[codex] Add built-in Hermes adapters (#8543)

## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip is the open source app people use to manage AI agents for
work.
> - Agent adapters are the boundary between the control plane and the
runtimes that actually do work.
> - Hermes support needs to be available as first-class local and
gateway adapters while still preserving the adapter-manager override
path for external packages.
> - The adapter work touches runtime execution, UI adapter metadata,
onboarding prompts, scoped credentials, release packaging, and smoke
coverage, so the handoff needs concrete verification rather than only
unit tests.
> - This pull request adds built-in Hermes local and Hermes gateway
support, keeps external adapter overrides compatible, and
documents/tests the gateway flow end to end.
> - The benefit is that operators can hire Hermes-backed agents without
a manual plugin install, while self-hosted installs can still
override/shadow the built-ins through Adapter manager packages.

## Linked Issues or Issue Description

No public GitHub issue exists for this exact Hermes built-in adapter,
gateway onboarding, and release-source work.

Problem description:
- Hermes local and gateway adapters need a public, reviewable source
path in the monorepo so package artifacts and built-in adapter behavior
match the application source.
- Operators need built-in `hermes_local` and `hermes_gateway` adapter
choices without losing the ability to install external Hermes packages
as overrides.
- Gateway onboarding needs secure defaults for API server URLs, API
keys, and generated agent setup text.
- Hermes-originated task bridge credentials need narrower API-key scope
configuration.
- Related public PRs found during duplicate search include #3027, #2363,
#7544, #7950, #8095, and #8543.

## What Changed

- Added the unified Hermes adapter package with local and gateway
server/UI/CLI exports, config schemas, transcript parsing, model
detection, and package metadata.
- Registered `hermes_local` and `hermes_gateway` as built-in adapters
across shared constants, server registries, CLI packaging, and UI
adapter registries.
- Kept the external adapter override path compatible so installed Hermes
packages can shadow built-ins and restore the built-in parser when
disabled.
- Added Hermes gateway onboarding docs, board-operator docs, Docker
smoke assets, and shell smoke harnesses for join/e2e validation.
- Added scoped task-bridge API-key support, authorization checks,
issue-origin handling, and tests for Hermes-created Paperclip tasks.
- Hardened gateway transport and redaction behavior for API keys,
headers, session data, and smoke diagnostics.
- Updated release packaging/bootstrap checks for the Hermes packages
while leaving `pnpm-lock.yaml` out of the PR per repository policy.

## Verification

Targeted local verification recorded before PR handoff:
- `pnpm --filter @paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter exec vitest run
src/gateway/server/execute.test.ts` — 14/14 passed.
- `pnpm test:hermes-gateway-smoke` — 6/6 passed.
- Hermes package typecheck/build checks passed.
- Focused server/UI adapter tests passed — 31/31.
- Release helper Node tests passed — 18/18.
- `git diff --check origin/master..HEAD` passed.

Fresh Docker E2E smoke evidence:
- Ran `pnpm smoke:hermes-gateway-e2e` on 2026-06-26 with a fresh state
directory and fresh Docker container against a live Paperclip dev
server.
- Hermes direct execution reached `completed`.
- Hermes stop/cancel path reached `cancelled`.
- Hermes gateway created a Paperclip task, Paperclip ran the Hermes
agent, and the task reached `done` with the expected marker response.
- Temporary board auth keys, token files, smoke state, and Docker
containers were cleaned up after the run.

PR checks on head `b5eae40ce`:
- GitHub Actions passed: `policy`, `review`, `Typecheck + Release
Registry`, all general test shards, all serialized server shards,
`Build`, `Canary Dry Run`, `e2e`, and aggregate `verify`.
- External checks passed: Snyk and Socket Project Report.
- External Socket Pull Request Alerts remained pending after the
first-party CI matrix completed.

## Risks

- Medium risk: this spans adapter registration, package publishing,
gateway execution, onboarding docs, API-key scoping, and UI adapter
metadata.
- Migration risk is low: the scope-config migration adds a nullable
column and does not rewrite existing keys.
- Gateway execution depends on operator-provided Hermes API
configuration; the smoke covers the Docker gateway path but real
deployments may differ by network/auth setup.
- Direct Greptile review on the latest expanded diff is file-count
limited, although the commitperclip review gate passed.

> For core feature work, check [`ROADMAP.md`](ROADMAP.md) first and
discuss it in `#dev` before opening the PR. Feature PRs that overlap
with planned core work may need to be redirected — check the roadmap
first. See `CONTRIBUTING.md`.

## Model Used

OpenAI Codex, GPT-5 coding agent, tool use enabled in a local repository
workspace. Context window size is not exposed in this environment.

## Checklist

- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have searched GitHub for duplicate or related PRs and linked
them above
- [x] I have either (a) linked existing issues with `Fixes: #` / `Closes
#` / `Refs #` OR (b) described the issue in-PR following the relevant
issue template
- [x] I have not referenced internal/instance-local Paperclip issues or
links (only public GitHub `#NNN` / `github.com/paperclipai/paperclip`
URLs)
- [x] My branch name describes the change (e.g. `docs/...`, `fix/...`)
and contains no internal Paperclip ticket id or instance-derived details
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] All Paperclip CI gates are green
- [x] Commitperclip review gate is green; direct Greptile review is
file-count limited on the latest expanded diff
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge

---------

Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>

docs/adapters/external-adapters.md

@@ -15,6 +15,22 @@ Paperclip supports external adapter plugins that can be installed from npm packa
 | Distribution | Ships with Paperclip | Published to npm or linked via `file:` |
 | Updates | Requires Paperclip release | Independent versioning |
 
+### Built-in Hermes compatibility note
+
+Hermes is built in with two stable adapter type keys:
+
+- `hermes_local` starts the local Hermes CLI from
+  `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter`.
+- `hermes_gateway` calls an already-running Hermes API server through
+  `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter/gateway`.
+
+The legacy `@paperclipai/adapter-hermes-gateway` package is a deprecated
+compatibility shim for one release. It preserves the old gateway exports while
+forwarding to the unified Hermes package. New external override packages should
+depend on or link `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter` and declare the type
+they override (`hermes_local` or `hermes_gateway`); the type keys did not
+change.
+
 ## Quick Start
 
 ### Minimal Package Structure

docs/adapters/overview.md

@@ -24,11 +24,25 @@ When a heartbeat fires, Paperclip:
 | OpenCode Local | `opencode_local` | Runs OpenCode CLI locally (multi-provider `provider/model`) |
 | Cursor | `cursor` | Runs Cursor in background mode |
 | Pi Local | `pi_local` | Runs an embedded Pi agent locally |
-| Hermes Local | `hermes_local` | Runs Hermes CLI locally (`hermes-paperclip-adapter`) |
+| Hermes Local | `hermes_local` | Runs the local Hermes CLI through `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter` |
+| Hermes Gateway | `hermes_gateway` | Calls an already-running Hermes API server through `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter/gateway` |
 | OpenClaw Gateway | `openclaw_gateway` | Connects to an OpenClaw gateway endpoint |
 | [Process](/adapters/process) | `process` | Executes arbitrary shell commands |
 | [HTTP](/adapters/http) | `http` | Sends webhooks to external agents |
 
+### Hermes local vs gateway
+
+Use `hermes_local` when Paperclip should start the local `hermes` CLI on the
+same host for each heartbeat. Use `hermes_gateway` when Hermes is already
+running as an HTTP/SSE API server and Paperclip should call that server instead
+of spawning a process. Both type keys are stable built-ins.
+
+The unified Hermes package owns both built-in adapters. The older
+`@paperclipai/adapter-hermes-gateway` package remains only as a deprecated
+compatibility shim that re-exports the gateway entrypoints for one release.
+New plugin overrides should target `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter` and
+set the desired type key (`hermes_local` or `hermes_gateway`).
+
 ### External (plugin) adapters
 
 These adapters ship as standalone npm packages and are installed via the plugin system:
@@ -79,8 +93,9 @@ my-adapter/
 ## Choosing an Adapter
 
 - **Need a coding agent?** Use `claude_local`, `codex_local`, `opencode_local`, `hermes_local`, or install `droid_local` as an external plugin
+- **Need Hermes on another host or already running as a service?** Use `hermes_gateway`
 - **Need to run a script or command?** Use `process`
-- **Need to call an external service?** Use `http`
+- **Need to call a custom external service?** Use `http`
 - **Need something custom?** [Create your own adapter](/adapters/creating-an-adapter) or [build an external adapter plugin](/adapters/external-adapters)
 
 ## UI Parser Contract

docs/agents-runtime.md

@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ Built-in adapters:
 - `opencode_local`: runs your local `opencode` CLI
 - `cursor`: runs Cursor in background mode
 - `pi_local`: runs an embedded Pi agent locally
-- `hermes_local`: runs your local `hermes` CLI (`hermes-paperclip-adapter`)
+- `hermes_local`: starts your local `hermes` CLI through `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter`
+- `hermes_gateway`: calls an already-running Hermes API server through `@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter/gateway`
 - `openclaw_gateway`: connects to an OpenClaw gateway endpoint
 - `process`: generic shell command adapter
 - `http`: calls an external HTTP endpoint
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ External plugin adapters (install via the adapter manager or API):
 
 - `droid_local`: runs your local Factory Droid CLI (`@henkey/droid-paperclip-adapter`)
 
-For local CLI adapters (`claude_local`, `codex_local`, `opencode_local`, `hermes_local`, `droid_local`), Paperclip assumes the CLI is already installed and authenticated on the host machine.
+For local CLI adapters (`claude_local`, `codex_local`, `opencode_local`, `hermes_local`, `droid_local`), Paperclip assumes the CLI is already installed and authenticated on the host machine. For `hermes_gateway`, Paperclip assumes the Hermes API server is already running, reachable from the Paperclip server, and configured with an API key. The older `@paperclipai/adapter-hermes-gateway` npm package is only a deprecated compatibility shim; the adapter type remains `hermes_gateway`.
 
 ## 3.2 Runtime behavior
 
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ Start with least privilege where possible, and avoid exposing secrets in broad r
 
 ## 10. Minimal setup checklist
 
-1. Choose adapter (e.g. `claude_local`, `codex_local`, `opencode_local`, `hermes_local`, `cursor`, or `openclaw_gateway`). External plugins like `droid_local` are also available via the adapter manager.
+1. Choose adapter (e.g. `claude_local`, `codex_local`, `opencode_local`, `hermes_local`, `hermes_gateway`, `cursor`, or `openclaw_gateway`). External plugins like `droid_local` are also available via the adapter manager.
 2. Set `cwd` to the target workspace (for local adapters).
 3. Optionally add a prompt template (`promptTemplate`) or use the managed instructions bundle.
 4. Configure heartbeat policy (timer and/or assignment wakeups).

docs/guides/board-operator/managing-agents.md

@@ -28,10 +28,15 @@ Create agents from the Agents page. Each agent requires:
 - **Capabilities** — short description of what this agent does
 
 Common adapter choices:
-- `claude_local` / `codex_local` / `opencode_local` for local coding agents
-- `openclaw_gateway` / `http` for webhook-based external agents
+- `claude_local` / `codex_local` / `opencode_local` / `hermes_local` for local coding agents
+- `hermes_gateway` / `openclaw_gateway` / `http` for webhook-based external agents
 - `process` for generic local command execution
 
+Use `hermes_local` when Paperclip should start the local Hermes CLI. Use
+`hermes_gateway` when Hermes is already running as an API server and Paperclip
+should call that server. Both are built-in adapter types from the unified
+`@paperclipai/hermes-paperclip-adapter` package.
+
 For `opencode_local`, configure an explicit `adapterConfig.model` (`provider/model`).
 Paperclip validates the selected model against live `opencode models` output.