Apothem vs raw Hermes config
Hand-maintaining Hermes config versus managing it through Apothem's shared profile.
Hermes reads ~/.hermes/config.yaml. Apothem writes the native YAML config
(projecting the profile's MCP inventory into auxiliary.mcp) and installs shared
command and skill cohorts under ~/.hermes/.apothem/support/skills/. Hermes's own
skills.config is a registry-package list, so Apothem does not author it.
Status
Preview. The Hermes adapter targets the current documented config file and skill-discovery surface. Non-skill cohorts remain Apothem support material.
Effort comparison
| Task | Raw hand-config | Apothem-managed |
|---|---|---|
| Author reusable skills | Hand-edit config and skill directories | Write once in the shared corpus |
| Keep cohorts aligned with other harnesses | Manual, per tool | Automatic on apothem update |
| Install / remove the config | Manual | apothem install / apothem uninstall |
| Verify the config is correct | Manual inspection | apothem verify --harness hermes |
What Apothem manages
The Hermes adapter writes config.yaml, wraps Apothem slash commands as
skills, copies Apothem skills into the referenced support directory, and keeps
rules, templates, agents, and hook material under the Apothem support subtree.
Migration path
- Run
apothem profile initto create the shared profile if you have not yet. - Move reusable Hermes skills or command prompts into the shared corpus.
- Run
apothem install --harness hermesto render the native config and support skill directory. - Run
apothem verify --harness hermesto confirm the config landed.