If I wiped Hermes tomorrow and started from zero, I would not open a blank chat and "figure it out."
I would install skills first.
A raw Hermes install is smart. A skilled Hermes setup is unfair. Skills are the difference between a chatbot that answers questions and an agent that researches, codes, edits video, cleans writing, runs loops, and keeps ten jobs moving without you living in the terminal.
This is the exact set I would load. Not every skill on the internet. The 17 that cover almost every real job I give an agent.
What each one does. When to install it. What to skip on day one.
| # | Tool | One-line job | Stars (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agent-Reach | Give your agent internet eyes without paid APIs | ~73k |
| 2 | make-interfaces-feel-better | Fix the tiny UI details that make apps feel cheap | ~3k |
| 3 | oh-my-hermes | Multi-agent planning + verified execution for Hermes | ~270 |
| 4 | Anthropic Cybersecurity Skills | Huge security skill library for agents | ~30k |
| 5 | … |