Hermes Agent, the open-source self-improving AI agent from Nous Research, now runs natively on Windows 10 and Windows 11 , no WSL, no Docker, no Cygwin required. The release, announced alongside the Hermes Desktop public preview at v0.15.2, caps a rapid expansion that has taken the project from a Linux-only CLI tool to a full cross-platform agent with a GUI in just a few months.
The agent that refuses to forget
Hermes Agent is an open-source autonomous AI agent built by Nous Research, first released in February 2026. Unlike traditional one-shot agents, Hermes is the only open-source agent with a true built-in learning loop , it doesn't just complete tasks, it remembers, builds reusable skills, and gets smarter every single time you use it. All data stays on your machine, with no telemetry, no tracking, and no cloud lock-in.
It connects to over 200 AI models across 20 messaging platforms, learns from every task through a three-layer memory system, and generates reusable skills that make it measurably better at recurring workflows over time. The self-improvement mechanism is the headline differentiator: the agent writes a new reusable skill on its own after completing a complex task of five or more tool calls, with zero human authoring required.
What "native Windows" actually means
Before this release, Windows users had two options: run Hermes through WSL2 (the Linux compatibility layer built into Windows), or skip it entirely. Native support changes that equation significantly. Hermes runs natively on Windows 10 and Windows 11 with no WSL, no Cygwin, and no Docker. The install is a single PowerShell one-liner:
iex (irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.ps1)No admin rights are required. The installer goes to %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\ and adds hermes to your User PATH , open a new terminal after it finishes. For those who prefer a double-click experience, a GUI installer is also available that provisions Python, Node, PortableGit, and all dependencies automatically.
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