Runtime for Hermes
Hermes is one harness inside a Spinup agent runtime. Run Hermes in its own cloud environment today: Spinup `/exec` runs the Hermes CLI on the local backend inside an isolated microVM, with workspace secrets projected, runtime config written for unattended runs, and durable run records on disk. OpenClaw runs the same way alongside it. The rest of Hermes' surface (gateway, API server, messaging, cron, remote backends) isn't wired up yet; it's on the roadmap as the runtime grows around it.
What Makes Hermes Different
A Python-native agent with its own runtime needs
Hermes is not a Node harness. Its stack, config model, and on-disk state shape what the runtime needs to provide.
Native Python runtime support
Hermes runs on Python, not Node. The runtime must support Python toolchains and dependency management natively, not treat them as an afterthought.
Config and secrets managed for you
Hermes keeps its config and secrets in local files. The runtime projects these into the environment automatically. No manual file placement or setup scripts per run.
Unattended runs through `/exec`
Run Hermes through Spinup `/exec` for unattended tasks. The launch path is Hermes' local backend inside the isolated microVM. Hermes' other surfaces (API server, gateway, messaging, cron, remote backends) sit on the roadmap.
A persistent environment for Hermes state
Hermes keeps its config, dependencies, and session files on local disk. That state only survives between runs if the environment does too. Ephemeral sandboxes reset on every call; Spinup keeps the agent environment intact across runs.
From Local to Cloud
How Hermes moves from a single server to a managed environment
Hermes is designed to run on your own infrastructure. Install it, configure your model, and run it from the terminal. That self-hosted model is fast and self-contained.
The gap emerges when you need the same agent to run in a team context or from an API request. Config files need to exist somewhere persistent. Secrets need proper projection instead of sitting in plaintext dotfiles. The Python environment and installed packages need to survive between runs so you are not reinstalling dependencies every time.
On Spinup, Hermes runs inside an isolated agent environment through `/exec`. v1 uses Hermes' local backend, writes the runtime config for unattended runs, and projects secrets instead of leaving them in dotfiles. The Hermes CLI workflow stays the same; the environment around it picks up the controls a team needs.
The harness also stays portable. Hermes and OpenClaw are the launch comparison path: same agent, same secrets, same environment, different harness in the payload.
FAQ
Hermes runtime questions
How does Hermes configuration work in a cloud runtime?+
Hermes v1 runs through Spinup `/exec` with the local backend inside the agent's isolated microVM. Spinup writes the runtime config for unattended runs and projects workspace secrets, so you never manage plaintext dotfiles by hand.
Can I use both Hermes CLI mode and the API server on Spinup?+
Not yet. Hermes runs through `/exec` on the local backend inside the agent's isolated microVM. The rest of Hermes' surface (gateway, API server, messaging, cron, browser-cloud, remote backends) isn't wired up yet. If you need any of those today, keep that part of the workload on a self-hosted Hermes setup; the rest of the agent can still live on Spinup.
How does Hermes being open-source affect runtime choice?+
Hermes is built by Nous Research in the open: a Python/uv stack and config model that move with the community. On Spinup, it runs as one of the supported harnesses today, alongside OpenClaw. If the community shifts direction, or you want to compare the two on the same task, your agent environment and secrets stay stable above the change.
Why not just self-host Hermes?+
Hermes self-hosts cleanly on a VPS: config in the home directory, uv for dependencies, CLI workflows. The gap shows up when you need managed isolation, team-level controls, or a clean way to compare Hermes and OpenClaw on the same agent. Spinup gives the same agent a managed cloud environment with persistent state and projected secrets, without changing the Hermes CLI workflow.
Hermes in the Spinup Runtime
Hermes is one harness inside a broader runtime model
The agent runtime defines the environment, controls, and lifecycle above the harness layer. Hermes plugs into that model alongside other harnesses.
Early access
Keep the Hermes workflow. Run it in a managed cloud environment.
Request access if this is the runtime shape your team has been missing.