hermes-agent/website/docs/user-guide
Teknium b07791db05
feat(computer-use): cua-driver backend, universal any-model schema
Background macOS desktop control via cua-driver MCP — does NOT steal the
user's cursor or keyboard focus, works with any tool-capable model.

Replaces the Anthropic-native `computer_20251124` approach from the
abandoned #4562 with a generic OpenAI function-calling schema plus SOM
(set-of-mark) captures so Claude, GPT, Gemini, and open models can all
drive the desktop via numbered element indices.

## What this adds

- `tools/computer_use/` package — swappable ComputerUseBackend ABC +
  CuaDriverBackend (stdio MCP client to trycua/cua's cua-driver binary).
- Universal `computer_use` tool with one schema for all providers.
  Actions: capture (som/vision/ax), click, double_click, right_click,
  middle_click, drag, scroll, type, key, wait, list_apps, focus_app.
- Multimodal tool-result envelope (`_multimodal=True`, OpenAI-style
  `content: [text, image_url]` parts) that flows through
  handle_function_call into the tool message. Anthropic adapter converts
  into native `tool_result` image blocks; OpenAI-compatible providers
  get the parts list directly.
- Image eviction in convert_messages_to_anthropic: only the 3 most
  recent screenshots carry real image data; older ones become text
  placeholders to cap per-turn token cost.
- Context compressor image pruning: old multimodal tool results have
  their image parts stripped instead of being skipped.
- Image-aware token estimation: each image counts as a flat 1500 tokens
  instead of its base64 char length (~1MB would have registered as
  ~250K tokens before).
- COMPUTER_USE_GUIDANCE system-prompt block — injected when the toolset
  is active.
- Session DB persistence strips base64 from multimodal tool messages.
- Trajectory saver normalises multimodal messages to text-only.
- `hermes tools` post-setup installs cua-driver via the upstream script
  and prints permission-grant instructions.
- CLI approval callback wired so destructive computer_use actions go
  through the same prompt_toolkit approval dialog as terminal commands.
- Hard safety guards at the tool level: blocked type patterns
  (curl|bash, sudo rm -rf, fork bomb), blocked key combos (empty trash,
  force delete, lock screen, log out).
- Skill `apple/macos-computer-use/SKILL.md` — universal (model-agnostic)
  workflow guide.
- Docs: `user-guide/features/computer-use.md` plus reference catalog
  entries.

## Tests

44 new tests in tests/tools/test_computer_use.py covering schema
shape (universal, not Anthropic-native), dispatch routing, safety
guards, multimodal envelope, Anthropic adapter conversion, screenshot
eviction, context compressor pruning, image-aware token estimation,
run_agent helpers, and universality guarantees.

469/469 pass across tests/tools/test_computer_use.py + the affected
agent/ test suites.

## Not in this PR

- `model_tools.py` provider-gating: the tool is available to every
  provider. Providers without multi-part tool message support will see
  text-only tool results (graceful degradation via `text_summary`).
- Anthropic server-side `clear_tool_uses_20250919` — deferred;
  client-side eviction + compressor pruning cover the same cost ceiling
  without a beta header.

## Caveats

- macOS only. cua-driver uses private SkyLight SPIs
  (SLEventPostToPid, SLPSPostEventRecordTo,
  _AXObserverAddNotificationAndCheckRemote) that can break on any macOS
  update. Pin with HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_VERSION.
- Requires Accessibility + Screen Recording permissions — the post-setup
  prints the Settings path.

Supersedes PR #4562 (pyautogui/Quartz foreground backend, Anthropic-
native schema). Credit @0xbyt4 for the original #3816 groundwork whose
context/eviction/token design is preserved here in generic form.
2026-04-23 16:44:24 -07:00
..
features feat(computer-use): cua-driver backend, universal any-model schema 2026-04-23 16:44:24 -07:00
messaging fix(gateway/discord): add safe startup slash sync policy 2026-04-23 15:11:56 -07:00
skills feat(google-workspace): add --from flag for custom sender display name (#9931) 2026-04-14 16:55:34 -07:00
_category_.json feat: add documentation website (Docusaurus) 2026-03-05 05:24:55 -08:00
checkpoints-and-rollback.md docs: restructure site navigation — promote features and platforms to top-level (#4116) 2026-03-30 18:39:51 -07:00
cli.md docs(tui): rename "Ink TUI" to just "TUI" throughout user-facing surfaces 2026-04-16 19:38:21 -05:00
configuration.md docs: add Exa web search backend setup guide and details 2026-04-22 20:00:29 -07:00
docker.md Update Docker guide with terminal command 2026-04-23 02:02:49 -07:00
git-worktrees.md docs: restructure site navigation — promote features and platforms to top-level (#4116) 2026-03-30 18:39:51 -07:00
profiles.md docs: clarify profiles vs workspaces 2026-04-19 02:00:46 -07:00
security.md docs: comprehensive docs audit — cover 13 features from last week's PRs (#5815) 2026-04-07 10:21:03 -07:00
sessions.md feat(state): auto-prune old sessions + VACUUM state.db at startup (#13861) 2026-04-22 05:21:49 -07:00
tui.md fix(tui): improve macOS paste and shortcut parity 2026-04-21 08:00:00 -07:00