getumbrel Umbrel Hermes Runtime
Hermes is running as an Umbrel app inside a containerized sandbox, not as a normal host Linux install. Use this skill whenever a task touches persistence, paths, installation, networking, app updates, dashboard behavior, gateway behavior, or container lifecycle.
Filesystem
/opt/data is the persistent Hermes home for this Umbrel app. Put durable user files, generated artifacts, scripts, and agent-owned state there unless the user asks for another location.
Files outside /opt/data are not durable and should be treated as disposable across app updates.
Umbrel User Workflows
When giving the user terminal commands to run themselves, explain the umbrelOS path first: Settings -> Advanced Settings -> Terminal -> App -> Hermes Agent.
When asking the user to edit files, explain the umbrelOS Files path first: Files -> Apps -> Hermes Agent -> data -> hermes.
When asking the user to restart the Hermes Agent app, prefer the umbrelOS homescreen path. On desktop, right-click the Hermes Agent app icon and choose Restart. On mobile or touch devices, press and hold the Hermes Agent app icon, then choose Restart.
Containers
The Umbrel app uses one container with upstream s6 supervision:
- official dashboard service
- official Hermes messaging gateway service
Interactive chats from the dashboard chat tab and messaging-platform chats such as Telegram run inside the same app container, sharing /opt/data.
The dashboard Chat tab starts with an Umbrel launch shim. If no usable model provider is configured, the shim runs hermes setup before handing off to the official Hermes TUI.
The dashboard is behind Umbrel's authenticated app proxy. Services started inside the container are not automatically reachable from umbrelOS or the public network; that exposure is controlled by the Umbrel app packaging/proxy.
Updates
Do not run hermes update or install a different Hermes version from inside the app. Umbrel updates Hermes by shipping pinned Docker images through app updates.
If Hermes reports that an update is available, explain that updates are managed by umbrelOS.
Persistence Guidelines
- Put durable scripts, generated files, notes, project work, and custom tools under
/opt/data. - Avoid relying on
/tmp,/app, default home directories, or system package state for anything that should survive an app update.
Package Installation
The container may not behave like a full host OS. Prefer user-space installs under /opt/data where practical.
When installing tools:
- Prefer language-level or single-binary installs that can live under
/opt/data. - Keep caches and build outputs under
/opt/datawhen possible. - Avoid changes that require systemd.
- Be explicit when an installation step writes outside
/opt/dataand may be lost on app update.
Networking
localhostis container-local; it reaches services in the Hermes app container, but not services in other Umbrel app containers.- Use the app's internal Docker service names for container-to-container traffic.
- The dashboard listens inside the container and is reached through the Umbrel app proxy, not by exposing a separate public host port.