What Is Hermes Agent and How To Use It With TinyFish?

AI assistants are good at answering questions, but completing tasks often requires more than generating text. An agent might need to search for current information, read several websites, compare what it finds, and interact with a page to finish the job.

Hermes Agent brings those capabilities together in an open-source AI agent that can remember information across sessions, use tools, and develop reusable skills. The Hermes TinyFish plugin can connect Hermes to TinyFish for web search, page extraction, remote browser sessions, and goal-based website tasks.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to install Hermes Agent, connect it to TinyFish, and use it to search the web, retrieve information, and automate website tasks. The guide covers model setup, plugin authentication, a first task, and common setup problems.

What is Hermes Agent?

Hermes Agent is an open-source AI agent developed by Nous Research. It works with different language models and uses tools to perform tasks such as researching information, working with files, writing code, and automating workflows.

Hermes can use tools to carry out tasks and retain useful context across sessions. It uses persistent memory to retain useful context and can turn successful workflows into reusable skills, making it easier to repeat tasks without starting from scratch.

For example, if you regularly use Hermes to research software products, it can remember your preferred comparison criteria and reuse a research workflow while gathering the latest pricing, features, and documentation.

Key features of Hermes Agent

Hermes includes several capabilities that support both everyday tasks and more advanced automation:

• Persistent memory: Retains useful information and preferences across sessions.
• Reusable skills: Saves and refines workflows that can be applied to future tasks.
• Flexible model support: Works with hosted and compatible local AI models.
• Tool integration: Connects with tools for web research, file management, coding, and other operations.
• Scheduled automation: Runs recurring tasks without requiring a new manual prompt each time.
• Multiple interfaces: Supports the terminal and other interfaces where available. Check the Hermes documentation for current desktop and messaging-platform support.

Hermes can run on your own computer or supported remote infrastructure. However, hosted models and connected services may process the information you share with them.

How does Hermes Agent work with TinyFish?

Hermes can choose tools while carrying out a task. The TinyFish plugin supplies web search and page extraction, with browser-based options for tasks that require interaction.

TinyFish provides web search, page extraction, and browser-based capabilities. The Hermes TinyFish plugin makes documented TinyFish capabilities available within Hermes.

The plugin can route Hermes' built-in web_search and web_extract tools through TinyFish. Browser sessions and the tinyfish_agent tool handle interactive tasks separately.

The integration provides four core capabilities:

According to the Hermes plugin documentation, Search and Fetch are free within applicable limits, while Browser sessions and TinyAgent runs use TinyFish credits. Check current limits and pricing before relying on them for a recurring task.

When should Hermes use each capability?

For a comparison of project management tools, Hermes can use TinySearch to find official product sites and TinyFetch to read their pricing and feature pages.

If a website requires interactive navigation to reveal additional information, Hermes can use TinyBrowser to interact with the page. For more involved workflows, TinyAgent lets Hermes delegate a website task using a natural-language goal instead of directing every individual browser action.

Developers are also combining Hermes and TinyFish with other tools to build more advanced workflows. For example, Melvyn shared a workflow on X that uses TinyFish to discover trending news, followed by automated scriptwriting and video creation.

How to install Hermes Agent and connect TinyFish

Before you begin, you need a supported way to run Hermes, access to a model provider or compatible local model, and a TinyFish account for the plugin’s API key. The steps below cover installation, model setup, plugin authentication, a connection test, and a first task.

After setup, you can give Hermes tasks in ordinary language. You may need to revisit the configuration if your model access, API key, or plugin settings change.

Phase 1: Install Hermes Agent

Hermes supports macOS, Windows, Linux, and several additional environments. If your operating system supports the desktop application, it offers a graphical starting point; the command-line installation is another option.

Step 1: Download Hermes Agent

Visit the official Hermes Agent website and download the installation package for your operating system.

For macOS:

1. Download the macOS desktop installer.
2. Open the downloaded DMG file.
3. Move Hermes.app to your Applications folder.
4. Launch Hermes.

The standard macOS desktop installer supports Apple Silicon. If you're using an Intel Mac, check the Hermes platform support documentation for the available installation options.

For Windows:

1. Download the Windows installer.
2. Open the .appinstaller file using Windows App Installer.
3. Follow the installation instructions.
4. Launch Hermes.

The current MSIX desktop package requires Windows 11 version 22H2 or later. Windows users on unsupported desktop configurations can use the command-line installation instead.

For Linux or command-line users:

If you're comfortable using a terminal, Hermes also provides an installation script.

For Linux, macOS, or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2), run:

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

For native Windows installations, open PowerShell and run:

iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)

Check the commands against the Hermes installation documentation before running them. Review installation scripts and follow any applicable software policies.

After a command-line installation, reopen your terminal. If the hermes command is not found and you use Bash, reload your Bash configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

If you use Zsh instead of Bash:

source ~/.zshrc

You can then launch the terminal version of Hermes:

hermes

At this point, Hermes may still need an AI model configured before you can start chatting.

Phase 2: Configure your AI model

Hermes is an agent framework, not a language model that you must use with one specific provider. It needs a model to interpret instructions, plan tasks, and determine when to call external tools.

Step 2: Choose a model provider

Open your terminal and run:

hermes model

Follow the prompts to select an available provider and configure access.

Depending on your preference, you can choose a hosted provider, connect an existing supported account, or configure a compatible local model.

If you're unfamiliar with model configuration, Hermes also offers a guided setup process:

hermes setup

Follow the prompts to choose a setup mode and model provider.

For users who want to connect through Nous Portal, Hermes provides:

hermes setup --portal

This opens the Nous Portal authentication flow and helps configure a model. Nous Portal is a separate service with its own subscription requirements.

Nous Portal is not a prerequisite for the TinyFish plugin. Configure a model through a supported Hermes setup path, as described in the Hermes quickstart.

Step 3: Verify that Hermes works

Before installing additional tools, make sure Hermes can respond to a basic prompt.

Start a session:

hermes

Then enter:

Explain what tools you can use and give me three examples of tasks you can help with.

Hermes should respond using your configured model.

This simple test helps separate model-configuration problems from plugin-related problems later.

If Hermes cannot respond, check the model provider configuration before proceeding.

Phase 3: Connect the TinyFish plugin to Hermes Agent

Once Hermes responds through your configured model, install the TinyFish plugin to add web tools. Search and extraction are the starting point; browser sessions and goal-based automation have separate settings and credit requirements.

Step 4: Create a TinyFish account and API key

If you don't already have a TinyFish account:

1. Visit TinyFish.
2. Create an account or sign in.
3. Open the API Keys page.
4. Find an existing key or generate one if needed.
5. Copy the key for the Hermes setup prompt, and keep it private.

The plugin uses this key to authenticate with TinyFish. Keep it available for the setup prompt, but do not put it in a public document, GitHub repository, or ordinary Hermes chat prompt.

The plugin documentation describes free-use limits for Search and Fetch and credit charges for Browser and TinyAgent. Check the current limits and wallet balance before running a paid task.

Step 5: Install the TinyFish plugin

The Hermes TinyFish plugin page documents the catalog installation path. Check that page for the current command before installing.

Open a terminal and run:

hermes plugins install tinyfish

If Hermes presents installation details or a confirmation prompt, review them before continuing.

If you installed the plugin without enabling it, run:

hermes plugins enable tinyfish

Hermes plugins must be enabled before their tools become available to the agent.

If you're using Hermes Desktop, the plugin page may offer Open in Hermes Desktop as another installation path.

Review the plugin’s declared capabilities before enabling it. The Hermes plugin catalog documentation explains how catalog packages are managed.

Step 6: Configure TinyFish authentication

After installing the plugin, run:

hermes tinyfish setup

Enter your TinyFish API key when prompted and select the web operations you want to configure. Then use the checks in Phase 4 to test the connection.

The integration uses these Hermes web tools:

web_search  → TinyFish Search
web_extract → TinyFish Fetch

For the standard setup, use the interactive command rather than editing configuration files manually.

The plugin also provides additional commands for configuring Browser and inspecting credit policies, which we'll cover shortly.

Once setup is complete, restart any Hermes session that was already running so the newly enabled plugin and configuration are loaded.

How this plugin differs from other TinyFish connections

The Hermes TinyFish plugin is the setup this guide uses. TinyFish also offers a separate Hermes connection through its CLI; check that workflow's documentation rather than assuming it installs the same plugin.

If you want to explore that route, check the current TinyFish CLI documentation for its Node.js requirement, installation, authentication, and tinyfish connect hermes instructions. The CLI workflow is not required for the plugin setup in this guide.

The CLI workflow may register MCP capabilities and skills in Hermes. A raw MCP connection exposes MCP tools, while the Hermes plugin described here configures TinyFish as a provider for the built-in web_search and web_extract tools. Direct use of the TinyFish API is another route, but it requires you to make API requests rather than using this Hermes plugin.

The steps below use the plugin documented on the Hermes TinyFish plugin page. They do not install the separate TinyFish Hermes package listed on npm; consult that package's instructions if you choose it.

Phase 4: Verify the TinyFish integration

Before attempting browser automation, check that the connection works with a basic web operation.

Step 7: Check the plugin status

Run:

hermes tinyfish status

This displays the plugin's configuration status without revealing your API key.

You can also run diagnostics:

hermes tinyfish doctor --live

The --live option runs live Search and Fetch checks. It does not require starting a Browser session.

A successful live check confirms that the tested Search and Fetch connections work. It does not verify Browser or TinyAgent access.

You can also check the integration from an active Hermes session using:

/tinyfish-status

See the plugin documentation for the current in-session live-check options.

Step 8: Configure Browser access (optional)

Search and Fetch are enough for many research and information-retrieval tasks.

To let Hermes use TinyFish remote browser sessions for interactive sites, enable Browser:

hermes tinyfish browser enable

To check whether Browser is configured:

hermes tinyfish browser status

Browser sessions consume TinyFish credits.

By default, the TinyFish plugin uses a request policy for credit-consuming Browser and TinyAgent operations.

Under the request policy, Hermes asks you to approve a credit-consuming operation. Review each proposed action before approving it, especially if you choose an option that covers the rest of the session.

For a first-time setup, retaining the default approval policy is sensible. It provides visibility into when your agent is about to start an operation that uses credits.

To inspect the current credit policies, run:

hermes tinyfish credits status

You can also inspect your TinyFish wallet information:

hermes tinyfish usage

Important: An unattended run cannot answer an approval prompt under the default request policy. Before scheduling Browser or TinyAgent tasks, review the permission and spending settings in the Hermes TinyFish plugin documentation.

How to use Hermes Agent with TinyFish

Once TinyFish is connected, Hermes can use Search and Fetch to find current information and retrieve webpage content. The video below demonstrates these capabilities in action.

See how TinySearch and TinyFetch work inside Hermes Agent.

Example 1: Research and summarize information from the web

Suppose you're setting up Hermes Agent and want to understand its installation requirements across different operating systems.

Ask Hermes to locate the official documentation and summarize the installation requirements, with links you can check.

Step 1: Search for relevant information

Open Hermes and enter this prompt:

Find the official Hermes Agent installation documentation. Return the page title, URL, and a short summary. Prioritize official documentation over third-party tutorials.

Hermes can use its built-in web_search tool to find relevant documentation. Since TinyFish is configured as the search backend, requests through this tool are handled by TinyFish Search.

Check the returned URLs before relying on the summary, since search results alone do not establish what a page says.

Step 2: Retrieve and summarize webpage content

Once Hermes has identified the relevant documentation, you can ask it to read the page and summarize the information you need.

Enter this follow-up prompt:

Read the official Hermes Agent installation guide at https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/getting-started/installation.

Summarize the installation methods available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, including their prerequisites. Include the source URL in your response.

For this step, Hermes can use its built-in web_extract tool, which we've configured to use TinyFish Fetch.

Fetch retrieves the webpage content, allowing Hermes to identify relevant details and organize the information into a readable summary.

If Hermes returns a summary without calling web_extract, ask it to use that tool on the source URL and compare its answer with the page. The same check is useful when researching software products or comparing published prices.

Example 2: Automate a multi-step website task

Search and Fetch help Hermes find and read information, but some tasks require interacting with a website. TinyAgent accepts a website goal so Hermes can delegate navigation and data gathering rather than specify each browser action.

Suppose you want to investigate installation issues reported by Hermes Agent users on GitHub.

Step 1: Give Hermes a task

Open Hermes and enter this prompt:

Visit the Hermes Agent GitHub issues page. Use the issue search or filters to find up to three open issues related to installation or setup problems. Open each issue and collect:

• Issue title and number
• Brief summary of the problem
• Direct URL

Present the findings in a table. Do not create, comment on, or modify any issues.

To test TinyAgent specifically, ask Hermes to use tinyfish_agent for this task. Check the returned issue links and summaries against GitHub, since the available issues can change.

Step 2: Approve the TinyAgent operation

Unlike Search and Fetch, TinyAgent operations consume TinyFish credits. With the default request policy, Hermes asks for approval before starting a paid operation.

Review the request and approve it to proceed.

Step 3: Review the results

Once the task finishes, Hermes can organize the collected information into a table with issue titles, summaries, and source links.

Suggested screenshot: The completed issue table and a visible tinyfish_agent tool call. Capture this only after running the example.

For another interactive task, give TinyAgent a narrow goal and specify whether it may change anything on the site. Review the proposed operation and its credit use before approval.

Hermes may choose Search or Fetch when it can gather the requested information without browser interaction.

Advanced configuration for developers

The interactive setup process handles most configuration automatically. You can inspect Hermes configuration directly if the interactive setup does not cover the settings you need.

Hermes stores its general settings in ~/.hermes/config.yaml and credentials separately in ~/.hermes/.env.

To route Hermes' built-in web tools through TinyFish, the relevant YAML configuration is:

web:
  search_backend: tinyfish
  extract_backend: tinyfish

For remote browser sessions, the configuration can include:

browser:
  cloud_provider: tinyfish

tinyfish:
  credit_policy:
    browser: request
    agent: request

Here, request keeps credit-consuming operations behind an approval prompt.

Check the plugin documentation for the Search and Fetch options supported by your installed version before changing settings.

Use the Hermes TinyFish plugin documentation to check supported keys before editing configuration files. For the standard setup, use hermes tinyfish setup instead.

Troubleshooting common Hermes Agent and TinyFish setup issues

Start troubleshooting with the failing step: a basic chat response tests model access, a live Search check tests the plugin connection, and a Browser task also depends on browser settings and credit approval.

Hermes installs but doesn't respond

Check that you've configured a working model provider.

Run:

hermes model

Review your provider selection and authentication, then start another Hermes session.

The TinyFish plugin isn't available

First, confirm that the plugin was installed and enabled:

hermes plugins list

If TinyFish is installed but disabled, enable it:

hermes plugins enable tinyfish

Restart Hermes afterward.

TinyFish authentication fails

Check that you're using a valid TinyFish API key.

You can rerun the configuration:

hermes tinyfish setup

Enter the key when prompted, then check the connection:

hermes tinyfish --live

Avoid sharing the API key when copying diagnostic output or asking for support.

Search works, but Browser doesn't

Search and Fetch can work even when TinyFish Browser hasn't been enabled.

Check the Browser configuration:

hermes tinyfish browser status

If necessary, enable it:

hermes tinyfish browser enable

Also verify that your TinyFish account has sufficient credits and that the credit policy permits the requested operation.

Hermes doesn't start an automation

The plugin's default credit policy may require approval before starting Browser or TinyAgent operations.

Check:

hermes tinyfish credits status

If Hermes is running without an interactive user present, a task requiring approval may not proceed. This is expected under the default request policy.

For additional diagnostics, refer to the official TinyFish Hermes plugin documentation.

Getting started with Hermes Agent and TinyFish

The Hermes TinyFish plugin lets you start with a verifiable Search or Fetch task, then add interactive browser tasks if you need them.

Start with Search or Fetch so you can check the tool used and the sources returned. Enable credit-consuming Browser or TinyAgent operations only when a task needs website interaction.

For your first request, check both the source URL and the tool Hermes used. Before trying Browser or TinyAgent, confirm the credit policy and choose a task that actually requires website interaction.

To try the setup, create a TinyFish account and follow the current Hermes TinyFish plugin instructions.