hermes-agent/website/docs/user-guide/profiles.md
Teknium 289cc47631
docs: resync reference, user-guide, developer-guide, and messaging pages against code (#17738)
Broad drift audit against origin/main (b52b63396).

Reference pages (most user-visible drift):
- slash-commands: add /busy, /curator, /footer, /indicator, /redraw, /steer
  that were missing; drop non-existent /terminal-setup; fix /q footnote
  (resolves to /queue, not /quit); extend CLI-only list with all 24
  CLI-only commands in the registry
- cli-commands: add dedicated sections for hermes curator / fallback /
  hooks (new subcommands not previously documented); remove stale
  hermes honcho standalone section (the plugin registers dynamically
  via hermes memory); list curator/fallback/hooks in top-level table;
  fix completion to include fish
- toolsets-reference: document the real 52-toolset count; split browser
  vs browser-cdp; add discord / discord_admin / spotify / yuanbao;
  correct hermes-cli tool count from 36 to 38; fix misleading claim
  that hermes-homeassistant adds tools (it's identical to hermes-cli)
- tools-reference: bump tool count 55 -> 68; add 7 Spotify, 5 Yuanbao,
  2 Discord toolsets; move browser_cdp/browser_dialog to their own
  browser-cdp toolset section
- environment-variables: add 40+ user-facing HERMES_* vars that were
  undocumented (--yolo, --accept-hooks, --ignore-*, inference model
  override, agent/stream/checkpoint timeouts, OAuth trace, per-platform
  batch tuning for Telegram/Discord/Matrix/Feishu/WeCom, cron knobs,
  gateway restart/connect timeouts); dedupe the Cron Scheduler section;
  replace stale QQ_SANDBOX with QQ_PORTAL_HOST

User-guide (top level):
- cli.md: compression preserves last 20 turns, not 4 (protect_last_n: 20)
- configuration.md: display.platforms is the canonical per-platform
  override key; tool_progress_overrides is deprecated and auto-migrated
- profiles.md: model.default is the config key, not model.model
- sessions.md: CLI/TUI session IDs use 6-char hex, gateway uses 8
- checkpoints-and-rollback.md: destructive-command list now matches
  _DESTRUCTIVE_PATTERNS (adds rmdir, cp, install, dd)
- docker.md: the container runs as non-root hermes (UID 10000) via
  gosu; fix install command (uv pip); add missing --insecure on the
  dashboard compose example (required for non-loopback bind)
- security.md: systemctl danger pattern also matches 'restart'
- index.md: built-in tool count 47 -> 68
- integrations/index.md: 6 STT providers, 8 memory providers
- integrations/providers.md: drop fictional dashscope/qwen aliases

Features:
- overview.md: 9 image models (not 8), 9 TTS providers (not 5),
  8 memory providers (Supermemory was missing)
- tool-gateway.md: 9 image models
- tools.md: extend common-toolsets list with search / messaging /
  spotify / discord / debugging / safe
- fallback-providers.md: add 6 real providers from PROVIDER_REGISTRY
  (lmstudio, kimi-coding-cn, stepfun, alibaba-coding-plan,
  tencent-tokenhub, azure-foundry)
- plugins.md: Available Hooks table now includes on_session_finalize,
  on_session_reset, subagent_stop
- built-in-plugins.md: add the 7 bundled plugins the page didn't
  mention (spotify, google_meet, three image_gen providers, two
  dashboard examples)
- web-dashboard.md: add --insecure and --tui flags
- cron.md: hermes cron create takes positional schedule/prompt, not
  flags

Messaging:
- telegram.md: TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_SECRET is now REQUIRED when
  TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_URL is set (gateway refuses to start without it
  per GHSA-3vpc-7q5r-276h). Biggest user-visible drift in the batch.
- discord.md: HERMES_DISCORD_TEXT_BATCH_SPLIT_DELAY_SECONDS default
  is 2.0, not 0.1
- dingtalk.md: document DINGTALK_REQUIRE_MENTION /
  FREE_RESPONSE_CHATS / MENTION_PATTERNS / HOME_CHANNEL /
  ALLOW_ALL_USERS that the adapter supports
- bluebubbles.md: drop fictional BLUEBUBBLES_SEND_READ_RECEIPTS env
  var; the setting lives in platforms.bluebubbles.extra only
- qqbot.md: drop dead QQ_SANDBOX; add real QQ_PORTAL_HOST and
  QQ_GROUP_ALLOWED_USERS
- wecom-callback.md: replace 'hermes gateway start' (service-only)
  with 'hermes gateway' for first-time setup

Developer-guide:
- architecture.md: refresh tool/toolset counts (61/52), terminal
  backend count (7), line counts for run_agent.py (~13.7k), cli.py
  (~11.5k), main.py (~10.4k), setup.py (~3.5k), gateway/run.py
  (~12.2k), mcp_tool.py (~3.1k); add yuanbao adapter, bump platform
  adapter count 18 -> 20
- agent-loop.md: run_agent.py line count 10.7k -> 13.7k
- tools-runtime.md: add vercel_sandbox backend
- adding-tools.md: remove stale 'Discovery import added to
  model_tools.py' checklist item (registry auto-discovery)
- adding-platform-adapters.md: mark send_typing / get_chat_info as
  concrete base methods; only connect/disconnect/send are abstract
- acp-internals.md: ACP sessions now persist to SessionDB
  (~/.hermes/state.db); acp.run_agent call uses
  use_unstable_protocol=True
- cron-internals.md: gateway runs scheduler in a dedicated background
  thread via _start_cron_ticker, not on a maintenance cycle; locking
  is cross-process via fcntl.flock (Unix) / msvcrt.locking (Windows)
- gateway-internals.md: gateway/run.py ~12k lines
- provider-runtime.md: cron DOES support fallback (run_job reads
  fallback_providers from config)
- session-storage.md: SCHEMA_VERSION = 11 (not 9); add migrations
  10 and 11 (trigram FTS, inline-mode FTS5 re-index); add
  api_call_count column to Sessions DDL; document messages_fts_trigram
  and state_meta in the architecture tree
- context-compression-and-caching.md: remove the obsolete 'context
  pressure warnings' section (warnings were removed for causing
  models to give up early)
- context-engine-plugin.md: compress() signature now includes
  focus_topic param
- extending-the-cli.md: _build_tui_layout_children signature now
  includes model_picker_widget; add to default layout

Also fixed three pre-existing broken links/anchors the build warned
about (docker.md -> api-server.md, yuanbao.md -> cron-jobs.md and
tips#background-tasks, nix-setup.md -> #container-aware-cli).

Regenerated per-skill pages via website/scripts/generate-skill-docs.py
so catalog tables and sidebar are consistent with current SKILL.md
frontmatter.

docusaurus build: clean, no broken links or anchors.
2026-04-29 20:55:59 -07:00

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8.4 KiB
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---
sidebar_position: 2
---
# Profiles: Running Multiple Agents
Run multiple independent Hermes agents on the same machine — each with its own config, API keys, memory, sessions, skills, and gateway state.
## What are profiles?
A profile is a separate Hermes home directory. Each profile gets its own directory containing its own `config.yaml`, `.env`, `SOUL.md`, memories, sessions, skills, cron jobs, and state database. Profiles let you run separate agents for different purposes — a coding assistant, a personal bot, a research agent — without mixing up Hermes state.
When you create a profile, it automatically becomes its own command. Create a profile called `coder` and you immediately have `coder chat`, `coder setup`, `coder gateway start`, etc.
## Quick start
```bash
hermes profile create coder # creates profile + "coder" command alias
coder setup # configure API keys and model
coder chat # start chatting
```
That's it. `coder` is now its own Hermes profile with its own config, memory, and state.
## Creating a profile
### Blank profile
```bash
hermes profile create mybot
```
Creates a fresh profile with bundled skills seeded. Run `mybot setup` to configure API keys, model, and gateway tokens.
### Clone config only (`--clone`)
```bash
hermes profile create work --clone
```
Copies your current profile's `config.yaml`, `.env`, and `SOUL.md` into the new profile. Same API keys and model, but fresh sessions and memory. Edit `~/.hermes/profiles/work/.env` for different API keys, or `~/.hermes/profiles/work/SOUL.md` for a different personality.
### Clone everything (`--clone-all`)
```bash
hermes profile create backup --clone-all
```
Copies **everything** — config, API keys, personality, all memories, full session history, skills, cron jobs, plugins. A complete snapshot. Useful for backups or forking an agent that already has context.
### Clone from a specific profile
```bash
hermes profile create work --clone --clone-from coder
```
:::tip Honcho memory + profiles
When Honcho is enabled, `--clone` automatically creates a dedicated AI peer for the new profile while sharing the same user workspace. Each profile builds its own observations and identity. See [Honcho -- Multi-agent / Profiles](./features/memory-providers.md#honcho) for details.
:::
## Using profiles
### Command aliases
Every profile automatically gets a command alias at `~/.local/bin/<name>`:
```bash
coder chat # chat with the coder agent
coder setup # configure coder's settings
coder gateway start # start coder's gateway
coder doctor # check coder's health
coder skills list # list coder's skills
coder config set model.default anthropic/claude-sonnet-4
```
The alias works with every hermes subcommand — it's just `hermes -p <name>` under the hood.
### The `-p` flag
You can also target a profile explicitly with any command:
```bash
hermes -p coder chat
hermes --profile=coder doctor
hermes chat -p coder -q "hello" # works in any position
```
### Sticky default (`hermes profile use`)
```bash
hermes profile use coder
hermes chat # now targets coder
hermes tools # configures coder's tools
hermes profile use default # switch back
```
Sets a default so plain `hermes` commands target that profile. Like `kubectl config use-context`.
### Knowing where you are
The CLI always shows which profile is active:
- **Prompt**: `coder ` instead of ``
- **Banner**: Shows `Profile: coder` on startup
- **`hermes profile`**: Shows current profile name, path, model, gateway status
## Profiles vs workspaces vs sandboxing
Profiles are often confused with workspaces or sandboxes, but they are different things:
- A **profile** gives Hermes its own state directory: `config.yaml`, `.env`, `SOUL.md`, sessions, memory, logs, cron jobs, and gateway state.
- A **workspace** or **working directory** is where terminal commands start. That is controlled separately by `terminal.cwd`.
- A **sandbox** is what limits filesystem access. Profiles do **not** sandbox the agent.
On the default `local` terminal backend, the agent still has the same filesystem access as your user account. A profile does not stop it from accessing folders outside the profile directory.
If you want a profile to start in a specific project folder, set an explicit absolute `terminal.cwd` in that profile's `config.yaml`:
```yaml
terminal:
backend: local
cwd: /absolute/path/to/project
```
Using `cwd: "."` on the local backend means "the directory Hermes was launched from", not "the profile directory".
Also note:
- `SOUL.md` can guide the model, but it does not enforce a workspace boundary.
- Changes to `SOUL.md` take effect cleanly on a new session. Existing sessions may still be using the old prompt state.
- Asking the model "what directory are you in?" is not a reliable isolation test. If you need a predictable starting directory for tools, set `terminal.cwd` explicitly.
## Running gateways
Each profile runs its own gateway as a separate process with its own bot token:
```bash
coder gateway start # starts coder's gateway
assistant gateway start # starts assistant's gateway (separate process)
```
### Different bot tokens
Each profile has its own `.env` file. Configure a different Telegram/Discord/Slack bot token in each:
```bash
# Edit coder's tokens
nano ~/.hermes/profiles/coder/.env
# Edit assistant's tokens
nano ~/.hermes/profiles/assistant/.env
```
### Safety: token locks
If two profiles accidentally use the same bot token, the second gateway will be blocked with a clear error naming the conflicting profile. Supported for Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, and Signal.
### Persistent services
```bash
coder gateway install # creates hermes-gateway-coder systemd/launchd service
assistant gateway install # creates hermes-gateway-assistant service
```
Each profile gets its own service name. They run independently.
## Configuring profiles
Each profile has its own:
- **`config.yaml`** — model, provider, toolsets, all settings
- **`.env`** — API keys, bot tokens
- **`SOUL.md`** — personality and instructions
```bash
coder config set model.default anthropic/claude-sonnet-4
echo "You are a focused coding assistant." > ~/.hermes/profiles/coder/SOUL.md
```
If you want this profile to work in a specific project by default, also set its own `terminal.cwd`:
```bash
coder config set terminal.cwd /absolute/path/to/project
```
## Updating
`hermes update` pulls code once (shared) and syncs new bundled skills to **all** profiles automatically:
```bash
hermes update
# → Code updated (12 commits)
# → Skills synced: default (up to date), coder (+2 new), assistant (+2 new)
```
User-modified skills are never overwritten.
## Managing profiles
```bash
hermes profile list # show all profiles with status
hermes profile show coder # detailed info for one profile
hermes profile rename coder dev-bot # rename (updates alias + service)
hermes profile export coder # export to coder.tar.gz
hermes profile import coder.tar.gz # import from archive
```
## Deleting a profile
```bash
hermes profile delete coder
```
This stops the gateway, removes the systemd/launchd service, removes the command alias, and deletes all profile data. You'll be asked to type the profile name to confirm.
Use `--yes` to skip confirmation: `hermes profile delete coder --yes`
:::note
You cannot delete the default profile (`~/.hermes`). To remove everything, use `hermes uninstall`.
:::
## Tab completion
```bash
# Bash
eval "$(hermes completion bash)"
# Zsh
eval "$(hermes completion zsh)"
```
Add the line to your `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc` for persistent completion. Completes profile names after `-p`, profile subcommands, and top-level commands.
## How it works
Profiles use the `HERMES_HOME` environment variable. When you run `coder chat`, the wrapper script sets `HERMES_HOME=~/.hermes/profiles/coder` before launching hermes. Since 119+ files in the codebase resolve paths via `get_hermes_home()`, Hermes state automatically scopes to the profile's directory — config, sessions, memory, skills, state database, gateway PID, logs, and cron jobs.
This is separate from terminal working directory. Tool execution starts from `terminal.cwd` (or the launch directory when `cwd: "."` on the local backend), not automatically from `HERMES_HOME`.
The default profile is simply `~/.hermes` itself. No migration needed — existing installs work identically.