A hermes agent brew install works today with brew install hermes-agent, but the Hermes docs list installs via brew as an unsupported distribution method, so it may break and the Hermes team will not accept PRs to fix it. If you want Hermes on a Mac that the project actually supports, use the Desktop DMG or the official curl installer instead.
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That is the short answer. The rest of this page shows you what the Homebrew formula is, why the docs push you away from it, how to install Hermes the supported way, and how to switch over if you already used brew. It also covers the places where brew is still the right tool, because the Hermes docs use it for voice and media dependencies.
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What the Homebrew hermes-agent formula is
Homebrew has a hermes-agent formula in homebrew/core. You install it with one command: brew install hermes-agent. At the time of writing the stable version is 0.21.6, the formula depends on python@3.14, and Homebrew analytics show about 2,400 installs in the last 30 days.
So plenty of people are using it. That is exactly why it is worth being clear about its status. Hermes Agent is an open-source, self-hosted AI agent built by Nous Research under the MIT licence, and the Hermes team decides which install paths it maintains. Homebrew packaging is not one of them.
Why the Hermes docs call brew unsupported
The Hermes platform support page has an "Unsupported" section. It lists installs via brew (brew install hermes-agent) next to installs via PyPI and via the AUR. Per the Hermes docs, unsupported methods:
- may be broken right now and may break more in the future
- will not get PRs accepted to fix them
- can lose any compatibility code at any point
The docs suggest you migrate to a supported distribution method and point you to the installation guide to do it.
There is also a Python detail. Per the Hermes docs, Hermes runs only on Python 3.14. A Homebrew or PyPI package built on Python 3.11 to 3.13 installs hermes-agent with no dependencies, and the package does not import. The current formula depends on python@3.14, but the docs still class the method as unsupported, because Hermes now uses its own package manager (PM) to provision a pinned Python, Node.js, npm, ripgrep and FFmpeg. Brew sits outside that system.
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The supported ways to install Hermes on a Mac
Per the Hermes docs, there are two supported routes on macOS.
1. Hermes Desktop (DMG)
Download the package from the Hermes website, open the DMG, and copy Hermes.app to Applications. The ZIP artifact carries the signed app used by the automatic updater.
Bundled packages contain the agent, Python, supported dependencies and prebuilt interfaces, so first launch does not build a base runtime. Provider access and optional integrations can still need network access. The docs list the macOS installer as Apple Silicon only.
For a full walkthrough of the app, see the Hermes Desktop installation guide.
2. The command-line installer
For a command-line only install without Hermes Desktop, the docs give one command for Linux, macOS and WSL2:
curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash
What that script does, per the docs:
- clones the source and bootstraps uv
- hands dependency setup to PM, which provides pinned Python, Node.js, npm, ripgrep and FFmpeg
- installs the browser and computer-use tools by default (agent-browser with its pinned Chromium, and cua-driver)
- creates a launcher at ~/.local/bin/hermes and puts your data in ~/.hermes/
- runs setup and gateway configuration on interactive runs
You can leave the browser tools out with --skip-browser, or skip the computer-use driver with --skip-computer-use. If you later want the desktop app on top of a CLI install, the docs say to run hermes desktop.
My full step-by-step for both routes is in the Hermes Agent installation guide for 2026.
| Method | Command or action | Status per Hermes docs |
|---|---|---|
| Hermes Desktop DMG | Open DMG, copy Hermes.app to Applications | Supported (Apple Silicon) |
| Source installer | curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash | Supported |
| Nix flake | Nix flake and modules | Tier 2, best effort |
| Homebrew | brew install hermes-agent | Unsupported |
| PyPI | pip install hermes-agent or uv tool install hermes-agent | Unsupported |
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How to switch from brew to a supported install
If you already ran brew install hermes-agent, moving over is simple. The docs do not publish brew-specific migration notes beyond "switch to a supported method", so here is the safe order using commands the docs do document.
- Back up first. Run hermes backup. Per the docs, it writes a zip to ~/hermes-backup-<timestamp>.zip covering configuration, credentials, memories, skills, sessions and profiles. Check the skipped-file report before you remove anything.
- Stop the gateway if you run one: hermes gateway stop.
- Remove the brew package with brew uninstall hermes-agent.
- Install the supported way, either the Desktop DMG or the curl installer above.
- Restore if needed. If your data did not carry over, run hermes import on the zip from step 1. The docs say to stop the gateway before importing.
- Check it works. Run hermes setup to confirm your API keys and provider config, as the docs recommend after a restore.
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Once you are on a supported install, your next job is getting it configured. The how to set up Hermes Agent guide covers providers, profiles and the messaging gateway.
Where brew is still useful with Hermes
Brew is not banned from your Hermes life. The Hermes docs themselves use Homebrew for system dependencies on macOS. The difference is that you use brew for the supporting tools, not for Hermes itself.
Examples straight from the docs:
- Voice mode: brew install portaudio ffmpeg opus, plus brew install espeak-ng for NeuTTS
- Piper text-to-speech: brew install ffmpeg, so audio can be converted for Telegram voice bubbles
- Discord voice: brew install opus
- Signal: brew install signal-cli
- Local models: brew install llama.cpp
- GitHub work: brew install gh
One gotcha the docs flag: launchd services inherit a minimal PATH that does not include Homebrew. If you install a tool such as ffmpeg via Homebrew after setting up the gateway, run hermes gateway install again so it captures the updated PATH.
That is how I treat it in my own stack. Brew handles the plumbing, the official installer handles Hermes. If you want to see the full layout, my Agent OS guide walks through how the pieces fit together.
Should you ever use hermes agent brew?
Honestly, only if you understand the trade. It installs quickly and many people clearly use it. But when something breaks after a Hermes release, you are on your own. The team has said it will not accept fixes for that path.
Compare that with the supported installer. It gets hermes update, PM manages the pinned runtime, and pre-update snapshots protect your config. That matters if you are running Hermes as a real agent with memory, skills and a gateway on Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Signal or email.
If you are picking models once it is installed, I track how they perform on real agent tasks in Goldie Bench.
Inside the AI Profit Boardroom I post daily Hermes updates, so when an install path changes you hear about it fast.
FAQ
Can I install Hermes Agent with Homebrew?
Yes, brew install hermes-agent works from homebrew/core, but the Hermes docs list it as an unsupported distribution method. It may break, and PRs to fix it will not be accepted.
What is the supported way to install Hermes on a Mac?
Per the Hermes docs, use the Desktop DMG (copy Hermes.app to Applications, Apple Silicon) or the command-line installer: curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash.
Will I lose my data switching from brew?
Not if you back up first. Run hermes backup before you uninstall, then hermes import the zip on the new install if your data does not carry over. The full backup includes credentials, memories, skills, sessions and profiles.
Do I still need Homebrew for anything?
Possibly. The docs use brew for system dependencies on macOS, such as portaudio, ffmpeg and opus for voice, signal-cli for Signal, and llama.cpp for local models.
If you want help choosing the right setup for your work, grab a free AI strategy session. Either way, skip the hermes agent brew route and use the supported installer.
