# How to connect CardClan to Hermes Agent (paste one key, 9 tools)

> Connect CardClan to Hermes with ClawLink: paste your CardClan key once and 9 tools work from chat. No MCP server to run, nothing stored on your machine.

Web version: https://claw-link.dev/hermes/cardclan

Most guides for giving Hermes Agent CardClan access start with registering your own OAuth app or pasting API keys into env files, then leave the token refresh and tool wiring to you. ClawLink gives Hermes a more practical CardClan setup: pair once in the browser and your always-on Hermes agent can act on CardClan for you, reading and doing real work on your behalf with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself.

## Setup

It takes three steps to connect Hermes to CardClan.

1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to Hermes Agent once.
2. **Connect CardClan** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard.
3. **Use it from chat** — ask Hermes Agent in plain English.

**Paste this into Hermes to set up ClawLink:**

> Set up ClawLink for Hermes and tell me when it's ready.
> 1. Install the plugin: `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable`
> 2. Start pairing with `hermes clawlink begin`. It prints an approval link, so show me the link and stop, don't wait.
> 3. I'll approve it in my browser, then reply "approved".
> 4. When I say approved, finish setup: `hermes clawlink finish`
> 5. Then run `hermes clawlink test` and tell me whether ClawLink is ready.

**Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the Hermes Agent plugin route isn't available or doesn't work, any AI agent with shell access can use the ClawLink CLI instead:

```bash
npx -y @useclawlink/cli login          # sign in via browser — no API key to paste
npx -y @useclawlink/cli connect cardclan  # connect CardClan (browser OAuth)
npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions cardclan  # list available actions
npx -y @useclawlink/cli run cardclan <action> --input '<json>'  # execute (add --confirm for writes)
```

### Install by command

The prompt above walks Hermes through this. By hand, it is four commands and a browser approval:

```bash
hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable
hermes clawlink begin    # prints an approval link — open it and approve
hermes clawlink finish   # after approving in the browser
hermes clawlink test
```

Then connect CardClan in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your CardClan API key once.

Verify the connection by asking Hermes:

> Pull the relevant data from CardClan, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention.

### Using a different agent?

The Hermes plugin is one client of ClawLink's MCP server. Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or any agent that can run a shell command pairs with the same ClawLink account through the CLI:

```bash
npx -y @useclawlink/cli login
```

`login` opens the same browser approval and stores a credential locally. Once CardClan is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 9 CardClan tools over MCP. Full setup for MCP clients and shell agents: [connect apps to any AI agent](https://claw-link.dev/learn/connect-apps-to-any-ai-agent).

## CardClan MCP for Hermes

Looking for a CardClan MCP server for Hermes Agent? ClawLink connects CardClan to Hermes Agent and exposes 9 CardClan tools your agent can call over [MCP](https://claw-link.dev/learn/what-is-an-mcp-server), with [hosted auth](https://claw-link.dev/learn/oauth-for-ai-agents) and nothing to run or maintain yourself. Using OpenClaw instead? The [OpenClaw CardClan integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/cardclan) works the same way.

## What the Hermes Agent CardClan integration can do

9 CardClan tools are ready for Hermes Agent once the account is connected.

### All 9 CardClan tools for Hermes

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Get card details** `cardclan_get_card_details` | Get a CardClan card's title, merge-tag requirements, and owning workspace details by card ID |
| **Get integration config** `cardclan_get_integration_config` | Get a CardClan integration configuration by either integration ID or card ID |
| **List cards** `cardclan_list_cards` | List cards in a CardClan workspace, including card IDs needed for details, integration |
| **List email accounts** `cardclan_list_email_accounts` | List configured CardClan sender accounts that can be selected when sending a card |
| **List workflow cards** `cardclan_list_workflow_cards` | List cards with active CardClan integration workflows and return their integration, card, and |
| **List workspaces** `cardclan_list_workspaces` | List CardClan workspaces accessible to the connected account, including the workspace IDs |
| **Create integration config** `cardclan_create_integration_config` | Create a persistent CardClan integration configuration linking a card to its workspace |
| **Generate card URL** `cardclan_generate_card_url` | Generate a personalized CardClan viewing URL without sending an email |
| **Send card** `cardclan_send_card` | Immediately personalize and send a CardClan card by email to one or more recipients |

## Example prompts

**Get Card Details**

> Pull the relevant data from CardClan, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention.

**Get Integration Config**

> Pull the relevant data from CardClan, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention.

**List Cards**

> List the relevant items in CardClan, group them by priority, and recommend what Hermes should do next.

**List Email Accounts**

> List the relevant items in CardClan, group them by priority, and recommend what Hermes should do next.

## ClawLink vs. building it yourself

The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want CardClan working from chat.

| | Manual | ClawLink |
|---|---|---|
| **Credential handling** | Collect, validate, store, and rotate the CardClan API key yourself, then make sure every tool call uses the right account. | Users complete the hosted ClawLink setup once and the connected CardClan account becomes available to the agent without you building credential management. |
| **Ongoing maintenance** | You own refresh logic, permission debugging, environment config, and every provider-specific edge case for CardClan. | ClawLink handles the repetitive integration plumbing so your team can focus on the workflow instead of the infrastructure. |
| **Agent usability** | You still need to expose the right CardClan actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 9 tools for CardClan are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. |

## ClawLink vs. Composio

Composio also exposes CardClan to AI agents. It is developer infrastructure: Python and TypeScript SDKs, an MCP server, and a catalog past 1,000 apps, aimed at teams shipping agent products. ClawLink is built for Hermes Agent users instead. You install the plugin once, connect CardClan in the browser, and the 9 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK and no config file, and the CardClan key you paste at setup is stored server-side rather than kept in your environment. Choosing between them? Read the full [Composio alternatives](https://claw-link.dev/hub/composio-alternatives) comparison.

### Hermes paired but still can't use CardClan
Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`.

### Connection succeeds but no tools appear
Reconnect CardClan from the dashboard, then start a fresh chat if the runtime still has the old tool catalog loaded.

### "Tool schema not loaded yet" error when calling CardClan tools
CardClan tool schemas load on demand the first time a tool runs and are cached after that, so this error usually clears on its own: wait a few seconds and retry the same request. If every CardClan call keeps failing with it in a fresh chat, reconnect from the dashboard, and contact support if it still persists — that pattern points to a configuration problem on our side, not something you can fix by reconnecting again.

### CardClan returns 403 or "permission denied" on one action while others work
Two usual causes. The connected account may not have access to the specific workspace, inbox, store, or project in the request — check that first. If access looks right, the agent may have sent a placeholder value (like "YOUR_ID" or an example id from documentation) instead of a real one: ask it to run a list or search tool first, then retry the action with a real id from those results. Most failures at this stage are one of these two, not ClawLink bugs.

### API key setup works but results look incomplete
Double-check that the API key for CardClan has the right scopes or account access. A valid key can still be too limited for some reads or writes.

### Is there a Hermes Agent CardClan integration?
Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect Hermes to CardClan: link your CardClan account once in the browser and Hermes Agent can call the CardClan API through 9 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling.

### How do I connect CardClan to Hermes with ClawLink?
Install the plugin with `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable`, then pair once: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, and run `hermes clawlink finish`. Connect CardClan in the dashboard and Hermes can use it from the next message — no config files, and the CardClan key you paste is stored server-side instead of in your environment.

### How long does it take to connect CardClan to Hermes Agent?
About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to CardClan in the dashboard, authenticate, and Hermes Agent can use it from the next chat message.

### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring CardClan up myself?
The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want CardClan working from chat.

### Hermes paired but still can't use CardClan
Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`.

## Related

- [Connect ActiveCampaign](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/activecampaign) — Marketing automation, CRM, and email marketing
- [Benchmark Email tools](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/benchmark-email) — Benchmark Email is a comprehensive email marketing platform offering tools for creating, sending, and analyzing email campaigns.
- [Connect Mailchimp](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/mailchimp) — Create email campaigns and manage audiences