hermes update Command — Complete Reference & Examples

Overview

hermes update updates Hermes Agent to the latest version. It pulls the newest code, reinstalls dependencies, and can optionally restart the gateway. Flags let you check for updates without applying them, control backups, skip prompts, and target a specific branch.

Usage

hermes update [--gateway] [--check] [--no-backup] [--backup] [--yes] [--branch NAME] [--force] [--force-venv]

Options

Option	Description
`--check`	Only check for available updates — do not apply them
`--gateway`	Also update the gateway as part of the update
`--backup`	Create a backup before applying the update
`--no-backup`	Skip the pre-update backup
`--yes`	Assume yes — do not ask for confirmation
`--branch NAME`	Update from a specific branch instead of the default
`--force`	Force the update even if Hermes is already up to date
`--force-venv`	Force the virtual environment to be recreated/reinstalled

Examples

# Check whether a newer version is available, without changing anything
hermes update --check

# Update with a pre-update backup
hermes update --backup

# Update and skip the backup
hermes update --no-backup

# Update without confirmation prompts (scripts/CI)
hermes update --yes

# Update the gateway as well
hermes update --gateway

# Update from a specific branch
hermes update --branch main

# Force a full update including the virtual environment
hermes update --force --force-venv

Tips

Run hermes update --check periodically to see whether a new version is available without changing your installation.
Use --backup before major upgrades so you can restore your previous setup if something goes wrong.
For unattended updates (cron, CI), combine --yes with --no-backup or --backup as appropriate.
If you run the gateway, include --gateway so the gateway is updated too, then restart it or the service to apply changes.
After updating, run hermes doctor to verify the installation is complete and healthy.