On a Linux source install the in-app updater ran the full backend update +
desktop rebuild successfully but never restarted the app — it hung forever on
the applying overlay with no close button. Two causes:
- applyUpdatesPosixInApp() only handled the macOS .app bundle swap;
runningAppBundle() is null off macOS, so Linux fell through to
{ ok: true, backendUpdated: true } without ever relaunching.
- The renderer store had no terminal state for that result shape, so
$updateApply stayed { applying: true } and the overlay's close button
(hidden while applying) never appeared.
Fix (new electron/update-relaunch.cjs, pure + unit-tested):
- Decide the Linux outcome from whether the *running* binary is the one we
just rebuilt (execPath under release/<plat>-unpacked, path-segment-aware so
linux-unpacked-evil can't masquerade) and whether its chrome-sandbox helper
is launchable (root:root + setuid, or an --no-sandbox / ELECTRON_DISABLE_SANDBOX
opt-out):
relaunch — detached watcher waits for this PID to exit (graceful, then
SIGKILL), self-deletes, and re-execs the rebuilt binary with the original
launch context (filtered args + HERMES_*/sandbox env + cwd) restored.
guiSkew — AppImage/.deb/.rpm/dev: backend updated but this GUI package was
NOT changed; surface an honest closeable 'reinstall the desktop app'
terminal state instead of lying that it loads next launch (#37541 skew).
manual — rebuilt binary but sandbox helper not launchable: keep the
working window, don't quit into a dead app.
- store/updates.ts lands a terminal, closeable state for EVERY resolved apply
outcome (handedOff / guiSkew / manualRestart / updated-not-relaunched / error)
so the hang is impossible regardless of platform or result.
- New DesktopUpdateStage values (update/rebuild/done/guiSkew) + GuiSkewView so
progress reads correctly and the skew state is closeable. i18n in all four
locales (en/ja/zh/zh-hant) in parity.
- electron/update-relaunch.test.cjs (16 tests) + store outcome tests.
Salvaged from #45205 onto current main. Linux quit dwell uses the shared
UPDATE_HANDOFF_DWELL_MS (2.5s) from #50448 for consistency. Four-locale i18n
parity, AUTHOR_MAP entry, and the test wiring added on top.
Closes #45205.
|
||
|---|---|---|
| .. | ||
| 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 the Electron shell and a native React chat surface. On first launch it can install 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. Backend resolution first honours HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES_ROOT, then a completed managed install, then a probed hermes on PATH (unless HERMES_DESKTOP_IGNORE_EXISTING=1 is set), and finally an explicit HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES command override for packagers/troubleshooting. The renderer (React, in src/) talks to a hermes dashboard backend over the tui_gateway/dashboard APIs and reuses the agent runtime rather than embedding hermes --tui. 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.