The author uses a local LLM called pi that reads a global CAPABILITIES.md index in markdown, pointing to task-specific docs like SSHing into a studio Mac or driving a browser. Pi only loads detailed instructions when a task matches a capability, and new setups are documented and added to the index so agents grow more useful over time.

• A single symlinked AGENTS.md pointing to a CAPABILITIES.md index lets every project share one growing set of agent capabilities instead of duplicating setup per folder.
• Pi only loads detailed docs when a task matches one of the index's listed capabilities, keeping context small while still scaling to many tools.
• Adding a capability is just three steps (write the doc, add an index line, commit), so the library compounds over time as new setups get documented.
• The agent-docs repo is itself maintained almost entirely by AI, treating documentation upkeep as its own agent task.

This article compares two main options for setting up an AI agent: the user-friendly Claude and the customizable Hermes. It explains the differences between AI agents and chatbots, outlines the setup processes for each option, and emphasizes the importance of .md files for effective AI interaction.

• Claude's Cowork mode requires a paid subscription starting at $20/month to let it act autonomously on your computer.
• Hermes has no known security vulnerabilities as of April 2026, whereas OpenClaw has had multiple.
• Hermes offers better memory and learning from past interactions than OpenClaw, at the cost of a more involved setup.