Install Piskes Agent in 5 minutes
Short answer: download PiskesSetup.exe, run it, open the app, paste the API key of the model provider you chose (OpenAI, OpenRouter, or a local OpenAI-compatible endpoint) — done. No Piskes account required.
Requirements
| Item | What you need |
|---|---|
| Operating system | 64-bit Windows 10/11 (macOS/Linux in preparation) |
| Disk | About 1 GB for the Hermes Agent engine and its bundled Python runtime |
| Model | An OpenAI or OpenRouter API key, or a local model with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint (Ollama, LM Studio…) |
| Network | Needed at install time (engine download) and for cloud models; not for local models |
Step 1 — Install
- Get the installer from the Download page.
- Run
PiskesSetup.exe. It downloads the Hermes Agent engine, creates a private runtime in your user folder and puts Piskes Agent in the system tray. - When it finishes, the app opens with a welcome screen — pick your language and light/dark theme.
Piskes Agent keeps running in the tray. Closing the window does not stop the bot; routines keep running while the machine is on.
Step 2 — Model provider
Open Settings → Provider:
- Quick setup: OpenAI or OpenRouter — just paste the API key.
- Custom: enter a Base URL, model name and API key for any OpenAI-compatible endpoint (including Ollama’s
http://localhost:11434/v1).
The key is written to ~/.hermes/.env on your machine and sent nowhere else. Details in Configuring a model provider.
Step 3 — Add your first bot
Open Marketplace → Bots, pick one of the six preset bots (for example Weekly report or Admin assistant) and click Add. Each bot has its own role, instructions (SOUL.md) and schedule — all editable after install.
Then give it a first task. With Weekly report: “Compile the numbers in the Reports folder, write the weekly report in our template and export DOCX.”
Step 4 — Pick an autonomy level
By default the bot asks first before every dangerous command (deleting files, installing software, sending data out). Read Autonomy levels: Ask first / Smart / Fully automatic before changing it.
Next
- Pricing — the free plan with your own key has no limits.
- How pricing & fees work — when Piskes charges anything.
- Blog: automating the weekly report — an end-to-end example.