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Yes, Hermes Agent can run on either a VPS or your own computer. Use a VPS when the agent must stay online for Telegram or Discord gateways, scheduled jobs, and persistent memory. Use a local installation for the simplest personal setup or when you want models to run on hardware you control. Hosted-API use is relatively light; running a model locally is the demanding option.
VPS or local: the decision in one table
| Question | VPS | Local computer |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | 24/7 gateways, scheduled tasks, persistent memory | Personal use, experimentation, or local models |
| Uptime | Designed to remain online | Only available while the computer is awake and connected |
| Model location | Usually a hosted API; a local model requires a larger server | Hosted API or a model server on the same or another machine |
| Administration | SSH access, updates, firewall rules, backups and monitoring | No server administration, but your computer must be maintained |
| Typical memory guidance | About 1–2 GB for a minimal API-only installation; around 4 GB for several channels; 4–8 GB when browser automation is involved | About 8 GB for a small 3B local model; 32 GB or more for models above 27B |
| Cost pattern | Recurring monthly VPS charge | Uses hardware you already own, but local-model hardware can be expensive |
These memory figures are third-party estimates, not an official Hermes Agent minimum. Published recommendations conflict, so size for your workload rather than treating one number as a guarantee.
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Always-on messaging and scheduled work
A VPS is appropriate when Hermes Agent must receive messages or run jobs while your laptop is closed. A hosted server can keep a Telegram or Discord gateway connected, execute schedules overnight, and retain the agent’s state without depending on a desktop session.
Hosted APIs keep the server small
If Hermes Agent calls a hosted model API, the VPS is mainly running the agent, its gateways, tools and storage. One guide describes a 1-vCPU, 1-GB RAM and 5-GB disk configuration as sufficient for an API-only setup. Another recommends 2 GB of RAM and 10 GB of disk. Treat the first as a bare estimate and the second as a more comfortable starting point, not as official specifications.
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Allow headroom for channels and browsers
For an always-on agent with several channels, approximately 4 GB of RAM is commonly suggested. Browser automation can raise the practical requirement to 4–8 GB because browsers and their helper processes consume memory independently of the model API. Add storage for logs, downloads, browser profiles and any files the agent is allowed to retain.
Security and operations are part of the price
A VPS requires a non-root account, SSH-key authentication, regular operating-system updates, a firewall and a backup plan. A systemd service is optional but useful for restarting Hermes Agent after a reboot or crash. A $5-per-month VPS is claimed by one third-party guide, but that price was not verified against an official Hermes Agent source and may depend on a provider, region or promotion.
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The official installation route uses the same bootstrap script on supported Linux systems. The command below downloads the current installer from the project’s GitHub repository:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bashPiping a remote script directly to a shell is convenient but gives you less opportunity to inspect what will run. If your security policy requires review, download the script first, read it, and then execute the local copy.
1. Create a dedicated account
Connect over SSH using a key rather than a password, create a normal user for the agent, and give that user only the permissions it needs. Do not run the agent as root. On a new Ubuntu server, the usual preparation is:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo adduser hermes
sudo usermod -aG sudo hermesLog in as that user before installing. If you enable a firewall, allow SSH first so you do not lock yourself out; expose only the gateway ports and services you deliberately intend to use.
2. Run the installer and initial setup
-
Run the installer as the dedicated user:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -
Start the interactive configuration:
hermes setup -
Check the resulting environment:
hermes doctor
The setup wizard is the place to configure your model provider, credentials, channels and other integrations. Run hermes doctor after changing dependencies or environment variables; its output is the fastest way to distinguish an installation problem from a gateway or provider-authentication problem.
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3. Keep the process running
For a temporary test, run Hermes Agent in an SSH session. For production-like use, create a systemd service or another supervisor so the process starts after reboot and restarts after failure. Store API keys in protected environment files or the mechanism recommended by the installation documentation, never in a public repository or world-readable shell history.
4. Verify each integration separately
- Send a test message through each configured gateway.
- Trigger one scheduled task and confirm its timezone.
- Check that persistent memory is written where you expect and that the service account can read and write that location.
- Review logs after a restart, not only while the first setup command is running.
Python and operating-system compatibility
Use Python 3.14 as the working target
The current first-party installation documentation says its installs run on Python 3.14 and does not promise runtime support for Python 3.11 through 3.13. Older third-party guides describe Python 3.11 or newer and often recommend Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian 12 because Ubuntu 22.04 ships an older Python. Those older instructions can leave you with a version mismatch. Start with Python 3.14 where the official documentation supports it, and check the current installation page before pinning a distribution or interpreter.
What the bootstrap may install
Several third-party guides report that only Git is needed initially and that the installer brings in uv, Python, Node.js 22, ripgrep and ffmpeg. This dependency list is aggregated from guides rather than confirmed on an official page, so use hermes doctor and the installer output as the authority for your machine.
Supported platforms
The official repository lists Linux, macOS, WSL2, native Windows through a PowerShell one-liner, and Android through Termux. The separate desktop-app README lists desktop builds for macOS, Windows and Linux. Source builds may require a native compiler and platform development libraries.
When local installation is the better choice
Simpler personal use
Install locally when you use Hermes Agent interactively and do not need it reachable while your computer is off. You avoid VPS provisioning, SSH hardening, firewall maintenance, server updates and monthly hosting charges. The same installer route is used on macOS, Linux and WSL2.
Running models on your own hardware
A local installation becomes substantially more demanding when the model also runs locally. One guide estimates about 8 GB of RAM for small 3B models and 32 GB or more for models above 27B. These are model-dependent estimates: quantization, context length, concurrent requests and GPU memory can change the result. A machine that is adequate for the Hermes process itself may still be inadequate for the model.
Separate the agent from the model
Hermes Agent is described as working with local model servers such as Ollama or LM Studio. You can run the model server on another computer and connect over your local network or through SSH, keeping the agent on a lighter laptop or VPS while a workstation supplies the compute. Secure that connection and restrict it to trusted hosts; do not expose an unauthenticated model endpoint to the public internet.
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Apple Silicon versus Intel Mac
The bootstrap installer reports that an Intel Mac is unsupported, while Apple Silicon is the supported Mac route. If you have an Intel Mac, do not assume that changing a shell or Python version will fix the installer; use a supported Linux, Windows/WSL2 or other documented platform instead, or verify whether a source-build path has since been added.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Local installation checklist
-
Confirm that your operating system is one of the documented targets and that your Mac is Apple Silicon if you are using macOS.
-
Install using the platform-specific instructions from the official repository. On Linux or WSL2, the common bootstrap command is:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -
Run
hermes setupand select either a hosted provider or your reachable local model server.Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
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Run
hermes doctorand resolve interpreter, dependency and network errors before adding gateways. -
Keep the computer awake and connected if you expect incoming messages or scheduled jobs to run continuously.
Native Windows has a PowerShell installation path in the official repository. Use that documented command rather than adapting the Linux shell command. Android users should follow the Termux-specific instructions; mobile background execution and battery restrictions make it a less predictable always-on host than a VPS.
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Choose according to the model and workload
| Your requirement | Recommended host | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Chat with a hosted API from one computer | Local | Lowest operational overhead; the computer only needs to run the agent while you use it |
| Telegram or Discord access at all hours | VPS | Persistent network presence without leaving a personal computer on |
| Scheduled jobs that must run during travel or power-off periods | VPS | Independent uptime and restart handling |
| Privacy-sensitive local inference | Local workstation or a private server | Model traffic and prompts can remain under your control, provided the model server and host are secured |
| Large models above 27B parameters | High-memory local machine or GPU server | Third-party guidance puts this class at roughly 32 GB RAM or more, before accounting for other workloads |
| Browser automation on a hosted API | VPS with roughly 4–8 GB RAM | Browser processes add memory pressure beyond the agent and API client |
Troubleshooting common failures
The installer rejects the Python version
Check the interpreter selected by the current first-party installer. If it expects Python 3.14, an older system Python can cause dependency resolution or startup failures. Upgrade the distribution, install the supported interpreter, or use a documented isolated environment rather than forcing incompatible package versions.
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An Intel Mac is reported as unsupported
This is a platform limitation reported by the bootstrap installer, not necessarily a missing dependency. Move the installation to Apple Silicon, Linux, WSL2 or native Windows, or verify the latest source-build instructions before attempting workarounds.
The service runs out of memory
First determine whether the pressure comes from Hermes Agent, a browser, or the model server. On a VPS, move from a 1-GB test instance to at least the 2-GB class and consider approximately 4 GB for multiple channels. For browser automation, 4–8 GB is a more realistic range. For local inference, reduce model size or context, use a machine with more RAM or GPU memory, or move the model server to another host.
Messages stop arriving after you disconnect
A foreground process tied to an SSH session will end when the session ends unless you use a supervisor or a persistent terminal session. Run Hermes Agent as a systemd service or another supported process manager, then test a full stop, reboot and restart cycle.
Setup completes but a gateway fails
Run hermes doctor, check credentials and confirm outbound network access. Test one channel at a time so an authentication error, blocked port or provider outage is not confused with a general installation failure.
Important limits of current sizing advice
No named statistic from Nous Research or a standards body establishes an official RAM minimum in the available documentation. The figures commonly repeated online are estimates from third-party guides and conflict with one another. Likewise, a 64,000-token context minimum cited by some guides was not confirmed in an official source. Do not design a server around either claim without checking the current project documentation and the requirements of the model and tools you intend to use.
Version-specific statements also need care. A guide written for v0.20 indicates that v0.20 was the major version line at that time, but release numbers were not independently checked here. Verify the current release and migration notes before pinning packages, writing a systemd unit, or automating upgrades.
Bottom line
Choose a VPS for dependable 24/7 gateways, schedules and persistent state, and budget for SSH security, updates and enough memory for your channels and browser tools. Choose local for the least administration or for models that must run on hardware you control. For hosted APIs, start conservatively with at least 2 GB RAM and 10 GB disk when possible; for local models, size the machine for the model itself, with roughly 8 GB for a small 3B model and 32 GB or more for models above 27B as non-official planning estimates. Confirm the current Python and platform requirements before installation, then validate the result with hermes doctor.
Quick Recap
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