How to install & set up AINL with Hermes Agent

This guide is in two parts: (1) get Hermes Agent running on your machine, (2) wire in AINL (pip install 'ainativelang[mcp]', ainl install-mcp --host hermes, ainl-mcp, --emit hermes-skill). If you skip part 1, you will not have hermes on your PATH or a ~/.hermes/ tree to drop skills into.

Not sure which stack you use? Start from Easy install and compare OpenClaw, ZeroClaw, and Hermes. Using OpenClaw or ZeroClaw instead? Follow OpenClaw or ZeroClaw.

Part 1 — Install Hermes Agent (do this first)

Hermes Agent is a separate project from AINL. Use the official repository:

• Repo: github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent

Follow upstream README instructions until:

• The hermes command works in a new terminal.
• ~/.hermes/ exists (config, skills dirs as documented upstream).

Part 2 — Add AINL for Hermes

Install Python toolchain + MCP extras

pip install 'ainativelang[mcp]'

On PEP 668–managed hosts, use a venv first.

Merge AINL into Hermes MCP config

ainl install-mcp --host hermes
# or:
ainl hermes-install

Preview without writing files:

ainl install-mcp --host hermes --dry-run

This typically:

• Adds mcp_servers.ainl (stdio ainl-mcp) to ~/.hermes/config.yaml
• Installs ~/.hermes/bin/ainl-run
• Suggests a PATH update for ~/.hermes/bin

Optional: run the skill pack installer from a clone of skills/hermes/.

Emit a Hermes skill bundle

ainl compile workflow.ainl --strict --emit hermes-skill -o ~/.hermes/skills/ainl-imports/my-skill/

Hermes discovers bundles under ~/.hermes/skills/ and executes workflows deterministically by calling the MCP tool ainl_run with the bundled source.

Verify

ainl doctor        # checks Python, PATH, MCP config (recognizes Hermes YAML automatically)
ainl --version

Docs & next steps

• Full reference: Hermes Agent integration
• MCP hub (all hosts): MCP host integrations
• One-pager: Hermes Agent (hub)

Links

• Hermes Agent (upstream)
• AINL on GitHub