- Add Cron and Profiles sidebar routes with full CRUD-style flows and API wiring.
- Extend Command Center with auxiliary task overrides and a Usage panel (7d/30d/90d).
- Fix titlebar geometry for WSL/Windows (native overlay width, tool spacing).
- Remove stray merge conflict markers from pyproject.toml optional deps.
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Two related fixes for Python detection on Windows:
1. py.exe (Python launcher) is missing from per-user installs that
didn't check the launcher option, so 'py -3.X --version' alone
misses real Python installs. User-reported case: clean Win11 +
official Python.org 3.14 install -> 'where py' returned nothing,
our installer offered to install Python again. Both NSIS prereq
page and main.cjs now probe in this order:
1. py.exe launcher (when present)
2. PEP 514 registry: HKLM/HKCU\SOFTWARE\Python\PythonCore\<v>\InstallPath
3. Filesystem: %ProgramFiles%\Python<v>, %LocalAppData%\Programs\Python\Python<v>
Crucially, we never fall back to running 'python.exe' from PATH
on Windows — the WindowsApps stub at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\
WindowsApps\python.exe is a redirector that opens the Microsoft
Store window if no Store Python is installed. Triggering that
during boot would be terrible UX. Registry/filesystem probes
never execute the binary.
2. Drop 3.14 from the supported version set. Several Hermes deps
(notably pywinpty, which carries Rust crates like
windows_x86_64_msvc) don't yet publish 3.14 wheels. With wheels
missing, 'pip install -e .' falls back to building from sdist,
which needs a Rust toolchain — users see 'could not compile
windows_x86_64_msvc build script' on first run. install.ps1
sidesteps this by pinning to 3.11 via uv; the desktop installer
doesn't yet have the same uv-managed-Python pathway, so for now
we accept 3.11/3.12/3.13 and tell winget to install 3.11 if
none of those are present. Revisit when the wheel ecosystem
catches up to 3.14 (~early 2026).
- chat-messages: match tool rows by overlapping query/context/preview values
so preview-first `tool.progress` rows reliably adopt later stable-id
`tool.start` payloads instead of spawning ghost rows or mis-merging
parallel same-name calls; preserve prior args/result across phases.
- tui_gateway: emit full args + parsed result on `tool.start` / `tool.complete`,
drop redundant `tool.started` re-emit from `tool.progress`.
- electron/main: prefer SOURCE_REPO_ROOT before PATH `hermes` in dev so
local backend edits actually run; split hardening helpers into
`electron/hardening.cjs` with tests.
- thread/tool UI: one-shot enter animation keyed by stable ids, braille
spinner for running rows, Cursor-like disclosure rows, drill-down +
duration/count formatting via new tool-fallback-model.
- composer: extract `text-utils`, drop liquid-glass overrides.
- right-rail: split preview-pane into preview-console / preview-file.
- runtime: incremental external-store runtime + runtime-readiness gate;
onboarding store + tests; route-resume hook test.
- regression tests for live tool reconciliation (parallel tools, id-less
progress, preview-first rows, structured args/results).
The packaged Windows installer now detects Python 3.11+ and Git for Windows
at install time and offers to install missing prereqs via winget. Mirrors
the prereq logic scripts/install.ps1 already runs for CLI installs, so
desktop installer users get the same out-of-the-box experience as
install.ps1 users.
Why
- Hermes' terminal tool calls bash.exe directly (tools/environments/
local.py); on Windows that's Git Bash from Git for Windows. Without it,
the agent fails on the first terminal() call.
- Hermes' Python runtime needs 3.11+. Without it, the desktop bootstrapper
errors out at venv creation.
- Both gaps surfaced on a fresh Windows 11 VM smoke test: VM had Python
pre-installed but no Git, so the agent's first terminal call failed
with "Git Bash isn't installed."
- install.ps1 has had Install-Git + Install-Uv functions for ages. The
desktop installer was the asymmetric outlier.
How — NSIS prereq page
- New file: apps/desktop/installer/prereq-check.nsh (plugged into
electron-builder via build.nsis.include)
- Real Wizard page using nsDialogs, inserted via customPageAfterChangeDir
hook (between the Directory page and InstFiles).
- Group boxes for Python and Git, each showing detection status.
- Pre-checked install checkboxes when winget is available.
- Auto-skips silently if both prereqs are already installed.
- Falls back to manual download URLs when winget itself is missing.
- Detection:
- Python: probes `py -3.11`/`-3.12`/`-3.13`/`-3.14` via the Python
launcher. Microsoft Store "Python stub" (no py.exe) is correctly
classified as not-installed.
- Git: `where git`.
- winget: `where winget` (Win10 1809+ / Win11 with App Installer).
- Install execution (in customInstall macro):
- Python: nsExec::ExecToLog with `--scope user --silent`. Per-user
install, no UAC prompt, output streams to install log.
- Git: ExecShellWait via Windows ShellExecute. Critical because Git
always installs per-machine and triggers UAC; ShellExecute preserves
the foreground focus chain across non-elevated → elevated process
spawns, so UAC actually comes to the foreground. nsExec::ExecToLog
breaks the chain because winget runs hidden.
- Both pass `--disable-interactivity --accept-package-agreements
--accept-source-agreements` to suppress winget's own dialogs.
- Verification: probes Git's standard install locations via FileExists
rather than `where git`. NSIS's process inherits PATH at startup, so
a freshly-installed Git won't be visible to `where` until restart.
- Silent installs (/S) skip the prompts; managed deploys handle prereqs
out-of-band via Group Policy / Intune.
How — Electron-side safety net
- New findGitBash() in main.cjs, parallel to findSystemPython(). Probes
the same locations as tools/environments/local.py:_find_bash() so a
positive result here means the agent's terminal tool will work.
- ensureRuntime now throws a clear, actionable error on Windows when Git
Bash isn't found, matching the existing "Python 3.11+ is required"
error path.
- Catches users the NSIS page doesn't: .msi installer users (NSIS prereq
page doesn't run for MSI), `npm run dev` users, manual installers,
anyone who unchecked the install boxes on the NSIS prereq page.
- All gated on `IS_WINDOWS`; macOS / Linux unaffected.
NSIS build issue (resolved)
- electron-builder defaults to `-WX` (warnings as errors). NSIS optimizer
emits "warning 6010: function not referenced" for our page functions
because Page custom directives don't count as references in its
static-analysis pass. The functions ARE called at runtime when NSIS
invokes the page; the optimizer just can't see it statically.
- Set `build.nsis.warningsAsErrors=false` in package.json so this
spurious warning doesn't fail the build. (Documented option from
electron-builder's nsisOptions.)
Out of scope (filed for future work)
- MSI prereq detection: Windows Installer custom actions are a different
mechanism. Enterprise deploys typically handle prereqs via GP/Intune.
- Bundle PortableGit + python-build-standalone in extraResources for
zero-network installs. ~80MB increase.
- Mac / Linux GUI prereq flows (different installer formats; Xcode CLT
covers most macOS prereqs already; Linux is per-distro hard).
Files
- apps/desktop/installer/prereq-check.nsh (new, ~290 lines NSIS)
- apps/desktop/package.json (build.nsis.include +
warningsAsErrors)
- apps/desktop/electron/main.cjs (findGitBash + preflight)
- apps/desktop/README.md (Runtime prerequisites
section)
Cross-platform impact
- macOS / Linux builds (dist:mac, dist:mac:dmg, dist:mac:zip): nsis
config is ignored entirely; .nsh is dormant.
- npm run dev: .nsh dormant; main.cjs preflight gated on IS_WINDOWS.
- scripts/install.ps1, scripts/install.sh: no reference to any new
files; CLI install paths untouched.
- Hermes CLI / dashboard / gateway: no reference; runtime untouched.
- All checks: node --check on main.cjs and test-desktop.mjs pass;
npm run test:desktop:platforms 4/4 passing; node --test green.
Tested
- npm run dist:win produces signed .exe and .msi without errors.
- Fresh Win11 VM (Python pre-installed, no Git): prereq page renders,
Python check shows detected, Git checkbox pre-checked. Click Next →
Git installs via winget with UAC prompt in foreground.
- After install completes, Hermes launches and the agent's terminal
tool can run bash commands. Verified Git Bash is detected at
`C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe` by ensureRuntime's preflight.
Make the desktop app's runtime layout match what scripts/install.ps1 and
scripts/install.sh produce, so a desktop-only user and a CLI-only user end
up with the same files in the same places and can share one install.
Layout
- ACTIVE_HERMES_ROOT = HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent (was: process.resourcesPath/hermes-agent, read-only)
- VENV_ROOT = HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent/venv (was: userData/hermes-runtime)
- desktop.log = HERMES_HOME/logs/desktop.log (was: userData/desktop.log)
- HERMES_HOME default: %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes on Windows, ~/.hermes elsewhere
The packaged .app/.exe still ships a read-only payload at
process.resourcesPath/hermes-agent (FACTORY_HERMES_ROOT). On first launch
or after an installer-driven upgrade we sync factory -> active, then
provision the venv and run pip install -e . against the active root.
Key behaviors
- Pin HERMES_HOME in the spawned Python's env so get_hermes_home() resolves
to the same path resolveHermesHome() picked. Without this, Python falls
back to ~/.hermes on every platform - fine on mac/linux, a split-state
bug on Windows where our default is %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes.
- Detect developer installs by .git presence at ACTIVE; never overwrite
a user's checkout via factory sync.
- Marker at ACTIVE/.hermes-desktop-runtime.json (schema v4) tracks
pyproject hash + factory version + runtime schema version. depsFresh
fast-paths when nothing changed.
- Dev (npm run dev) prefers SOURCE_REPO_ROOT over ACTIVE so devs run
their local edits, not whatever's under HERMES_HOME.
- Better error messages distinguish "no payload" from "no Python".
- Preserve a legacy ~/.hermes on Windows when no %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes
exists, so users with prior pip/manual installs aren't orphaned.
pyproject.toml
- Promote fastapi, uvicorn[standard], ptyprocess (non-Windows), and
pywinpty (Windows) to main dependencies. The dashboard backend
(hermes dashboard) needs them at runtime; the previous lazy-import
fallback was a footgun for fresh installs.
- Empty the [pty] optional-extra; kept as a no-op back-compat alias for
any existing pip install hermes-agent[pty] invocations.
Drops the hardcoded BUNDLED_RUNTIME_REQUIREMENTS list in main.cjs - the
desktop now installs whatever pyproject.toml says, single source of truth.
Files
- apps/desktop/electron/main.cjs: runtime layout, HERMES_HOME pin,
factory->active sync, marker v4
- apps/desktop/scripts/test-desktop.mjs: track new venv location
- apps/desktop/README.md: new Setup, Runtime Bootstrap, and
Debugging sections
- pyproject.toml: fastapi/uvicorn/pty backends in main
dependencies; [pty] extra emptied
Tested locally on Windows: npm run dev boots cleanly, sessions land at
the new location, type-check + lint + test:desktop:platforms all pass.
Verified end-to-end on a fresh Win11 VM via dist:win installer.
Known gaps (filed as follow-ups, not in this PR):
- Skills not seeded on packaged installs (sync_skills only runs in
cmd_chat, not cmd_dashboard). Need to move to shared pre-dispatch.
- Git Bash not bundled or detected; agent's terminal tool errors out
with a useful message but desktop bootstrapper should pre-flight it.
- install.ps1 / install.sh should be decomposed into composable phase
libraries so the desktop bootstrapper can reuse them as a single
source of truth across all install surfaces.
Make the desktop gateway connection configurable from settings so local remains the default while remote backends can be saved, tested, and applied without environment variables.
Add HERMES_DESKTOP_REMOTE_URL and HERMES_DESKTOP_REMOTE_TOKEN env
vars that, when set, short-circuit the local-child spawn in
startHermes() and connect the Electron renderer to an already-
running 'hermes dashboard' server reachable over the network.
Motivating use case: WSL2 users who want to run the Hermes core
(agent loop, tools, filesystem access) inside their WSL
distribution while rendering the Electron GUI on native Windows.
Before this change, the desktop app always spawned a local Python
child on the same host as the renderer, which doesn't cross the
WSL/Windows boundary.
The remote path reuses waitForHermes() as a liveness probe
(/api/status is in the backend's public endpoint allowlist), so
the connection is only returned once the backend is actually
ready. WebSocket URL derivation picks ws:// or wss:// based on
the input scheme. URL validation rejects non-http(s) schemes and
requires both env vars together to avoid a half-configured
connection that would silently fall through to the spawn path.
No behaviour change when the env vars are unset — the default
local-spawn flow is untouched.
Typical usage:
# in WSL2
hermes dashboard --tui --no-open --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9119 --insecure
# on Windows
set HERMES_DESKTOP_REMOTE_URL=http://localhost:9119
set HERMES_DESKTOP_REMOTE_TOKEN=<session token>
set HERMES_DESKTOP_IGNORE_EXISTING=1
(launch Hermes desktop)
Introduce the Electron desktop app with a split app/chat/settings structure and shared nanostore state so UI areas own their state instead of routing it through the root.
