diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index fc6e1edc..7e4be177 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ NEXT_PUBLIC_WS_URL=ws://localhost:8080/ws
 
 # Workspace Runtime
 ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=
-OPENROUTER_API_KEY=            # OpenRouter API key (openrouter.ai). Use with model: openrouter:anthropic/claude-3.5-haiku
+OPENROUTER_API_KEY=            # OpenRouter API key (openrouter.ai). Use with model: openrouter:anthropic/claude-3.5-haiku. Also acts as the fallback key for the hermes runtime when HERMES_API_KEY is unset.
+HERMES_API_KEY=                # Nous Research Portal API key (inference-prod.nousresearch.com). Used by the hermes runtime; falls back to OPENROUTER_API_KEY if unset.
 GROQ_API_KEY=                  # Groq API key (console.groq.com). Use with model: groq:llama-3.3-70b-versatile
 CEREBRAS_API_KEY=              # Cerebras API key (cloud.cerebras.ai). Use with model: cerebras:llama3.1-8b
 GOOGLE_API_KEY=                # Google AI API key (aistudio.google.com). Use with model: google_genai:gemini-2.5-flash
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index c6d163fb..b405f9ad 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ Each runtime has its own Docker image extending `workspace-template:base`, with
 | crewai | `workspace-template:crewai` | crewai |
 | autogen | `workspace-template:autogen` | autogen |
 | deepagents | `workspace-template:deepagents` | deepagents |
+| hermes | `workspace-template:hermes` | openai (OpenAI-compatible client; Nous Portal via `HERMES_API_KEY` or OpenRouter via `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` fallback) |
 
 Templates are framework presets in `workspace-configs-templates/`: `claude-code-default`, `langgraph`, `openclaw`, `deepagents`. Agent roles are configured after deployment via Config tab or API.