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Academy → Using HermesOfficial documentation · clear explanation

Personality & SOUL.md

Personality & SOUL.md

Beginner to advanced11 minutes3 questions✓ 2026-08-09
The idea in one minute

Start with meaning, then move to detail.

This lesson explains Personality & SOUL.md as part of using Hermes and understanding its behavior. You will learn what it does, when it matters, and the smallest safe test that proves it works.

If you are new

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 hands-on use

For practice, inspect the first example, identify its effects, run it on test data, and compare the result with the source claim.

For specialists

For advanced readers, inspect How SOUL.md works now, Important behavior, Why this design, then verify failure modes and version compatibility.

What do you need first?

Start with installation if you have not run Hermes yet.

What will you know?

A clear outcome before you read.

  • Understand Personality & SOUL.md 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.
Official page description

Customize Hermes Agent's personality with a global SOUL.md, built-in personalities, and custom persona definitions

Topic map

What does the source say, and in what order?

  1. 01
    How SOUL.md works now

    Start here to understand the core idea or structure.

  2. 02
    Important behavior

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  3. 03
    Why this design

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  4. 04
    Where to edit it

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  5. 05
    What should go in SOUL.md?

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  6. 06
    Good SOUL.md content

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  7. 07
    Example

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  8. 08
    Style

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  9. 09
    What to avoid

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  10. 10
    Technical posture

    Finish here to verify the result and special cases.

Examples from the official page

Copy only after you understand the effect.

~/.hermes/SOUL.md
$HERMES_HOME/SOUL.md
~/.hermes/SOUL.md
Try it now

Read 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.

Knowledge check

Three decisions before completion.

1. What is the source of truth when “Personality & SOUL.md” changes?
2. What is the best way to apply this lesson?
3. What should happen before a step can modify files or an external account?