Practical Hermes Agent web search setup tips
Hermes Agent now has a clear guide for web_search and web_extract. You can use one backend for both search and page reading, or split them. The useful tip is to mix free search with cheaper page summarizing to control cost.
Key points
- Paid Nous Portal users can use managed Firecrawl without adding a separate API key.
- SearXNG is good for free search, but it cannot run web_extract, so pair it with Firecrawl, Tavily, or Exa.
- web_extract shortens long pages before sending them to the agent, which helps save money and space in the chat.
- If your main model is expensive, set a cheaper auxiliary model for web_extract summaries.
Quick term guide
- Hermes Agent
- It appears to be a tool or community for building and managing AI agents.
- Hermes
- A service for letting an AI agent use web tools and complete tasks.
- web_search
- A Hermes Agent tool that searches the internet and returns results.
- web_extract
- A Hermes Agent tool that reads useful content from a web page.
- backend
- The service that actually handles the search or page reading.
- port
- A specific virtual door on your computer used by apps to send and receive information.
- FIR
- A First Information Report — the official complaint filed with police in India that kicks off a criminal investigation.
- API key
- A private code that lets a service know which account is using it.