* fix(desktop): resolve electronDist dynamically + self-heal blocked installs Supersedes the static-path approach (#48081) and the install-step self-heal (#48082) with a fix that removes the whole failure class instead of chasing each symptom. Three distinct faults converged into the June desktop-build outage; this closes all three. Root cause (the part #48081 left open — "Gap B"): build.electronDist was a static relative path in apps/desktop/package.json, but npm workspace hoisting is NOT deterministic — depending on the npm version and what else is installed, npm nests the workspace-only electron devDep under apps/desktop/node_modules/electron OR hoists it to the repo root. A static path matches only one layout, so a clean install intermittently fails with "The specified electronDist does not exist". #48081 re-pointed the path at the nested layout (correct today) but electron-builder reads electronDist STATICALLY, so any future hoist change silently breaks it again — only caught by a CI invariant, never self-corrected. Fix: - scripts/run-electron-builder.cjs: resolve electron the way Node's runtime does — require.resolve("electron/package.json") walks node_modules from the desktop project upward and finds electron wherever npm actually put it. The path can never drift out of sync with the install layout again, on any OS/npm version. * dist present -> pass -c.electronDist=<abs>/dist so electron-builder reuses the unpacked runtime (keeps the #38673 fast path that dodges the 26.8.x missing-binary re-unpack bug). * dist absent -> omit electronDist; electron-builder fetches Electron itself via @electron/get honoring electronVersion + ELECTRON_MIRROR. package.json: builder script now runs the wrapper; the static build.electronDist is removed (the resolver owns it). - main.py / install.sh / install.ps1: on a dependency-install failure where the electron package staged but its dist is missing (electron's install.js process.exit(1) on a blocked/throttled binary download — #47266/#47917/#48021), repopulate the dist via electron's downloader (canonical, then npmmirror.com) and CONTINUE to the build instead of aborting. npm runs postinstall LAST, so the only casualty is electron/dist; bailing here is what made the pack-time mirror self-heal unreachable on a blocked network. Hard-fail only when electron never staged at all (a genuine dependency error). - The pack-time mirror fallback now retries the build even when the pre-fetch can't populate the dist: the wrapper lets electron-builder download Electron itself via the mirror, so the retry is no longer a no-op (it was, when electronDist was a static path). The exact 40.10.2 pin (already on main) keeps the third mode — the native @electron-internal/extract-zip win32 binding that 40.10.3/40.10.4 ship without a published prebuild — from recurring. Tests: - test_desktop_electron_pin.py: replace the static-path-matches-lockfile invariant with contracts that there is no hardcoded electronDist to drift, the builder script routes through the resolver, and the resolver uses Node module resolution + injects -c.electronDist. - test_gui_command.py: install-failure self-heal continues to build; genuine (electron-never-staged) install failure still hard-fails; pack retries under the mirror even when the pre-fetch is blocked. Salvages/supersedes the overlapping community work in #48003 (sitkarev), #48012 (omegazheng), #48033 (james47kjv), and #48082. Co-authored-by: sitkarev <59806492+sitkarev@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: omegazheng <zheng@omegasys.eu> Co-authored-by: james47kjv <220877172+james47kjv@users.noreply.github.com> * fix(desktop): narrow Electron self-heal to real missing-dist failures Follow-up on #48091 to remove the remaining misdiagnosis risk from the installer/build fallback path (#46785 concern): only take the Electron repair/retry path when Electron's package files are staged and dist is actually missing/corrupt. - main.py: add _electron_pkg_staged_missing_dist() and use it to gate install failure recovery; fail fast for unrelated npm install errors. - main.py/install.sh/install.ps1: run cache purge + retry only when dist is missing; do not retry unrelated tsc/vite/build failures under an Electron-specific narrative. - install.sh/install.ps1: tighten install-stage self-heal guard to require both package.json + install.js and missing dist. - tests: add coverage that install failure hard-fails when Electron dist already exists, and update retry test to reflect the tightened recovery condition. Validation: - Python tests: 64 passed - install.sh-related tests included in the run - Real mac build on this machine: - npm ci at repo root: success - cd apps/desktop && npm run pack: success - electron-builder packaged darwin arm64 and used custom unpacked Electron dist * refactor(desktop): trim electron self-heal helpers and comments Deduplicate mirror-retry into _try_redownload_electron_dist / shell counterparts; shorten wrapper and install-script commentary without changing recovery semantics. --------- Co-authored-by: sitkarev <59806492+sitkarev@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: omegazheng <zheng@omegasys.eu> Co-authored-by: james47kjv <220877172+james47kjv@users.noreply.github.com> |
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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.