Hermes3D is a free, open-source 3D virtual office for AI agents, and despite one confusing line on its GitHub page, it is not a game engine.
The repo is github.com/iamlukethedev/Hermes3D, it's MIT licensed, and it's an unofficial community project by LukeTheDev, so it isn't made by Nous Research.
You start it with git clone https://github.com/iamlukethedev/Hermes3D hermes3d, cd hermes3d, npm install, cp .env.example .env and npm run dev, and then you open http://localhost:3000.
Here's my verdict in one sentence.
On paper it's the most ambitious visual office for Hermes agents I've read about, but it has one release and it's been quiet since late August 2026, so I'd try the demo before I trusted it with real work.
I have to tell you how I reached that verdict.
I have not tested Hermes3D myself, so this is a docs-based reference built from the README, the tutorial and the docs folder, which I read on 14 October 2026.
That's why my scores below only cover things I could check in the docs, and anything that needs hands-on use is marked as not scored.
That video covers Hermes Pixel Office, which is a different tool that I have used, and I've added it because I don't have a Hermes3D video.
My Hermes3D Verdict In One Table
I only score what the docs let me check.
A made-up score for stability would help nobody, so those rows are left unscored.
| Area | My score out of 10 | Basis | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price and licence | 10 | I checked the repo. | It's free and MIT licensed. |
| Range of features | 8 | I read the README. | It covers a 3D office, a 2D mode, chat, approvals, standups, pull requests and more. |
| Documentation | 8 | I read the docs. | There's a README, a tutorial, a vision file and a docs folder with honest limits. |
| Setup clarity | 8 | I read the README. | The quick start is five commands, and there's a demo that needs no agent. |
| Security guidance | 7 | I read the docs. | The docs explain tokens, allowlists and tunnels, but the token still sits in browser memory. |
| Maintenance signal | 4 | I checked the repo. | There's one release, and no pushes since late August 2026. |
| Official backing | Not scored | It doesn't apply. | It's an unofficial community project by design. |
| Stability and performance | Not scored | I did not test it. | I can't judge this without running it. |
| Look and feel | Not scored | I did not test it. | I've only seen the repo, not the office on my own screen. |
I'm not giving an overall star rating, because I haven't used it.
What Hermes3D Is, And What It Isn't
Hermes3D is the visual and interaction layer for an agent system.
The README describes it as a "3D virtual office for AI agents" that runs on your own infrastructure.
You walk through an office where agents appear as workers, and you chat with them, approve their actions and watch their activity.
It isn't an agent, and the README says it doesn't build or install the runtimes it connects to.
It isn't official either, because the README calls it an independent, community-driven frontend.
And it isn't a game engine.
The repo's short "About" line says it's a 3D engine for games, simulations and 3D applications.
I think that line is misleading, because nothing in the README, the tutorial or the vision file is about building games.
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The Hermes3D Fact Sheet
These are the facts I checked on the repo on 14 October 2026.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Repo | The repo is github.com/iamlukethedev/Hermes3D. |
| Maker | It's built and maintained by LukeTheDev, who is @iamlukethedev on X. |
| Licence | It's MIT licensed. |
| Price | It's free. |
| Language | It's written in TypeScript. |
| Created | The repo was created on 17 August 2026. |
| Release | The only release is v1.0.0, dated 20 August 2026. |
| Last push | The last push I could see was on 29 August 2026. |
| Stars and forks | It had 570+ stars and 120+ forks. |
| Requirements | Node.js 20 or newer and npm 10 or newer are recommended. |
| 3D stack | It uses Three.js, React Three Fiber and Drei. |
| 2D stack | It uses Phaser. |
| App stack | It uses Next.js, React and TypeScript, with Vitest and Playwright for tests. |
Hermes3D Features Explained One By One
Each feature below comes from the README or the docs, and none of them are things I've run.
The 3D office
This is the main view, and it lives at /office.
The README describes a retro office with desks, rooms, navigation, animations and activity cues that react to events.
Agents appear as workers moving through a shared 3D world.
The 2D pixel office
The README describes a Gather-style pixel-art view of the same live agents.
It's meant for low-power machines.
You switch to it in Settings under Office renderer, or with the 2D button in the office toolbar.
Fleet management and agent chat
The README lists fleet management and agent chat, with updates streamed from the gateway.
It also lists agent creation, settings and session controls.
Approvals
Approvals sit in the same app as chat and settings.
The adapter docs say the adapter supports the approval screens the current interface uses.
Standups
The README says you can run standups with agents connected to GitHub and Jira.
It also mentions immersive spaces for standups, GitHub review flows, analytics and system monitoring.
Pull request review
The README says you can review pull requests from inside the office.
QA pipelines and logs
The README says you can monitor QA pipelines and logs without leaving the workspace.
The gym
The README says you can train agents in the gym to develop new skills.
It doesn't explain the mechanics in detail, so I won't guess at them.
The janitor
The README says the janitor system resets sessions and cleans context.
The office builder
The /office/builder page is for editing and publishing office layouts.
The README says the builder and the main office are related but still separate stacks.
Orchestration tools
The adapter docs say the main Hermes agent can act as an orchestrator.
| Tool | What the docs say it does |
|---|---|
spawn_agent |
It creates a specialist sub-agent. |
delegate_task |
It sends work to a specific agent. |
list_team |
It lists active agents with their names and roles. |
configure_agent |
It updates an agent's name, role, instructions or settings. |
dismiss_agent |
It removes an agent from the team. |
read_agent_context |
It reads another agent's recent conversation for coordination. |
The docs say sub-agents appear in the office as separate characters with their own conversation state.
Cron jobs through the adapter
The adapter docs list cron list, add, remove, patch and run among the things the adapter supports.
The conversation bridge plugin
This is an optional plugin that makes the office react to chats you have in the Hermes desktop app, the TUI or the CLI.
The docs say the agents that replied walk away from their desks and gather while the conversation lasts.
The docs also say it only observes, so it never changes or delays a turn.
Voice replies
The README says you can enable voice replies with your own ElevenLabs keys.
SOUNDHERMES
SOUNDHERMES is a Spotify jukebox inside the office.
The README says local Spotify sign-in may need an ngrok callback bridge.
The kanban screen
The repo's code includes a kanban screen.
The README doesn't document it, so I'm only telling you it exists in the code.
The multi-agent beta
A separate doc describes a beta for connecting a second office.
It says the feature is for visibility and light cross-office messaging, and not for full shared-state collaboration.
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The Backends Hermes3D Connects To
Hermes3D needs a backend, and the docs describe four.
| Backend | How it connects | Notes from the docs |
|---|---|---|
| Hermes through the adapter | The bundled adapter listens on ws://localhost:18789 and calls the Hermes HTTP API at http://localhost:8642. |
This is the default path in the README. |
| Hermes Agent (direct) | Studio speaks to a hermes serve backend with no adapter process. |
The docs describe this for a remote Hermes host over Tailscale. |
| Custom runtime | Studio proxies a direct HTTP runtime through its own route. | The runtime must offer health, state, registry and chat endpoints. |
| Demo gateway | A built-in mock gateway provides fake agents. | It needs no agent framework at all. |
The README is blunt that Hermes3D does not install Hermes for you.
How To Install Hermes3D
The README's quick start is short.
git clone https://github.com/iamlukethedev/Hermes3D hermes3d
cd hermes3d
npm install
cp .env.example .env
npm run dev
Then you open http://localhost:3000 and set the gateway URL and token.
For the demo, you run npm run demo-gateway and npm run dev, connect to ws://localhost:18789 and choose Demo backend.
For Hermes, you run npm run hermes-adapter and npm run dev, and you choose Hermes backend.
The tutorial warns that the adapter path can't connect to the Hermes dashboard on port 9119, because that port speaks a different protocol.
There's a diagnostics command, npm run doctor, for when a connection fails.
Hermes3D Security And Remote Access
The README explains that Hermes3D uses two network hops.
Your browser talks to Studio, and Studio opens a second connection to the gateway.
That keeps gateway settings on the Studio host.
The README also admits that the current flow still loads the gateway URL and token into browser memory at runtime.
It tells you to treat the browser as part of your trust boundary.
| Setting | What the docs say it's for |
|---|---|
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN |
You set it before you expose Studio beyond localhost. |
UPSTREAM_ALLOWLIST |
You set it in production to restrict which gateway hosts Studio may proxy to. |
HOST and PORT |
These control where the Studio server listens. |
| Tailscale Serve or SSH | The tutorial prefers these over exposing raw gateway ports publicly. |
I think that's sensible guidance, and I'd follow all of it.
The Limits Of Hermes3D
These are the limits the README lists itself.
- The office and the builder are still separate stacks.
- The gateway URL and token are held in browser memory while you're connected.
- Voice transcription isn't bundled, and that endpoint returns a "not implemented" error.
- Spotify sign-in for SOUNDHERMES stores an access token only, so you may need to repeat it.
The adapter docs add that Hermes is integrated through the adapter path today, and not through a dedicated native provider.
Here are the limits I'd add as a reviewer.
- The project has one release, v1.0.0, and no pushes since late August 2026.
- It's unofficial, so nobody at Nous Research supports it.
- The repo's About line describes it wrongly, which will confuse some visitors.
- I haven't tested it, so I can't vouch for how it runs.
My advice is to check the repo for activity before you rely on it.
Hermes3D vs Other Ways To See Your Hermes Agents
I've used the other tools in this table, so this is where my hands-on experience does apply.
| Tool | Maker | What it shows | Can you control agents from it? | My experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermes3D | LukeTheDev | It shows a 3D office with a 2D mode. | The docs say yes, with chat, approvals and settings. | I haven't tested it. |
| Hermes Pixel Office | Teknium | It shows each session as a pixel character. | No, because it's a window and not a controller. | I've used it and made a video on it. |
| Herald OS | LukeTheDev | It shows an OS-style dashboard with Spaces and Missions. | Yes, it's a full front-end. | I've used it, and it's an alpha. |
| Hermes Desktop | Nous Research | It shows chat, files, skills and settings. | Yes, it's the official app. | I've used it, and it's my safest pick. |
My full ranking of the interfaces I've used is in the best Hermes Agent UI list.
I covered the other project from the same developer in my Herald OS review.
If you want every dashboard grouped by what it shows, read my Hermes Agent dashboards roundup.
If Hermes itself isn't right for you, the best Hermes Agent alternative covers the other agents.
If you'd like a second opinion on which AI tools deserve a place in your business, you can book a free SEO strategy session with my team. If you're already experienced and want to work at a higher level, have a look at the SEO Elite Circle.
Who Should Try Hermes3D?
You should try it if you already run Hermes and you want a richer view than logs.
You should run the demo if you only want to see what a 3D agent office looks like.
You should skip it if you're looking for a game engine, because it isn't one.
You should wait if you need an actively maintained tool with official support.
If you'd like my single top pick for a Hermes interface, the best UI for Hermes Agent names it straight away.
🔥 Ready to run agents with a setup that's been tested? The AI Profit Boardroom has my Agent OS, the Hermes walkthroughs and four coaching calls a week where you can ask about the tools you're weighing up. → Join the AI Profit Boardroom
Related Reading
- The best Hermes Agent UI list ranks nine interfaces I've used.
- My Herald OS review covers the other Hermes project by the same developer.
- My StarNet GitHub review looks at another free visual agent harness.
- My Hermes Agent dashboards roundup sorts every dashboard by what it shows.
Also On Our Network
- 🌐 Setting up Hermes3D step by step, with the demo first
- 🌐 Seven ways a business could use Hermes3D, labelled honestly
- 🌐 The Hermes3D quick start and how it fits an Agent OS
- 🌐 Real bench scores for the models you'd run behind Hermes3D
FAQ: Hermes3D
What is Hermes3D?
Hermes3D is a free, open-source 3D virtual office for AI agents that you run on your own infrastructure.
It's the visual and interaction layer, and it connects to an agent backend such as Hermes.
Is Hermes3D a game engine?
No, it isn't.
The repo's short About line says so, but the README, the tutorial and the vision file all describe a 3D office for AI agents.
Is Hermes3D free?
Yes, it's open source under the MIT licence.
The model your agents use may still cost money, and voice replies need your own ElevenLabs keys.
Is Hermes3D safe to use?
The code is public and MIT licensed.
The README tells you to set an access token before exposing it beyond localhost, and to use an allowlist in production.
I'd keep it on a private network.
Have you tested Hermes3D?
No, I haven't.
This reference is based on the README, the tutorial and the docs, which I read on 14 October 2026.
What is the difference between Hermes3D and Hermes Pixel Office?
Hermes Pixel Office is a plugin by Teknium that shows each agent session as a pixel character and only watches.
Hermes3D is a separate web app by LukeTheDev with a 3D office, a 2D mode, chat, approvals and agent management.
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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.
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My verdict is to run the demo, read the limits and check the repo's activity before you commit, because that's the honest way to judge Hermes3D.
