5b43bf7d02
* feat: uninstall the Chat GUI without removing the agent (CLI + desktop UI) Adds a GUI-only uninstall path so people can remove the desktop Chat GUI while keeping the Hermes agent + their config/sessions/.env, and surfaces the three CLI uninstall modes inside the desktop app's Settings → About. CLI: - New hermes_cli/gui_uninstall.py: cross-platform discovery + removal of the desktop GUI's artifacts (source-built dist/release/node_modules + build stamp, the packaged app bundle, and the Electron userData dir) on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Never touches the agent source, venv, or user data. - `hermes uninstall --gui` removes only the Chat GUI; `--gui-summary` prints a JSON install snapshot (used by the desktop UI to gate options + detect a missing agent for a future lite client). - `hermes uninstall --yes` / `--full --yes` now run non-interactively, sharing the destructive sequence via a new _perform_uninstall() helper. The keep-data and full flows also sweep the GUI artifacts. Desktop: - electron/desktop-uninstall.cjs: pure helpers mapping each mode (gui/lite/full) to CLI flags, resolving the running app bundle per OS, and building the detached cleanup script that waits for the app to exit, runs the Python uninstall, and removes the bundle. - IPC hermes:uninstall:summary / :run, preload bridge, and types. - Settings → About "Danger zone" with the three options; agent-removing options hide when no local agent is detected. Tests: tests/hermes_cli/test_gui_uninstall.py (22 pass with the existing uninstall tests), electron/desktop-uninstall.test.cjs (17 pass, wired into test:desktop:platforms). Docs: desktop.md "Uninstalling" + cli-commands.md. * fix(desktop): tear down backend process tree before GUI uninstall (Windows lock safety) The desktop uninstall cleanup script waited only on the desktop app's own PID, but a backend grandchild (gateway / pty terminal / hermes REPL) can outlive it and keep hermes.exe + venv files mandatory-locked on Windows — making the script's rmdir half-fail and leaving a partial install, the same failure class as the self-update path's #37532. - main.cjs: runDesktopUninstall now awaits releaseBackendLock() before spawning the cleanup script — tree-kills every backend PID the desktop owns (primary + pool) via taskkill /T /F and polls the venv shim until unlocked. Extracted the shared core out of releaseBackendLockForUpdate so both the update hand-off and the uninstaller use the identical, incident-hardened teardown. No-op on macOS/Linux (no mandatory locks). - desktop-uninstall.cjs: Windows cleanup script removes the bundle via a bounded rmdir retry loop (10x, 1s) instead of a single rmdir, since Windows releases directory handles lazily even after the holding process exits. - Dropped a fragile tasklist|findstr reap-by-path attempt; the Electron-side tree-kill-by-PID is the reliable mechanism. Tests: desktop-uninstall.test.cjs updated for the retry-loop output (17 pass). * fix(desktop): address review on GUI uninstall (venv self-delete, gates, wait-loop) Resolves @OutThisLife's review on #40355: 1. full mode now gated on agent presence (needsAgent: true). It removes the agent + user data, so on a lite client with no local agent it's hidden like lite — no more offering to remove an agent that isn't there. 2. (Finding 3, the real bug) lite/full no longer rmtree the venv from the venv's OWN python. On Windows a running python.exe is mandatory-locked, so that half-fails. New lightweight 'python -m hermes_cli.uninstall --mode X' entrypoint (stdlib-only imports) lets the desktop run agent-removing modes under the SYSTEM python (findSystemPython) with PYTHONPATH=<agentRoot>, so import hermes_cli resolves from source while the venv is torn down. Falls back to venv python + logs when no system python (gui-only unaffected). 3. Windows wait-loop is now bounded (60 tries, matching POSIX) and matches the PID as a whole space-delimited token via findstr (no substring 99->990 trap, no redundant bare find). set HERMES_HOME/PID/PYTHONPATH now quoted. 4. Renamed the misleading 'returns null for dev run' test — the dev-run safety is shouldRemoveAppBundle(isPackaged=false), which the test now asserts. Docs: note that --gui on a source checkout also sweeps node_modules/build output. Tests: 18 python + 19 desktop pass. |
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| electron | ||
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| .prettierrc | ||
| components.json | ||
| DESIGN.md | ||
| eslint.config.mjs | ||
| index.html | ||
| package.json | ||
| preview-demo.html | ||
| README.md | ||
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| 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 type-check
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.