Hermes Import Agent is the hermes import-agent command that imports a Claude Code or Codex CLI setup into Hermes Agent in one command, and my verdict is that it's one of the most useful small features Nous Research has shipped.
It moves your instructions, Bash permission rules, MCP servers, skills and memories, it always previews first, and it never touches your credentials.
Its best feature is --sync, which keeps Hermes up to date when you keep using the other agent.
Its weakest spot is that slash commands and non-Bash permission rules don't come across, so a full migration still needs a little manual work.
Cursor support arrived through the official agent-importers plugin, which the v0.22.4 release notes describe as "now with Cursor."
This review goes through every feature, scores each one, and covers how it differs from hermes import, which is a backup restore command.
My scores rate the documented behaviour in the official docs and CLI help, and I'll say plainly that my own content shows the command in my Hermes v0.20 setup steps rather than a filmed migration.
Hermes Import Agent Scores At A Glance
These are my scores for each part of Hermes Import Agent, based on what the official docs and CLI help document.
| Feature | What it does | My score |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code import | It maps CLAUDE.md, Bash rules, MCP servers and skills into Hermes. |
9/10 |
| Codex CLI import | It maps AGENTS.md, MCP servers, memories and skills into Hermes. |
9/10 |
| Cursor import | It maps Cursor rules, MCP servers and skills through the agent-importers plugin. | 7/10 |
| Preview and dry run | It shows the full plan first, and --dry-run writes nothing. |
10/10 |
| Secret handling | It never reads credential files and strips secret-looking MCP values. | 10/10 |
| Conflict handling | It skips existing items unless you pass --overwrite. |
9/10 |
| Sync | --sync re-imports only changed sources without prompts. |
9/10 |
| Coverage gaps | Slash commands and non-Bash rules don't map. |
6/10 |
| Overall | It is a one-command, previewed, syncable migration into Hermes. | 4.5/5 |
The Cursor score is lower only because the plugin's compatibility note means some installs will still run the built-in command, which lists Claude Code and Codex.
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What Hermes Import Agent Is
Hermes Agent is the free, open-source AI agent from Nous Research, released under the MIT licence.
Hermes Import Agent is its migration command, hermes import-agent.
The local CLI help describes it as a "one-command import of another coding agent's setup into Hermes."
It goes on to say it maps "CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md instructions, permission allowlists, MCP servers, skills, and memories into their Hermes equivalents."
Here's the usage line from hermes import-agent --help on my machine, which runs Hermes v0.22.1.
usage: hermes import-agent [-h] [--source SOURCE] [--dry-run] [--overwrite]
[--yes] [--sync]
[{claude-code,codex}]
The full mapping tables live on the official Import from Other Agents page.
Every Option, Reviewed
| Option | What it does, according to the docs |
|---|---|
agent |
It picks claude-code or codex, and it auto-detects if you leave it out. |
--source <path> |
It points at a custom config folder instead of ~/.claude or ~/.codex. |
--dry-run |
It previews only and writes nothing. |
--overwrite |
It replaces conflicting MCP servers and skills instead of skipping them. |
--yes, -y |
It skips the confirmation prompts. |
--sync |
It re-imports every previously imported source whose files changed. |
These are the docs examples, copied exactly.
hermes import-agent # auto-detect ~/.claude or ~/.codex
hermes import-agent claude-code # import from ~/.claude
hermes import-agent codex # import from ~/.codex
hermes import-agent claude-code --dry-run # preview only
hermes import-agent codex --source /path/to/.codex # custom location
hermes import-agent claude-code --overwrite --yes # replace conflicts, skip prompts
What Moves From Claude Code
| Claude Code | Hermes | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
CLAUDE.md |
It becomes memory entries in MEMORY.md. |
This works well, because Hermes starts with your house rules. |
permissions.allow Bash rules |
They become command_allowlist in config.yaml. |
This works well, because approved commands keep working. |
permissions.deny Bash rules |
They become approvals.deny in config.yaml. |
This works well, because blocked commands stay blocked. |
mcpServers |
They become mcp_servers in config.yaml. |
This works, but you must re-add stripped secrets. |
| Skill folders | They are copied into skills/claude-code-imports/. |
This works well. |
commands/*.md |
They are skipped with a note. | This is a gap, because you rebuild them as skills. |
The docs say a rule like Bash(npm run test:*) becomes the glob npm run test*, which is a thoughtful touch.
Non-Bash rules such as Read(...) and WebFetch gate Claude-only tools, so they're reported as unmapped.
What Moves From Codex CLI
| Codex CLI | Hermes |
|---|---|
AGENTS.md |
It becomes memory entries in MEMORY.md. |
[mcp_servers.*] in config.toml |
They become mcp_servers in config.yaml. |
memories/*.md |
They become memory entries in MEMORY.md. |
| Skill folders | They are copied into skills/codex-imports/. |
Codex has fewer moving parts, so the Codex import is the cleanest of the three.
What Moves From Cursor
The v0.22.4 release notes list "agent-importers (hermes import-agent, now with Cursor)" as new in the plugin catalog.
agent-importers is an official Nous Research plugin, installed with hermes plugins install agent-importers.
Its README lists hermes import-agent cursor, which reads ~/.cursor.
| Cursor | Hermes |
|---|---|
AGENTS.md |
It becomes memory entries in MEMORY.md. |
User Rules in rules/**/*.md and .mdc files |
They become memory entries, with the .mdc frontmatter stripped. |
mcp.json mcpServers |
They become mcp_servers in config.yaml. |
Skill folders with a SKILL.md |
They are copied into skills/cursor-imports/. |
The README also says the plugin backs up your previous MEMORY.md before merging into it.
It notes that on a Hermes version that still has import-agent built in, the plugin stays inert and the built-in command runs.
So check hermes import-agent --help after installing to see whether cursor appears in your list.
What Never Moves, And Why That's Good
The docs are blunt that "API keys and credentials" are never imported.
Credential files such as ~/.claude/.credentials.json and ~/.codex/auth.json are never read.
MCP environment variables or headers with secret-looking names, such as *_TOKEN, *_API_KEY and Authorization, are stripped and listed in the report.
You then add providers with hermes setup or put secrets in ~/.hermes/.env.
I score this 10 out of 10, because a migration tool that quietly copies tokens is a liability.
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Sync, Reviewed: The Best Feature
Every successful import registers its source and a digest of what it read in ~/.hermes/import-sync.json.
hermes import-agent --sync # re-import every changed source
hermes import-agent --sync --dry-run # preview what a sync would do
| Sync rule | What the docs say |
|---|---|
| Speed | Unchanged sources are skipped by digest comparison, so sync is cheap. |
| Prompts | Sync is prompt-free, so it can run on a schedule such as a daily cron job. |
| Duplicates | Memory and config merges stay deduplicated. |
| Imported skills | Skills imported earlier are refreshed in place when the source changes. |
| Your own edits | Skills you created or changed under the import category are never overwritten. |
| Credentials | Token refreshes in credential files never trigger a sync. |
| Profiles | The manifest is per profile, and --sync-imports carries it into a clone. |
The clone command from the docs is hermes profile create work --clone --sync-imports.
The docs even compare the approach to an automatic settings import in other products, adapted to "an explicit, inspectable command instead of a background service."
That's exactly the right design choice, because you can see and schedule every sync yourself.
Safety Behaviour, Reviewed
The import previews first in every case, and in non-interactive sessions it stops at the preview unless you pass --yes.
Memory entries are merged and deduplicated against your existing MEMORY.md.
Conflicting MCP servers and skills are skipped by default.
A broken settings.json or config.toml becomes a per-item error while everything else still imports.
Hermes Import Agent vs Hermes Import
This is the comparison most people actually need.
| Question | hermes import-agent |
hermes import |
|---|---|---|
| What is it for? | It moves another agent's setup into Hermes. | It restores a Hermes backup zip. |
| What does it read? | It reads ~/.claude, ~/.codex or ~/.cursor. |
It reads a zip made by hermes backup. |
| How does it write? | It merges and skips conflicts. | It overwrites matching files in your Hermes home. |
| Does it preview? | Yes, it always previews first. | It prompts before overwriting an existing installation. |
| What's the safety net? | --dry-run writes nothing. |
It refuses damaged archives before writing anything. |
The docs example for a restore is hermes import ~/hermes-backup-20260423.zip, and they warn you to stop the gateway first.
If you want the backup side covered properly, my Hermes Agent backup review goes through it.
Hermes Import Agent vs Moving From OpenClaw
The docs send OpenClaw users to hermes claw migrate, which follows the same preview-first pattern.
The newest agent-importers README lists hermes import-agent openclaw as the new spelling of that migration, and says hermes claw migrate keeps working.
If you're still choosing between the two agents, my Hermes Agent alternatives ranking compares them.
If you'd like help working out whether a move like this makes sense for your agency, you can book a free SEO strategy session with my team.
My Verdict On Hermes Import Agent
Hermes Import Agent earns 4.5 out of 5 from me.
It does one job, it previews before it writes, it refuses to touch your secrets and it keeps two agents in step with --sync.
It loses half a point because slash commands and non-Bash rules still need rebuilding by hand, and Cursor support depends on which command your install runs.
If you already have a Claude Code, Codex or Cursor setup you like, run a dry run today, because there's no faster way into Hermes.
🔥 Want help choosing how Claude and Hermes should split the work? The AI Profit Boardroom has Hermes Agent training, the Agent OS and four weekly coaching calls where you can ask me which agent should own which job. → Join the AI Profit Boardroom
Related Reading
- Hermes Agent v0.22 reviewed feature by feature
- Hermes Labs reviewed, with every Labs plugin scored
- Hermes Agent as an MCP server, reviewed
Also On Our Network
- 🌐 How to move Claude Code into Hermes, step by step
- 🌐 Six business uses for Hermes Import Agent
- 🌐 A Hermes Import Agent quick start for your Agent OS
- 🌐 The model to pick after importing, scored on GoldieBench
FAQ: Hermes Import Agent Review
What is Hermes Import Agent?
Hermes Import Agent is the hermes import-agent command, which imports a Claude Code or Codex CLI setup into Hermes in one command.
Is Hermes Import Agent worth using?
Yes, it is worth using if you already have a Claude Code, Codex or Cursor setup you want in Hermes.
What does Hermes Import Agent not import?
It never imports credentials, and it skips Claude Code slash commands and non-Bash permission rules.
How is hermes import-agent different from hermes import?
hermes import-agent merges another agent's setup, while hermes import restores a Hermes backup zip.
Does Hermes Import Agent work with OpenClaw?
The docs point OpenClaw users to hermes claw migrate, and the newest plugin README adds hermes import-agent openclaw.
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About Julian
I'm Julian Goldie, an SEO entrepreneur, author and founder of the AI Profit Boardroom, which has 3,400+ members.
I help business owners scale with AI agents, automation and SEO.
- I've built a 7-figure SEO and link-building agency, Goldie Agency, with 70+ people in Bangkok.
- I've grown a YouTube channel to 400,000+ subscribers.
- I wrote the book "Link Building Mastery", which covers nine link building strategies.
- I run GoldieBench, where I score AI models on real one-shot builds.
If you want my team to look at where agents fit in your SEO business, book a free SEO strategy session and we'll go through it together.
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My final verdict is that a dry run costs you nothing, so give Hermes Import Agent a try before you rebuild anything by hand.
