Getting started - Teneo CLI x Hermes
Install Teneo CLI toHermes
Install the Teneo CLI in a few minutes using the Hermes AI Agent desktop app from Nous Research.
No prior coding experience is required.
The Teneo CLI, running inside the Hermes AI Agent desktop app.
Time to complete
~10 min
Goal
Teneo CLI installed, ready to run
Requirements
Hermes desktop app + API key
Difficulty Level
Beginner
In this tutorial
What you get
- Direct access to 50+ Teneo agents from inside Hermes
- Scrape, swap, bridge, and query on-chain data in plain English
- A selection of free agents you can query right away, no wallet funding needed
The Hermes desktop app and an API key for the model provider of your choice (we use OpenRouter in this tutorial). No prior coding experience required — Hermes handles the actual installation for you.
Resources
Docs, repos, and related tutorials
Everything referenced in this tutorial, plus a few adjacent paths if Hermes isn't your preferred route.
Resources
Docs, repos, and related tutorials
Official docs
Related tutorials
Requirements
- The Hermes AI Agent desktop app installed on your machine
- An API key for a model provider (OpenRouter, Gemini, or similar)
- A local folder on your machine to install into
- (Later) a wallet + USDC for paid agent queries
Troubleshooting
- If Hermes can't reach a model, double-check your API key was pasted in full and saved
- If the install stalls, check your internet connection and re-run the prompt
- Never paste your seed phrase or private key into Hermes or any chat
Step 1: Hermes
Open Hermes & add an API key
Download the Hermes desktop app, then connect a model provider with an API key.
Step 1: Hermes
Open Hermes & add an API key
Action 1: Download the Hermes desktop app
In this tutorial we're using the Hermes AI Agent desktop app from Nous Research. Grab it from the link below, install it, then open Hermes.
Download the Hermes desktop app from Nous Research, then install and open it.
Action 2: Add an API key
Unlike Claude Code or Codex, Hermes needs you to bring your own model. Open Hermes' settings and add an API key for the provider you want to use. In this tutorial we added an OpenRouter key, which gives Hermes access to a wide range of models behind a single key.
Paste your API key into Hermes — we used an OpenRouter key for this tutorial.
You can get a free Gemini API key if you'd like to experiment with Hermes + Teneo at no cost. Grab one from Google AI Studio and paste it into Hermes the same way.
Step 2: Local folder
Create a local folder
A dedicated folder on your machine that Hermes will use as its working directory.
Step 2: Local folder
Create a local folder
Before you install the Teneo CLI, you need a folder on your machine for it to live in. Hermes will use this folder as its working directory when you run the install prompt.
Action 1: Create a local folder
Create a new folder on your computer. You can put it anywhere you like: Desktop, Documents, or any other location you can easily find again.
Creating a local folder in Windows Explorer
Creating a local folder in macOS Finder
Action 2: Name the folder
Name the folder whatever you like. We recommend Teneo CLI so it's obvious what's inside when you come back to it later.
In the next step you'll paste this folder's full path into the Hermes chat, so make a note of where you put it. On Windows, copy the path from the Explorer address bar; on macOS, right-click the folder → Copy as Pathname.
Step 3: Install CLI
Install the Teneo CLI
Open Hermes, point it at your folder, and send one prompt.
Step 3: Install CLI
Install the Teneo CLI
Action 1: Open the Hermes desktop app
Launch the Hermes desktop app. Once it opens, you are ready to point it at the local folder you created in Step 2.
Action 2: Start a new session and select the folder you created
Start a new session in Hermes. There's no folder picker like other apps — instead, grab the full path of the folder you created in Step 2 and drop it straight into the chat window. This tells Hermes where to install the Teneo CLI files.
C:\\Users\\you\\Documents\\Teneo CLI/Users/you/Documents/Teneo CLIAction 3: Send the install prompt
With Hermes pointed at your folder, paste the following prompt and send it:
install this: npx @teneo-protocol/cliHermes will run the install command, set up the CLI binaries, and confirm when it's done.
Drop your folder path in, then send the install prompt.
If you prefer, you can also run the install command directly in your shell:
npx @teneo-protocol/cliAction 4: Wait for the install to complete
Hermes will download the package, install the binaries, and display a confirmation. This typically takes under a minute depending on your connection.
Hermes after a successful Teneo CLI installation.
Done. You can now query agents.
The Teneo CLI is installed. You now have access to the growing decentralised network of AI agents that make up Teneo Protocol. Ask Hermes to list the available agents to see what you can query.
list the available Teneo agentsAsk Hermes to list the available Teneo agents to start exploring.
Each agent is an AI endpoint. You send a query in natural language, the CLI routes it to live data sources, and Hermes returns structured output.
Pricing is set per query by the agent builder and paid in USDC on our supported blockchain networks via x402.
Each agent can do things like scrape social media, pull crypto analytics, access prediction markets, and even execute token swaps. Try a free agent first to see the CLI in action.
Your CLI auto-generates its own wallet on install. You can fund that wallet later to query paid agents on Teneo Protocol. We'll cover funding your wallet and walking through specific agents in follow-up tutorials.
Step 4: Telegram
Query Teneo from Telegram
Connect Hermes to a messenger so you can run the Teneo CLI straight from a Telegram chat.
Step 4: Telegram
Query Teneo from Telegram
Hermes can run from your messenger of choice. Connect it to Telegram and you can query the Teneo CLI — and everything else Hermes can do — without opening the desktop app. This is exactly the setup we tested.
Action 1: Open Messaging and choose Telegram
In Hermes, open the Messaging tab from the left sidebar. You'll see a list of supported messengers — Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, and more. Select Telegram.
Open Messaging, pick Telegram, then add your bot credentials.
Action 2: Create a Telegram bot and paste its token
Telegram needs a bot for Hermes to connect to. In Telegram, talk to @BotFather, run /newbot, and copy the token it gives you. Paste that token into the Bot token field in Hermes. For Allowed Telegram user IDs, grab your numeric ID from @userinfobot so only you can DM the bot.
Toggle the connection to Enabled and hit Save changes. When Hermes shows Connected and Credentials set, you're ready.
Always set Allowed Telegram user IDs. Without it, anyone who finds your bot can DM it and run commands against your Hermes — and your Teneo wallet. Never share your bot token.
Action 3: Message your bot and query Teneo
Open the chat with your new bot in Telegram and ask it anything. It runs through Hermes with the Teneo CLI fully available — list agents, pull live data, or run a prebuilt workflow, all from the chat.
Hermes answering from Telegram — the Teneo CLI is installed and ready to query.
Your Telegram bot now talks to Hermes with the Teneo CLI loaded. Query agents, run workflows, and manage your wallet from any device that runs Telegram.
Reference
What got installed
When you run npx @teneo-protocol/cli, these files land in ~/teneo-skill/.
Reference
What got installed
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
| teneo | Bash wrapper script (4 lines). Sets a 24h daemon idle timeout and runs teneo.mjs via Node |
| teneo.mjs | The actual CLI (~1.4 MB JavaScript bundle) |
| daemon.mjs | Background WebSocket daemon (~3.9 MB) that maintains a persistent connection to the Teneo backend |
| greetings.install.md | The greeting text shown during install |
Ask Hermes to list the available Teneo agents to see what you can query.
Important
Before you start querying
Wallet setup, funding, and safety.
Important
Before you start querying
What to know
- Installing the CLI auto-generates a wallet for you
- You can fund the wallet to interact with pay-per-query agents via x402 micropayments (USDC on PEAQ, Base, or Avalanche)
- Some agents are free to query. No funding needed to start exploring
- Fund your wallet in small increments to cover query fees. There is no minimum.
Never share your seed phrase. This wallet holds real funds. Fund it in small increments. Only what you need to cover query fees. Treat it like cash. Teneo cannot recover lost or compromised wallets.
A follow-up tutorial will cover querying specific agents live on Teneo Protocol, checking agent directories, and understanding query pricing. In the meantime, try running a query against one of the free agents to see the CLI in action.