How to Backup and Transfer Your Hermes Agent

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Why Back Up Your Hermes Agent?

Moving to a bigger VPS? Switching to a Mac Mini? Just want a safe copy of your setup?

Hermes packs your entire config, skills, sessions, and data into a zip file you can move anywhere. The backup uses SQLite’s safe copy API, so it works even while Hermes is running (WAL-mode safe). It skips the Hermes codebase itself, so you only move your stuff.

Prerequisites

• Hermes Agent running on your source machine
• Basic CLI knowledge
• Fresh Hermes install on the target machine (no existing config)

Step1: Create a Backup

Run this on your source machine:

# Full backup, saves to ~/hermes-backup-<timestamp>.zip
hermes backup

# Save to a specific path
hermes backup -o /tmp/hermes-migration.zip

# Quick snapshot: only config.yaml, state.db, .env, auth, cron jobs
hermes backup --quick

# Quick snapshot with a label to remember why you took it
hermes backup --quick --label "pre-vps-upgrade"

Backup Options

More details: Hermes CLI Commands - hermes backup

Step2: Install Hermes on the Target Machine

Get a fresh Hermes Agent install on your new machine (VPS, Mac, whatever) with no existing config. Follow the official install guide for your OS.

Step3: Transfer the Backup Zip

Move the zip to your target machine. Pick your method:

• scp for remote VPS: scp ~/hermes-backup-20260427-123456.zip user@your-vps:/tmp/
• AirDrop, USB, or file sync for local Mac/PC moves

Step4: Import the Backup

On the target machine, run:

hermes import /tmp/hermes-backup-20260427-123456.zip

That’s it. Your config, skills, sessions, and data are all there. No reconfiguring or lost work.

Troubleshooting

Crepi il lupo! 🐺