Hermes
Open-source AI agent with tool use and memory. Runs on your own server.
Use it if
- You want an agent that keeps running when your laptop is closed
- You want to control where your data goes
- You are comfortable following terminal instructions carefully
Skip it if
- You want something that works out of the box with no setup
- You do not want to manage a server, even a small one
- You need commercial support and a guaranteed uptime
Most AI tools forget you the moment you close the tab, and stop working the moment you shut your laptop. Hermes is built the other way round: it runs somewhere permanent, remembers what happened last time, and can do things without you watching.
What it is
An open-source AI agent. You give it access to a model, some tools and a place to store notes, and it can then carry out multi-step jobs (checking something on a schedule, processing a file, keeping a record of a project) without being re-prompted each time.
“Open source” here means the code is public and you run it yourself. Nobody hosts it for you, which is the trade: more control, more setup.
What it needs
A machine that stays on. That can be a spare computer at home, but the simpler answer for most people is a small rented server. See what a VPS is if that phrase means nothing to you.
It also needs access to an AI model, which is where the running cost comes from. The agent itself is free; the thinking is not.
Where it fits
If you want to try an agent, start with something hosted and see if the idea appeals. If you have already decided you want one running permanently and you care where your data sits, this is a reasonable place to land.
Honest limitations
Setup is a real afternoon, not five minutes. Things break when the underlying model changes. And an agent that can act on your behalf is an agent that can act wrongly on your behalf. Give it the narrowest access that does the job, not the widest.
The step-by-step VPS guide covers the setup end to end.