Use Apple Notes with Hermes

Apple Notes can be a practical capture surface for a Mac-based Hermes workflow: quick research notes, meeting follow-ups, checklists, and drafts remain in the Apple ecosystem instead of a separate database. The bundled Apple Notes skill uses the memo command-line tool and is intended for macOS.

Official skill reference: Apple Notes

Choose the right operation

Use search or folder filtering before opening a long list. Creation and editing are interactive because memo opens the configured editor, while listing, fuzzy search, moving, deletion, and export can be selected from the command-line workflow.

memo notes
memo notes -f "Folder Name"
memo notes -s "project phrase"

Create a note with memo notes -a; add -f "Folder Name" when the destination is known. Editing (-e), deletion (-d), and moving (-m) use interactive selection. Export (-ex) can produce HTML or Markdown for a portable copy.

Safe operating checklist

Confirm the Mac has the bundled skill prerequisites and Notes access.
Search before creating so near-duplicate notes do not multiply.
Name the target folder explicitly when organization matters.
Preview or uniquely identify a note before editing, moving, or deleting it.
Confirm an edit target is text-only; memo cannot edit notes that contain images or attachments.
Keep the editor session visible when the user needs to approve final wording.
Export important material before a large reorganization.

Common pitfalls

Treating interactive editing as unattended automation. memo may wait for the configured editor, so an agent should not claim completion until the editor exits and the note is re-read.
Trying to edit a note with images or attachments. The official skill documents this as unsupported; export or use Apple Notes directly instead of forcing a text-only workflow.
Selecting by a vague title. Similar notes can lead to the wrong destructive target; narrow the search first.
Assuming Apple Notes is Hermes memory. Notes are user documents. Hermes memory, session history, and skills have different purposes and retention behavior.
Publishing a note without review. A private capture can contain names, links, or context that does not belong on a public page.

Verification

Re-run a focused search or folder listing, confirm the expected title appears exactly once, and open the note to check the saved body. For a move, verify both the destination and absence from the original folder. For export, confirm the output file exists, opens normally, and contains no material outside the intended note.