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Hermes Advanced Memory Setup

A Hermes Agent skill that enforces structured workspace memory. Replaces scattered files and chaotic MEMORY.md entries with an organized workspace -- AGENTS.md index, project folders with README.md, and SOUL.md for persistent principles.

Quick Install

# Via Hermes CLI
hermes skill install salt-vrn/hermes-advanced-memory

# Manual
cd ~/.hermes/skills/
git clone https://github.com/salt-vrn/hermes-advanced-memory.git

What It Creates

~/.hermes/
├── SOUL.md              ← identity + rules (including workspace rules)
├── workspace/
│   ├── AGENTS.md        ← index  --  loaded every session, TOC for all memory
│   ├── project-alpha/
│   │   └── README.md
│   ├── project-beta/
│   │   └── README.md
│   └── ...
└── ...

Key Rules Enforced

  1. Workspace is the only working folder. All agent files go into workspace/.
  2. AGENTS.md is the index. Loaded at every session start. Without an index entry, a file is invisible to the agent.
  3. Small topics → AGENTS.md entry. Major projects → separate folder + README.md.
  4. SOUL.md is the source of truth. Workspace rules, key principles, and identity live there -- not just in the skill file.

Usage

For a New Agent

  1. Agent reads the skill
  2. Asks user to confirm profile (never guesses)
  3. Creates workspace/ in profile root
  4. Creates AGENTS.md -- empty index
  5. Moves working files into workspace/
  6. Opens existing SOUL.md and adds key principles
  7. Describes the new structure to the user

For an Existing Agent

If memory is not organized, apply the skill, move scattered files into workspace/, and update the index.

Why This Matters

Without a memory system, Hermes agents store data chaotically -- files scattered across ~/.hermes/, MEMORY.md filled with garbage, crucial facts forgotten across sessions. This skill solves that by enforcing a structure that:

  • Prevents context loss -- AGENTS.md is the single source of truth, loaded every session
  • Scales with projects -- new project = new folder + README, never a cluttered flat directory
  • Survives restarts -- SOUL.md preserves key principles across sessions and model changes
  • Self-documents -- the structure itself tells the agent where everything lives

Production Notes

  • NeiroHost uses this in production AI-agent hosting alongside hermes-session-maintenance and openclaw-to-hermes-migration
  • The skill is bilingual (English + Russian README)
  • MIT licensed, 8 commits as of June 2026

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