Add Deep Memory to Hermes with Honcho

Honcho is an optional external memory provider for Hermes. It adds server-side user modeling, semantic recall, session summaries, and dialectic reasoning while preserving separate peer identities for different agents or gateway users. Choose it when automatic long-term personalization is worth an external service and additional reasoning cost.

Set up the provider

Run hermes memory setup honcho, or run hermes memory setup and select Honcho. The wizard stores provider configuration separately from general Hermes memory and can connect to Honcho Cloud or a self-hosted server. After activation, hermes honcho status reports connection and key settings.

Honcho can inject two context layers: base context describing the user and current session, plus a dialectic supplement about what matters now. Three independent controls shape cost and depth: contextCadence, dialecticCadence, and dialecticDepth. Start conservatively—frequent base refreshes, dialectic every few turns, and depth one—then increase only when the added context measurably helps.

Pick identity and recall boundaries

hybrid mode combines automatic context with explicit Honcho tools. context injects context but hides tools. tools disables automatic injection and lets the agent query memory deliberately. Session strategy can be per session, directory, repository, or global.

Gateway identity mapping deserves special care. A private single-user gateway can pin users to one peer. Shared gateways should keep pinUserPeer off and map the owner's runtime IDs explicitly so different people do not collapse into one memory profile.

Setup checklist

Decide whether external storage and reasoning fit the privacy boundary.
Select Cloud or self-hosted Honcho and confirm authentication.
Choose hybrid, context, or tools recall mode.
Set a session strategy that matches the work boundary.
Map gateway identities before inviting additional users.
Cap injected context if prompt growth becomes noticeable.

Pitfalls

Unpinning a previously pinned gateway does not migrate pooled history automatically. High dialectic depth and cadence can add cost without improving every conversation. Do not use a global session strategy when separate repositories or people require isolation. Server-side observation settings can also override local defaults, so verify the effective configuration.

Verification steps

Run hermes honcho status and confirm the intended host and recall mode.
Start two sessions under the chosen strategy and verify expected continuity.
Test a second peer or profile and confirm private context does not cross over.
Review injected context size and lower cadence or token budget if needed.

Read the official Honcho Memory guide and Memory Providers reference before changing production identity mappings.