# How to connect Databox to Hermes Agent (paste one key, 7 tools)

> Connect Databox to Hermes with ClawLink: paste your Databox key once and 7 tools work from chat. No MCP server to run, nothing stored on your machine.

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

Most guides for giving Hermes Agent Databox 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 Databox setup: pair once in the browser and your always-on Hermes agent can act on Databox 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 Databox.

1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to Hermes Agent once.
2. **Connect Databox** — 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 databox  # connect Databox (browser OAuth)
npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions databox  # list available actions
npx -y @useclawlink/cli run databox <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 Databox in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your Databox API key once.

Verify the connection by asking Hermes:

> Pull the relevant data from Databox, 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 Databox is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 7 Databox 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).

## Databox MCP for Hermes

Looking for a Databox MCP server for Hermes Agent? ClawLink connects Databox to Hermes Agent and exposes 7 Databox 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 Databox integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/databox) works the same way.

## What the Hermes Agent Databox integration can do

7 Databox tools are ready for Hermes Agent once the account is connected. The 5 below are the ones people reach for most; your agent can call all 7.

### 5 of 7 Databox tools for Hermes

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Get dataset ingestion status** `databox_get_dataset_ingestion_status` | Check the status of a specific data ingestion for a dataset |
| **List accounts** `databox_list_accounts` | Retrieve all Databox accounts accessible to the authenticated user |
| **Create data source** `databox_create_data_source` | Create a new data source in Databox |
| **Create dataset** `databox_create_dataset` | Create a new dataset in Databox data source |
| **Push data v1** `databox_push_data_v1` | Push data points to a Databox dataset using the v1 API |

## Example prompts

**Get Dataset Ingestion Status**

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

**List Accounts**

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

**Create Data Source**

> Create it in Databox for me, then confirm the important fields before you finish.

**Create Dataset**

> Create it in Databox for me, then confirm the important fields before you finish.

## 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 Databox working from chat.

| | Manual | ClawLink |
|---|---|---|
| **Credential handling** | Collect, validate, store, and rotate the Databox API key yourself, then make sure every tool call uses the right account. | Users complete the hosted ClawLink setup once and the connected Databox 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 Databox. | 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 Databox actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 7 tools for Databox are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. |

## ClawLink vs. Composio

Composio also exposes Databox 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 Databox in the browser, and the 7 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK and no config file, and the Databox 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 Databox
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 Databox 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 Databox tools
Databox 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 Databox 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.

### Databox 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 Databox 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 Databox integration?
Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect Hermes to Databox: link your Databox account once in the browser and Hermes Agent can call the Databox API through 7 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling.

### How do I connect Databox 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 Databox in the dashboard and Hermes can use it from the next message — no config files, and the Databox key you paste is stored server-side instead of in your environment.

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

### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring Databox 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 Databox working from chat.

### Hermes paired but still can't use Databox
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

- [PostHog](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/posthog) — Track user behavior and feature flags
- [DataforSEO tools](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/dataforseo) — SEO data APIs for keywords, SERP, and site audits
- [Hermes Metabase integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/metabase) — Metabase is an open-source business intelligence tool that lets you ask questions about your data and visualize answers as charts, graphs, and dashboards.