Hermes Agent Brew: Can You Install Hermes With Homebrew?

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Searching for Hermes Agent brew? Here’s the short answer: as of October 2026 there’s no official Homebrew formula for Hermes Agent. On a Mac you install it with the official one-line script or the Hermes Desktop app — and Homebrew is still handy for the tools around it. In the video below I show Hermes Desktop setting up local AI in one click. Here’s the right way to install Hermes on a Mac.

Key takeaways

There’s no official Homebrew formula for Hermes Agent.
Install with the official script or Hermes Desktop (Apple Silicon).
Brew helps with dependencies like Git, plus tools like Ollama.
Be careful with unofficial taps using the Hermes name.

Is there a Hermes Agent brew formula?

Not an official one. The Hermes docs list the install methods — the install script for Linux, macOS and WSL2, PowerShell for Windows, desktop apps, Termux, Docker and Nix — and Homebrew isn’t one of them. If you want to check for yourself, run brew search hermes. Anything you find there isn’t from Nous Research unless their docs say otherwise.

How to install Hermes Agent on a Mac

Option 1: the install script. Open Terminal and run:

curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash

Then reload your shell with source ~/.zshrc and run hermes. The script downloads its own pinned tooling, so you don’t need to install Python yourself.

Option 2: Hermes Desktop. Download the DMG from the Hermes website, open it and drag Hermes.app into Applications. The desktop app is Apple Silicon only — Intel Macs aren’t supported for it.

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Where Homebrew still helps

Git — if the script complains it’s missing, brew install git (or xcode-select --install).
Ollama — for running free local models with Hermes.
Tailscale — for reaching Hermes securely from other devices.
Docker — if you want Hermes to run commands in a container.
Other CLI tools your skills rely on.

So brew is part of a good Hermes setup on a Mac — just not for Hermes itself.

Updating Hermes without brew

Since Hermes isn’t managed by Homebrew, brew upgrade won’t touch it. Use hermes update instead (add --check to preview, or --backup to back up first). The desktop app updates itself. After updating, hermes doctor checks everything is healthy.

Where Hermes lives on a Mac

What	Where
Code (script install)	~/.hermes/hermes-agent/
Launcher	~/.local/bin/hermes
Your data	~/.hermes/ (or HERMES_HOME)
Install log	logs/install.log in the data folder

Your config, memory, skills and sessions all live in ~/.hermes/, which is what you’d back up — see my Hermes Agent backup guide.

Common Mac install problems

“hermes: command not found” — run source ~/.zshrc or open a new Terminal window.
Git missing — install it with brew or Xcode Command Line Tools.
Intel Mac — use the script install; the desktop app needs Apple Silicon.
Something broken after an update — run hermes doctor, then hermes config check and hermes config migrate.

Beware of unofficial Hermes taps

If you find a Homebrew tap or formula using the Hermes name, it’s not from Nous Research unless their docs link to it. Unofficial packages can be outdated or unsafe. Stick to the official script or the desktop app.

Script install vs desktop app

The script install gives you the full command-line Hermes: the CLI, the gateway for running in the background, cron jobs and every tool. It works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. The desktop app gives you a polished window with one-click plugins and automatic updates, but it needs Apple Silicon. Many people use both: the desktop app for day-to-day work and the CLI for setup, scripting and running the gateway as a background service.

If you’re not sure, start with the desktop app on an Apple Silicon Mac, and add the CLI when you want scheduled jobs running in the background.

After you install Hermes on a Mac

Run hermes setup to connect a model and a messaging platform like Telegram, so you can message your agent from your phone. Then try one small job — a daily news brief is the classic first task — and turn it into a skill. If you want your jobs to keep running when your laptop lid is closed, install the gateway as a background service, or move Hermes to a VPS. My Hermes Agent background guide covers both, and you can use Homebrew to install supporting tools like Tailscale and Ollama along the way.

Frequently asked: Hermes on a Mac

Will Hermes slow my Mac down? Not much — the heavy thinking happens on your model provider’s servers unless you run local models. Can I run it on an older Intel Mac? Yes, with the script install. Do I need Python? No, the installer handles its own tooling. Can I use Homebrew’s Python? You can, but you don’t need to, and letting the installer manage it avoids version conflicts. Will it keep running when I close the lid? Only if the Mac stays awake, which is why many people move Hermes to a VPS for always-on jobs.

The bottom line on Hermes Agent brew

There’s no official Hermes Agent brew install today. Use the one-line script or Hermes Desktop, keep using Homebrew for the tools around Hermes, and update with hermes update.

If you manage several Macs, the script install is also easy to repeat: run the same one-liner on each machine, then restore your setup with hermes import from a backup. That gives you an identical Hermes on every computer in minutes, with no package manager involved. And if Nous Research ever publishes an official Homebrew formula, I’ll update this guide straight away. Questions? Bring them to a live call.

FAQ: hermes agent brew

Can I install Hermes Agent with brew?

There’s no official Homebrew formula as of October 2026; use the official install script or Hermes Desktop.

How do I install Hermes on a Mac?

Run curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash, or install the Hermes Desktop app on Apple Silicon.

How do I update Hermes on a Mac?

Run hermes update; the desktop app updates itself.

Does Hermes work on Intel Macs?

The script install does; the desktop app is Apple Silicon only.

Why is the hermes command not found?

Reload your shell with source ~/.zshrc or open a new Terminal window.

Two ways I can help from here. Join the AI Profit Boardroom — it’s where your Hermes setup gets built with 3,400+ members doing the same.

Or grab a free strategy session and bring your questions.

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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.