").exists():
continue
mf = _read_manifest(child)
mf.setdefault("id", child.name)
mf.setdefault("path", str(child))
if "archive_bytes" not in mf:
arc = child / "skills.tar.gz"
try:
mf["archive_bytes"] = arc.stat().st_size
except OSError:
mf["archive_bytes"] = 0
out.append(mf)
return out
def _resolve_backup(backup_id: Optional[str]) -> Optional[Path]:
"""Return the path of the requested backup, or the newest one if
*backup_id* is None. Returns None if no match."""
backups = _backups_dir()
if not backups.exists():
return None
if backup_id:
target = backups / backup_id
if (
target.is_dir()
and _ID_RE.match(backup_id)
and (target / "skills.tar.gz").exists()
):
return target
return None
candidates = [
c for c in sorted(backups.iterdir(), reverse=True)
if c.is_dir() and _ID_RE.match(c.name) and (c / "skills.tar.gz").exists()
]
return candidates[0] if candidates else None
def rollback(backup_id: Optional[str] = None) -> Tuple[bool, str, Optional[Path]]:
"""Restore ``~/.hermes/skills/`` from a snapshot.
Strategy:
1. Resolve the target snapshot (explicit id or newest regular).
2. Take a safety snapshot of the CURRENT skills tree under
``.curator_backups/pre-rollback-<ts>/`` so the rollback itself is
undoable.
3. Move all current top-level entries (except ``.curator_backups``
and ``.hub``) into a tempdir.
4. Extract the chosen snapshot into ``~/.hermes/skills/``.
5. On failure during 4, move the tempdir contents back (best-effort)
and return failure.
Returns ``(ok, message, snapshot_path)``.
"""
target = _resolve_backup(backup_id)
if target is None:
return (
False,
f"no matching backup found"
+ (f" for id '{backup_id}'" if backup_id else "")
+ " (use `hermes curator rollback --list` to see available snapshots)",
None,
)
archive = target / "skills.tar.gz"
if not archive.exists():
return (False, f"snapshot {target.name} has no skills.tar.gz — corrupted?", None)
skills = _skills_dir()
skills.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
backups = _backups_dir()
backups.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
# Step 2: safety snapshot of current state FIRST. If this fails we bail
# out before touching anything — otherwise a failed extract could leave
# the user with no skills.
try:
snapshot_skills(reason=f"pre-rollback to {target.name}")
except Exception as e:
return (False, f"pre-rollback safety snapshot failed: {e}", None)
# Additionally move current entries into an internal staging dir so
# the extract happens into an empty skills tree (predictable result).
# This dir is implementation detail — not listed as a restorable
# backup. The safety snapshot above is the user-facing undo handle.
staged = backups / f".rollback-staging-{_utc_id()}"
try:
staged.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=False)
except OSError as e:
return (False, f"failed to create staging dir: {e}", None)
moved: List[Tuple[Path, Path]] = []
try:
for entry in list(skills.iterdir()):
if entry.name in _EXCLUDE_TOP_LEVEL:
continue
dest = staged / entry.name
shutil.move(str(entry), str(dest))
moved.append((entry, dest))
except OSError as e:
# Best-effort rollback of the move
for orig, dest in moved:
try:
shutil.move(str(dest), str(orig))
except OSError:
pass
try:
shutil.rmtree(staged, ignore_errors=True)
except OSError:
pass
return (False, f"failed to stage current skills: {e}", None)
# Step 4: extract the snapshot into skills/
try:
with tarfile.open(archive, "r:gz") as tf:
# Python 3.12+ supports filter='data' for safer extraction.
# Fall back to the unfiltered call for older interpreters but
# still reject absolute paths and .. components defensively.
for member in tf.getmembers():
name = member.name
if name.startswith("/") or ".." in Path(name).parts:
raise tarfile.TarError(
f"refusing to extract unsafe path: {name!r}"
)
try:
tf.extractall(str(skills), filter="data") # type: ignore[call-arg]
except TypeError:
# Python < 3.12 — no filter kwarg
tf.extractall(str(skills))
except (OSError, tarfile.TarError) as e:
# Best-effort recover: move staged contents back
for orig, dest in moved:
try:
shutil.move(str(dest), str(orig))
except OSError:
pass
try:
shutil.rmtree(staged, ignore_errors=True)
except OSError:
pass
return (False, f"snapshot extract failed (state restored): {e}", None)
# Extract succeeded — the staging dir has served its purpose. The
# user's undo handle is the safety snapshot tarball we took earlier.
try:
shutil.rmtree(staged, ignore_errors=True)
except OSError:
pass
logger.info("Curator rollback: restored from %s", target.name)
return (True, f"restored from snapshot {target.name}", target)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Human-readable summary for CLI
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def format_size(n: int) -> str:
for unit in ("B", "KB", "MB", "GB"):
if n < 1024 or unit == "GB":
return f"{n:.1f} {unit}" if unit != "B" else f"{n} B"
n /= 1024
return f"{n:.1f} GB"
def summarize_backups() -> str:
rows = list_backups()
if not rows:
return "No curator snapshots yet."
lines = [f"{'id':<24} {'reason':<40} {'skills':>6} {'size':>8}"]
lines.append("" * len(lines[0]))
for r in rows:
lines.append(
f"{r.get('id','?'):<24} "
f"{(r.get('reason','?') or '?')[:40]:<40} "
f"{r.get('skill_files', 0):>6} "
f"{format_size(int(r.get('archive_bytes', 0))):>8}"
)
return "\n".join(lines)

View file

@ -1022,6 +1022,14 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
# Archive a skill (move to skills/.archive/) after this many days
# without use. Archived skills are recoverable — no auto-deletion.
"archive_after_days": 90,
# Pre-run backup: before every real curator pass (dry-run is
# skipped), snapshot ~/.hermes/skills/ into
# ~/.hermes/skills/.curator_backups/<utc-iso>/skills.tar.gz so the
# user can roll back with `hermes curator rollback`.
"backup": {
"enabled": True,
"keep": 5, # retain last N regular snapshots
},
},
# Honcho AI-native memory -- reads ~/.honcho/config.json as single source of truth.

View file

@ -160,7 +160,11 @@ def _cmd_run(args) -> int:
print("curator: disabled via config; enable with `curator.enabled: true`")
return 1
print("curator: running review pass...")
dry = bool(getattr(args, "dry_run", False))
if dry:
print("curator: running DRY-RUN (report only, no mutations)...")
else:
print("curator: running review pass...")
def _on_summary(msg: str) -> None:
print(msg)
@ -168,17 +172,29 @@ def _cmd_run(args) -> int:
result = curator.run_curator_review(
on_summary=_on_summary,
synchronous=bool(args.synchronous),
dry_run=dry,
)
auto = result.get("auto_transitions", {})
if auto:
print(
f"auto: checked={auto.get('checked', 0)} "
f"stale={auto.get('marked_stale', 0)} "
f"archived={auto.get('archived', 0)} "
f"reactivated={auto.get('reactivated', 0)}"
)
if dry:
print(
f"auto (preview): {auto.get('checked', 0)} candidate skill(s) "
"— no transitions applied in dry-run"
)
else:
print(
f"auto: checked={auto.get('checked', 0)} "
f"stale={auto.get('marked_stale', 0)} "
f"archived={auto.get('archived', 0)} "
f"reactivated={auto.get('reactivated', 0)}"
)
if not args.synchronous:
print("llm pass running in background — check `hermes curator status` later")
if dry:
print(
"dry-run: no changes applied. When the report lands, read it with "
"`hermes curator status` and run `hermes curator run` (no flag) to apply."
)
return 0
@ -229,6 +245,86 @@ def _cmd_restore(args) -> int:
return 0 if ok else 1
def _cmd_backup(args) -> int:
"""Take a manual snapshot of the skills tree. Same mechanism as the
automatic pre-run snapshot, just user-initiated."""
from agent import curator_backup
if not curator_backup.is_enabled():
print(
"curator: backups are disabled via config "
"(`curator.backup.enabled: false`); re-enable to snapshot"
)
return 1
reason = getattr(args, "reason", None) or "manual"
snap = curator_backup.snapshot_skills(reason=reason)
if snap is None:
print("curator: snapshot failed — check logs (backup disabled or IO error)")
return 1
print(f"curator: snapshot created at ~/.hermes/skills/.curator_backups/{snap.name}")
return 0
def _cmd_rollback(args) -> int:
"""Restore the skills tree from a snapshot. Defaults to newest.
``--list`` prints available snapshots and exits. ``--id <stamp>`` picks
a specific one. Without ``-y``, prompts for confirmation. A safety
snapshot of the current tree is always taken first, so rollbacks are
themselves undoable.
"""
from agent import curator_backup
if getattr(args, "list", False):
print(curator_backup.summarize_backups())
return 0
backup_id = getattr(args, "backup_id", None)
target_path = curator_backup._resolve_backup(backup_id)
if target_path is None:
rows = curator_backup.list_backups()
if not rows:
print(
"curator: no snapshots exist yet. Take one with "
"`hermes curator backup` or wait for the next curator run."
)
else:
print(
f"curator: no snapshot matching "
f"{'id ' + repr(backup_id) if backup_id else 'your query'}."
)
print("Available:")
print(curator_backup.summarize_backups())
return 1
manifest = curator_backup._read_manifest(target_path)
print(f"Rollback target: {target_path.name}")
if manifest:
print(f" reason: {manifest.get('reason', '?')}")
print(f" created_at: {manifest.get('created_at', '?')}")
print(f" skill files: {manifest.get('skill_files', '?')}")
print(
"\nThis will replace the current ~/.hermes/skills/ tree (a safety "
"snapshot of the current state is taken first so this is undoable)."
)
if not getattr(args, "yes", False):
try:
ans = input("Proceed? [y/N] ").strip().lower()
except (EOFError, KeyboardInterrupt):
print("\ncancelled")
return 1
if ans not in ("y", "yes"):
print("cancelled")
return 1
ok, msg, _ = curator_backup.rollback(backup_id=target_path.name)
if ok:
print(f"curator: {msg}")
return 0
print(f"curator: rollback failed — {msg}")
return 1
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# argparse wiring (called from hermes_cli.main)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ -250,6 +346,11 @@ def register_cli(parent: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
"--sync", "--synchronous", dest="synchronous", action="store_true",
help="Wait for the LLM review pass to finish (default: background thread)",
)
p_run.add_argument(
"--dry-run", dest="dry_run", action="store_true",
help="Report only — no state changes, no archives, no consolidation "
"(use this to preview what curator would do)",
)
p_run.set_defaults(func=_cmd_run)
p_pause = subs.add_parser("pause", help="Pause the curator until resumed")
@ -270,6 +371,36 @@ def register_cli(parent: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
p_restore.add_argument("skill", help="Skill name")
p_restore.set_defaults(func=_cmd_restore)
p_backup = subs.add_parser(
"backup",
help="Take a manual tar.gz snapshot of ~/.hermes/skills/ "
"(curator also does this automatically before every real run)",
)
p_backup.add_argument(
"--reason", default=None,
help="Free-text label stored in manifest.json (default: 'manual')",
)
p_backup.set_defaults(func=_cmd_backup)
p_rollback = subs.add_parser(
"rollback",
help="Restore ~/.hermes/skills/ from a curator snapshot "
"(defaults to the newest)",
)
p_rollback.add_argument(
"--list", action="store_true",
help="List available snapshots and exit without restoring",
)
p_rollback.add_argument(
"--id", dest="backup_id", default=None,
help="Snapshot id to restore (see `--list`); default: newest",
)
p_rollback.add_argument(
"-y", "--yes", action="store_true",
help="Skip confirmation prompt",
)
p_rollback.set_defaults(func=_cmd_rollback)
def cli_main(argv=None) -> int:
"""Standalone entry (also usable by hermes_cli.main fallthrough)."""

View file

@ -5433,6 +5433,45 @@ def _find_stale_dashboard_pids() -> list[int]:
return dashboard_pids
def _print_curator_first_run_notice() -> None:
"""Print a short heads-up about the skill curator after `hermes update`.
Only fires when the curator is enabled AND has no recorded run yet, which
is exactly the window where the gateway ticker used to fire Curator
against a fresh skill library immediately after an update. We defer the
first real pass by one ``interval_hours``; this notice tells the user how
to preview or disable before then. Silent on steady state.
"""
try:
from agent import curator
except Exception:
return
try:
if not curator.is_enabled():
return
state = curator.load_state()
except Exception:
return
if state.get("last_run_at"):
# Curator has run before (real or already seeded) — no notice needed.
return
try:
hours = curator.get_interval_hours()
except Exception:
hours = 24 * 7
days = max(1, hours // 24)
print()
print(" Skill curator")
print(
f" Background skill maintenance is enabled. First pass is deferred "
f"~{days}d after installation; only agent-created skills are in "
f"scope and nothing is ever auto-deleted (archive is recoverable)."
)
print(" Preview now: hermes curator run --dry-run")
print(" Pause it: hermes curator pause")
print(" Docs: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/curator")
def _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(
reason: str = "the running backend no longer matches the updated frontend",
) -> None:
@ -5670,6 +5709,10 @@ def _update_via_zip(args):
print()
print("✓ Update complete!")
try:
_print_curator_first_run_notice()
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("Curator first-run notice failed: %s", e)
_kill_stale_dashboard_processes()
@ -7109,6 +7152,15 @@ def _cmd_update_impl(args, gateway_mode: bool):
print()
print("✓ Update complete!")
# Curator first-run heads-up. Only prints when curator is enabled AND
# has never run — i.e. the window where the ticker would otherwise
# have fired against a fresh skill library. Kept silent on steady
# state so we don't nag.
try:
_print_curator_first_run_notice()
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("Curator first-run notice failed: %s", e)
# Repair RHEL-family root installs where /usr/local/bin isn't on PATH
# for non-login interactive shells. No-op on every other platform.
try:

View file

@ -86,9 +86,22 @@ def test_curator_config_overrides(curator_env, monkeypatch):
# should_run_now
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def test_first_run_always_eligible(curator_env):
def test_first_run_defers(curator_env):
"""The FIRST observation of the curator (fresh install, no state file)
must NOT trigger an immediate run. The curator is designed to run after
a full ``interval_hours`` of skill activity, not on the first background
tick after installation. Fixes #18373.
"""
c = curator_env["curator"]
assert c.should_run_now() is True
# No state file — should defer and seed last_run_at.
assert c.should_run_now() is False
state = c.load_state()
assert state.get("last_run_at") is not None, (
"first observation should seed last_run_at so the interval clock "
"starts ticking instead of firing immediately next tick"
)
# A second immediate call still returns False (seeded, not yet stale).
assert c.should_run_now() is False
def test_recent_run_blocks(curator_env):
@ -265,6 +278,77 @@ def test_run_review_records_state(curator_env):
assert state["last_run_summary"] is not None
def test_dry_run_does_not_advance_state(curator_env, monkeypatch):
"""Dry-run previews must not bump last_run_at or run_count. A preview
shouldn't defer the next scheduled real pass or look like a real run in
`hermes curator status`. Fixes #18373.
"""
c = curator_env["curator"]
skills_dir = curator_env["home"] / "skills"
_write_skill(skills_dir, "a")
# Stub the LLM so the test doesn't need a provider.
monkeypatch.setattr(
c, "_run_llm_review",
lambda prompt: {
"final": "", "summary": "dry preview", "model": "", "provider": "",
"tool_calls": [], "error": None,
},
)
c.run_curator_review(synchronous=True, dry_run=True)
state = c.load_state()
assert state.get("last_run_at") is None, "dry-run must not seed last_run_at"
assert state.get("run_count", 0) == 0, "dry-run must not bump run_count"
assert "dry-run" in (state.get("last_run_summary") or ""), (
"dry-run summary should be labeled so status output is unambiguous"
)
def test_dry_run_injects_report_only_banner(curator_env, monkeypatch):
"""The dry-run prompt must carry a banner instructing the LLM not to
call any mutating tool. This is defense in depth the caller also
skips automatic transitions but the LLM prompt is the only guard
against the model calling skill_manage directly."""
c = curator_env["curator"]
skills_dir = curator_env["home"] / "skills"
_write_skill(skills_dir, "a")
captured = {}
def _stub(prompt):
captured["prompt"] = prompt
return {"final": "", "summary": "s", "model": "", "provider": "",
"tool_calls": [], "error": None}
monkeypatch.setattr(c, "_run_llm_review", _stub)
c.run_curator_review(synchronous=True, dry_run=True)
assert "DRY-RUN" in captured["prompt"]
assert "DO NOT" in captured["prompt"]
def test_dry_run_skips_automatic_transitions(curator_env, monkeypatch):
"""Dry-run must not call apply_automatic_transitions — the auto pass
archives skills deterministically, and a preview must not touch the
filesystem."""
c = curator_env["curator"]
skills_dir = curator_env["home"] / "skills"
_write_skill(skills_dir, "a")
called = {"n": 0}
def _explode(*_a, **_kw):
called["n"] += 1
return {"checked": 0, "marked_stale": 0, "archived": 0, "reactivated": 0}
monkeypatch.setattr(c, "apply_automatic_transitions", _explode)
monkeypatch.setattr(
c, "_run_llm_review",
lambda p: {"final": "", "summary": "s", "model": "", "provider": "",
"tool_calls": [], "error": None},
)
c.run_curator_review(synchronous=True, dry_run=True)
assert called["n"] == 0, "dry-run must skip apply_automatic_transitions"
def test_run_review_synchronous_invokes_llm_stub(curator_env, monkeypatch):
c = curator_env["curator"]
skills_dir = curator_env["home"] / "skills"
@ -327,12 +411,32 @@ def test_maybe_run_curator_runs_when_eligible(curator_env, monkeypatch):
c = curator_env["curator"]
skills_dir = curator_env["home"] / "skills"
_write_skill(skills_dir, "a")
# Seed last_run_at far in the past so the interval gate opens — the
# "no state" path intentionally defers the first run now (#18373).
long_ago = datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(hours=c.get_interval_hours() * 2)
c.save_state({"last_run_at": long_ago.isoformat(), "paused": False})
# Force idle over threshold
result = c.maybe_run_curator(idle_for_seconds=99999.0)
assert result is not None
assert "started_at" in result
def test_maybe_run_curator_defers_on_fresh_install(curator_env):
"""Fresh install (no curator state file) must NOT fire the curator on
the first gateway tick. The first observation seeds last_run_at and
returns None. Fixes #18373."""
c = curator_env["curator"]
skills_dir = curator_env["home"] / "skills"
_write_skill(skills_dir, "a")
# Infinite idle — the only thing that should block the run is the new
# deferred-first-run gate.
result = c.maybe_run_curator(idle_for_seconds=99999.0)
assert result is None
# And the next tick still defers (we seeded last_run_at to "now").
result2 = c.maybe_run_curator(idle_for_seconds=99999.0)
assert result2 is None
def test_maybe_run_curator_swallows_exceptions(curator_env, monkeypatch):
c = curator_env["curator"]

View file

@ -0,0 +1,316 @@
"""Tests for agent/curator_backup.py — snapshot + rollback of the skills tree."""
from __future__ import annotations
import importlib
import json
import os
import sys
import tarfile
import tempfile
from pathlib import Path
import pytest
@pytest.fixture
def backup_env(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
"""Isolate HERMES_HOME + reload modules so every test starts clean."""
home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
home.mkdir()
(home / "skills").mkdir()
monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
# Reload so get_hermes_home picks up the env var fresh.
import hermes_constants
importlib.reload(hermes_constants)
from agent import curator_backup
importlib.reload(curator_backup)
return {"home": home, "skills": home / "skills", "cb": curator_backup}
def _write_skill(skills_dir: Path, name: str, body: str = "body") -> Path:
d = skills_dir / name
d.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
(d / "SKILL.md").write_text(
f"---\nname: {name}\ndescription: t\nversion: 1.0\n---\n\n{body}\n",
encoding="utf-8",
)
return d
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# snapshot_skills
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def test_snapshot_creates_tarball_and_manifest(backup_env):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "beta")
snap = cb.snapshot_skills(reason="test")
assert snap is not None, "snapshot should succeed with a populated skills dir"
assert (snap / "skills.tar.gz").exists()
manifest = json.loads((snap / "manifest.json").read_text())
assert manifest["reason"] == "test"
assert manifest["skill_files"] == 2
assert manifest["archive_bytes"] > 0
def test_snapshot_excludes_backups_dir_itself(backup_env):
"""The backup must NOT contain .curator_backups/ — that would recurse
with every subsequent snapshot and balloon disk usage."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
snap1 = cb.snapshot_skills(reason="first")
assert snap1 is not None
snap2 = cb.snapshot_skills(reason="second")
assert snap2 is not None
with tarfile.open(snap2 / "skills.tar.gz") as tf:
names = tf.getnames()
assert not any(n.startswith(".curator_backups") for n in names), (
"second snapshot must not contain the first snapshot recursively"
)
def test_snapshot_excludes_hub_dir(backup_env):
""".hub/ is managed by the skills hub. Rolling it back would break
lockfile invariants, so the snapshot omits it entirely."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
hub = backup_env["skills"] / ".hub"
hub.mkdir()
(hub / "lock.json").write_text("{}")
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
snap = cb.snapshot_skills(reason="t")
assert snap is not None
with tarfile.open(snap / "skills.tar.gz") as tf:
names = tf.getnames()
assert not any(n.startswith(".hub") for n in names)
def test_snapshot_disabled_returns_none(backup_env, monkeypatch):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
monkeypatch.setattr(cb, "is_enabled", lambda: False)
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
assert cb.snapshot_skills() is None
# And no backup dir should have been created
assert not (backup_env["skills"] / ".curator_backups").exists()
def test_snapshot_uniquifies_when_same_second(backup_env, monkeypatch):
"""Two snapshots in the same wallclock second must not clobber each
other. The module appends a counter to the second snapshot's id."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
frozen = "2026-05-01T12-00-00Z"
monkeypatch.setattr(cb, "_utc_id", lambda now=None: frozen)
s1 = cb.snapshot_skills(reason="a")
s2 = cb.snapshot_skills(reason="b")
assert s1 is not None and s2 is not None
assert s1.name == frozen
assert s2.name == f"{frozen}-01"
def test_snapshot_prunes_to_keep_count(backup_env, monkeypatch):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
monkeypatch.setattr(cb, "get_keep", lambda: 3)
# Create 5 snapshots with monotonically increasing fake ids
ids = [f"2026-05-0{i}T00-00-00Z" for i in range(1, 6)]
for i, fid in enumerate(ids):
monkeypatch.setattr(cb, "_utc_id", lambda now=None, _f=fid: _f)
cb.snapshot_skills(reason=f"n{i}")
remaining = sorted(p.name for p in (backup_env["skills"] / ".curator_backups").iterdir())
# Newest 3 kept (lex order == date order for this id format)
assert remaining == ids[2:], f"expected newest 3, got {remaining}"
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# list_backups / _resolve_backup
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def test_list_backups_empty(backup_env):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
assert cb.list_backups() == []
def test_list_backups_returns_manifest_data(backup_env):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
cb.snapshot_skills(reason="m1")
rows = cb.list_backups()
assert len(rows) == 1
assert rows[0]["reason"] == "m1"
assert rows[0]["skill_files"] == 1
def test_resolve_backup_newest_when_no_id(backup_env, monkeypatch):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
ids = ["2026-05-01T00-00-00Z", "2026-05-02T00-00-00Z"]
for fid in ids:
monkeypatch.setattr(cb, "_utc_id", lambda now=None, _f=fid: _f)
cb.snapshot_skills()
resolved = cb._resolve_backup(None)
assert resolved is not None
assert resolved.name == "2026-05-02T00-00-00Z", (
"resolve(None) must return newest regular snapshot"
)
def test_resolve_backup_unknown_id_returns_none(backup_env):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
_write_skill(backup_env["skills"], "alpha")
cb.snapshot_skills()
assert cb._resolve_backup("not-an-id") is None
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# rollback
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def test_rollback_restores_deleted_skill(backup_env):
"""The whole point of this feature: user loses a skill, rollback
brings it back."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
skills = backup_env["skills"]
user_skill = _write_skill(skills, "my-personal-workflow", body="important content")
cb.snapshot_skills(reason="pre-simulated-curator")
# Simulate curator archiving it out of existence
import shutil as _sh
_sh.rmtree(user_skill)
assert not user_skill.exists()
ok, msg, _ = cb.rollback()
assert ok, f"rollback failed: {msg}"
assert user_skill.exists(), "my-personal-workflow should be restored"
assert "important content" in (user_skill / "SKILL.md").read_text()
def test_rollback_is_itself_undoable(backup_env):
"""A rollback creates its own safety snapshot before replacing the
tree, so the user can undo a mistaken rollback. The safety snapshot
is a real tarball with reason='pre-rollback to <id>' it's
listed by list_backups() just like any other snapshot and can be
restored the same way."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
skills = backup_env["skills"]
_write_skill(skills, "v1")
cb.snapshot_skills(reason="snapshot-of-v1")
# Overwrite with a new skill state
import shutil as _sh
_sh.rmtree(skills / "v1")
_write_skill(skills, "v2")
ok, _, _ = cb.rollback()
assert ok
assert (skills / "v1").exists()
# list_backups should show a safety snapshot tagged "pre-rollback to <target-id>"
rows = cb.list_backups()
pre_rollback_entries = [r for r in rows if "pre-rollback" in (r.get("reason") or "")]
assert len(pre_rollback_entries) >= 1, (
f"expected a pre-rollback safety snapshot in list_backups(), got: "
f"{[(r.get('id'), r.get('reason')) for r in rows]}"
)
# And the transient staging dir must be gone (it's implementation detail)
backups_dir = skills / ".curator_backups"
staging_dirs = [p for p in backups_dir.iterdir() if p.name.startswith(".rollback-staging-")]
assert staging_dirs == [], (
f"staging dir should be cleaned up on success, got: {staging_dirs}"
)
def test_rollback_no_snapshots_returns_error(backup_env):
cb = backup_env["cb"]
ok, msg, _ = cb.rollback()
assert not ok
assert "no matching backup" in msg.lower() or "no snapshot" in msg.lower()
def test_rollback_rejects_unsafe_tarball(backup_env, monkeypatch):
"""Tarballs with absolute paths or .. components must be refused even
if someone crafts a malicious snapshot. Defense in depth normal
curator snapshots never produce these."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
skills = backup_env["skills"]
_write_skill(skills, "alpha")
cb.snapshot_skills(reason="legit")
# Hand-craft a malicious tarball replacing the legit one
rows = cb.list_backups()
snap_dir = Path(rows[0]["path"])
mal = snap_dir / "skills.tar.gz"
mal.unlink()
with tarfile.open(mal, "w:gz") as tf:
evil = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, suffix=".md")
evil.write(b"evil")
evil.close()
tf.add(evil.name, arcname="../../etc/evil.md")
os.unlink(evil.name)
ok, msg, _ = cb.rollback()
assert not ok
assert "unsafe" in msg.lower() or "refus" in msg.lower() or "extract" in msg.lower()
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Integration with run_curator_review
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def test_real_run_takes_pre_snapshot(backup_env, monkeypatch):
"""A real (non-dry) curator pass must snapshot the tree before calling
apply_automatic_transitions. This is the safety net #18373 asked for."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
skills = backup_env["skills"]
_write_skill(skills, "alpha")
# Reload curator module against the freshly-env'd hermes_constants
from agent import curator
importlib.reload(curator)
# Stub out LLM review and auto transitions — we only care about the
# snapshot side-effect.
monkeypatch.setattr(
curator, "_run_llm_review",
lambda p: {"final": "", "summary": "s", "model": "", "provider": "",
"tool_calls": [], "error": None},
)
monkeypatch.setattr(
curator, "apply_automatic_transitions",
lambda now=None: {"checked": 1, "marked_stale": 0, "archived": 0, "reactivated": 0},
)
curator.run_curator_review(synchronous=True)
# Pre-run snapshot should exist
rows = cb.list_backups()
assert any(r.get("reason") == "pre-curator-run" for r in rows), (
f"expected a pre-curator-run snapshot, got {[r.get('reason') for r in rows]}"
)
def test_dry_run_skips_snapshot(backup_env, monkeypatch):
"""Dry-run previews must not spend disk on a snapshot — they don't
mutate anything, so there's nothing to back up."""
cb = backup_env["cb"]
skills = backup_env["skills"]
_write_skill(skills, "alpha")
from agent import curator
importlib.reload(curator)
monkeypatch.setattr(
curator, "_run_llm_review",
lambda p: {"final": "", "summary": "s", "model": "", "provider": "",
"tool_calls": [], "error": None},
)
curator.run_curator_review(synchronous=True, dry_run=True)
rows = cb.list_backups()
assert not any(r.get("reason") == "pre-curator-run" for r in rows), (
"dry-run must not create a pre-run snapshot"
)

View file

@ -718,12 +718,21 @@ The curator is an auxiliary-model background task that periodically reviews agen
|------------|-------------|
| `status` | Show curator status and skill stats |
| `run` | Trigger a curator review now |
| `run --sync` | Block until the LLM pass finishes |
| `run --dry-run` | Preview only — produce the review report with no mutations |
| `backup` | Take a manual tar.gz snapshot of `~/.hermes/skills/` (curator also snapshots automatically before every real run) |
| `rollback` | Restore `~/.hermes/skills/` from a snapshot (defaults to newest) |
| `rollback --list` | List available snapshots |
| `rollback --id <ts>` | Restore a specific snapshot by id |
| `rollback -y` | Skip the confirmation prompt |
| `pause` | Pause the curator until resumed |
| `resume` | Resume a paused curator |
| `pin <skill>` | Pin a skill so the curator never auto-transitions it |
| `unpin <skill>` | Unpin a skill |
| `restore <skill>` | Restore an archived skill |
On a fresh install the first scheduled pass is deferred by one full `interval_hours` (7 days by default) — the gateway will not curate immediately on the first tick after `hermes update`. Use `hermes curator run --dry-run` to preview before that happens.
See [Curator](../user-guide/features/curator.md) for behavior and config.
## `hermes fallback`

View file

@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ The curator is triggered by an inactivity check, not a cron daemon. On CLI sessi
If both are true, it spawns a background fork of `AIAgent` — the same pattern used by the memory/skill self-improvement nudges. The fork runs in its own prompt cache and never touches the active conversation.
:::info First-run behavior
On a brand-new install (or the first time a pre-curator install ticks after `hermes update`), the curator **does not run immediately**. The first observation seeds `last_run_at` to "now" and defers the first real pass by one full `interval_hours`. This gives you a full interval to review your skill library, pin anything important, or opt out entirely before the curator ever touches it.
If you want to see what the curator *would* do before it runs for real, run `hermes curator run --dry-run` — it produces the same review report without mutating the library.
:::
A run has two phases:
1. **Automatic transitions** (deterministic, no LLM). Skills unused for `stale_after_days` (30) become `stale`; skills unused for `archive_after_days` (90) are moved to `~/.hermes/skills/.archive/`.
@ -80,6 +86,12 @@ Earlier releases used a one-off `curator.auxiliary.{provider,model}` block. That
hermes curator status # last run, counts, pinned list, LRU top 5
hermes curator run # trigger a review now (background by default)
hermes curator run --sync # same, but block until the LLM pass finishes
hermes curator run --dry-run # preview only — report without any mutations
hermes curator backup # take a manual snapshot of ~/.hermes/skills/
hermes curator rollback # restore from the newest snapshot
hermes curator rollback --list # list available snapshots
hermes curator rollback --id <ts> # restore a specific snapshot
hermes curator rollback -y # skip the confirmation prompt
hermes curator pause # stop runs until resumed
hermes curator resume
hermes curator pin <skill> # never auto-transition this skill
@ -87,6 +99,31 @@ hermes curator unpin <skill>
hermes curator restore <skill> # move an archived skill back to active
```
## Backups and rollback
Before every real curator pass, Hermes takes a tar.gz snapshot of `~/.hermes/skills/` at `~/.hermes/skills/.curator_backups/<utc-iso>/skills.tar.gz`. If a pass archives or consolidates something you didn't want touched, you can undo the whole run with one command:
```bash
hermes curator rollback # restore newest snapshot (with confirmation)
hermes curator rollback -y # skip the prompt
hermes curator rollback --list # see all snapshots with reason + size
```
The rollback itself is reversible: before replacing the skills tree, Hermes takes another snapshot tagged `pre-rollback to <target-id>`, so a mistaken rollback can be undone by rolling forward to that one with `--id`.
You can also take manual snapshots at any time with `hermes curator backup --reason "before-refactor"`. The `--reason` string lands in the snapshot's `manifest.json` and is shown in `--list`.
Snapshots are pruned to `curator.backup.keep` (default 5) to keep disk usage bounded:
```yaml
curator:
backup:
enabled: true
keep: 5
```
Set `curator.backup.enabled: false` to disable automatic snapshotting. The manual `hermes curator backup` command still works when backups are disabled only if you set `enabled: true` first — the flag gates both paths symmetrically so there's no way to accidentally skip the pre-run snapshot on mutating runs.
`hermes curator status` also lists the five least-recently-used skills — a quick way to see what's likely to become stale next.
The same subcommands are available as the `/curator` slash command inside a running session (CLI or gateway platforms).
@ -104,6 +141,18 @@ Everything else in `~/.hermes/skills/` is fair game for the curator. This includ
- Skills you created manually with a hand-written `SKILL.md`.
- Skills added via external skill directories you've pointed Hermes at.
:::warning Your hand-written skills look the same as agent-saved ones
Provenance here is **binary** (bundled/hub vs. everything else). The curator cannot tell a hand-authored skill you rely on for private workflows apart from a skill the self-improvement loop saved mid-session. Both land in the "agent-created" bucket.
Before the first real pass (7 days after installation by default), take a moment to:
1. Run `hermes curator run --dry-run` to see exactly what the curator would propose.
2. Use `hermes curator pin <name>` to fence off anything you don't want touched.
3. Or set `curator.enabled: false` in `config.yaml` if you'd rather manage the library yourself.
Archives are always recoverable via `hermes curator restore <name>`, but it's easier to pin up-front than to chase down a consolidation after the fact.
:::
If you want to protect a specific skill from ever being touched — for example a hand-authored skill you rely on — use `hermes curator pin <name>`. See the next section.
## Pinning a skill