Shape Behavior with Identity Files and Profiles

Hermes needs an explicit identity layer if it is expected to behave consistently across sessions. Two files perform different parts of that job. SOUL.md defines how the agent should speak and behave. USER.md stores what the agent should know about the person it serves.

Profiles extend this idea by separating different agent roles. A personal assistant, a business-operations agent, and a client-specific agent should not necessarily share the same personality, model, memory, skills, connectors, or tool access.

SOUL.md is loaded when Hermes interacts with the user. It can specify tone, purpose, response style, and behavioral preferences. Examples include leading with the answer, avoiding long generic explanations, expressing an opinion, supporting conclusions with evidence, using short inline links, or adopting a more informal voice.

USER.md functions as an identity record. It can contain background, current priorities, communication preferences, working habits, recurring responsibilities, and personal details that affect assistance. The easiest way to populate it is to have Hermes conduct an interview. The agent asks structured questions, the user answers, and Hermes records the resulting information for later use.

A profile packages identity together with operational settings. Each profile can have its own:

1. Soul and user information.
2. Primary model and reasoning level.
3. Memory.
4. Skills.
5. Communication channels.
6. Connectors and tools.

A new profile can be cloned from an existing profile or started from a blank state. Cloning is useful when the new role should inherit a proven baseline. Starting blank is useful when strict separation is more important.

Without identity configuration, Hermes may be capable but unpleasant or inconsistent to work with. It may over-explain, repeat generic language, ignore a preferred format, or fail to understand what the user considers important.

Identity files also reduce repeated prompting. A user should not have to restate the same tone, role, priorities, and preferences every day. When the working relationship is captured explicitly, Hermes can start each session closer to the desired behavior.

Profiles prevent context collision. Personal errands, company operations, and client work have different confidentiality, tone, data, and access requirements. Keeping them in separate profiles makes it easier to reason about what each agent knows and what it is allowed to do.

Begin with an identity interview. Ask Hermes to interview you about the information it should know to serve as an assistant. Include how you prefer answers to be structured, what work you do, what matters now, what you dislike in AI responses, and which recurring responsibilities it should understand.

After the interview, instruct Hermes to remember the information in USER.md. Review the result and remove anything that should not be retained.

Next, edit SOUL.md. Define the desired behavior in operational terms. For example:

• Lead with the answer.
• Keep routine responses direct.
• Use evidence when making a recommendation.
• Avoid long prefatory language.
• Use a relaxed tone for personal messages.
• Deliver links and action items inline when possible.

Test the soul with ordinary tasks. Ask for a calendar summary, a draft message, and a project recommendation. Adjust the file until the behavior is consistent.

Create separate profiles when roles diverge. A personal profile may prioritize speed and conversational access. A business profile may use a stronger model, company connectors, team channels, and project-tracking hooks. A client profile may have only the credentials and memory required for that client.

Identity files shape behavior, but they do not replace memory, skills, or permissions. SOUL.md defines how Hermes should act; memory records what has happened; skills define how repeated work should be performed; permissions define what the agent can access.

A profile cloned from a broad default can inherit more context or access than intended. A blank profile requires more setup but offers cleaner separation. Identity information also changes over time, so USER.md should be updated when priorities, roles, or preferences change.

Use the soul file to define the agent's behavior, the user file to define the working relationship, and profiles to keep distinct roles, data, tools, and responsibilities separated.