Short answer: On Linux/macOS/WSL2 run curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash. On native Windows, run iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1) in PowerShell. After installation, you may launch hermes from PowerShell, CMD, or Git Bash. Reload your shell, then hermes setup --portal.
Linux, macOS, or WSL2
Run the installer
curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash
It sets up Python, Node.js, and supporting tools automatically. Git is the primary prerequisite; on Linux, confirm that curl and xz-utils are installed as listed in the current Hermes documentation.
Reload your shell
source ~/.bashrc (or source ~/.zshrc on macOS)
This puts the hermes command on your PATH.
Connect a model
hermes setup --portal — OAuth login for a Nous subscription; one command configures a model and the Tool Gateway.
Start chatting
hermes for the classic CLI, or hermes --tui for the modern terminal interface.
Windows native — and the trap
The Windows trap (this is why your commands fail)
You install Hermes from PowerShell — that part is fine:
iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)
After installation, the hermes command can run from PowerShell, CMD, or Git Bash. Inside an agent session, Hermes's terminal tool uses a bash/MSYS command environment, so commands the agent executes use POSIX shell syntax.
Use whichever Windows shell you prefer to launch Hermes. When writing instructions specifically for Hermes's terminal tool, use POSIX/bash syntax.
After the PowerShell install, reload your shell and verify:
hermes --version
If that prints a version, the command is available in that shell. Then hermes setup --portal and hermes.
You'll know it worked when…
hermes opens the agent, the startup banner shows your model and provider, and a test message gets a real reply. If you see "command not found," reopen the shell or rerun the installer. If you see a provider error, run hermes model or repeat the provider setup you selected.Next: make it actually useful
Installing is the easy part. Lesson 4 covers memory, skills, and cron — the three features that let Hermes remember context, reuse procedures, and run scheduled work while its host or gateway is online.