Hermes Agent for VS Code: Command Palette Reference

Every Hermes command is available through the VS Code Command Palette. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) to open the palette, then type Hermes to filter the list to only Hermes commands. You can also trigger many of these actions directly from the chat toolbar, the editor context menu, or inline CodeLens links above functions and classes.

Type Hermes in the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) to instantly filter to all available Hermes commands.

Chat

Use these commands to open the chat panel, start new conversations, attach editor context, and navigate between saved sessions.

Command	ID	Description
Hermes: New Chat	`hermes.newChat`	Start a new conversation in the chat panel, clearing the current input and creating a fresh session.
Hermes: Open Chat	`hermes.openChat`	Open or focus the Hermes chat sidebar. If the sidebar is already open, this brings it to the front.
Hermes: Insert Selection into Chat	`hermes.sendSelection`	Send the text you have currently selected in the editor to the chat input, so you can ask questions about a specific snippet without copying and pasting.
Open Session Menu	`hermes.openSessionMenu`	Browse your saved sessions and switch between them. Session history is stored locally per profile.

Code Actions

These commands pre-fill the chat input with a context-aware prompt about the file or symbol you are working on. They also appear as CodeLens links at the top of each file and above each function or class definition.

Command	ID	Description
Ask Hermes about this file	`hermes.askAboutFile`	Pre-fill a prompt that asks Hermes to explain the purpose, structure, and risks of the currently active file.
Explain this function	`hermes.explainFunction`	Pre-fill a prompt to explain the selected function or class symbol in plain language.

Diff Viewer

After Hermes proposes a code change, use these commands to inspect and apply it. The workflow is: preview the diff first, then apply it to disk once you are satisfied.

Command	ID	Description
Show Diff	`hermes.showDiff`	Open a visual diff panel showing the current file’s content alongside Hermes’s proposed changes.
Preview Hermes Changes	`hermes.previewDiff`	Preview proposed changes as a read-only diff without touching the file on disk.
Apply Hermes Changes	`hermes.applyDiff`	Write the proposed changes to the file on disk, replacing the current content.

Configuration

Use these commands to store credentials, open the dashboard, and adjust how the extension behaves.

Command	ID	Description
Hermes: Set API Key	`hermes.setApiKey`	Securely store an API key in VS Code’s built-in Secret Storage. The key is never written to settings files.
Open Control Center	`hermes.openControlCenter`	Open the embedded Hermes dashboard panel for agent configuration, tool permissions, and profile management — no browser required.
Settings	`hermes.openSettings`	Open the extension settings page, filtered to Hermes entries. In Cursor, use More options → Settings in the chat title bar instead of `Ctrl+,`.
Environment configuration	`hermes.configureEnvironment`	Apply the detected Hermes installation to extension settings or the system PATH. Available even when Hermes is already configured.

Environment & Diagnostics

These commands help you verify your Hermes installation, inspect connection logs, and recover from unexpected states.

Command	ID	Description
Environment detection	`hermes.detectEnvironment`	Scan for a Hermes installation using layered detection (L0–L5). Shows percentage progress in the toolbar. Checks `hermes --version` and ACP readiness, and auto-installs `agent-client-protocol` if it is missing.
Logs	`hermes.openLogs`	Open the ACP connection log output panel so you can inspect raw protocol messages and diagnose connection issues.
Reload Extension	`hermes.reloadExtension`	Reload the entire extension process. Use this when the chat UI becomes unresponsive or after making configuration changes.
Reload Current Session	`hermes.reloadSession`	Reload only the current ACP session without restarting the full extension. Useful for recovering from a stalled connection.
Check for Updates	`hermes.checkUpdate`	Check whether a newer version of the extension is available on the marketplace.

Help & About

These commands open informational panels and documentation resources directly within VS Code.

Command	ID	Description
About	`hermes.openAbout`	Open the About panel showing the current extension version, publisher information, and links to the project repository.
Help	`hermes.openHelp`	Open the Hermes help documentation panel inside VS Code.
FAQ	`hermes.openFaq`	Open the FAQ modal covering common questions about session resets, model switching, profile changes, model list completeness, and bug reporting.

Get Started

Core Features

Configuration

Reference

Hermes Agent for VS Code: Command Palette Reference

Chat

Code Actions

Diff Viewer

Configuration

Environment & Diagnostics

Help & About

​Chat

​Code Actions

​Diff Viewer

​Configuration

​Environment & Diagnostics

​Help & About

Chat

Code Actions

Diff Viewer

Configuration

Environment & Diagnostics

Help & About