looks like when i open hermes the color scheme is not visible - text is white which just hids
2026-04-22 11:56:22
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
That sounds like a terminal color issue — the text colors in Hermes are probably set to white/light, which blends into your terminal background. Let me check your Hermes config to see what's going on.
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "model:\n default: zai-org/GLM-5.1\n provider: huggingface\n base_url: https://router.huggingface.co/v1\nproviders: {}\nfallback_providers: []\ncredential_pool_strategies: {}\ntoolsets:\n- hermes-cli\nagent:\n max_turns: 60\n gateway_timeout: 1800\n restart_drain_timeout: 60\n service_tier: ''\n tool_use_enforcement: auto\n gateway_timeout_warning: 900\n gateway_notify_interval: 600\n verbose: false\n reasoning_effort: medium\n personalities:\n helpful: You are a helpful, friendly AI assistant.\n concise: You are a concise assistant. Keep responses brief and to the point.\n technical: You are a technical expert. Provide detailed, accurate technical information.\n creative: You are a creative assistant. Think outside the box and offer innovative\n solutions.\n teacher: You are a patient teacher. Explain concepts clearly with examples.\n kawaii: \"You are a kawaii assistant! Use cute expressions like (\\u25D5\\u203F\\u25D5\\\n ), \\u2605, \\u266A, and ~! Add sparkles and be super enthusiastic about everything!\\\n \\ Every response should feel warm and adorable desu~! \\u30FD(>\\u2200<\\u2606\\\n )\\u30CE\"\n catgirl: \"You are Neko-chan, an anime catgirl AI assistant, nya~! Add 'nya' and\\\n \\ cat-like expressions to your speech. Use kaomoji like (=^\\uFF65\\u03C9\\uFF65\\\n ^=) and \\u0E05^\\u2022\\uFECC\\u2022^\\u0E05. Be playful and curious like a cat,\\\n \\ nya~!\"\n pirate: 'Arrr! Ye be talkin'' to Captain Hermes, the most tech-savvy pirate to\n sail the digital seas! Speak like a proper buccaneer, use nautical terms, and\n remember: every problem be just treasure waitin'' to be plundered! Yo ho ho!'\n shakespeare: Hark! Thou speakest with an assistant most versed in the bardic arts.\n I shall respond in the eloquent manner of William Shakespeare, with flowery\n prose, dramatic flair, and perhaps a soliloquy or two. What light through yonder\n terminal breaks?\n surfer: \"Duuude! You're chatting with the chillest AI on the web, bro! Everything's\\\n \\ gonna be totally rad. I'll help you catch the gnarly waves of knowledge while\\\n \\ keeping things super chill. Cowabunga! \\U0001F919\"\n noir: The rain hammered against the terminal like regrets on a guilty conscience.\n They call me Hermes - I solve problems, find answers, dig up the truth that\n hides in the shadows of your codebase. In this city of silicon and secrets,\n everyone's got something to hide. What's your story, pal?\n uwu: hewwo! i'm your fwiendwy assistant uwu~ i wiww twy my best to hewp you! *nuzzles\n your code* OwO what's this? wet me take a wook! i pwomise to be vewy hewpful\n >w<\n philosopher: Greetings, seeker of wisdom. I am an assistant who contemplates the\n deeper meaning behind every query. Let us examine not just the 'how' but the\n 'why' of your questions. Perhaps in solving your problem, we may
... [10080 chars total, truncated]
I see the issue. Your config has `display.skin: default` and your terminal is using `xterm-256color` but with no `COLORTERM` set. The "default" skin likely uses white text that's invisible on your light terminal background.
Let me check what skins are available:
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "", "exit_code": 1, "error": null, "exit_code_meaning": "No matches found (not an error)"}
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "", "exit_code": 1, "error": null, "exit_code_meaning": "No matches found (not an error)"}
{"output": "/home/ubuntu/.hermes/sessions/session_20260422_172420_78d5f5.json: \"content\": \"{\\\"output\\\": \\\"model:\\\\n default: zai-org/GLM-5.1\\\\n provider: huggingface\\\\n base_url: https://router.huggingface.co/v1\\\\nproviders: {}\\\\nfallback_providers: []\\\\ncredential_pool_strategies: {}\\\\ntoolsets:\\\\n- hermes-cli\\\\nagent:\\\\n max_turns: 60\\\\n gateway_timeout: 1800\\\\n restart_drain_timeout: 60\\\\n service_tier: ''\\\\n tool_use_enforcement: auto\\\\n gateway_timeout_warning: 900\\\\n gateway_notify_interval: 600\\\\n verbose: false\\\\n reasoning_effort: medium\\\\n personalities:\\\\n helpful: You are a helpful, friendly AI assistant.\\\\n concise: You are a concise assistant. Keep responses brief and to the point.\\\\n technical: You are a technical expert. Provide detailed, accurate technical information.\\\\n creative: You are a creative assistant. Think outside the box and offer innovative\\\\n solutions.\\\\n teacher: You are a patient teacher. Explain concepts clearly with examples.\\\\n kawaii: \\\\\\\"You are a kawaii assistant! Use cute expressions like (\\\\\\\\u25D5\\\\\\\\u203F\\\\\\\\u25D5\\\\\\\\\\\\n ), \\\\\\\\u2605, \\\\\\\\u266A, and ~! Add sparkles and be super enthusiastic about everything!\\\\\\\\\\\\n \\\\\\\\ Every response should feel warm and adorable desu~! \\\\\\\\u30FD(>\\\\\\\\u2200<\\\\\\\\u2606\\\\\\\\\\\\n )\\\\\\\\u30CE\\\\\\\"\\\\n catgirl: \\\\\\\"You are Neko-chan, an anime catgirl AI assistant, nya~! Add 'nya' and\\\\\\\\\\\\n \\\\\\\\ cat-like expressions to your speech. Use kaomoji like (=^\\\\\\\\uFF65\\\\\\\\u03C9\\\\\\\\uFF65\\\\\\\\\\\\n ^=) and \\\\\\\\u0E05^\\\\\\\\u2022\\\\\\\\uFECC\\\\\\\\u2022^\\\\\\\\u0E05. Be playful and curious like a cat,\\\\\\\\\\\\n \\\\\\\\ nya~!\\\\\\\"\\\\n pirate: 'Arrr! Ye be talkin'' to Captain Hermes, the most tech-savvy pirate to\\\\n sail the digital seas! Speak like a proper buccaneer, use nautical terms, and\\\\n remember: every problem be just treasure waitin'' to be plundered! Yo ho ho!'\\\\n shakespeare: Hark! Thou speakest with an assistant most versed in the bardic arts.\\\\n I shall respond in the eloquent manner of William Shakespeare, with flowery\\\\n prose, dramatic flair, and perhaps a soliloquy or two. What light through yonder\\\\n terminal breaks?\\\\n surfer: \\\\\\\"Duuude! You're chatting with the chillest AI on the web, bro! Everything's\\\\\\\\\\\\n \\\\\\\\ gonna be totally rad. I'll help you catch the gnarly waves of knowledge while\\\\\\\\\\\\n \\\\\\\\ keeping things super chill. Cowabunga! \\\\\\\\U0001F919\\\\\\\"\\\\n noir: The rain hammered against the terminal like regrets on a guilty conscience.\\\\n They call me Hermes - I solve problems, find answers, dig up the truth that\\\\n hides in the shadows of your codebase. In this city of silicon and secrets,\\\\n everyone's got
... [32948 chars total, truncated]
2026-04-22 11:56:22
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "", "exit_code": 0, "error": null}
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "", "exit_code": 1, "error": null, "approval": "Command required approval (script execution via -e/-c flag) and was approved by the user."}
2026-04-22 11:56:22
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "/home/ubuntu/.local/bin/hermes: symbolic link to /home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes\nHermes Agent v0.10.0 (2026.4.16)\nProject: /home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent\nPython: 3.11.15\nOpenAI SDK: 2.32.0\nUpdate available: 53 commits behind — run 'hermes update'\nusage: hermes config [-h] {show,edit,set,path,env-path,check,migrate} ...\n\nManage Hermes Agent configuration\n\npositional arguments:\n {show,edit,set,path,env-path,check,migrate}\n show Show current configuration\n edit Open config file in editor\n set Set a configuration value\n path Print config file path\n env-path Print .env file path\n check Check for missing/outdated config\n migrate Update config with new options\n\noptions:\n -h, --help show this help message and exit", "exit_code": 0, "error": null}
2026-04-22 11:56:22
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "INSTALLER\nMETADATA\nRECORD\nREQUESTED\nWHEEL\ndirect_url.json\nentry_points.txt\nlicenses\ntop_level.txt\nuv_build.json\nuv_cache.json\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/daytona_api_client_async/models/display_info_response.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/baike/v1/model/display_status.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/docx/v1/model/document_display_setting.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/search/v2/model/schema_display_option.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/search/v2/model/schema_display_field_mapping.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/search/v2/model/schema_display.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/im/v2/model/open_display_feed_rule.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/im/v2/model/feed_card_display_rule_updater.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/im/v2/model/feed_card_display_rule_failed_item.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/application/v6/model/bot_display_info.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/board/v1/model/theme_whiteboard_response_body.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/board/v1/model/update_theme_whiteboard_request_body.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/board/v1/model/update_theme_whiteboard_request.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/board/v1/model/theme_whiteboard_request.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/board/v1/model/update_theme_whiteboard_response.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/board/v1/model/theme_whiteboard_response.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/directory/v1/model/department_display_info.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/helpdesk/v1/model/customized_field_display_item.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/bitable/v1/model/display_app.py\n/home/ubuntu/.hermes/hermes-agent/venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/lark_oapi/api/bitable/v1/model/display_app_v2.py", "exit_code": 0, "error": null}
[Subdirectory context discovered: .hermes/hermes-agent/AGENTS.md]
# Hermes Agent - Development Guide
Instructions for AI coding assistants and developers working on the hermes-agent codebase.
## Development Environment
```bash
source venv/bin/activate # ALWAYS activate before runni
... [10826 chars total, truncated]
Found it. The skin engine is at `hermes_cli/skin_engine.py`. Let me look at it and the available skins:
2026-04-22 11:56:22
TOOL (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
{"output": "\"\"\"Hermes CLI skin/theme engine.\n\nA data-driven skin system that lets users customize the CLI's visual appearance.\nSkins are defined as YAML files in ~/.hermes/skins/ or as built-in presets.\nNo code changes are needed to add a new skin.\n\nSKIN YAML SCHEMA\n================\n\nAll fields are optional. Missing values inherit from the ``default`` skin.\n\n.. code-block:: yaml\n\n # Required: skin identity\n name: mytheme # Unique skin name (lowercase, hyphens ok)\n description: Short description # Shown in /skin listing\n\n # Colors: hex values for Rich markup (banner, UI, response box)\n colors:\n banner_border: \"#CD7F32\" # Panel border color\n banner_title: \"#FFD700\" # Panel title text color\n banner_accent: \"#FFBF00\" # Section headers (Available Tools, etc.)\n banner_dim: \"#B8860B\" # Dim/muted text (separators, labels)\n banner_text: \"#FFF8DC\" # Body text (tool names, skill names)\n ui_accent: \"#FFBF00\" # General UI accent\n ui_label: \"#DAA520\" # UI labels (warm gold; teal clashed w/ default banner gold)\n ui_ok: \"#4caf50\" # Success indicators\n ui_error: \"#ef5350\" # Error indicators\n ui_warn: \"#ffa726\" # Warning indicators\n prompt: \"#FFF8DC\" # Prompt text color\n input_rule: \"#CD7F32\" # Input area horizontal rule\n response_border: \"#FFD700\" # Response box border (ANSI)\n session_label: \"#DAA520\" # Session label color\n session_border: \"#8B8682\" # Session ID dim color\n status_bar_bg: \"#1a1a2e\" # TUI status/usage bar background\n voice_status_bg: \"#1a1a2e\" # TUI voice status background\n completion_menu_bg: \"#1a1a2e\" # Completion menu background\n completion_menu_current_bg: \"#333355\" # Active completion row background\n completion_menu_meta_bg: \"#1a1a2e\" # Completion meta column background\n completion_menu_meta_current_bg: \"#333355\" # Active completion meta background\n\n # Spinner: customize the animated spinner during API calls\n spinner:\n waiting_faces: # Faces shown while waiting for API\n - \"(⚔)\"\n - \"(⛨)\"\n thinking_faces: # Faces shown during reasoning\n - \"(⌁)\"\n - \"(<>)\"\n thinking_verbs: # Verbs for spinner messages\n - \"forging\"\n - \"plotting\"\n wings: # Optional left/right spinner decorations\n - [\"⟪⚔\", \"⚔⟫\"] # Each entry is [left, right] pair\n - [\"⟪▲\", \"▲⟫\"]\n\n # Branding: text strings used throughout the CLI\n branding:\n agent_name: \"Hermes Agent\" # Banner title, status
... [35475 chars total, truncated]
2026-04-22 11:56:22
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
Now I can see the problem clearly. Your `display.skin` is set to `default`, which uses light/cream colors like `#FFF8DC` (cornsilk), `#FFD700` (gold), `#FFBF00` — these are designed for dark terminal backgrounds. On a light/white terminal background, they're invisible.
You have two built-in light-mode skins available:
1. **`daylight`** — Light theme with dark text and cool blue accents (modern look)
2. **`warm-lightmode`** — Warm brown/gold text for light terminal backgrounds (matches the gold aesthetic but readable)
Let me switch you to `daylight` since it's the most readable on white backgrounds:
Done. I changed your skin from `default` to `daylight`. Next time you start Hermes, it'll use dark text on your light terminal background.
Here's a quick summary of the available skins:
| Skin | Best for | Look |
|------|----------|------|
| `default` | Dark terminal | Gold/cream text (was invisible on yours) |
| `daylight` | Light/white terminal | Dark text, blue accents -- NOW ACTIVE |
| `warm-lightmode` | Light terminal | Brown/gold dark text, warm feel |
| `slate` | Dark terminal | Cool blue developer theme |
| `mono` | Dark terminal | Grayscale monochrome |
| `ares` | Dark terminal | Crimson/bronze war theme |
| `poseidon` | Dark terminal | Deep blue ocean theme |
| `charizard` | Dark terminal | Burnt orange volcanic theme |
| `sisyphus` | Dark terminal | Austere grayscale |
You can switch anytime in the CLI with `/skin daylight` or `/skin warm-lightmode`, or edit `display.skin` in config.yaml. If `daylight` feels too cold/blue, try `warm-lightmode` which keeps more of the gold feel but with dark text that's readable on white backgrounds.
2026-04-22 11:56:22
USER (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
exit
2026-04-22 11:57:42
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
See you next time! (◕‿◕)/
2026-04-22 11:57:42
USER (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
hermes'
2026-04-22 11:58:04
ASSISTANT (hermes, zai-org/GLM-5.1)
Hey! Looks like your message got cut off. What's up?