33b1d14459
* fix(desktop): pin Electron below the broken native extract-zip install The Windows desktop install fails at "Building desktop app": Electron's postinstall aborts with `ERR_DLOPEN_FAILED loading index.win32-x64-msvc.node` / "Cannot find native binding" from `@electron-internal/extract-zip`. Root cause is a dependency drift, not the user's machine. Electron changed its install mechanism mid-patch-series: electron 40.9.3 .. 40.10.2 -> @electron/get@^2 + extract-zip@^2 (pure JS) electron 40.10.3 / 40.10.4 -> @electron/get@^5 + @electron-internal/extract-zip@^1 (native napi) apps/desktop declares `electronVersion: 40.9.3` (the tested, JS-extract build) but pinned the dependency as `electron: ^40.9.3`, so `npm ci`/`npm install` silently resolved 40.10.3/40.10.4 — onto the brand-new native extract-zip whose win32-x64 binding fails to dlopen on some Windows hosts. The committed lockfile already carried 40.10.3, and the installer's mirror fallback can't help (it re-runs Electron's own `install.js`, which uses the same broken native module). Fix: - Pin `electron` to an exact `40.10.2` — the newest build before the native extract-zip switch — and align `build.electronVersion` to match (Electron Builder needs electronVersion/electronDist to match the installed binary). - Add a root `yauzl: ^3.3.1` override so the (re-introduced) JS extract-zip path also works on Node >= 24.16 / >= 26.1, where the old yauzl hangs. This is the same workaround the wider Electron ecosystem adopted. - Regenerate package-lock.json: drops @electron-internal/extract-zip and @electron/get@5, restores @electron/get@2 + extract-zip@2 + yauzl@3.4.0. * test(desktop): lock the Electron pin/version/lockfile consistency contract Guards against the dependency drift that broke the Windows desktop install: the Electron dependency must be an exact version, must equal build.electronVersion, and the lockfile must resolve to that same version so `npm ci` installs exactly what electron-builder packages. Asserts the relationships, not a specific version number. |
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| .. | ||
| assets | ||
| electron | ||
| pr-assets | ||
| public | ||
| scripts | ||
| src | ||
| .prettierrc | ||
| components.json | ||
| DESIGN.md | ||
| eslint.config.mjs | ||
| index.html | ||
| package.json | ||
| preview-demo.html | ||
| README.md | ||
| tsconfig.json | ||
| vite.config.ts | ||
Hermes Desktop ☤
The native desktop app for Hermes Agent — the self-improving AI agent from Nous Research. Same agent, same skills, same memory as the CLI and gateway, in a polished native window — chat with streaming tool output, side-by-side previews, a file browser, voice, and settings, no terminal required. Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
| Chat with the full agent | Streaming responses, live tool activity, structured tool summaries, and the same conversation history as every other Hermes surface. |
| Side-by-side previews | Render web pages, files, and tool outputs in a right-hand pane while you keep chatting. |
| File browser | Explore and preview the working directory without leaving the app. |
| Voice | Talk to Hermes and hear it back. |
| Settings & onboarding | Manage providers, models, tools, and credentials from a real UI. First-run setup gets you to your first message in seconds. |
| Stays current | Built-in updates pull the latest agent and rebuild the app in place. |
Install
Install with Hermes (recommended)
Already have the Hermes CLI? Just run:
hermes desktop
It builds and launches the GUI against your existing install — same config, keys, sessions, and skills. On first launch Hermes walks you through picking a provider and model; nothing else to configure.
Prebuilt installers
Prebuilt installers are built and distributed via the Hermes Desktop website..
Updating
The app checks for updates in the background and offers a one-click update when one is ready. You can also update any time from the CLI:
hermes update
Requirements
The installer handles everything for you (Python 3.11+, a portable Git, ripgrep).
Development
Want to hack on the app itself? Install workspace deps from the repo root once, then run the dev server from this directory:
npm install # from repo root — links apps/desktop, web, apps/shared
cd apps/desktop
npm run dev # Vite renderer + Electron, which boots the Python backend
Point the app at a specific source checkout, or sandbox it away from your real config:
HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES_ROOT=/path/to/clone npm run dev
HERMES_HOME=/tmp/throwaway npm run dev
npm run dev:fake-boot # exercise the startup overlay with deterministic delays
Building installers
npm run dist:mac # DMG + zip
npm run dist:win # NSIS + MSI
npm run dist:linux # AppImage + deb + rpm
npm run pack # unpacked app under release/ (no installer)
Installers are built and uploaded to GitHub Releases manually. macOS/Windows signing & notarization happen automatically when the relevant credentials are present in the environment (CSC_LINK / CSC_KEY_PASSWORD / APPLE_* for macOS, WIN_CSC_* for Windows).
How it works
The packaged app ships only the Electron shell. On first launch it installs the Hermes Agent runtime into HERMES_HOME (~/.hermes, or %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes on Windows) — the same layout a CLI install uses, so the two are interchangeable. The renderer (React, in src/) talks to a hermes dashboard backend over the standard gateway APIs and reuses the embedded TUI rather than reimplementing chat. The install, backend-resolution, and self-update logic all live in electron/main.cjs.
Verification
Run before opening a PR (lint may surface pre-existing warnings but must exit cleanly):
npm run fix
npm run typecheck
npm run lint
npm run test:desktop:all
Troubleshooting
Boot logs land in HERMES_HOME/logs/desktop.log (includes backend output and recent Python tracebacks) — check it first if the app reports a boot failure.
macOS / Linux:
# Force a clean first-launch setup
rm "$HOME/.hermes/hermes-agent/.hermes-bootstrap-complete"
# Rebuild a broken Python venv
rm -rf "$HOME/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv"
# Reset a stuck macOS microphone prompt (macOS only)
tccutil reset Microphone com.nousresearch.hermes
Windows (PowerShell):
# Force a clean first-launch setup
Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\hermes-agent\.hermes-bootstrap-complete"
# Rebuild a broken Python venv
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\hermes-agent\venv"
The default Hermes home on Windows is
%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes. Set theHERMES_HOMEenv var if you've relocated it.
Community
- 💬 Discord
- 📖 Documentation
- 🐛 Issues
License
MIT — see LICENSE.
Built by Nous Research.