# Installing Hermes Agent on a VPS — community wiki

Source: https://hermes-ai.cz/en/wiki/getting-started/installation/
Verified against the official documentation: 15 Oct 2026
Official page: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/getting-started/installation
Language: English. AI version — paste the whole text into your agent.

## Why a server
The agent runs on your computer too, but pays off when it works all the time:
collecting data at night, messaging you in the morning, keeping its tools and notes
even when your laptop is closed. A plain VPS is enough (1-2 cores, 2 GB RAM, 20 GB).

## What you need
- A Linux VPS (ideally Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) or a Raspberry Pi
- IP address and credentials (password or SSH key)
- An account with a model provider (step 4)
Czech providers: Wedos, vpsFree, Active24; abroad: Contabo, Hetzner.
Prices change - verify before ordering. Look for "VPS/Cloud", not "web hosting".

## 1. Order the server
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, smallest plan, add an SSH key.

## 2. Prepare the system
    ssh root@<IP>
    apt update && apt upgrade -y
    adduser hermes && usermod -aG sudo hermes
    su - hermes
Do not run the agent as root: its configuration, keys and notes belong in the home
directory of the user the agent runs as.

## 3. Install
    curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash
    source ~/.bashrc
    hermes --version
    hermes doctor
The installer brings Python, Node, ripgrep and FFmpeg with it. Without `source ~/.bashrc`
(or a fresh login) the `hermes` command does not exist - the most common beginner error.
Windows: `iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)`.

## 4. Model and sign-in
    hermes setup --portal     # one sign-in: model and tools
    hermes model              # or pick a provider manually and paste a key
The model needs at least 64,000 tokens of context, otherwise Hermes refuses to start
(it could not handle its tools and memory).

## 5. First chat
    hermes
Give tasks with a verifiable result (e.g. "list disk usage as a table").

## 6. Running in the background
    hermes gateway setup
    hermes gateway status
Without root, enable linger so it survives logout: sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER

## Common problems
- `hermes: command not found` -> source ~/.bashrc (or log in again)
- libatomic1 missing (minimal Debian/Ubuntu) -> the installer asks for sudo
- model with too little context -> pick another via `hermes model`
- config changed after an update -> `hermes config check`, `hermes config migrate`
- moving to another server -> `hermes backup` then `hermes import`
- never delete ~/.hermes/ "to fix it" - you would lose keys and memory

## Links
- Official docs: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs
- Our install guide: https://hermes-ai.cz/en/installation/
- Community (Discord): https://discord.gg/ysx9dbXpdD