Hermes Core Skills

Your AI coding agent keeps doing dumb things? Here's the fix.

😤 You've been there:

#1 Agent does /clear and forgets everything — you re-explain from scratch
#2 Agent sees "fix this bug" and starts changing code — one fix, three new bugs
#3 Token burns fast — $5 gone before lunch, and you don't know why
#4 Context fills up and agent starts forgetting what you said 5 minutes ago
#5 Agent pushes code changes without asking — you only find out when it breaks

This pack of 25 executable skills fixes all of that. Not vague advice. Step-by-step workflows your agent loads and follows.

🎬 Demo

Watch the full 30-second quick install — click to play!

Install Demo

SVG animation — works everywhere, no loading time, scales perfectly.

🚀 Quick Start (30 seconds)

cp -r skills/* ~/.claude/skills/   # Claude Code
cp -r skills/* ~/.cursor/skills/   # Cursor
cp -r skills/* ~/.codex/skills/    # OpenAI Codex
# Hermes Agent: auto-dispatched from ~/.hermes/skills/

Then tell your agent: "Use the systematic-debugging skill to help me with this error."

💡 Why These Skills?

The problem

AI coding agents are powerful, but they have a fatal flaw: they don't know how to work safely yet. Without guidance, an agent will:

Burn through your token budget in minutes
Fix one bug and introduce three more
Push code changes without asking
Forget context after every /clear
Loop forever on the same error

The solution

These 25 skills are executable workflows that teach your agent how to behave — systematic debugging, token-aware planning, self-regulation, and safety nets. They're not vague advice; they're step-by-step instructions your agent follows automatically.

🆚 How This Compares

Feature	Hermes Core Skills	LangChain Agents	Manual Prompting
Drop-in ready	✅ Copy and use	❌ Requires code integration	❌ Write prompts yourself
Executable workflows	✅ Agent follows step by step	❌ Just a framework	❌ No structure
Cross-platform	✅ Claude / Codex / Cursor / Hermes	❌ Python only	✅ Any agent
Token-aware	✅ Built-in efficiency rules	❌ No token optimization	❌ No token optimization
Self-regulation	✅ Brake system, stall detection	❌ Not available	❌ Not available
Open source	✅ MIT	✅ MIT	✅ Free

Hermes Core Skills is not a framework you integrate — it's a workflow layer your agent loads. It works alongside any agent and any framework.

💬 Example: How to Use These Skills

Scenario 1: Your agent keeps making bugs worse

You: "Use the systematic-debugging skill on this error: TypeError: Cannot read ..."
Agent: [Loads the 4-stage workflow]
  1. Report — captures the full error context
  2. Context — reads affected files
  3. Hypothesis — identifies root cause
  4. Fix — only applies change after root cause is confirmed
Result: One fix, zero new bugs.

Scenario 2: You're tired of surprise token bills

You: "Follow the token-efficiency skill for this task."
Agent: [Loads token-saving rules]
  - Compresses long context before proceeding
  - Delegates heavy research to sub-agents
  - Avoids wasteful pattern loops
Result: Uses 40-60% fewer tokens.

Scenario 3: Complex project needs multiple features

You: "Run subagent-driven-development to implement the auth system."
Agent: [Splits into parallel sub-agents]
  - Sub-agent 1: Login page
  - Sub-agent 2: JWT middleware
  - Sub-agent 3: Database schema
  - Review pass: merges all, fixes conflicts
Result: Features built in parallel, completed faster.

✨ Highlight Skills

Skill	One-liner	Problem it solves
systematic-debugging	No root cause, no fix	Agent randomly patches bugs, making things worse
self-regulation-brake-system	Force stop after 3 failures	Agent looping forever, burning your budget
writing-plans	Write a plan before touching code	Agent builds the wrong thing, needs redo
subagent-driven-development	Split into subagents, review after	Complex tasks overwhelm a single agent's context
token-efficiency	Every token counts	End-of-month surprise bills
checkpoints-and-rewind	Auto-backup before any change	Agent destroys a file, can't recover

📋 What's Inside

🧠 Agent Core (13 skills)

Skill	Role	Pain Point	Highlight
self-regulation-brake-system	Agent seatbelt	Agent crashes and keeps burning tokens when you're away	3-fail stop, 5-min stall report, no bypass allowed
systematic-debugging	Your Sherlock Holmes	Agent randomly patches bugs, one fix creates three more	4-stage: Report → Context → Hypothesis → Fix. Iron rule: no root cause, no fix
writing-plans	Your project manager	Agent builds in wrong direction, discovers at the end	Bite-size tasks, exact file paths, code + test per task
spec-driven-development	Your requirements doctor	Unclear requirements, builds the wrong thing	Write spec first, no coding without understanding
test-driven-development	Your quality gate	Agent says "done" but never actually tested	RED-GREEN-REFACTOR, no tests = not done
subagent-driven-development	Your team lead	Complex task doesn't fit in one agent context	Split tasks → fresh subagent each → review → merge
requesting-code-review	Your code reviewer	Agent commits bad code, you don't know	Security scan + quality gate + independent reviewer
security-hardening-checklist	Your security advisor	Agent doesn't know secure coding, leaves vulnerabilities	Input, auth, storage, third-party, item by item
think-tool	Your rational voice	Agent makes impulsive decisions without thinking first	Pros cons + trade-offs + risk analysis framework
token-efficiency	Your CFO	Token burn rate is scary, don't know how to save	Context compression, delegate strategy, waste pattern avoidance
checkpoints-and-rewind	Your undo button	Agent corrupts a file, can't roll back	Auto-backup, snapshot, rollback before any change
context-aware-task-decomposition	Your context doctor	Context full, agent starts forgetting	Auto-decompose tasks, never hit context limit
context-compaction-verification-and-recovery	Your memory detective	After compaction, agent doesn't remember what it did	Verify tool commands actually executed

🤖 AI Agent Ecosystem (6 skills)

Skill	Role	Pain Point	Highlight
agent-capability-comparison-methodology	Your agent buyer	Don't know which agent is good, marketing lies	Source code + benchmark + hands-on, three-layer verification
open-source-adaptation-pattern	Your technical due diligence	Install an OSS project, find out it doesn't fit	License + maintenance + community + actual need, four-dimension eval
multi-agent-browser-text-extraction	Your research team	JS-heavy sites, browser itself can't extract	Multiple subagents extract in parallel, merge results
skill-slimming-strategy	Your diet plan	SKILL.md too long, agent loads it and half context is gone	Keep core workflow, move details to references/
batch-skill-description-standardization	Your admin assistant	Dozens of skills with inconsistent descriptions	Fix 100+ at once
hermes-improvement-multiphase-plan	Your CTO	Want to improve agent but don't know where to start	IDE docs → nightly release → plugin marketplace → desktop app

🔄 Cross-Session / Planning (3 skills)

Skill	Role	Pain Point	Highlight
cross-session-execution-framework	Your project continuity	Next session agent doesn't remember what it did	File-based state persistence, recover without memory loss
plan	Your brake pedal	User says "plan it first" but agent starts coding immediately	Pure planning mode, output checklist for approval
multi-role-synthesis-framework	Your board of directors	Single-role decisions have blind spots	Multiple roles each give advice → integrated verdict

🎯 Agent Integration (3 skills)

Skill	Role	Pain Point	Highlight
openclaw-hermes-arch	Your architecture diagram	Don't understand how agent and gateway divide work	Clear responsibility docs + failover mechanism
hermes-agent	Your Hermes setup guide	New to Hermes, don't know how to set up	Complete zero-to-running guide
autonomous-work-signaling	Your team coordinator	Multiple autonomous agents don't know what each other is doing	Cross-session work status synchronization

🏆 Use Cases

Who	Problem	Skill Pack Solution
Solo developer	Agent burns tokens, context gets lost	`token-efficiency` + `context-aware-task-decomposition`
Startup CTO	Junior devs using AI produce inconsistent code	`requesting-code-review` + `spec-driven-development`
Open source maintainer	Need help but can't trust AI with security	`security-hardening-checklist` + `systematic-debugging`
Agency owner	Multiple agents running, no coordination	`autonomous-work-signaling` + `cross-session-execution-framework`
AI researcher	Evaluating which agent to use for a project	`agent-capability-comparison-methodology` + `open-source-adaptation-pattern`

📱 Compatible Platforms

Category	Platform
AI Code Assistants	Claude Code, OpenAI Codex CLI, Cursor, Hermes Agent, GitHub Copilot
Agent Frameworks	LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, Any MCP-compatible agent
MCP Clients	Claude Desktop, VS Code via Continue/Cline, JetBrains, any MCP host

🧑‍🎓 For Beginners

New to AI coding agents? Here's everything you need to know.

What is an AI coding agent? A tool like Claude Code or Cursor that can write, edit, and debug code for you in your terminal or editor.
What's a "skill"? A skill is a Markdown file that teaches your agent how to do something properly — like a recipe for your AI chef.
How do I use these skills?
- Install with one command (cp -r skills/* ~/.claude/skills/)
- Tell your agent: "Use the [skill name] skill"
- Your agent follows the instructions automatically
Which skill should I start with?
- First: systematic-debugging — the most useful for daily coding
- Second: token-efficiency — saves you money immediately
- Third: checkpoints-and-rewind — safety net, never lose work

Still confused? Open a discussion — we'll help you get started.

🌐 Translations

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Currently English only. Translations welcome — submit a discussion or PR!

🗺️ Roadmap

v1.0.0 — 25 core skills released (Jun 2026)
v1.1.0 — Skill index (index.json) for agent discovery
v1.2.0 — Interactive playground on GitHub Pages
v2.0.0 — Community-contributed skills + skill templates
Add mappings to common frameworks (pain point categories)

💬 What People Are Saying

"Finally — skills that actually tell the agent what to do instead of just giving it vague instructions."
— Early adopter feedback

"The self-regulation-brake-system alone saved me from a $50 runaway agent bill."
— Solo developer, Jun 2026

"Drop-in ready and zero config. This is what agent tooling should be."
— Open source contributor

Have feedback? Open a discussion and share your experience.

⭐ Star History

📖 Featured In

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🤝 How to Contribute

We'd love your help! Here's how to get started:

Good first issues (no coding needed):

📝 Review a skill — Try one and open an issue with your feedback
🌐 Translate README — Pick your language and submit a translation
🐛 Report a bug — If a skill doesn't work with your agent, let us know
✨ Suggest new skills — Open a discussion with your pain point

Code contributions:

Browse open issues — look for good first issue labels
Fork the repo and create a feature branch
Make your changes and submit a PR
Your PR will be reviewed within 48 hours

All contributors are expected to follow our Code of Conduct. See the Contributing Guide for details.

📄 Citation

If you use this project in your work:

@software{hermes_core_skills,
  author = {Lam, Chris},
  title = {Hermes Core Skills},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://github.com/ChrisLamDev/hermes-core-skills},
  note = {25 executable AI agent skills for debugging, planning, token efficiency, and security. MIT licensed.}
}

🛡️ Security

Found a security vulnerability? Please review our Security Policy for responsible disclosure.

📄 License

MIT — Use freely, contribute back when you can.