Academy → Using HermesOfficial documentation · clear explanation

Agentmail — Give the agent its own inbox: send and receive email

Agentmail — Give the agent its own inbox: send and receive email

Developer8 minutes3 questions2026-08-09
The idea in one minute

Start with meaning, then move to detail.

This lesson explains Agentmail — Give the agent its own inbox: send and receive email 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

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 Skill metadata, Reference: full SKILL.md, Requirements, then verify failure modes and version compatibility.

What do you need first?

Know Python, Git, and basic project structure before changing code.

What will you know?

A clear outcome before you read.

  • Understand Agentmail — Give the agent its own inbox: send and receive email 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.
Lesson terms

Short definitions before the details.

MCP
A standard way to expose external tools, resources, and services to an agent.
Skill
An instruction bundle that teaches Hermes a repeatable workflow without necessarily adding an external service.
Tool
A structured action the agent can call to read or change something.
Official page description

Give the agent its own inbox: send and receive email

Topic map

What does the source say, and in what order?

  1. 01
    Skill metadata

    Start here to understand the core idea or structure.

  2. 02
    Reference: full SKILL.md

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

  3. 03
    Requirements

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

  4. 04
    When to Use

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

  5. 05
    Setup

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

  6. 06
    1. Get an API Key

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

  7. 07
    2. Configure MCP Server

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

  8. 08
    3. Restart Hermes

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

  9. 09
    Available Tools (via MCP)

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

  10. 10
    Procedure

    Finish here to verify the result and special cases.

Examples from the official page

Copy only after you understand the effect.

mcp_servers: agentmail: command: "npx" args: ["-y", "agentmail-mcp"] env: AGENTMAIL_API_KEY: "am_your_key_here"
hermes
1. create_inbox (username: "signup-bot") 2. Use the inbox address to register on the service 3. list_threads to check for verification email 4. get_thread to read the verification code
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 “Agentmail — Give the agent its own inbox: send and receive email” 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?