Add KnowMan to Hermes Agent
Hermes Agent supports local stdio MCP servers. Its hermes mcp add command takes the executable through --command and arguments through --args, as shown in the Hermes MCP guide.
Use npx -y @knowman/mcp to start the KnowMan MCP package. It requires Node.js 22 or newer, and Hermes must have npx available. See the KnowMan MCP documentation.
Use the Hermes config file
Hermes stores MCP servers under the top-level mcp_servers key in config.yaml. A stdio server uses command and args, while environment variables go under env, according to the Hermes MCP guide.
You can edit config.yaml instead of using the interactive add prompt. The KnowMan MCP server is local stdio, so use command, args, and env, not the url and headers used for remote HTTP servers. See the KnowMan MCP documentation.
Sign in once with knowman login
Run npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login to open the browser sign-in flow. The saved credential is shared by the KnowMan CLI and MCP server, so the KNOWMAN_API_KEY environment block can be dropped after signing in. See the KnowMan MCP documentation.
For a headless machine, the browser must run on the same machine as the CLI. If it cannot open a browser, use KNOWMAN_API_KEY instead. The KnowMan MCP documentation also notes that stored credentials are not yet supported on Windows.
Reload and verify the connection
After changing MCP configuration, run /reload-mcp in Hermes Agent. You can also start a fresh Hermes session after adding a server. See the Hermes MCP guide.
Run hermes mcp test knowman to check the configured server. You can also ask Hermes which tools are available, check the Hermes banner or status, and inspect logs if the server did not connect. The Hermes MCP guide lists these checks.
Six tools exposed by KnowMan
KnowMan exposes kb_search, kb_ask, kb_get_item, kb_save, kb_recent, and kb_memories. They search saved items, answer questions with citations, read one item, save a URL, list recent items, and list saved claims, decisions, and playbooks. See the KnowMan MCP documentation.
Hermes discovers MCP tools at startup or reload time. Its MCP tool names include the server name, so KnowMan tools receive an mcp_ prefix. See the Hermes MCP guide.
If the server does not load
Check that enabled: false was not left in the configuration. Also check that npx exists, the environment values are correct, and the server can reach KnowMan. The Hermes MCP guide includes these checks for a configured server that loads no tools.
If Hermes is started from /root or /home/... while using a Windows stdio executable, Windows may show a UNC current-directory warning before the MCP server starts. See the Hermes MCP guide.
Keep the tool list controlled
Hermes can filter server-native MCP tools with tools.include and tools.exclude. It can also filter Hermes utility wrappers with tools.resources and tools.prompts. See the Hermes MCP guide.
The guide warns against connecting a server with a large tool surface when you are not prepared to filter it. KnowMan exposes six named tools, and the KnowMan MCP documentation lists their scopes and behavior.
Questions people ask
Can Hermes Agent run the KnowMan MCP server?
Yes. Hermes Agent supports local stdio MCP servers, and KnowMan is a local stdio server started with npx -y @knowman/mcp. See the Hermes MCP guide and KnowMan MCP documentation.
Do I need KNOWMAN_API_KEY after running knowman login?
No. A successful knowman login saves a credential shared by the CLI and MCP server, so you can drop the env block. On Windows, stored credentials are not yet supported, so set KNOWMAN_API_KEY instead. See the KnowMan MCP documentation.
How do I verify KnowMan in Hermes Agent?
Run hermes mcp test knowman, then ask Hermes which tools it has. You can also check the Hermes banner, status, or logs. See the Hermes MCP guide.
Which KnowMan tools can Hermes use?
Hermes can use kb_search, kb_ask, kb_get_item, kb_save, kb_recent, and kb_memories through KnowMan. See the KnowMan MCP documentation.