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Short answer: Hermes can generate images with its built-in image_generate tool and video with the opt-in video_generate tool. MCP is the extension layer: Hermes can connect to local stdio or remote HTTP MCP servers and use whatever tools those servers expose. PDF creation is not listed in the native tools reference reviewed on September 29, 2026; you would need an MCP server that explicitly provides a PDF tool. Do not assume that running hermes mcp serve automatically adds image, video, or PDF generation.
What “Hermes MCP Server” actually means
Hermes is involved in MCP in two different ways:
- Hermes as an MCP client: the agent connects to external MCP servers, discovers their tools, and makes selected tools available in a session.
- Hermes as an MCP server:
hermes mcp serveruns a stdio messaging bridge so an MCP client can connect to Hermes.
The built-in media tools are a separate part of Hermes. The official tools reference documents image_generate and video_generate; they are not automatically supplied by every MCP server. An external server can add capabilities only when its own implementation exposes those operations.
Tool names and provider capabilities can change. The instructions below reflect the Nous Research/Hermes documentation inspected on September 29, 2026. After every configuration change, start a new session or reload Hermes and inspect the discovered tool list.
How do I connect an MCP server to Hermes?
Hermes supports local servers that communicate over stdio and remote servers reached over HTTP. In both cases, Hermes discovers the server’s tools when the session starts. The server’s configuration determines what is actually available.
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Local stdio server
Add an entry to your Hermes MCP configuration with the executable and its arguments. A conceptual configuration looks like this; use the exact file location and keys shown in the current Hermes MCP documentation for your installation:
{
"mcp_servers": {
"local_media": {
"command": "your-mcp-executable",
"args": ["--stdio"]
}
}
}The process must be executable in the environment where Hermes runs. If it needs environment variables, credentials, or a virtual environment, configure those according to that server’s instructions.
Remote HTTP server
For a hosted server, provide its URL and, when required, request headers:
{
"mcp_servers": {
"remote_tools": {
"url": "https://example.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"
}
}
}
}Use HTTPS for credentials. A server may expose dozens of tools, so Hermes also supports per-server filtering. Restrict the list to the operations your agent should see, then restart or reload the session and verify the resulting tool names.
Do not infer capabilities from the connection
A successful MCP connection proves only that Hermes can communicate with that server. It does not prove that the server creates images, video, or PDFs. Read the discovered descriptions and the server’s documentation before writing prompts that depend on a particular operation.
How do I generate images with Hermes?
Use the native image_generate tool. It supports text-to-image generation and editing or transformation of an existing image.
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Text-to-image
Ask Hermes to create an image and describe the subject, composition, style, dimensions, and any constraints. For example:
Use image_generate to create a 16:9 editorial illustration of a developer wiring an MCP client to a remote HTTP server. Use a clean technical diagram style, readable labels, and a restrained blue-and-gray palette.When no input image is supplied, Hermes treats the request as text-to-image. The actual model is selected by your configured backend; the agent does not choose a model autonomously.
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Pass an image URL when you want an edit, variation, or transformation:
Use image_generate with this image URL as the input: https://example.com/source.png
Remove the background, preserve the subject's proportions, and return a transparent-background version.A reference image URL can also guide style or composition. Ensure the URL is reachable by the configured provider and does not require credentials that provider cannot access.
Configure an image backend
The documented choices include FAL.ai, OpenAI, OpenAI Codex authentication, xAI, and Krea. You configure credentials and the backend in Hermes; those settings determine where the request is sent. Availability, model names, limits, and output formats are provider-dependent, so check the active tool description and provider documentation rather than assuming one universal model or size.
How do I enable video generation in Hermes?
Video is opt-in. Enable the video_gen toolset in Hermes or turn it on in the Hermes tools settings, then configure a supported provider and its credentials. Once enabled, the single video_generate function routes the request according to whether an image URL is present.
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Text-to-video
Omit an image URL:
Use video_generate to create a 6-second 16:9 clip of the MCP connection diagram animating from a local stdio process to a remote HTTP endpoint. Use smooth camera movement and no narration.Image-to-video
Include one image URL to animate a still image:
Use video_generate with image_url=https://example.com/diagram.png.
Animate the arrows and gently pan across the diagram for 5 seconds.The exact argument labels and limits are shown in the active session’s tool schema. If the provider does not support the requested duration, aspect ratio, or resolution, change the request to values listed there.
Which video generation backends does Hermes support?
The current Hermes reference lists xAI Grok-Imagine, FAL.ai, OpenRouter, and DeepInfra. Credentials and capabilities differ. At session start Hermes rebuilds the tool description to report what the selected backend can do.
| Decision point | What to verify in Hermes |
|---|---|
| Authentication | Which provider key, account, or OpenRouter configuration is required. |
| Input mode | Text-to-video, image-to-video, and any reference-image support. |
| Shape and quality | Available aspect ratios and output resolutions. |
| Length | Minimum and maximum duration for the active model. |
| References and audio | Number of reference images and whether generated audio is supported. |
| Result delivery | Whether Hermes returns an HTTP URL or a local file path. |
Because these values are provider- and model-specific, do not publish a workflow that promises a fixed resolution, duration, audio track, or file type without checking the live tool description.
Can Hermes turn an image into a video?
Yes, when the selected video backend supports image input. Supply an accessible image URL to video_generate; Hermes then uses the image-to-video route. If the active description does not advertise image input, select another configured backend or use text-to-video instead. Reference-image limits, accepted formats, and whether the output is a URL or local path are also provider-specific.
Can Hermes generate PDFs?
PDF generation requires qualification. The built-in tools reference reviewed for this article lists image and video generation but no native PDF-generation function. That means you should not expect a pdf_generate tool in a default Hermes session.
Hermes can still create a PDF indirectly when a connected MCP server exposes a PDF tool. Configure that server as a local stdio or remote HTTP server, restart Hermes, and confirm that a PDF operation appears in the discovered tools. The available server, input schema, rendering engine, page sizes, fonts, and output delivery are all server-dependent; no particular PDF server or tested workflow is established here.
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A reliable PDF workflow
- Choose an MCP server whose documentation explicitly says it creates PDFs.
- Configure its executable/arguments or URL/headers under
mcp_servers. - Restart Hermes and inspect the discovered tools for the server’s PDF operation.
- Ask Hermes to call that tool with a small test document and a known output location.
- Open the returned URL or file path and verify fonts, page breaks, images, and metadata before automating larger jobs.
Combining generated media in one project
A practical sequence is to generate an image first, use its returned URL as the input to video_generate, and send the resulting URL or file to a separate PDF-capable MCP server. Keep each step explicit so a failure is attributable to one provider.
- Generate or edit the still image with
image_generate. - Record the returned URL or local path and confirm it is readable by the video provider.
- Enable
video_gen, then create the animation withvideo_generate. - Pass the resulting asset to a verified PDF tool if you need a document containing frames, captions, or a link.
- Save the final URLs/paths and provider metadata with your project so the workflow can be reproduced.
Troubleshooting Hermes media workflows
The tool is missing
Check that the MCP server process starts, that its URL and headers are correct, and that tool filtering has not excluded the operation. For video, also confirm that video_gen is enabled. Start a new session after changing configuration.
Authentication fails
Verify the credential for the selected backend, the account’s access to that capability, and the environment in which Hermes runs. A key configured for one provider does not authenticate another.
An image URL cannot be read
Use an HTTPS URL that is publicly reachable by the provider, check redirects and content type, and avoid expiring links. If the provider requires a local upload rather than a URL, follow its documented input method.
The requested video settings are rejected
Read the active video_generate description and reduce duration, change aspect ratio or resolution, remove unsupported audio, or use fewer reference images. Those constraints can change when you switch providers.
The request times out or returns an empty result
Check provider status and quotas, then retry with a shorter clip or simpler prompt. Preserve any job identifier or returned URL; some providers finish asynchronously even when the initial request is slow.
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A PDF operation is not found
No native PDF tool is listed in the reviewed Hermes reference. Confirm that the external server actually implements PDF creation and that Hermes discovered it after restart; otherwise install or configure a different PDF-capable MCP server.
Performance, reliability, and cost considerations
- Latency: remote MCP transport adds network time, while image and video rendering time is controlled by the provider and requested output.
- Reproducibility: record prompts, input URLs, backend, model, aspect ratio, duration, and returned location. Provider defaults can change.
- Security: treat MCP headers, provider keys, cookies, and private media URLs as secrets. Expose only the tools an agent needs.
- Cost: the supplied Hermes documentation does not establish current provider pricing. Check each provider’s account and model pricing before automating.
- Storage: HTTP results may expire and local paths may exist only on the Hermes host. Copy outputs to durable storage when retention matters.
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Is hermes mcp serve the image-generation service?
No. It is Hermes’ stdio MCP bridge. Image and video generation are native Hermes tools, while external MCP servers contribute only the tools they implement.
Does the agent choose the image or video model?
No. Your configured backend and credentials determine the provider and model. Hermes exposes the resulting capability description to the session.
What should I do when provider capabilities change?
Reload Hermes, inspect the live tool schema, and adapt prompts to the modalities, limits, and output format it reports for the selected backend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use several MCP servers in one Hermes session?
Yes. Configure multiple local or remote entries, then use per-server filtering to expose only the tools needed for the session.
Are generated files always saved locally?
No. A provider may return an HTTP URL or a local file path; check the active tool description and copy temporary results to durable storage when needed.
The Bottom Line
Use Hermes’ native tools for images, enable the opt-in video toolset for provider-backed video, and treat PDF creation as an external MCP-server capability that must be verified in your live tool list.
Quick Recap
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