The best AI agent for Omarchy is Hermes Agent, the free open-source agent from Nous Research, and Omarchy can install it for you with one command.
Claude Code is my second pick because Omarchy wires it in more deeply than any other agent, and OpenCode is third because it is free, open source and its own docs list an Arch Linux package.
Here is the honest part before anything else.
I run Omarchy in a virtual machine on my Mac and I built an Omarchy desktop tab into my own Agent OS, but I have not run a head-to-head test of these agents on Omarchy.
This ranking comes from using these agents every day on my own machines, plus what the Omarchy manual and each tool's official Linux docs say today.
Top 3 Picks At A Glance
- 🥇 Hermes Agent is the best AI agent for Omarchy overall, because it is free, it remembers what it learns and Omarchy installs it for you.
- 🥈 Claude Code is the best pick for serious coding, and Omarchy gives it a usage panel, account switching and a browser extension setup.
- 🥉 OpenCode is the best free coding agent for Omarchy, because it works with any model provider and its own docs list an Arch package.
What Omarchy Is And What It Ships With For AI
Omarchy is a Linux distribution by DHH, built on Arch Linux, the Hyprland tiling window manager and the Quickshell desktop kit.
The project describes itself as "Beautiful, fun & agentic Linux", and the home page calls it the OS for the age of agents.
It is free and MIT licensed, and the latest version on the Omarchy site today is 4.0.4.
You install it from an ISO on a USB stick, and the manual says the install can finish in under a minute on fast machines.
Omarchy already ships with launchers for more than a dozen AI agents.
The AI page of the Omarchy manual says every major coding-agent CLI comes pre-wired as a lazy-loaded launcher.
That means the command exists on day one, but nothing downloads until the first time you run it.
Omarchy also says it does not pick a favourite for you, which is exactly why this list is useful.
The real question is which one you should set as your default.
How I Ranked The Best AI Agent For Omarchy
I ranked each agent on four things that matter on a keyboard-driven, terminal-first Linux desktop.
The first is how well it fits a terminal workflow, because Omarchy is heavy on the terminal by design.
The second is how well Omarchy itself supports it, based on what the manual documents.
The third is cost, taken from each tool's own official page.
The fourth is how much I rely on it in my own daily work.
I have not benchmarked these on Omarchy, so please treat the order as my honest operator opinion.
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The 5 Best AI Agents For Omarchy, With The Command For Each
1. Hermes Agent
Hermes Agent is the self-improving AI agent built by Nous Research.
It creates skills from experience, keeps memory across sessions, runs scheduled jobs and can answer you on Telegram, Discord, Slack and other messaging apps.
Why it suits Omarchy: It is my daily agent, it is terminal-native, it works with any model you want, and Omarchy has a dedicated install route for it.
Cost: Hermes is free and MIT licensed, and you pay only for the model you connect, unless you use a free or local one.
Install on Omarchy: The manual gives you one command.
omarchy default agent hermes
You can also open the Omarchy Menu and choose Hermes Desktop under Install, then AI.
Both routes install the same thing, which is Hermes Desktop plus a Hermes runtime in your home folder.
The manual says that first install takes a few minutes.
The upstream command: On any other Linux machine, the official Hermes docs give this one-liner.
curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash
On Omarchy I would use the Omarchy route, because the manual says a machine has one Hermes and it is the app's.
Best for: It suits anyone who wants one agent for automations, research, content and coding, not only code.
Limits: Hermes is the one agent with no instant launcher stub, and the manual does not list it among the agents covered by the usage panel.
2. Claude Code
Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent for the terminal.
It reads your project, edits files, runs commands and works through a task with you.
Why it suits Omarchy: Omarchy treats it as a first-class citizen, with a usage meter in the top bar, support for several subscriptions and a one-key launch.
Cost: The official docs say Claude Code requires a Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise or Console account, and that the free plan does not include it.
Install on Omarchy: The launcher is already there, so you run it and sign in.
claude
The upstream command: The official Claude Code setup page gives this for macOS, Linux and WSL.
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Best for: It suits people who write code most of the day and already pay for Claude.
Limits: It is the one paid-only pick in my top three, and the official system requirements name Ubuntu, Debian and Alpine but do not name Arch.
3. OpenCode
OpenCode calls itself the open source AI coding agent.
It runs as a terminal interface, and it lets you connect almost any model provider with an API key.
Why it suits Omarchy: It is MIT licensed, it follows your Omarchy theme and its official docs include a pacman command for Arch Linux.
Cost: OpenCode itself is free, and you bring API keys for the model providers you want to use.
Install on Omarchy: The launcher is pre-wired.
opencode
The upstream command: The OpenCode docs list an install script and an Arch package.
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash
sudo pacman -S opencode
Best for: It suits operators who want a free coding agent and the freedom to swap models.
Limits: You need to sort out a model provider yourself, and the docs suggest OpenCode Zen for people who are new to that.
4. Codex CLI
Codex CLI is OpenAI's coding agent that runs locally on your computer.
Why it suits Omarchy: It is one of the three agents the Omarchy agents panel walks you through signing in to, and it gets the same usage meters as Claude Code.
Cost: The code is open source under Apache-2.0, and OpenAI recommends signing in with a ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu or Enterprise plan.
Install on Omarchy: The launcher is pre-wired.
codex
The upstream command: The Codex README gives this for Mac or Linux.
curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh
Best for: It suits people who already pay for ChatGPT and want a second opinion next to Claude Code.
Limits: The manual does not list Codex among the agents that follow your Omarchy theme.
5. Pi
Pi describes itself as a minimal, extensible agent harness that you can make your own.
Why it suits Omarchy: It is small, it is MIT licensed and it is one of the four agents the manual says follow your Omarchy theme.
Cost: Pi is free, and you connect a subscription or an API key with the /login command.
Install on Omarchy: The launcher is pre-wired.
pi
The upstream command: The Pi README gives this installer.
curl -fsSL https://pi.dev/install.sh | sh
Best for: It suits tinkerers who want a lean harness they can extend.
Limits: Pi's own README says it skips features like sub-agents and plan mode on purpose.
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The Best AI Agents For Omarchy Compared At A Glance
| Rank | Agent | Made by | Cost of the tool | Command on Omarchy | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hermes Agent | Nous Research | Free and MIT licensed | omarchy default agent hermes |
Automations, memory and all-round work |
| 2 | Claude Code | Anthropic | Needs a paid Claude plan or Console account | claude |
Serious coding |
| 3 | OpenCode | The OpenCode project | Free and MIT licensed | opencode |
Free coding with any model |
| 4 | Codex CLI | OpenAI | Open source, used with a ChatGPT plan | codex |
ChatGPT subscribers |
| 5 | Pi | Mario Zechner | Free and MIT licensed | pi |
A lean harness you can extend |
Step By Step: Setting Your Default Agent On Omarchy
This is the walkthrough I would follow on a fresh Omarchy install, and every step comes from the Omarchy manual.
- Open a terminal and run
omarchy default agent hermes, or swap inclaude,opencode,codexorpi. - Wait for the install to finish, because choosing an agent that is not installed yet installs it first.
- Sign in when the agent asks you to, or add your model provider key.
- Press
Super + Shift + Ctrl + Ato launch your default agent in its own terminal window. - Type
ain any terminal to run the default agent inline. - Run
omarchy agent prompt "Review this project"when you want to launch it straight into a task.
You can also do step one with the mouse.
Press Super + Space to open the Omarchy Menu, then go to Setup, Defaults and Agent.
The Safety Detail You Need To Know First
The Omarchy manual is very clear about one thing.
Agents launched through the default-agent shortcut run unattended in their don't-stop-to-ask modes.
In plain English, the agent will act without asking for permission.
The manual puts it as "be ready for them to actually do things".
The terminal shortcuts c, cx and cy start OpenCode, Claude Code and Codex in their auto-approving modes too.
So I would start inside a project folder with nothing sensitive in it.
The manual also notes that launches from your home folder start in ~/Work instead.
If you want the agent to ask before it acts, run the plain command, such as claude or hermes, instead of the shortcut.
What Else Omarchy Gives Every Agent
Omarchy does more than install agents, and these are the parts I would learn in week one.
| Omarchy feature | What it does | Which agents the manual names |
|---|---|---|
| The agents panel | It shows each subscription's plan and usage limits from the top bar. | Claude Code, Codex, Grok and Fireworks |
| Several subscriptions | It keeps more than one paid account signed in and switches between them. | Claude, Codex and Grok |
| Theme sync | The agent follows along when you switch the Omarchy theme. | Claude Code, Pi, OpenCode and Hermes |
| The Omarchy Skill | It teaches an agent how to tailor the system, such as your Hyprland config or a new theme. | Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Antigravity and Hermes |
| Crash diagnosis | It hands a crashed process to your default agent with a diagnose-crash skill. | Your default agent |
| Local models | The manual recommends LM Studio and Ollama under Install, then AI. | Any agent that accepts a local model |
The manual calls the Omarchy Skill experimental.
It suggests running in plan mode first, and it names omarchy reinstall configs as the reset if an agent makes a mess.
The Other Agents Omarchy Pre-Wires
My top five are not the whole menu.
The manual also lists launchers for Google Antigravity CLI, GitHub Copilot CLI, Crush, Grok Build from xAI, Oh My Pi, Ori from OpenRouter, Muse Code from Meta and Cursor CLI.
I have left them unranked because I am keeping this list to the agents I would set as a default.
The manual has one specific warning for Grok, which is to skip the curl | bash installer on x.ai because it overwrites Omarchy's own wrapper.
I would apply the same thinking to every agent on Omarchy, and use the pre-wired launcher first.
How I Use Hermes On Omarchy Myself
I run Omarchy through the Try Omarchy app, which runs the whole desktop in a virtual machine on an Apple Silicon Mac.
Inside that VM I have Hermes Agent installed, and it has answered real prompts and created a real file for me.
I also built an Omarchy desktop tab into my Agent OS, so I can see that Linux desktop next to my other agents.
That is the limit of my Omarchy testing, and I'd rather tell you that than pretend I ran a lab.
If you want a slower walkthrough of Hermes itself, my one-click Hermes setup guide covers the first run.
If you want a screen on top of it, my ranking of the best UI for Hermes Agent and my guide to Hermes Agent dashboards cover the options.
Common Problems And Quick Fixes
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
The hermes command is not found on a fresh install |
Run omarchy default agent hermes first, because Hermes has no launcher stub until Omarchy installs it. |
| The agent changed files without asking | Launch it with the plain command instead of the shortcut, because the shortcuts use auto-approving modes. |
| A second copy of Grok appeared | Remove the x.ai installer copy and use the grok launcher that Omarchy ships. |
| The Omarchy Skill made a mess of your config | Run omarchy reinstall configs, which is the reset the manual names. |
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Which Agent Should You Set As Your Omarchy Default?
Pick Hermes Agent if you want one agent that learns, remembers and runs jobs while you do something else.
Pick Claude Code if coding is your main job and you already pay for Claude.
Pick OpenCode if you want a free coding agent and the freedom to change models.
Pick Codex CLI if your subscription is with ChatGPT.
Pick Pi if you like small tools that you shape yourself.
Related Reading
- How to set up Hermes Agent in one click covers the first run of my number one pick.
- The best UI for Hermes Agent ranks the screens you can put on top of Hermes.
- Hermes Agent dashboards shows which dashboard displays sessions, costs and tasks.
- My Herald OS setup guide covers a Hermes interface that lists its own Omarchy install route.
Also On Our Network
- 🌐 Which Omarchy agent fits a business, an agency or a creator
- 🌐 Five Omarchy agents scored feature by feature
- 🌐 A quick-start for running agents on Omarchy inside an Agent OS
- 🌐 The models to run behind your Omarchy agent, with real bench scores
FAQ: Best AI Agent For Omarchy
What is the best AI agent for Omarchy?
My pick is Hermes Agent, the free open-source agent from Nous Research.
Claude Code is second and OpenCode is third.
This is my own ranking from daily use and the official docs, and it is not a head-to-head test on Omarchy.
Does Omarchy come with AI agents built in?
Yes, it does.
The manual says every major coding-agent CLI comes pre-wired as a lazy-loaded launcher, so nothing downloads until you run one.
How do I set the default AI agent in Omarchy?
You run omarchy default agent followed by the agent name.
You can also use the Omarchy Menu under Setup, Defaults and Agent.
How do I install Hermes Agent on Omarchy?
You run omarchy default agent hermes, or you pick Hermes Desktop under Install and AI in the Omarchy Menu.
The manual says Hermes is only ever installed through the app on Omarchy.
Are AI agents on Omarchy free?
Hermes Agent, OpenCode and Pi are free open-source software, but the model you connect may cost money.
Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan or a Console account, and OpenAI recommends a paid ChatGPT plan for Codex.
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About Julian
I'm Julian Goldie, an SEO entrepreneur, author and founder of the AI Profit Boardroom, which has 3,400+ members.
I help business owners scale with AI agents, automation and SEO.
- I've built Goldie Agency into a seven-figure SEO and link building agency.
- I've grown my YouTube channel to 400,000+ subscribers.
- I run my own Agent OS with Hermes, Claude and other agents under one shared memory.
- I wrote "Link Building Mastery".
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Set Hermes as your default with one command, keep Claude Code and OpenCode one keystroke away, and you will have the best AI agent for Omarchy.
