01What is Hermes Agent v0.5?

Hermes Agent v0.5 is the latest version of a free, open-source AI agent that runs on your server, remembers everything, and gets smarter over time. Unlike other AI tools that reset after each session, Hermes lives on a server, builds skills from experience, and works around the clock.

Released on March 28th, v0.5 is the biggest update yet, adding more model access, better security, and fixes for common issues with Claude and GPT models. In this episode, we break down every new feature so you know exactly what changed and how to use it.

02Main Features and New Upgrades in v0.5

  • 400+ models via Hermes portal – One connection lets you switch between over 400 models with a single command.
  • Hugging Face integration – Hugging Face is now a first-class provider, with a curated model picker and live endpoint probe.
  • Telegram private chat topics – Run multiple isolated projects inside one Telegram chat, each with its own skills, context, and memory.
  • Supply chain security audit – Removed a compromised dependency (lightllm), pinned all dependency versions, and added CI scans for every pull request.
  • Fixed Claude output limits – Now uses native model limits: Claude Opus 4.6 gets 128k tokens, Claude Sonic 4.6 gets 64k.
  • GPT tool use guidance – Forces GPT models to actually use tools instead of only describing what they intend to do.

These upgrades make Hermes more capable, reliable, and connected to the models you already use.

03How to Get Started with Hermes Agent v0.5

  1. Install Hermes Agent on your server – It runs on serverless infrastructure, so it can hibernate when idle and wake up when you message it.
  2. Connect your preferred model provider – Use the Hermes inference portal or the new Hugging Face integration to access over 400 models.
  3. Set up your Telegram chat – Create topics for each project or client to keep them isolated with their own memory and skills.
  4. Grant access to your files and messaging apps – Hermes needs access to work, but make sure to review security since it runs with your data.
  5. Start with a simple task – Ask Hermes to handle a basic workflow to see how it builds context and skills over time.

After setup, Hermes learns from your business, your clients, and your preferences, so it gets better every day.

04Using Hermes Agent: Examples from the Episode

In the episode, we showed how to use Telegram private chat topics for multi-project management. For example, on Monday morning you can open the Client A topic to handle their content pipeline, then switch to the sales outreach topic for a different workflow. Each topic has its own context, tools, and memory, so Hermes knows exactly what you're working on.

Another example is using Hugging Face models to run entire workflows for an agency at near-zero cost. You can plug Hermes into free or cheap models and let it automatically pick the right model for each task, keeping API costs low.

You can also customize behavior with plugin lifecycle hooks. For instance, a plugin can send you a Slack message when a session ends with a summary, or fire a webhook to your CRM when a session starts.

05Results and Comparisons in the Episode

The episode compared Hermes Agent to OpenClaw, a similar tool. Hermes learns from your workflows and builds skills from experience, while OpenClaw does not. Hermes is free to use, while OpenClaw costs money.

Over time, Hermes becomes more tailored to how you work, giving it a growing advantage.

Since launching in February, Hermes has gained 15,200 GitHub stars and nearly 2,000 forks, with a community shipping hundreds of pull requests per release cycle. The project released five major versions in six weeks, showing rapid innovation.

The fixed Claude output limits are a major result: tasks that previously got cut off at 16,000 tokens can now complete up to 128k tokens, an 8x improvement. GPT models also now take real action instead of just narrating.

06Tips, Limits, and Mistakes to Avoid

One key tip: don't treat Hermes like a search engine. Use it as infrastructure that runs in the background. It doesn't need to be asked the same questions twice; it learns your business, clients, and processes over time.

Be aware of security: Hermes can access your files, messaging apps, API keys, and client data. The v0.5 security audit is a good sign, but you should still review your own setup.

Avoid comparing Hermes to tools like OpenClaw that don't learn from experience. Hermes builds skills automatically, so you don't have to manually add them.

Finally, don't wait too long to start. The gap between businesses using this kind of AI agent and those not using it grows every week.

07Who Should Use Hermes Agent and Why It Matters

Hermes Agent is for solo business owners, agency owners, and anyone juggling multiple projects or clients. If you want an AI agent that works for you around the clock without resetting, this is a practical choice.

Because it's free and open-source, it's accessible to anyone. The fast pace of development means you get new features frequently. Using Hermes can help you generate leads, save time, and handle real workflows.

The episode emphasized that businesses treating AI as infrastructure will win in the next 12 months. Hermes Agent is one of the most practical ways to build that infrastructure today.