01What is Hermes Agent 2.0?

Hermes Agent 2.0 is the latest version of the Hermes AI agent, specifically the V0.18 update called the Judgement Release. It adds new features like mixture of agents, /learn, /journey, and fan-out, so you can build and automate almost anything.

In this episode, Julian Goldie explains how these features work and why they matter for getting the most out of Hermes. The update focuses on making the agent smarter, more efficient, and easier to customize.

02Main Features in the Judgement Release

This update brings several key features that change how you use Hermes Agent.

  • Mixture of agents: Combine multiple models to work together on tasks, improving output quality on one-shot prompts.
  • /learn: Teach your agent a new skill from a single link, like a guide or tutorial, and it saves it for future sessions.
  • /journey: See a timeline of everything Hermes has learned about you, and edit or delete memories.
  • Fan-out: Multiple sub-agents can run tasks in the background, so your chat stays responsive.
  • Cheaper self-improvement: Routes to auxiliary models for background self-improvement, saving cost.
  • Better goal completion: Contract completion on goals is improved, with a judge agent verifying when a goal is done.

03How to Update to Hermes Agent V0.18

To get the Judgement Release, you need to update to V0.18. Julian shows four easy ways to do it.

  1. Open your Hermes dashboard and click 'Update Hermes'.
  2. Go to the terminal and type 'Hermes update'.
  3. Use the Hermes desktop app update option.
  4. Use the chat interface to trigger an update.

After updating, it should show Hermes v0.18. If you're still on v0.17, you don't have the latest version, so update now.

04How to Use the Mixture of Agents Feature

The mixture of agents lets you combine different models to create complex outputs. Julian tested it on one-shot prompts, meaning you give a single instruction and wait for the result.

He found that for one-shot prompts, it produced better outputs than Fable 5. For example, he created a WebOS, a VoxelCraft-style Minecraft game, and a wormhole effect using this feature.

  • You can't go back and forth with the mixture of agents; it's one-shot only.
  • You get an answer back in about 10 minutes.
  • It outperformed Fable 5 on first generation, but Fable 5 allowed more back-and-forth for fine-tuning.

This makes it a strong alternative if you want to use multiple models together, especially since Fable 5 is being removed from subscription on July 7th.

05How to Use /learn to Teach New Skills

The /learn feature is simple: you give Hermes a link, and it reads the page, understands it, and builds it into a skill. In the episode, Julian gave it a link to a tutorial, and it learned the skill, breaking it down into the main pillars, surfaces, setup path, and how to build it.

It even logged the skill to an Obsidian vault, linking to memory. Here's how to use it:

  1. Type /learn in your chat.
  2. Paste the URL of a guide or tutorial you want Hermes to learn.
  3. Wait a couple of minutes for it to process.
  4. Save the result as a skill for future sessions.

You can teach it anything, from lead generation to video editing, just by providing a link. It says in the example: 'AIPB forward slash agent operate system load with skill agent operating system', meaning it learned how to build and automate agent operating systems from that guide.

06How to Use /journey to Manage Memories

The /journey command gives you a recap and timeline of everything Hermes has learned about you. It shows what it has done, worked on, and learned over time.

You can see the whole timeline of memories, skills, and accumulated data. Importantly, you can edit or delete parts of this journey, giving you control over what the agent remembers.

  • It acts like a digital journal your agent keeps about you.
  • You can read through it to see what Hermes knows.
  • Editing or deleting is done directly from the journey view.

This is useful for keeping your agent's knowledge accurate and up-to-date.

07Fan-out and Goal Mode Improvements

Fan-out is a new feature that lets several sub-agents run tasks in the background without blocking your chat. For example, if you ask for a website, one agent does research, another audits the site, another creates a draft, and another gathers HTML.

Julian tested this with 12 agents working together to build a full website step-by-step, and it worked really well, saving time and letting you continue chatting.

Goal mode also got improvements. You give Hermes a task and define what 'done' looks like. A judge agent checks the work, quality controls it, and verifies if it meets your specs.

If not, it loops again autonomously. The contract completion is now better, making goals more reliable.

08Tips, Limits, and Mistakes to Avoid

Julian shared some tips and warned about common mistakes:

  • Keep in mind that the mixture of agents is one-shot only; if you need back-and-forth, consider using Fable 5 before it's removed.
  • Update regularly to avoid missing new features; v0.18 is essential for the Judgement Release.
  • Use the agent operating system (Agent OS) for better customization, as Julian prefers it over the desktop app.
  • Take advantage of /learn to quickly add skills from any guide.
  • Use /journey to clean up old memories that might slow down or confuse the agent.
  • For fan-out, define clear tasks to get the best results; tested with 12 agents works great.

Avoid staying on older versions, as you won't have access to the latest features.

09Who Should Use Hermes Agent 2.0?

Hermes Agent 2.0 is for anyone who wants to automate tasks and build complex projects with AI agents. Whether you're a developer, marketer, or creator, the mixture of agents and fan-out help you get more done in less time.

The /learn feature makes it easy to teach Hermes new skills, so you can customize it for your specific needs. Julian's agent operating system adds even more tools like Jarvis, Oracle, Studio, and Outreach, but you can use Hermes alone too.

If you're thinking about using multiple models together, this update is a solid choice, especially as Fable 5 is being removed. It's about saving time and building anything you can imagine.