# How to connect Ollama to Hermes Agent (paste one key, 8 tools) > Connect Ollama to Hermes with ClawLink: paste your Ollama key once and 8 tools work from chat. No MCP server to run, nothing stored on your machine. Web version: https://claw-link.dev/hermes/ollama Most guides for giving Hermes Agent Ollama 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 Ollama setup: pair once in the browser and your always-on Hermes agent can act on Ollama 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 Ollama. 1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to Hermes Agent once. 2. **Connect Ollama** — 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 ollama # connect Ollama (browser OAuth) npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions ollama # list available actions npx -y @useclawlink/cli run ollama --input '' # 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 Ollama in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your Ollama API key once. Verify the connection by asking Hermes: > Use Ollama to chat and walk me through the result in plain English. ### 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 Ollama is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 8 Ollama 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). ## Ollama MCP for Hermes Looking for a Ollama MCP server for Hermes Agent? ClawLink connects Ollama to Hermes Agent and exposes 8 Ollama 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 Ollama integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/ollama) works the same way. ## What the Hermes Agent Ollama integration can do 8 Ollama tools are ready for Hermes Agent once the account is connected. ### All 8 Ollama tools for Hermes | Tool | What it does | |---|---| | **Chat** `ollama_chat` | Send a chat message with conversation history to Ollama | | **Generate** `ollama_generate` | Generate text responses from Ollama models with optional raw mode | | **List models** `ollama_list_models` | List all available Ollama models and their details | | **Open AI chat completions** `ollama_open_ai_chat_completions` | Create OpenAI-compatible chat completions using Ollama models | | **Open AI completions** `ollama_open_ai_completions` | Create OpenAI-compatible text completions using Ollama models | | **Open AI list models** `ollama_open_ai_list_models` | List available models using OpenAI-compatible API format | | **Show** `ollama_show` | Show comprehensive information about an Ollama model | | **Version** `ollama_version` | Get the version of Ollama running locally | ## Example prompts **Chat** > Use Ollama to chat and walk me through the result in plain English. **Generate** > Use Ollama to generate and walk me through the result in plain English. **List Models** > List the relevant items in Ollama, group them by priority, and recommend what Hermes should do next. **Open Ai Chat Completions** > Use Ollama to open ai chat completions and walk me through the result in plain English. ## 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 Ollama working from chat. | | Manual | ClawLink | |---|---|---| | **Credential handling** | Collect, validate, store, and rotate the Ollama API key yourself, then make sure every tool call uses the right account. | Users complete the hosted ClawLink setup once and the connected Ollama 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 Ollama. | 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 Ollama actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 8 tools for Ollama are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. | ## ClawLink vs. Composio Composio also exposes Ollama 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 Ollama in the browser, and the 8 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK and no config file, and the Ollama 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 Ollama 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 Ollama 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 Ollama tools Ollama 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 Ollama 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. ### Ollama 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 Ollama 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 Ollama integration? Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect Hermes to Ollama: link your Ollama account once in the browser and Hermes Agent can call the Ollama API through 8 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling. ### How do I connect Ollama 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 Ollama in the dashboard and Hermes can use it from the next message — no config files, and the Ollama key you paste is stored server-side instead of in your environment. ### How long does it take to connect Ollama to Hermes Agent? About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to Ollama in the dashboard, authenticate, and Hermes Agent can use it from the next chat message. ### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring Ollama 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 Ollama working from chat. ### Hermes paired but still can't use Ollama 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 - [Hermes DataRobot integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/datarobot) — DataRobot is a machine learning platform that automates model building, deployment, and monitoring, enabling organizations to derive predictive insights from large datasets. - [Connect Chatbotkit](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/chatbotkit) — ChatBotKit is a platform that enables developers to build and manage AI-powered chatbots, offering comprehensive APIs and SDKs for seamless integration into applications. - [Hermes Just One API integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/just-one-api) — Just One API provides unified access to public social media, creator, entertainment, and ecommerce data across hundreds of metered endpoints.