# Skills — extending the agent — community wiki

Zdroj: https://hermes-ai.cz/en/wiki/getting-started/skills/
Ověřeno proti oficiální dokumentaci: 15. 10. 2026
Oficiální stránka: https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/skills
Language: English. AI version — paste the whole text into your agent.

## What a skill is
A written procedure (recipe) for the agent: when to use it, which steps to take, what to avoid, how to
verify the result. Not a program or plugin - a text the agent reads when it needs it.
- Skill = procedure in text | Tool = a capability the agent has | Plugin = code extension (Python)

## Why
- the procedure is followed the same way every time
- costs nothing until needed (the agent only knows names and descriptions)
- files live in ~/.hermes/skills/ - easy to back up or move
- the agent can write a skill from its own experience

## Ready-made skills
hermes skills browse            # catalog
hermes skills list              # what I have
hermes skills search backup     # search
hermes skills install official/research/arxiv
/skills install official/creative/songwriting-and-ai-music
58 bundled + 153 optional (documents, code, research, email, server operations, creative).
An installed skill applies to new conversations; load it at once with /reset or --now (costs more).

## Your own skill from sources
/learn https://docs.example.com/api/quickstart
/learn how we backed up the database
/learn our rules for publishing articles

## SKILL.md format
---
name: database-backup
description: Use when the website database needs backing up.
---
# Title
## When to use / ## Procedure / ## Pitfalls / ## Verification
The first sentence (description) decides - it must say when the skill applies.

## Tips
- concrete procedure, not general advice
- one skill, one thing
- record the mistakes you hit and how to verify
- no passwords or keys inside a skill
- rewrite outdated skills
- read third-party skills before installing

## Troubleshooting
- agent does not use it -> description does not match the task (start with "Use when...")
- does nothing right after install -> /reset or --now
- two skills clash -> rename or merge
- what is available -> hermes skills list, hermes skills audit
- harmful third-party skill -> delete from ~/.hermes/skills/