hermes-agent/apps/desktop/README.md
emozilla 32f0fde35c feat(desktop): add ripgrep to NSIS prereq page + polish layout
Add ripgrep as a third (recommended) prereq alongside Python and Git in
the NSIS prereq detection page, and clean up the page layout based on
on-VM testing.

Why ripgrep
- Hermes' search_files tool calls `rg` directly for content + filename
  search (tools/file_operations.py:1382). Falls back to grep/find from
  Git Bash when missing — works but slower and noisier (no .gitignore
  awareness).
- ~5MB winget install via `BurntSushi.ripgrep.MSVC --scope user` — no
  UAC prompt, parallel to how Python installs.
- scripts/install.ps1 already installs ripgrep as part of
  Install-SystemPackages; this brings the desktop installer to parity.

Why "recommended" not "required"
- Python and Git are hard requirements: without them the agent runtime
  or terminal tool refuses to start. The bootstrapper preflight throws.
- ripgrep is a performance enhancement: missing it just means slower
  searches. Page wording reflects this; failure to install is logged
  but doesn't show a MessageBox or block.

Layout polish (response to on-VM screenshot review)
- Wizard header now correctly reads "System Requirements" instead of
  the leftover "Choose Install Location" from the previous page. Set
  via `GetDlgItem $HWNDPARENT 1037/1038` + WM_SETTEXT — the standard
  NSIS pattern for overriding the page header on a custom Page.
- Removed redundant in-body title + verbose intro paragraph; the
  wizard header IS the title now. Body has one short intro line.
- Group boxes tightened to 26u with content positioned just below the
  groupbox title (not top-anchored status + bottom-anchored checkbox
  with empty space in the middle). All three panels + footer fit
  comfortably in 126u, well under the 140u page limit.
- Checkbox labels simplified: dropped "(per-user, no admin prompt)"
  and "(administrator approval required)" suffixes. The footer note
  still calls out UAC for Git when relevant.
- Footer text trimmed to fit cleanly without clipping.

Install order (in customInstall macro)
- Python → ripgrep → Git
- Python and ripgrep are silent and run first; Git's UAC prompt comes
  last so the user's approval interaction isn't interrupted by silent
  activity afterwards.

Skip behavior unchanged
- All three detected → page auto-skips via Abort
- Silent install (/S) → customInstall winget block skips
- User unchecks all → page advances without running winget

Files
- apps/desktop/installer/prereq-check.nsh: ripgrep detection block,
  ripgrep page panel + checkbox, ripgrep customInstall block,
  GetDlgItem header override, layout reflow
- apps/desktop/README.md: Runtime prerequisites section updated to
  list ripgrep as recommended, with manual winget command
2026-05-11 21:56:11 -04:00

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# Hermes Desktop
Native Electron shell for Hermes. It packages the desktop renderer, a bundled Hermes source payload, and installer targets for macOS and Windows.
## Setup
Install workspace dependencies from the repo root so `apps/desktop`, `apps/dashboard`, and `apps/shared` stay linked:
```bash
npm install
```
For Python, you have two options:
**Option A — let the desktop provision it for you (recommended for first-time setup):** just run `npm run dev`. On first launch the desktop creates a venv at `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent/venv` and runs `pip install -e .` against the resolved Hermes source automatically. Requires Python 3.11+ on `PATH`.
**Option B — share an existing CLI install:** if you already ran `scripts/install.ps1` / `scripts/install.sh`, that's the same layout the desktop uses. The desktop reuses your existing venv and editable install — no extra steps. See [Runtime Bootstrap](#runtime-bootstrap) below for details.
If you're hacking on Hermes from a clone outside `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent`, point the desktop at it explicitly:
```bash
HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES_ROOT=/path/to/your/clone npm run dev
```
### Runtime prerequisites
Hermes Desktop needs:
- **Python 3.11+** — for the agent runtime, dashboard backend, and tool execution. (required)
- **Git for Windows** (Windows only) — provides Git Bash, which Hermes' terminal tool calls directly. Linux and macOS already ship a system bash. (required)
- **ripgrep** — used by Hermes' `search_files` tool for fast `.gitignore`-aware file/content search. Recommended on all platforms; Hermes falls back to `grep`/`find` if missing (works but slower and noisier).
The packaged Windows installer (`Hermes-*.exe`) detects all three at install time. Required items missing are auto-installed via `winget install -e --id Python.Python.3.11 --scope user` and `winget install -e --id Git.Git`. The recommended ripgrep is offered as `winget install -e --id BurntSushi.ripgrep.MSVC --scope user`. If `winget` isn't available the installer shows manual download URLs and lets you continue. The MSI installer (`Hermes-*.msi`) doesn't run the prereq page — enterprise deploys are expected to handle prereqs out-of-band.
For dev (`npm run dev`) the Python and Git Bash checks happen at first launch via the Electron bootstrapper, which throws a clear error if either prereq is missing. Manual install commands you can run yourself:
```powershell
winget install -e --id Python.Python.3.11 --scope user
winget install -e --id Git.Git
winget install -e --id BurntSushi.ripgrep.MSVC --scope user
```
## Development
```bash
cd apps/desktop
npm run dev
```
`npm run dev` starts Vite on `127.0.0.1:5174`, launches Electron, and lets Electron boot the Hermes backend (`hermes dashboard --no-open --tui`) on an open port in `9120-9199`. This path is for UI iteration and may still show Electron/dev identities in OS prompts.
Useful overrides:
```bash
HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES_ROOT=/path/to/hermes-agent npm run dev
HERMES_DESKTOP_PYTHON=/path/to/python npm run dev
HERMES_DESKTOP_CWD=/path/to/project npm run dev
HERMES_DESKTOP_IGNORE_EXISTING=1 npm run dev
HERMES_HOME=/tmp/throwaway-hermes-home npm run dev
HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE=1 npm run dev
HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE=1 HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE_STEP_MS=900 npm run dev
```
`HERMES_DESKTOP_IGNORE_EXISTING=1` skips any `hermes` CLI already on `PATH`, which is useful when testing the factory-image bootstrap path.
`HERMES_HOME` overrides the install root (default: `%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes` on Windows, `~/.hermes` elsewhere) — handy for sandboxed dev runs that shouldn't touch your real config.
`HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE=1` adds deterministic per-phase delays to desktop startup so you can validate the startup overlay and progress bar. For convenience, `npm run dev:fake-boot` enables fake mode with defaults.
On a fresh Hermes profile, Desktop shows a first-run setup overlay after boot. The overlay saves the minimum required provider credential (for example `OPENROUTER_API_KEY`, `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, or `OPENAI_API_KEY`) to the active Hermes `.env`, reloads the backend env, and then lets the user continue without opening Settings manually.
## Dashboard Dev
Run the Python dashboard backend with embedded chat enabled:
```bash
hermes dashboard --tui --no-open
```
For dashboard HMR, start Vite in another terminal:
```bash
cd apps/dashboard
npm run dev
```
Open the Vite URL. The dev server proxies `/api`, `/api/pty`, and plugin assets to `http://127.0.0.1:9119` and fetches the live dashboard HTML so the ephemeral session token matches the running backend.
## Build
```bash
npm run build
npm run pack # unpacked app at release/mac-<arch>/Hermes.app
npm run dist:mac # macOS DMG + zip
npm run dist:mac:dmg # DMG only
npm run dist:mac:zip # zip only
npm run dist:win # NSIS + MSI
```
Before packaging, `stage:hermes` copies the Python Hermes payload into `build/hermes-agent`. Electron Builder then ships it as `Contents/Resources/hermes-agent`.
## Automated Releases
Desktop installers are published by [`.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml`](../../.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml) with two channels:
- **Stable:** runs on published GitHub releases and uploads signed artifacts to that release tag.
- **Nightly:** runs on `main` pushes and updates the rolling `desktop-nightly` prerelease.
The workflow injects a channel-aware desktop version at build time:
- stable: derived from the release tag (for example `v2026.5.5` -> `2026.5.5`)
- nightly: `0.0.0-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<sha>`
Artifact names include channel, platform, and architecture:
```text
Hermes-<version>-<channel>-<platform>-<arch>.<ext>
```
Each run also publishes `SHA256SUMS-<platform>.txt` so installers can be verified.
### Stable release gates
Stable builds fail fast if signing credentials are missing:
- macOS signing + notarization: `CSC_LINK`, `CSC_KEY_PASSWORD`, `APPLE_API_KEY`, `APPLE_API_KEY_ID`, `APPLE_API_ISSUER`
- Windows signing: `WIN_CSC_LINK`, `WIN_CSC_KEY_PASSWORD`
Stable macOS builds also validate stapling and Gatekeeper assessment in CI before upload.
## Icons
Desktop icons live in `assets/`:
- `assets/icon.icns`
- `assets/icon.ico`
- `assets/icon.png`
The builder config points at `assets/icon`. Replace these files directly if the app icon changes.
## Testing Install Paths
Use the package-local test scripts from this directory:
```bash
npm run test:desktop:all
npm run test:desktop:existing
npm run test:desktop:fresh
npm run test:desktop:dmg
npm run test:desktop:platforms
```
`test:desktop:existing` builds the packaged app and opens it normally. It should use an existing `hermes` CLI if one is on `PATH`, preserving the users real `~/.hermes` config.
`test:desktop:fresh` builds the packaged app and launches it in a throwaway fresh-install sandbox. It sets `HERMES_DESKTOP_IGNORE_EXISTING=1`, points Electron `userData` at a temp dir, points `HERMES_HOME` at a temp dir, and launches through the factory-image bootstrap path without touching your real desktop runtime or `~/.hermes`.
`test:desktop:dmg` builds and opens the DMG.
`test:desktop:platforms` runs platform bootstrap-path assertions, including:
- existing-CLI vs factory-image runtime path selection semantics
- WSL2 protection against Windows `.exe/.cmd/.bat/.ps1` overrides
- platform-specific runtime import checks (`winpty` vs `ptyprocess`)
For fast reruns without rebuilding:
```bash
HERMES_DESKTOP_SKIP_BUILD=1 npm run test:desktop:fresh
HERMES_DESKTOP_SKIP_BUILD=1 npm run test:desktop:existing
HERMES_DESKTOP_SKIP_BUILD=1 npm run test:desktop:dmg
```
## Installing Locally
```bash
npm run dist:mac:dmg
open release/Hermes-0.0.0-arm64.dmg
```
Drag `Hermes` to Applications. If testing repeated installs, replace the existing app.
## Runtime Bootstrap
Hermes Desktop shares its install layout with the CLI installers (`scripts/install.ps1`, `scripts/install.sh`) so a desktop-only user and a CLI-only user end up with the same files in the same places.
### Where things live
```text
HERMES_HOME/ # %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes (Windows)
# ~/.hermes (macOS / Linux)
├── hermes-agent/ # ACTIVE_HERMES_ROOT — the canonical install
│ ├── hermes_cli/, agent/, ... # Python source
│ ├── pyproject.toml # source of truth for deps
│ ├── venv/ # virtualenv (Scripts\python.exe on Windows,
│ │ # bin/python elsewhere)
│ └── .hermes-desktop-runtime.json # marker: schema version + pyproject hash
├── config.yaml # user config
├── .env # API keys
└── logs/
├── desktop.log # Electron-side boot log
├── agent.log
├── errors.log
└── gateway.log
```
The factory image (`Contents/Resources/hermes-agent` on macOS, `resources\hermes-agent` on Windows) ships inside the `.app` / `.exe` and seeds `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent` on first launch.
### Resolution order
The desktop resolves a Hermes backend in this order:
1. `HERMES_DESKTOP_HERMES_ROOT` — explicit dev override.
2. Existing `hermes` CLI on PATH (skipped when `HERMES_DESKTOP_IGNORE_EXISTING=1`).
3. Repo source root — only when running `npm run dev` from a checkout. Takes precedence over `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent` so devs always run their local edits.
4. `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent` if it already exists (CLI installer or prior desktop launch).
5. Packaged + factory image present → sync factory → `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent`, then use it.
6. Pip-installed `hermes_cli` module via system Python.
### First-launch flow on a packaged install
1. Sync factory image → `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent`. Skipped if a `.git` directory exists at the destination (developer install) — never overwrites a user's local repo.
2. Create venv at `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent/venv` using system Python (errors out with a Python-install hint if no Python 3.11+ is found).
3. `pip install -e HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent``pyproject.toml` is the single source of truth for dependencies.
4. Stamp `.hermes-desktop-runtime.json` with the schema version + pyproject hash + factory version.
Subsequent launches compare the marker against the active `pyproject.toml` and skip steps 2-4 when nothing has changed.
### Upgrades
A new installer drops a new factory image. On next launch the marker mismatches → factory contents are copied over `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent` (excluding `venv/`, `.git`, `__pycache__`, etc.), `pip install -e` re-runs to pick up new deps, the marker is re-stamped. The venv is preserved across upgrades to keep the upgrade fast when deps haven't moved.
A user who installed via `scripts/install.ps1` / `scripts/install.sh` (so `HERMES_HOME/hermes-agent/.git` exists) is detected as a developer install and the desktop never overwrites their checkout — they keep using `hermes update` / `git pull` to update.
## Debugging
Desktop boot logs are written to:
```text
HERMES_HOME/logs/desktop.log # %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\logs\desktop.log on Windows
# ~/.hermes/logs/desktop.log on macOS / Linux
```
If the UI reports `Desktop boot failed`, check that log first. It includes the backend command output and recent Python traceback context.
To reset desktop runtime state (forces re-sync from the factory image and re-`pip install -e .` on next launch):
```bash
# macOS / Linux
rm "$HOME/.hermes/hermes-agent/.hermes-desktop-runtime.json"
# Windows (PowerShell)
Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\hermes-agent\.hermes-desktop-runtime.json"
```
For a full reset of just the Python venv (rare — usually only needed if the venv is broken):
```bash
# macOS / Linux
rm -rf "$HOME/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv"
# Windows (PowerShell)
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hermes\hermes-agent\venv"
```
To reset stale macOS microphone permission prompts:
```bash
tccutil reset Microphone com.github.Electron
tccutil reset Microphone com.nousresearch.hermes
```
## Verification
Run before handing off installer changes:
```bash
npm run fix
npm run type-check
npm run lint
npm run test:desktop:all
```
Current lint may report existing warnings, but it should exit with no errors.