> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.redpill.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Hermes

> Run Hermes Agent on RedPill through Private AI Proxy, or configure it by hand.

Hermes speaks Chat Completions. Private AI Proxy configures it automatically.

## With Private AI Proxy

1. Install [Private AI Proxy](/get-started/private-ai-proxy), sign in, and turn on **Protected**.
2. On the **Agents** screen, connect **Hermes**.
3. Start a new Hermes session; existing sessions stay on their original provider.

The app writes the provider into `~/.hermes/config.yaml` with an agent-scoped token for its local
API, and restores the file when you disconnect or stop Protected.

From the CLI, the same connection is:

```bash theme={null}
pap agents connect hermes
```

## Without the Proxy

Define and select a named provider. Hermes reads the key from its process environment or
`~/.hermes/.env`; do not put it in `config.yaml`.

```bash theme={null}
export REDPILL_AI_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```yaml ~/.hermes/config.yaml theme={null}
providers:
  redpill:
    api: https://api.redpill.ai/v1
    key_env: REDPILL_AI_API_KEY
    transport: chat_completions
    default_model: z-ai/glm-5.2
    discover_models: true

model:
  provider: custom:redpill
  default: z-ai/glm-5.2
```

This changes the main text and tool-calling loop only; image, speech, embedding, search, and browser
providers stay separate. This path does not verify ACI locally. For confidential-only routing, use
an `is_tee: true` model with `https://tee.redpill.ai/v1`. See
[Verified ACI clients](/guides/verified-aci-client).

## Check the connection

Start `hermes`, run `/model`, and confirm the active provider, then run one harmless tool task.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom                  | Check                                                                                |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Hermes ignores the Proxy | Confirm **Connected** in the app and that Protected is on, then start a new session. |
| Provider is not selected | Start a new session and choose `custom:redpill` with `/model`.                       |
| Authentication fails     | Export `REDPILL_AI_API_KEY` in the Hermes process environment.                       |

## References

* [Hermes model providers](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/integrations/providers)
* [RedPill model catalog](/api-reference/models)