---
title: "Use Autohand models in Hermes Agent"
source: https://docs.autohand.ai/integrations/coding-agents/hermes-agent
---

# Use Autohand models in Hermes Agent

Configure Hermes Agent to use Autohand as a custom endpoint and send delegated tasks to Fantail.

Quick answer

## How do I use Autohand models in Hermes Agent?

Save your key with `hermes config set AUTOHAND_API_KEY`, then set the `model` block in `~/.hermes/config.yaml` to `provider: custom`, `base_url: https://api.autohand.ai/v1`, and `default: fantail`.

Status

Available through a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint

Requires

An Autohand account, an Autohand API key, and Hermes Agent.

Configure with

`~/.hermes/config.yaml` and `~/.hermes/.env`

Subagents

The `delegation` block, with `model: fantail`

**Know before you start:** This guide follows the Hermes Agent configuration reference. Check your installed version against it, because Hermes changes often.

## Prerequisites

-   An Autohand account. [Sign up or sign in to Console](https://console.autohand.ai/). The Free plan includes Fantail. Moa requires the Pro plan or above.
-   An Autohand API key. The first step shows how to create one.
-   Hermes Agent. Install it with `curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash`.

## Step 1: Create an Autohand API key

1.  Sign in to [Autohand Console](https://console.autohand.ai/).
2.  Open [API Keys](https://console.autohand.ai/api-keys) and select **Create API Key**.
3.  Enter a name that identifies the agent and machine, for example `hermes-laptop`.
4.  Select **Create Key** and copy the value. Console shows the key only once.

## Step 2: Store the key

Hermes keeps secrets in `~/.hermes/.env`. The `hermes config set` command saves any upper-case name to that file.

```bash
hermes config set AUTOHAND_API_KEY your-autohand-api-key
```

Confirm that the key works from a terminal where the variable is set. The request lists the models your plan can use.

```bash
curl https://api.autohand.ai/v1/models \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AUTOHAND_API_KEY"
```

## Step 3: Point Hermes at Autohand

Run `hermes config edit` to open `~/.hermes/config.yaml`, and set the `model` block:

```yaml
model:
  provider: custom
  default: fantail
  base_url: https://api.autohand.ai/v1
  api_key: ${AUTOHAND_API_KEY}
  context_length: 262144
```

Hermes replaces `${AUTOHAND_API_KEY}` with the value from your environment or `~/.hermes/.env`. The `context_length` setting tells Hermes the Fantail context window.

You can also run `hermes model`, select **Custom endpoint**, and enter the base URL, key, and model name when prompted. Hermes checks the endpoint against `/v1/models` before it saves the settings.

## Step 4: Choose Fantail or Moa

| Model ID | Use it for | Context | Max output | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fantail | Fast agent loops, quick fixes, reviews, and subagents | 256K tokens | 16K tokens | Free and above |
| moa | Planning, large refactors, and repository-wide changes | 1M tokens | 262,144 tokens | Pro and above |

To use Moa for the main agent, set `default: moa` and `context_length: 1048576`.

## Step 5: Run a test prompt

```bash
hermes chat -q "Summarize what this repository does in three sentences"
```

The `-q` option runs one prompt and exits.

## Subagents and Fantail

Hermes starts subagents with its delegate tool. By default, subagents use the main model. To run them on Fantail while the main agent uses Moa, add a `delegation` block:

```yaml
delegation:
  model: fantail
  base_url: https://api.autohand.ai/v1
  api_key: ${AUTOHAND_API_KEY}
  api_mode: chat_completions
```

When `delegation.base_url` is set, subagents call that endpoint directly. Set `delegation.api_key` as shown, because Hermes otherwise falls back to `OPENAI_API_KEY`. The `api_mode` setting tells Hermes to use Chat Completions.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ${AUTOHAND_API_KEY} appears in errors | The variable is not set, so Hermes keeps the placeholder. | Run hermes config set AUTOHAND_API_KEY again. |
| Subagents use a different provider | The delegation block has no base_url or api_key. | Add both keys as shown in the subagent section. |
| 401 with Credential not recognised | The key is wrong, revoked, or not set in the environment the agent reads. | Create a new key in Console, set AUTOHAND_API_KEY again, and open a new terminal. |
| 401 with Missing Autohand credential | The request reached Autohand without an Authorization header. | Check that the agent reads the variable name shown in this guide. |
| Model not found | The model ID is misspelled, or your plan does not include it. | Use fantail or moa in lowercase. Moa requires the Pro plan or above. |
| Context or output limit errors | The agent uses default limits for a model it does not recognize. | Set the limits for Fantail (262,144 context, 16,000 output) or Moa (1,048,576 context, 262,144 output). |

## Next steps

-   [Use Autohand models in other coding agents](https://docs.autohand.ai/integrations/coding-agents/)
-   [Compare Autohand models](https://docs.autohand.ai/models/)
-   [Fantail model reference](https://docs.autohand.ai/models/fantail/)
-   [Moa model reference](https://docs.autohand.ai/models/moa/)
-   [Create and protect an API key](https://docs.autohand.ai/agent-sdk/api-key-setup)

Common questions

## Hermes Agent and Autohand FAQ

### Which provider do I choose in Hermes for Autohand?

Use `provider: custom` with `base_url: https://api.autohand.ai/v1`.

### Where does Hermes store my Autohand key?

In `~/.hermes/.env`. Save it with `hermes config set AUTOHAND_API_KEY`.

### How do I run Hermes subagents on Fantail?

Add a `delegation` block with `model: fantail`, the Autohand base URL, and `api_key: ${AUTOHAND_API_KEY}`.