Working with Skills
Working with Skills
Start with meaning, then move to detail.
This lesson explains Working with Skills as part of Hermes internals and extension points. You will learn what it does, when it matters, and the smallest safe test that proves it works.
If you are new, do not memorize names. Focus on three questions: what problem does this solve, what access does it need, and how can you verify the result?
For practice, inspect the first example, identify its effects, run it on test data, and compare the result with the source claim.
For advanced readers, inspect Finding Skills, Searching for a Skill, The Skills Hub, then verify failure modes and version compatibility.
Know Python, Git, and basic project structure before changing code.
A clear outcome before you read.
- Understand Working with Skills without assumed prior knowledge.
- Separate the source description from what still needs testing in your environment.
- Read the first command and identify its inputs and outputs before copying it.
Short definitions before the details.
- Skill
- An instruction bundle that teaches Hermes a repeatable workflow without necessarily adding an external service.
Find, install, use, and create skills — on-demand knowledge that teaches Hermes new workflows
What does the source say, and in what order?
- 01Finding Skills
Start here to understand the core idea or structure.
- 02Searching for a Skill
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 03The Skills Hub
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 04Using a Skill
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 05Progressive Disclosure
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 06Installing from the Hub
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 07Verifying Installation
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 08Plugin-Provided Skills
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 09Configuring Skill Settings
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 10Creating Your Own Skill
Finish here to verify the result and special cases.
Copy only after you understand the effect.
# In any chat session:
/skills
# Or from the CLI:
hermes skills listascii-art Generate ASCII art using pyfiglet, cowsay, boxes...
arxiv Search and retrieve academic papers from arXiv...
github-pr-workflow Full PR lifecycle — create branches, commit...
plan Plan mode — inspect context, write a markdown...
excalidraw Create hand-drawn style diagrams using Excalidraw...# Search by keyword
/skills search docker
/skills search musicRead the first command and identify its inputs and outputs before copying it.
Match every command to your installed Hermes version, review the files and accounts it can reach, and use non-sensitive data for the first test. If this explanation differs from the source, the official source wins.