# Save and verify durable Hermes team conventions Store a small set of approved, non-secret conventions in Hermes memory and confirm the saved files and fresh-session behavior. Canonical: https://xcloud.host/use-cases/playbooks/hermes-memory-conventions/ Published: 2026-10-01 · Updated: 2026-10-01 · Technical review: 2026-10-01 Evidence: Source reviewed; no production deployment test claimed Editorial owner: xCloud editorial Intent: Save team conventions to Hermes memory and verify persistence in a fresh session For: administrator, team-owner ## Requirements and responsibilities - Assign a named team owner for this task and confirm that all needed service accounts, sources and data are within the approved scope. Never place credentials or private keys in agent prompts. Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory); [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security) - Use the installed Hermes version and upstream feature documentation for this procedure; it does not establish that xCloud enables the feature by default. Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory); [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security) ## Illustrative situation Illustrative scenario: a team owner wants a durable writing preference carried across fresh sessions and needs proof the instruction was written to memory. ## Choose the approach - Store only stable, non-secret team preferences in durable memory; keep task-specific or sensitive information in its approved source system. Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory); [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security) ## Dashboard and application procedure ### 1. Choose durable, safe conventions **Where:** Team owner / approved memory request **Permissions:** Team knowledge owner **Inputs:** Short preferences useful across tasks; no secrets or sensitive personal data **Action:** Select a few stable writing or reporting preferences. Keep task-specific or confidential facts out of durable memory. **Expected result:** The proposed memory has a named owner and limited content. **Verify:** Review the exact text before asking Hermes to save it. **If it fails:** If a convention is uncertain or sensitive, omit it and keep it in an approved system of record. Capability: Review the task result and retain human control Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) ### 2. Locate the active profile and save the approved entry **Where:** Hermes terminal/CLI and active Hermes profile **Permissions:** Authorized Hermes user **Inputs:** Active HERMES\_HOME/profile; approved exact preference; target memory type **Action:** Run \`hermes profile list\` and identify the active profile/HERMES\_HOME before writing. Use the profile’s \`memories/MEMORY.md\` for environment or team conventions and \`memories/USER.md\` only for personal preferences; the default profile uses \`~/.hermes/memories/\`, while named profiles use \`~/.hermes/profiles/\/memories/\`. Ask Hermes to use the memory tool to save the exact approved text to the correct target. **Expected result:** The preference is assigned to the right profile and memory target. **Verify:** Do not treat an acknowledgment as persistence; inspect the target MEMORY.md or USER.md content. **If it fails:** If the file was not changed, retry using the actual supported memory operation, not narrative prompting. Capability: Use the authorized Hermes terminal, CLI or documented task interface Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) ### 3. Inspect the active profile memory file **Where:** Authorized Hermes terminal/CLI using the active profile path identified above **Permissions:** Workspace owner **Inputs:** The active profile path, MEMORY.md or USER.md target, expected text **Action:** Open the file under the active profile’s \`memories/\` directory, not a different default profile. Confirm the exact entry is present; \`MEMORY.md\` holds environment/conventions and \`USER.md\` holds personal preferences. **Expected result:** The approved entry appears in the correct active-profile file and target. **Verify:** Compare saved text with the approved wording and inspect the tool result for a successful write; an acknowledgment alone is not proof. **If it fails:** If wrong or overbroad, edit/remove the entry and verify the corrected file. Capability: Use the authorized Hermes terminal, CLI or documented task interface Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) ### 4. Verify fresh-session loading **Where:** Hermes conversation **Permissions:** Authorized user **Inputs:** A new Hermes session boundary, e.g. /new **Action:** Start a new Hermes session using that same profile (for example \`/new\` on a gateway or a fresh CLI invocation). Ask a harmless task that should use the preference and check the fresh session’s behavior. **Expected result:** The new session uses the saved convention or transparently says it cannot find it. **Verify:** Confirm the profile matches and the new session applies the saved preference; if not, inspect the profile-specific file and memory-enabled settings. **If it fails:** If it does not load, inspect memory file location/snapshot behavior in official docs; do not claim the preference persisted. Capability: Use the authorized Hermes terminal, CLI or documented task interface Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) ### 5. Maintain the memory responsibly **Where:** Team memory owner **Permissions:** Memory file write permission **Inputs:** Review date and removal owner **Action:** Review memory periodically, remove stale items, and keep durable memory bounded and non-secret. **Expected result:** The memory remains useful and owned. **Verify:** Confirm removals are reflected in the file and test if relevant. **If it fails:** If ownership changes, remove team-specific instructions until a new owner approves them. Capability: Review the task result and retain human control Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) ## Maintenance - Have the memory owner review MEMORY.md/USER.md for stale or sensitive entries; verify every edit in the file and test important changes in a fresh session. Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory); [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security) ## Recovery decisions - If the new session does not apply a convention, inspect the actual memory file and session boundary; correct or remove the entry. Do not treat a gateway reboot as a fresh session. Sources: [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory); [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security) ## AI handoff Configure the needed provider, channel, credentials and permissions separately. This guide does not imply xCloud has preconfigured upstream tools or scheduled jobs. ### Supported scope - **Review the task result and retain human control** (app; manual): Human acceptance and follow-up; no external write is implied. Checkpoint: Verify the source/output and actual side effects before sharing or acting. Sources: [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security); [Hermes daily briefing tutorial](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/daily-briefing-bot); [Hermes automate with cron patterns](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/automate-with-cron) - **Use the authorized Hermes terminal, CLI or documented task interface** (app; manual): Upstream Hermes CLI/configuration workflow; requires an authorized operator and does not prove xCloud preconfigured the feature or exposed it in its panel. Checkpoint: Check the installed Hermes version and current upstream instructions; review scope and permissions before running a task. Sources: [Hermes quickstart](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/getting-started/quickstart); [Hermes cron feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/cron); [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory); [Hermes skills feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/skills); [Hermes agent email address tutorial](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/agent-email-address); [Hermes GitHub PR review agent tutorial](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/github-pr-review-agent); [Hermes delegation feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/delegation) ### Copyable agent brief ```text Save only the exact approved non-secret conventions using the documented Hermes memory operation. Confirm the resulting MEMORY.md/USER.md text; do not claim persistence on acknowledgment alone. ``` ### Manual checkpoints - Use \`hermes profile list\` to identify the active profile, then inspect that profile’s \`memories/MEMORY.md\` or \`memories/USER.md\`. Default path is \`~/.hermes/memories/\`; a named profile has \`~/.hermes/profiles/\/memories/\`. Use \`/new\` or a fresh CLI invocation to reload the frozen snapshot. - Review the task-specific acceptance check and inspect actual output, configuration or run history before relying on it. ## Feature coverage - **Documented Hermes task path** (covered): Steps identify whether an action uses documented xCloud controls, upstream operator configuration or human review. Steps: step-1, step-2, step-3, step-4, step-5 - **Task-specific acceptance check** (covered): The final step validates this guide’s stated result. Steps: step-5 ## Sources - [Hermes memory feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/memory) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes security guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/security) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes daily briefing tutorial](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/daily-briefing-bot) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes automate with cron patterns](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/automate-with-cron) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes quickstart](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/getting-started/quickstart) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes cron feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/cron) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes skills feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/skills) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes agent email address tutorial](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/agent-email-address) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes GitHub PR review agent tutorial](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/guides/github-pr-review-agent) — reviewed 2026-10-01 - [Hermes delegation feature guide](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/delegation) — reviewed 2026-10-01 ## Continue [Review xCloud Hermes deployment options](https://xcloud.host/docs/how-to-deploy-hermes-agent-with-xcloud/) - [Turn a repeated team task into a Hermes skill](https://xcloud.host/use-cases/playbooks/hermes-reusable-skill/)