Hermes’s skill system just got a major overhaul. The skills-renovate branch () touches nearly every part of the skill infrastructure — loading, caching, validation, dependency resolution, and cross-skill references.
What Changed
The skill system is how Hermes extends its capabilities. Skills are SKILL.md packages that bundle instructions, scripts, templates, and scripts. The renovation makes them:
Faster to load — Skill compilation is now cached. Previously, every skill was parsed from scratch on each load. Now compiled skill artifacts persist, making subsequent loads near-instant.
Validated on install — Skills now go through a validation pipeline: frontmatter parsing, script existence checks, template verification, and capability declaration validation. Bad skills fail early with clear error messages.
Dependency-aware — Skills can now declare dependencies on other skills. The resolver handles transitive dependencies, deduplication, and version constraints.
Cross-referenced — Skills can reference tools, hooks, and types from other skills. This enables composable skill workflows where one skill builds on another.
Why This Matters
The skill system is Hermes’s answer to extensibility. While OpenCode and Mimo also use SKILL.md, Hermes’s skill system is more sophisticated — it has hooks, lifecycle events, and now dependency management. This renovation makes it production-grade.
With the old system, skills were isolated packages that couldn’t reference each other. The renovation transforms skills from standalone scripts into a composable ecosystem. Third-party skills can now build on community foundations.
What’s Next
The foundation is laid for a skill registry where users can discover, install, and publish skills. Renovate is phase 1 — the plumbing. Phase 2 will be the marketplace experience.