/hermes-cron

name: hermes-cron
description: Use when scheduling Hermes Agent work - hermes cron create/edit/list/pause/resume/run/cancel/remove, schedule formats, --workdir (so .hermes.md loads), --timezone, --reasoning-effort, --catch-up, --grace-minutes, model pinning, delivery targets, preflight (blocked_config), failure alerts, daily/weekly/monthly job recipes. Not for what the jobs should say (hermes-rhythm), subagent limits (hermes-delegation) or messaging adapter setup (hermes-gateways).
versions:
  hermes-agent: "0.23.0"
user-invocable: false
references:
  - references/cron-cli.md
  - references/schedules-delivery.md
  - references/reliability.md
  - references/templates/cron-jobs.md
  - references/templates/cron-config.yaml
related-skills:
  - hermes-core
  - hermes-delegation
  - hermes-gateways
  - hermes-rhythm
  - hermes-security

<objective> Create and operate scheduled jobs in Hermes Agent 0.23.0 with `hermes cron` (or `/cron` in chat, or the agent's `cronjob_manage` tool): schedule syntax, per-job working directory, timezone, reasoning effort, model pin, missed-run policy, delivery targets, preflight validation, cancellation and health checks, plus generic daily/weekly/monthly recipes. Every flag here was read in the official cron docs or the v0.23.0 release notes. </objective>

Hermes Cron

Freshness check

Before writing or changing any Hermes config, run `hermes --version` and `hermes update --check`, then read https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/releases/latest. If the installed or latest version is newer than 0.23.0, read every release note since 0.23.0 ("Upgrade notes" first) and adjust. Never apply guidance from this skill to a newer version without that check.

Decision map

| Question | Load | |----------|------| | Every subcommand and flag | [cron-cli.md](references/cron-cli.md) | | Schedule syntax, timezone, where output goes | [schedules-delivery.md](references/schedules-delivery.md) | | Preflight, catch-up, cancel, alerts, doctor | [reliability.md](references/reliability.md) | | Daily / weekly / monthly job recipes | [templates/cron-jobs.md](references/templates/cron-jobs.md) | | `cron:` config block | [templates/cron-config.yaml](references/templates/cron-config.yaml) |

Critical rules

1. **Always pass `--workdir <absolute dir>`** for jobs that must follow workspace rules. Without it a job runs detached: no `.hermes.md`, `AGENTS.md` or `CLAUDE.md` is loaded and tools run from the gateway's directory. The directory must exist and be absolute. 2. **SOUL.md still applies** (it comes from the profile home), but put job procedures in the prompt or `.hermes.md`, not in SOUL.md. 3. **The scheduler lives in the gateway.** No running gateway = no fires. Check `hermes cron status` after any change. 4. **Pin what must not drift.** Unpinned jobs follow `cron.model`, then the main model at fire time. Use `--pin` or `--model/--provider` for jobs whose output must stay stable; `--reasoning-effort` per job. 5. **Set the timezone.** Expressions use the profile `timezone:` unless `--timezone` is given; an invalid zone silently means server time (`hermes doctor` reports it). 6. **Stale briefs are useless:** use `--catch-up off` for time-bound reports. 7. **Deliver, don't send.** The final response goes to `--deliver`; cron sessions cannot create cron jobs and must not be told to message people. 8. **Canary first:** `--paused`, then `hermes cron run <job>`, then resume.

Minimal job

hermes cron create "0 8 * * 1-5" "<PROMPT>" \
  --name "<job-name>" \
  --workdir "<ABSOLUTE_WORKSPACE_PATH>" \
  --timezone "<Area/City>" \
  --deliver "<TARGET>" \
  --catch-up off \
  --paused --paused-reason "canary"
hermes cron list               # note the job id
hermes cron run <job-name>     # manual run on the next scheduler tick (works while paused)
hermes cron runs <job_id> --limit 5
hermes cron resume <job-name>

Sources

• https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/cron
• https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/reference/cli-commands (`hermes cron`)
• https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/configuration (timezone)
• https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/releases/tag/v0.23.0 (cancel, --catch-up)