The best Hermes Agent tools are the ones that let it actually do things: the browser tools, the terminal, sub-agent delegation and cron jobs. Hermes ships with 60+ built-in tools, and in the video below I show it controlling a computer. Here’s every tool that matters, the toolsets that group them, and how to switch them on and off.
Key takeaways
- Hermes has 60+ built-in tools, grouped into toolsets.
- My top four: browser, terminal, delegate_task and cronjob.
- Run
hermes toolsto configure tools per platform. - Add more tools with MCP servers and plugins.
Best Hermes Agent tools: the built-ins
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| web_search, web_extract | Search the web and pull clean text from pages |
| browser_navigate, browser_snapshot, browser_vision | Drive a real browser and see the page |
| terminal, process | Run commands and background jobs |
| read_file, write_file, patch | Work with files |
| execute_code | Run code in a sandbox |
| delegate_task | Spin up sub-agents for parallel work |
| cronjob | Schedule recurring jobs |
| memory, session_search | Remember facts and search past sessions |
| vision_analyze, image_generate, text_to_speech | See images, make images, speak |
| x_search | Search X/Twitter (off by default) |
| MCP and plugin tools | Anything you connect, e.g. Home Assistant |
My top 4 Hermes Agent tools
1. The browser tools. Hermes can navigate, read and see real web pages, which unlocks research and web tasks on any site.
2. The terminal. It runs commands locally or in Docker, SSH, Daytona, Singularity, Modal or Vercel Sandbox, so you can sandbox anything risky.
3. delegate_task. Hermes spins up sub-agents to work in parallel — big research jobs finish far faster.
4. cronjob. Schedule anything and have the results delivered to any platform. This is what turns Hermes from a chatbot into an employee.
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Hermes Agent toolsets
Tools are grouped into toolsets, including web, search, terminal, file, browser, vision, image_gen, skills, tts, todo, memory, session_search, cronjob, code_execution, delegation, clarify, messaging and safe. You can enable specific toolsets for a session:
hermes chat --toolsets "web,terminal"Run hermes tools to see every tool and configure which are available on each platform — for example, a narrower set on Telegram than in your terminal.
Adding more tools to Hermes
- MCP servers — connect any MCP server and its tools appear as their own toolset.
- Plugins — like Home Assistant for smart-home control. See my best Hermes plugins.
- Nous Portal tools — paid subscribers can use web, image generation and more through the Tool Gateway.
Use Hermes tools safely
- Use the safe toolset when testing new skills.
- Run the terminal in Docker for anything risky.
- Give each platform only the tools it needs.
- Keep approvals on for sending and deleting.
Hermes terminal backends
| Backend | Best for |
|---|---|
| Local | Your own machine |
| Docker | Sandboxing commands safely |
| SSH | Running on another server |
| Daytona, Modal, Vercel Sandbox | Cloud sandboxes |
| Singularity | HPC environments |
If you’re unsure, use Docker: commands run in a container, so a mistake can’t touch the rest of your system.
Tools that pair with messaging
Hermes connects to 20+ messaging platforms, and the messaging toolset lets it send results there. Combine cronjob, web_search and messaging and you have a daily research assistant that reports to your phone — no extra software needed.
Why tools are what make Hermes an agent
A chatbot can only answer. An agent can act — and tools are how it acts. With search and browser tools Hermes can research anything on the web; with the terminal and file tools it can build and change things on a computer; with delegation it can split a big job across sub-agents; and with cron it can do all of that on a schedule without you. Understanding which tools are switched on, and on which platforms, is the difference between an agent that feels limited and one that feels like a real member of your team. Spend ten minutes in hermes tools and you’ll get far more out of every model you use.
The best part is that you don’t need to memorise any tool names to use them. You describe the job in plain English and Hermes chooses the tools. Your role is simply to make sure the right ones are available, the risky ones are sandboxed, and the results land where you’ll see them. Get that right and every new model you plug in becomes more capable straight away.
As new models launch, revisit your tool settings too. A stronger model can handle more tools at once and chain them into longer tasks, so it’s worth switching on more as your setup matures. Start narrow, prove it works, then widen the toolset step by step as your trust in the agent grows.
How I’d get started this week
Run hermes tools and look at what’s switched on for each platform. Turn off anything you don’t use, make sure browser, terminal, delegation and cron are on where you need them, and switch the terminal to Docker if you’re running anything risky. Then give Hermes one task that uses three tools together — research, write a file, schedule a follow-up — and watch how much it can do.
Tools by job
| Job | Tools to switch on |
|---|---|
| Research | web_search, web_extract, browser |
| Coding | terminal, file, code_execution |
| Big projects | delegate_task, todo |
| Automation | cronjob, messaging |
| Content | image_generate, text_to_speech, vision |
| Remembering | memory, session_search |
Giving Hermes only the tools a job needs makes it faster, cheaper and safer.
Common tool problems
- A tool isn’t available — check it’s enabled for that platform in
hermes tools. - Image generation fails — it may need a provider or a Nous Portal subscription.
- x_search does nothing — it’s off by default.
- Browser tasks are slow — that’s normal; use web_extract when you just need text.
The bottom line on the best Hermes Agent tools
The best Hermes Agent tools are the browser, terminal, delegation and cron — switch them on, sandbox the risky ones, and add MCP servers for anything else you need.
FAQ: best hermes agent tools
What tools does Hermes Agent have?
60+ built-in tools, including web search, a browser, terminal, file tools, code execution, sub-agents, cron, memory, vision, image generation and text-to-speech.
How do I turn Hermes tools on or off?
Run hermes tools to configure them per platform, or pass –toolsets to hermes chat.
Can Hermes control my computer?
Yes — through its terminal and browser tools, and computer-use features in Hermes Desktop.
Can I add my own tools to Hermes?
Yes — with MCP servers and plugins.
What is the most useful Hermes tool?
The cronjob tool, because it makes your other tools run on a schedule.
Two ways I can help from here. Join the AI Profit Boardroom — it’s where your Hermes tool setup gets built with 3,400+ members doing the same.
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About Julian Goldie
I’m Julian Goldie — founder of Goldie Agency, best-selling author, and an AI educator with 428K+ YouTube subscribers. I’ve spent 10+ years in SEO and online business and I test every AI agent on my own work before I recommend it. Join the AI Profit Boardroom for the daily builds, or book a free strategy session to talk through yours.
Related reading
Last updated October 2026. This page is a living guide to best hermes agent tools — the facts here move fast and it is updated as they do.