chore: prepare Hermes for Homebrew packaging (#4099)

Co-authored-by: Yabuku-xD <78594762+Yabuku-xD@users.noreply.github.com>

hermes_cli/banner.py

@@ -432,10 +432,11 @@ def build_welcome_banner(console: Console, model: str, cwd: str,
     try:
         behind = get_update_result(timeout=0.5)
         if behind and behind > 0:
+            from hermes_cli.config import recommended_update_command
             commits_word = "commit" if behind == 1 else "commits"
             right_lines.append(
                 f"[bold yellow]⚠ {behind} {commits_word} behind[/]"
-                f"[dim yellow] — run [bold]hermes update[/bold] to update[/]"
+                f"[dim yellow] — run [bold]{recommended_update_command()}[/bold] to update[/]"
             )
     except Exception:
         pass  # Never break the banner over an update check

hermes_cli/claw.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from hermes_cli.config import get_hermes_home, get_config_path, load_config, save_config
+from hermes_constants import get_optional_skills_dir
 from hermes_cli.setup import (
     Colors,
     color,
@@ -27,8 +28,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).parent.parent.resolve()
 
 _OPENCLAW_SCRIPT = (
-    PROJECT_ROOT
-    / "optional-skills"
+    get_optional_skills_dir(PROJECT_ROOT / "optional-skills")
     / "migration"
     / "openclaw-migration"
     / "scripts"

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -52,26 +52,86 @@ from hermes_cli.default_soul import DEFAULT_SOUL_MD
 # Managed mode (NixOS declarative config)
 # =============================================================================
 
+_MANAGED_TRUE_VALUES = ("true", "1", "yes")
+_MANAGED_SYSTEM_NAMES = {
+    "brew": "Homebrew",
+    "homebrew": "Homebrew",
+    "nix": "NixOS",
+    "nixos": "NixOS",
+}
+
+
+def get_managed_system() -> Optional[str]:
+    """Return the package manager owning this install, if any."""
+    raw = os.getenv("HERMES_MANAGED", "").strip()
+    if raw:
+        normalized = raw.lower()
+        if normalized in _MANAGED_TRUE_VALUES:
+            return "NixOS"
+        return _MANAGED_SYSTEM_NAMES.get(normalized, raw)
+
+    managed_marker = get_hermes_home() / ".managed"
+    if managed_marker.exists():
+        return "NixOS"
+    return None
+
+
 def is_managed() -> bool:
-    """Check if hermes is running in Nix-managed mode.
+    """Check if Hermes is running in package-manager-managed mode.
 
     Two signals: the HERMES_MANAGED env var (set by the systemd service),
     or a .managed marker file in HERMES_HOME (set by the NixOS activation
     script, so interactive shells also see it).
     """
-    if os.getenv("HERMES_MANAGED", "").lower() in ("true", "1", "yes"):
-        return True
-    managed_marker = get_hermes_home() / ".managed"
-    return managed_marker.exists()
+    return get_managed_system() is not None
+
+
+def get_managed_update_command() -> Optional[str]:
+    """Return the preferred upgrade command for a managed install."""
+    managed_system = get_managed_system()
+    if managed_system == "Homebrew":
+        return "brew upgrade hermes-agent"
+    if managed_system == "NixOS":
+        return "sudo nixos-rebuild switch"
+    return None
+
+
+def recommended_update_command() -> str:
+    """Return the best update command for the current installation."""
+    return get_managed_update_command() or "hermes update"
+
+
+def format_managed_message(action: str = "modify this Hermes installation") -> str:
+    """Build a user-facing error for managed installs."""
+    managed_system = get_managed_system() or "a package manager"
+    raw = os.getenv("HERMES_MANAGED", "").strip().lower()
+
+    if managed_system == "NixOS":
+        env_hint = "true" if raw in _MANAGED_TRUE_VALUES else raw or "true"
+        return (
+            f"Cannot {action}: this Hermes installation is managed by NixOS "
+            f"(HERMES_MANAGED={env_hint}).\n"
+            "Edit services.hermes-agent.settings in your configuration.nix and run:\n"
+            "  sudo nixos-rebuild switch"
+        )
+
+    if managed_system == "Homebrew":
+        env_hint = raw or "homebrew"
+        return (
+            f"Cannot {action}: this Hermes installation is managed by Homebrew "
+            f"(HERMES_MANAGED={env_hint}).\n"
+            "Use:\n"
+            "  brew upgrade hermes-agent"
+        )
+
+    return (
+        f"Cannot {action}: this Hermes installation is managed by {managed_system}.\n"
+        "Use your package manager to upgrade or reinstall Hermes."
+    )
 
 def managed_error(action: str = "modify configuration"):
     """Print user-friendly error for managed mode."""
-    print(
-        f"Cannot {action}: configuration is managed by NixOS (HERMES_MANAGED=true).\n"
-        "Edit services.hermes-agent.settings in your configuration.nix and run:\n"
-        "  sudo nixos-rebuild switch",
-        file=sys.stderr,
-    )
+    print(format_managed_message(action), file=sys.stderr)
 
 
 # =============================================================================

hermes_cli/main.py

@@ -2467,10 +2467,14 @@ def cmd_version(args):
     # Show update status (synchronous — acceptable since user asked for version info)
     try:
         from hermes_cli.banner import check_for_updates
+        from hermes_cli.config import recommended_update_command
         behind = check_for_updates()
         if behind and behind > 0:
             commits_word = "commit" if behind == 1 else "commits"
-            print(f"Update available: {behind} {commits_word} behind — run 'hermes update'")
+            print(
+                f"Update available: {behind} {commits_word} behind — "
+                f"run '{recommended_update_command()}'"
+            )
         elif behind == 0:
             print("Up to date")
     except Exception:
@@ -2821,6 +2825,11 @@ def _invalidate_update_cache():
 def cmd_update(args):
     """Update Hermes Agent to the latest version."""
     import shutil
+    from hermes_cli.config import is_managed, managed_error
+
+    if is_managed():
+        managed_error("update Hermes Agent")
+        return
     
     print("⚕ Updating Hermes Agent...")
     print()

hermes_cli/plugins_cmd.py

@@ -265,10 +265,11 @@ def cmd_install(identifier: str, force: bool = False) -> None:
                 )
                 sys.exit(1)
             if mv_int > _SUPPORTED_MANIFEST_VERSION:
+                from hermes_cli.config import recommended_update_command
                 console.print(
                     f"[red]Error:[/red] Plugin '{plugin_name}' requires manifest_version "
                     f"{mv}, but this installer only supports up to {_SUPPORTED_MANIFEST_VERSION}.\n"
-                    f"Run [bold]hermes update[/bold] to get a newer installer."
+                    f"Run [bold]{recommended_update_command()}[/bold] to get a newer installer."
                 )
                 sys.exit(1)
 

hermes_cli/setup.py

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional, Dict, Any
 
+from hermes_constants import get_optional_skills_dir
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).parent.parent.resolve()
@@ -3121,8 +3123,7 @@ def _skip_configured_section(
 
 
 _OPENCLAW_SCRIPT = (
-    PROJECT_ROOT
-    / "optional-skills"
+    get_optional_skills_dir(PROJECT_ROOT / "optional-skills")
     / "migration"
     / "openclaw-migration"
     / "scripts"