feat(claw-adapter): resolve Hermes home from env (SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME / HERMES_HOME)

README.md

@@ -241,6 +241,8 @@ If you already use Hermes, the client-side path is:
 3. Keep `Proxy model name exposed to agents` as `skillclaw-model` unless you have a specific reason to change it.
 4. Start SkillClaw. On startup, SkillClaw rewrites `~/.hermes/config.yaml` to point Hermes at the local proxy.
 5. Hermes uses `~/.hermes/skills` as the default local skill library. SkillClaw prepares that directory automatically and copies in any missing legacy skills from `~/.skillclaw/skills`.
+
+**Custom Hermes home:** if your Hermes install sets `HERMES_HOME`, SkillClaw follows it automatically — the config rewrite, doctor checks, and skill-dir defaults all resolve against the same home. To point SkillClaw at a specific config (e.g. a profile-scoped install), set `SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME` to the directory containing the target `config.yaml`; it wins over `HERMES_HOME`. Resolution order: `SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME` → `HERMES_HOME` → `~/.hermes`.
 6. If you want to inspect or undo the integration, use `skillclaw doctor hermes` and `skillclaw restore hermes`.
 
 Minimal verification:

skillclaw/_paths.py

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"""Shared path resolution for the Hermes integration.
+
+SkillClaw previously hardcoded `~/.hermes` in several modules. Installs
+where Hermes uses a custom home (HERMES_HOME env var) were configured and
+inspected at the wrong path. All sites now resolve through one helper.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def resolve_hermes_home() -> Path:
+    """Resolve the Hermes home directory.
+
+    Order:
+      1. SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME (explicit override, wins)
+      2. HERMES_HOME (matches Hermes' own env var)
+      3. ~/.hermes (stock default, unchanged)
+
+    Values are stripped and tilde-expanded; empty values fall through.
+    """
+    raw = os.environ.get("SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME") or os.environ.get("HERMES_HOME")
+    if raw and raw.strip():
+        return Path(raw.strip()).expanduser()
+    return Path.home() / ".hermes"

skillclaw/claw_adapter.py

@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 _LEGACY_SKILLCLAW_SKILLS_DIR = Path.home() / ".skillclaw" / "skills"
-_HERMES_HOME = Path.home() / ".hermes"
+from ._paths import resolve_hermes_home
+
+_HERMES_HOME = resolve_hermes_home()
 _HERMES_SKILLS_DIR = _HERMES_HOME / "skills"
 _HERMES_BACKUP_DIR = Path.home() / ".skillclaw" / "backups" / "hermes"
 _CODEX_HOME = Path.home() / ".codex"
@@ -530,10 +532,10 @@ def inspect_hermes_config(cfg: "SkillClawConfig") -> dict[str, object]:
     next_steps: list[str] = []
 
     if not config_path.exists():
-        issues.append("Hermes config is missing: ~/.hermes/config.yaml")
+        issues.append(f"Hermes config is missing: {config_path}")
     if not proxy_match:
         issues.append("Hermes model routing is not pointing at the local SkillClaw proxy.")
-        next_steps.append("Start SkillClaw once so it can rewrite ~/.hermes/config.yaml.")
+        next_steps.append(f"Start SkillClaw once so it can rewrite {config_path}.")
     if not expected_skills_dir.is_dir():
         issues.append(f"Hermes skills directory is missing: {expected_skills_dir}")
         next_steps.append(f"Create or prepare the Hermes skills directory: {expected_skills_dir}")
@@ -572,7 +574,7 @@ def inspect_hermes_config(cfg: "SkillClawConfig") -> dict[str, object]:
 
 
 def restore_hermes_config(backup_path: Path | None = None) -> dict[str, str]:
-    """Restore ~/.hermes/config.yaml from the latest or a specified backup."""
+    """Restore the Hermes config from the latest or a specified backup."""
     source = Path(backup_path).expanduser() if backup_path is not None else _latest_hermes_backup_path()
     if source is None or not source.exists():
         raise FileNotFoundError("No Hermes backup found")

skillclaw/cli.py

@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ def restore():
     help="Restore from a specific backup file instead of the latest Hermes backup.",
 )
 def restore_hermes(backup_path: str | None):
-    """Restore ~/.hermes/config.yaml from a saved backup."""
+    """Restore the Hermes config from a saved backup."""
     from .claw_adapter import restore_hermes_config
 
     try:

skillclaw/config_store.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -15,7 +16,9 @@
 CONFIG_DIR = Path.home() / ".skillclaw"
 CONFIG_FILE = CONFIG_DIR / "config.yaml"
 _DEFAULT_SKILLS_DIR = CONFIG_DIR / "skills"
-_DEFAULT_HERMES_SKILLS_DIR = Path.home() / ".hermes" / "skills"
+from ._paths import resolve_hermes_home
+
+_DEFAULT_HERMES_SKILLS_DIR = resolve_hermes_home() / "skills"
 _DEFAULT_CODEX_SKILLS_DIR = Path.home() / ".codex" / "skills"
 _DEFAULT_CLAUDE_SKILLS_DIR = Path.home() / ".claude" / "skills"
 _DEFAULT_OPENCODE_SKILLS_DIR = Path.home() / ".config" / "opencode" / "skills"

skillclaw/skill_hub.py

@@ -40,7 +40,11 @@
 
 
 def _is_hermes_skill_root(skills_dir: str) -> bool:
-    return os.path.realpath(skills_dir) == os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".hermes", "skills"))
+    from ._paths import resolve_hermes_home
+
+    return os.path.realpath(skills_dir) == os.path.realpath(
+        str(resolve_hermes_home() / "skills")
+    )
 
 
 def _skill_dir_for_root(skills_dir: str, skill_name: str, category: str = "general") -> str:

skillclaw/skill_manager.py

@@ -332,8 +332,10 @@ def _compute_skills_fingerprint(self) -> tuple[tuple[str, int, int], ...]:
         return tuple(fingerprint)
 
     def _is_hermes_skill_root(self) -> bool:
+        from ._paths import resolve_hermes_home
+
         return os.path.realpath(self._skills_dir) == os.path.realpath(
-            os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".hermes", "skills")
+            str(resolve_hermes_home() / "skills")
         )
 
     def _skill_dir_path(self, skill: dict) -> str:

tests/test_hermes_home_resolution.py

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"""Tests for hermes-home resolution in the claw adapter and config store.
+
+SkillClaw hardcodes the hermes home to ``~/.hermes``. On installs where
+Hermes itself uses a custom home (e.g. ``HERMES_HOME=G:\\hermes``), the
+integration configures and inspects the wrong file. The adapter should
+resolve the hermes home from the environment, mirroring how Hermes itself
+does:
+
+    SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME  (explicit override, wins)
+    HERMES_HOME            (matches Hermes' own env var)
+    ~/.hermes              (stock default, unchanged)
+
+The skills-dir default in config_store must follow the same rule.
+
+Module constants are evaluated at import time, so each case runs in a
+subprocess with a controlled environment.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+REPO = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+
+CASES = [
+    # (env_overrides, module, constant, expected)
+    (
+        {"SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME": "/tmp/sc-home"},
+        "skillclaw.claw_adapter",
+        "_HERMES_HOME",
+        "/tmp/sc-home",
+    ),
+    (
+        {"HERMES_HOME": "/tmp/hermes-home"},
+        "skillclaw.claw_adapter",
+        "_HERMES_HOME",
+        "/tmp/hermes-home",
+    ),
+    (
+        {"SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME": "/tmp/sc-wins", "HERMES_HOME": "/tmp/loses"},
+        "skillclaw.claw_adapter",
+        "_HERMES_HOME",
+        "/tmp/sc-wins",
+    ),
+    (
+        {"HERMES_HOME": "/tmp/hermes-home"},
+        "skillclaw.claw_adapter",
+        "_HERMES_SKILLS_DIR",
+        "/tmp/hermes-home/skills",
+    ),
+    (
+        {"HERMES_HOME": "/tmp/hermes-home"},
+        "skillclaw.config_store",
+        "_DEFAULT_HERMES_SKILLS_DIR",
+        "/tmp/hermes-home/skills",
+    ),
+]
+
+_STRIP = ("SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME", "HERMES_HOME")
+
+
+def _read_constant(env_overrides: dict, module: str, constant: str) -> str:
+    env = {k: v for k, v in os.environ.items() if k not in _STRIP}
+    env.update(env_overrides)
+    out = subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, "-c", f"from {module} import {constant}; print({constant})"],
+        capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=REPO, env=env, timeout=60,
+    )
+    assert out.returncode == 0, f"{module} import failed: {out.stderr[-400:]}"
+    return out.stdout.strip()
+
+
+def test_skillclaw_home_override_wins():
+    env, module, const, expected = CASES[0]
+    assert _read_constant(env, module, const) == str(Path(expected))
+
+
+def test_hermes_home_env_fallback():
+    env, module, const, expected = CASES[1]
+    assert _read_constant(env, module, const) == str(Path(expected))
+
+
+def test_skillclaw_home_beats_hermes_home():
+    env, module, const, expected = CASES[2]
+    assert _read_constant(env, module, const) == str(Path(expected))
+
+
+def test_skills_dir_follows_home():
+    env, module, const, expected = CASES[3]
+    assert _read_constant(env, module, const) == str(Path(expected))
+
+
+def test_config_store_skills_dir_follows_home():
+    env, module, const, expected = CASES[4]
+    assert _read_constant(env, module, const) == str(Path(expected))
+
+
+def test_stock_default_preserved():
+    """With no env vars set, the stock ~/.hermes behavior must not change."""
+    got = _read_constant({}, "skillclaw.claw_adapter", "_HERMES_HOME")
+    assert got == str(Path.home() / ".hermes")

tests/test_hermes_skill_root.py

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""Tests that skill-hub and skill-manager recognize a custom Hermes home.
+
+Follow-up to the hermes-home env override: `_is_hermes_skill_root` in both
+skill_hub.py and skill_manager.py hardcodes `~/.hermes/skills`. Under
+SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME / HERMES_HOME, skills written to the real skills dir
+must still be treated as hermes-root (category subdirectory layout).
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from skillclaw import skill_hub, skill_manager
+
+
+def _manager(skills_dir: str) -> skill_manager.SkillManager:
+    """Bare instance — bypasses __init__ (we only need _skills_dir)."""
+    m = skill_manager.SkillManager.__new__(skill_manager.SkillManager)
+    m._skills_dir = skills_dir
+    return m
+
+
+def test_hub_root_recognizes_skillclaw_home(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    home = tmp_path / "custom-home"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    assert skill_hub._is_hermes_skill_root(str(home / "skills")) is True
+
+
+def test_hub_root_recognizes_hermes_home_env(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    home = tmp_path / "custom-home"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    assert skill_hub._is_hermes_skill_root(str(home / "skills")) is True
+
+
+def test_manager_root_recognizes_custom_home(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    home = tmp_path / "custom-home"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    assert _manager(str(home / "skills"))._is_hermes_skill_root() is True
+
+
+def test_hub_root_rejects_unrelated_dir(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    home = tmp_path / "custom-home"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    assert skill_hub._is_hermes_skill_root(str(tmp_path / "elsewhere")) is False
+
+
+def test_hub_stock_default_preserved(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("SKILLCLAW_HERMES_HOME", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_HOME", raising=False)
+    import os
+    stock = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".hermes", "skills")
+    assert skill_hub._is_hermes_skill_root(stock) is True