Hermes Agent Matrix Setup: Any Homeserver, One Bot

Which Matrix homeserver should you use?

Any of them. Hermes Agent works with Synapse, Conduit, Dendrite, and matrix.org, so the deciding factor is who owns the message history rather than compatibility.

• Self-hosted Synapse is the most common choice for teams that want their own data.
• Dendrite and Conduit are lighter alternatives with the same bot behaviour.
• matrix.org is fine for evaluation and small deployments.
• The bot account must exist on the same homeserver as the rooms it joins.

When does the Matrix bot reply?

Direct messages always get a reply, while rooms require an explicit mention by default. That default is what keeps the assistant from answering every message in a busy room.

• Direct messages: every message is a prompt, and each DM keeps its own session.
• Rooms: an @mention is required unless you change the behaviour.
• Free-response rooms can be allowed individually for channels where the bot is the point.
• Once the bot has joined a thread, further replies in that thread do not need a mention.

How do threads work in Matrix?

The assistant supports Matrix threads and can create one automatically for each answer in a room, which keeps a long exchange out of the main timeline.

• Automatic threading is the default for room replies and can be disabled.
• Direct messages are flat by default, with threading available when mentioned.
• Threaded context is isolated from the main room timeline.
• Threading is usually the difference between a clean room and an unusable one.

How does end-to-end encryption affect setup?

Encryption keeps message content private to the participants but adds device verification work, so decide early rather than enabling it after a room is already in use.

• Encrypted rooms require the bot device to be verified and trusted.
• Unverified devices may be unable to read history or decrypt older messages.
• Test the bot in an encrypted room before making it the default policy.
• Plan for what happens if the bot device identity is lost or reset.

What happens when several people share one room?

By default each person in a shared room keeps their own session, so two colleagues asking questions do not end up sharing one transcript.

This matters for both privacy and cost. One long tool-heavy task in a shared session inflates the context for everyone else, and it can interrupt another person's follow-up if the session is shared.