add Hermes plugin for Ponytail with command support and documentation

README.md

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 <p align="center">
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/github/stars/DietrichGebert/ponytail?style=flat-square&color=111111&label=stars" alt="Stars">
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/DietrichGebert/ponytail?style=flat-square&color=111111&label=release" alt="Release">
-  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/works%20with-13%20agents-111111?style=flat-square" alt="Works with 13 agents">
+  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/works%20with-14%20agents-111111?style=flat-square" alt="Works with 14 agents">
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-111111?style=flat-square" alt="MIT license">
 </p>
 
@@ -149,6 +149,14 @@ agy plugin install https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail
 
 It reuses this repo's `gemini-extension.json`. One difference: Antigravity converts the `/ponytail` commands into skills, so you type them into the chat (e.g. `/ponytail-review` as a message) instead of picking them from a slash menu. Until the migration completes (around June 18, 2026), `gemini extensions install` still works too. To run it as an always-on rule instead, drop the ruleset into `.agents/rules/`.
 
+### Hermes Agent
+
+```bash
+hermes plugins install DietrichGebert/ponytail --enable
+```
+
+Restart Hermes after installing. The plugin injects the active Ponytail mode before each LLM turn, registers the bundled skills as `ponytail:<skill>`, and adds `/ponytail`, `/ponytail-review`, `/ponytail-audit`, `/ponytail-debt`, and `/ponytail-help`. In shared gateways, restrict `/ponytail` to trusted users with Hermes slash-command access controls; runtime mode is process-local.
+
 That was it. He'd be proud. He won't say it.
 
 Active every session, with a handful of commands (see [Commands](#commands)). `/ponytail ultra` exists for when the codebase has wronged you personally. Startup and mode-change text shows the current mode.
@@ -175,7 +183,7 @@ Which files map to which agent: [Agent portability](docs/agent-portability.md).
 | `/ponytail-debt` | Harvest the `ponytail:` shortcuts you've deferred into a ledger, so "later" doesn't become "never". |
 | `/ponytail-help` | Quick reference for the commands above. |
 
-Commands need a skill-capable host (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Gemini, pi). In Codex they're skills, invoke with `@` (`@ponytail-review`). The instruction-only adapters (Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Copilot, Kiro, Antigravity) load the always-on ruleset without the commands.
+Commands need a command/skill-capable host (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Gemini, pi, Hermes Agent). In Codex they're skills, invoke with `@` (`@ponytail-review`). The instruction-only adapters (Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Copilot, Kiro, Antigravity) load the always-on ruleset without the commands.
 
 ## Development
 

__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+"""Hermes plugin for Ponytail."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Callable
+
+DEFAULT_MODE = "full"
+RUNTIME_MODES = {"off", "lite", "full", "ultra"}
+CONFIG_MODES = RUNTIME_MODES | {"review"}
+SKILL_COMMANDS = {
+    "ponytail-review": "Review the current diff or provided target for over-engineering.",
+    "ponytail-audit": "Audit the repo for over-engineering and deletion opportunities.",
+    "ponytail-debt": "List every deliberate `ponytail:` shortcut and its upgrade path.",
+    "ponytail-help": "Show the Ponytail command reference.",
+}
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+SKILLS_DIR = ROOT / "skills"
+PONYTAIL_SKILL = SKILLS_DIR / "ponytail" / "SKILL.md"
+REVIEW_SKILL = SKILLS_DIR / "ponytail-review" / "SKILL.md"
+
+_current_mode = None
+
+
+def _normalize_runtime_mode(mode: str | None) -> str | None:
+    if not isinstance(mode, str):
+        return None
+    mode = mode.strip().lower()
+    return mode if mode in RUNTIME_MODES else None
+
+
+def _normalize_config_mode(mode: str | None) -> str | None:
+    if not isinstance(mode, str):
+        return None
+    mode = mode.strip().lower()
+    return mode if mode in CONFIG_MODES else None
+
+
+def _config_dir() -> Path:
+    if os.environ.get("XDG_CONFIG_HOME"):
+        return Path(os.environ["XDG_CONFIG_HOME"]) / "ponytail"
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        return Path(os.environ.get("APPDATA", Path.home() / "AppData" / "Roaming")) / "ponytail"
+    return Path.home() / ".config" / "ponytail"
+
+
+def _default_mode() -> str:
+    env_mode = _normalize_config_mode(os.environ.get("PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE"))
+    if env_mode:
+        return env_mode
+    try:
+        data = json.loads((_config_dir() / "config.json").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        file_mode = _normalize_config_mode(data.get("defaultMode"))
+        if file_mode:
+            return file_mode
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    return DEFAULT_MODE
+
+
+def _strip_frontmatter(text: str) -> str:
+    return re.sub(r"^---[\s\S]*?---\s*", "", text or "", count=1)
+
+
+def _filter_skill_body_for_mode(body: str, mode: str) -> str:
+    effective = _normalize_runtime_mode(mode) or DEFAULT_MODE
+    lines = []
+    for line in _strip_frontmatter(body).splitlines():
+        table_label = re.match(r"^\|\s*\*\*(.+?)\*\*\s*\|", line)
+        if table_label:
+            label_mode = _normalize_runtime_mode(table_label.group(1))
+            if label_mode and label_mode != effective:
+                continue
+
+        example_label = re.match(r"^-\s*([^:]+):\s*", line)
+        if example_label:
+            label_mode = _normalize_runtime_mode(example_label.group(1))
+            if label_mode and label_mode != effective:
+                continue
+
+        lines.append(line)
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def _fallback_instructions(mode: str) -> str:
+    return (
+        f"PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: {mode}\n\n"
+        "You are a lazy senior developer. Lazy means efficient, not careless. "
+        "The best code is the code never written.\n\n"
+        "Before any code, stop at the first rung that holds: YAGNI, stdlib, "
+        "native platform, installed dependency, one line, then minimum code. "
+        "No unrequested abstractions, avoidable dependencies, boilerplate, or "
+        "speculative scaffolding. Deletion over addition. Boring over clever. "
+        "Do not simplify away trust-boundary validation, data-loss handling, "
+        "security, accessibility, explicitly requested behavior, or one small "
+        "runnable check for non-trivial logic."
+    )
+
+
+def build_injected_context(mode: str | None = None) -> str:
+    """Return the mode-filtered Ponytail context injected before LLM turns."""
+    configured = _normalize_config_mode(mode) or _default_mode()
+    if configured == "off":
+        return ""
+    if configured == "review":
+        try:
+            body = REVIEW_SKILL.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+            return f"PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: review\n\n{_strip_frontmatter(body)}"
+        except OSError:
+            return "PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: review. Review diffs for unnecessary complexity."
+
+    effective = _normalize_runtime_mode(configured) or DEFAULT_MODE
+    try:
+        body = PONYTAIL_SKILL.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        return f"PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: {effective}\n\n{_filter_skill_body_for_mode(body, effective)}"
+    except OSError:
+        return _fallback_instructions(effective)
+
+
+def _pre_llm_call(session_id: str = "", **_: Any) -> dict[str, str] | None:
+    mode = _current_mode or _default_mode()
+    context = build_injected_context(mode)
+    return {"context": context} if context else None
+
+
+def _skill_prompt(command: str, args: str = "") -> str:
+    tail = args.strip()
+    target = f"\n\nUser arguments: {tail}" if tail else ""
+    return (
+        f"Load and follow the Hermes plugin skill `ponytail:{command}`. "
+        f"{SKILL_COMMANDS[command]}{target}"
+    )
+
+
+def _slash_access_denied(event: Any, gateway: Any, command: str) -> bool:
+    if gateway is None or event is None:
+        return False
+    checker = getattr(gateway, "_check_slash_access", None)
+    source = getattr(event, "source", None)
+    if checker is None or source is None:
+        return False
+    try:
+        return checker(source, command) is not None
+    except Exception:
+        return True
+
+
+def rewrite_gateway_command(event: Any = None, gateway: Any = None, **_: Any) -> dict[str, str] | None:
+    """Rewrite authorized gateway /ponytail-* commands into normal agent prompts."""
+    text = str(getattr(event, "text", "") or "").strip()
+    if not text.startswith("/"):
+        return None
+    head, _, rest = text[1:].partition(" ")
+    command = head.replace("_", "-").lower()
+    if command not in SKILL_COMMANDS:
+        return None
+    if _slash_access_denied(event, gateway, command):
+        return None
+    return {"action": "rewrite", "text": _skill_prompt(command, rest)}
+
+
+def _handle_mode_command(raw_args: str) -> str:
+    global _current_mode
+    arg = (raw_args or "").strip().lower()
+    if not arg:
+        mode = _current_mode or _default_mode()
+        return f"Ponytail mode: {mode}. Use `/ponytail lite|full|ultra|off`."
+    mode = _normalize_runtime_mode(arg)
+    if not mode:
+        return "Usage: /ponytail [lite|full|ultra|off]"
+    _current_mode = mode
+    return f"Ponytail mode set to {mode}."
+
+
+def _make_skill_command_handler(ctx: Any, command: str) -> Callable[[str], str]:
+    def handler(raw_args: str) -> str:
+        prompt = _skill_prompt(command, raw_args or "")
+        injected = False
+        try:
+            injected = bool(ctx.inject_message(prompt))
+        except Exception:
+            injected = False
+        if injected:
+            return f"Queued `{command}` for the agent."
+        return prompt
+
+    return handler
+
+
+def register(ctx: Any) -> None:
+    """Register Ponytail hooks, skills, and slash commands with Hermes."""
+    for child in sorted(SKILLS_DIR.iterdir() if SKILLS_DIR.exists() else []):
+        skill_md = child / "SKILL.md"
+        if child.is_dir() and skill_md.exists():
+            ctx.register_skill(child.name, skill_md)
+
+    ctx.register_hook("pre_llm_call", _pre_llm_call)
+    ctx.register_hook("pre_gateway_dispatch", rewrite_gateway_command)
+
+    ctx.register_command(
+        "ponytail",
+        _handle_mode_command,
+        description="Set Ponytail lazy senior dev mode: lite, full, ultra, or off.",
+        args_hint="[lite|full|ultra|off]",
+    )
+    for command, description in SKILL_COMMANDS.items():
+        ctx.register_command(
+            command,
+            _make_skill_command_handler(ctx, command),
+            description=description,
+            args_hint="[target or notes]",
+        )

after-install.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Ponytail for Hermes installed
+
+Enable it if you did not install with `--enable`:
+
+```bash
+hermes plugins enable ponytail
+```
+
+Restart Hermes or the gateway after enabling.
+
+In shared gateways, restrict `/ponytail` to trusted users with Hermes slash-command access controls; runtime mode is process-local.
+
+Commands:
+
+- `/ponytail [lite|full|ultra|off]`
+- `/ponytail-review [target]`
+- `/ponytail-audit [target]`
+- `/ponytail-debt`
+- `/ponytail-help`
+
+Bundled skills are available as `ponytail:ponytail`, `ponytail:ponytail-review`, `ponytail:ponytail-audit`, `ponytail:ponytail-debt`, and `ponytail:ponytail-help`.

docs/agent-portability.md

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ to load in a given agent.
 | Codex | `.codex-plugin/plugin.json`, `hooks/hooks.json`, `hooks/`, `skills/` | Plugin install with the same skills plus lifecycle hooks for activation and mode tracking. |
 | OpenCode | `.opencode/plugins/ponytail.mjs`, `.opencode/command/`, `hooks/`, `skills/` | Server plugin injects the ruleset each turn via `experimental.chat.system.transform` and persists `/ponytail` switches; reuses the shared instruction builder. |
 | pi | `pi-extension/`, `skills/`, `hooks/` | Package extension: injects the ruleset each turn through the shared instruction builder and registers the `/ponytail` commands. |
+| Hermes Agent | `plugin.yaml`, `__init__.py`, `skills/` | Native Hermes plugin: injects active mode through `pre_llm_call`, rewrites gateway `/ponytail-*` skill commands into agent prompts, registers `/ponytail` mode switching, and exposes bundled skills as `ponytail:<skill>`. |
 | Gemini CLI | `gemini-extension.json`, `AGENTS.md`, `commands/`, `skills/` | Extension manifest points `contextFileName` at `AGENTS.md` for always-on rules, and reuses the existing `commands/*.toml` and `skills/`, which Gemini CLI auto-discovers. |
 | Cursor | `.cursor/rules/ponytail.mdc` | Always-on project rule. |
 | Windsurf | `.windsurf/rules/ponytail.md` | Project rule. |

plugin.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+name: ponytail
+version: 0.1.0
+description: Lazy senior dev mode for Hermes Agent — always-on context, bundled skills, and slash commands.
+author: Dietrich Gebert and contributors
+provides_hooks:
+  - pre_llm_call
+  - pre_gateway_dispatch
+provides_commands:
+  - ponytail
+  - ponytail-review
+  - ponytail-audit
+  - ponytail-debt
+  - ponytail-help
+provides_skills:
+  - ponytail
+  - ponytail-review
+  - ponytail-audit
+  - ponytail-debt
+  - ponytail-help

tests/hermes-plugin.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// Hermes support is a real plugin, not just copied rules: the repo root must be
+// installable with `hermes plugins install owner/repo`, register bundled skills,
+// inject active mode context, and expose slash commands.
+
+const test = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
+const path = require('path');
+const { spawnSync } = require('child_process');
+
+const commands = ['ponytail', 'ponytail-review', 'ponytail-audit', 'ponytail-debt', 'ponytail-help'];
+const skillCommands = commands.filter((name) => name !== 'ponytail');
+
+const root = path.join(__dirname, '..');
+
+function python(script, env = {}) {
+  const result = spawnSync('python3', ['-c', script], {
+    cwd: root,
+    env: { ...process.env, ...env },
+    encoding: 'utf8',
+  });
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    throw new Error(`python failed\nSTDOUT:\n${result.stdout}\nSTDERR:\n${result.stderr}`);
+  }
+  return result.stdout.trim();
+}
+
+test('Hermes plugin manifest matches runtime skills, hooks, commands, and package version', () => {
+  const manifestPath = path.join(root, 'plugin.yaml');
+  assert.ok(fs.existsSync(manifestPath), 'missing root plugin.yaml');
+  const manifest = fs.readFileSync(manifestPath, 'utf8');
+  const packageJson = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'package.json'), 'utf8'));
+  const skillDirs = fs.readdirSync(path.join(root, 'skills'))
+    .filter((name) => fs.existsSync(path.join(root, 'skills', name, 'SKILL.md')))
+    .sort();
+
+  assert.match(manifest, /^name:\s*ponytail$/m);
+  assert.match(manifest, new RegExp(`^version:\\s*${packageJson.version}$`, 'm'));
+  assert.deepEqual(commands.filter((name) => manifest.includes(`  - ${name}`)), commands);
+  assert.deepEqual(skillDirs.filter((name) => manifest.includes(`  - ${name}`)), skillDirs);
+  assert.match(manifest, /pre_llm_call/);
+  assert.match(manifest, /pre_gateway_dispatch/);
+});
+
+test('Hermes plugin registers every shipped skill under the ponytail namespace', () => {
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json, pathlib
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+class Ctx:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.skills = []
+        self.hooks = []
+        self.commands = []
+    def register_skill(self, name, path):
+        self.skills.append((name, pathlib.Path(path).as_posix()))
+    def register_hook(self, name, handler):
+        self.hooks.append(name)
+    def register_command(self, name, handler, description='', args_hint=''):
+        self.commands.append(name)
+ctx = Ctx()
+mod.register(ctx)
+print(json.dumps({'skills': ctx.skills, 'hooks': ctx.hooks, 'commands': ctx.commands}, sort_keys=True))
+`);
+  const data = JSON.parse(output);
+  assert.deepEqual(data.skills.map(([name]) => name).sort(), [
+    'ponytail',
+    'ponytail-audit',
+    'ponytail-debt',
+    'ponytail-help',
+    'ponytail-review',
+  ]);
+  assert.ok(data.skills.every(([, skillPath]) => skillPath.endsWith('/SKILL.md')));
+  assert.ok(data.hooks.includes('pre_llm_call'));
+  assert.ok(data.commands.includes('ponytail'));
+  assert.ok(data.commands.includes('ponytail-review'));
+});
+
+test('Hermes plugin builds mode-aware injected context from the canonical skill', () => {
+  const tmp = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ponytail-config-'));
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+ctx = mod.build_injected_context('ultra')
+print(json.dumps({'ctx': ctx}))
+`, { XDG_CONFIG_HOME: tmp });
+  const { ctx } = JSON.parse(output);
+
+  assert.match(ctx, /PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: ultra/);
+  assert.match(ctx, /The best\s+code is the code never written/);
+  assert.match(ctx, /ultra/i);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(ctx, /^---/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(ctx, /\|\s*\*\*Lite\*\*/i);
+});
+
+test('Hermes mode config respects env, config file, off, and invalid command behavior', () => {
+  const tmp = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ponytail-config-'));
+  fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmp, 'ponytail'), { recursive: true });
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmp, 'ponytail', 'config.json'), JSON.stringify({ defaultMode: 'lite' }));
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+class Ctx:
+    def __init__(self): self.commands = {}
+    def register_skill(self, name, path): pass
+    def register_hook(self, name, handler): pass
+    def register_command(self, name, handler, description='', args_hint=''):
+        self.commands[name] = handler
+ctx = Ctx()
+mod.register(ctx)
+status_before = ctx.commands['ponytail']('')
+invalid = ctx.commands['ponytail']('maximum')
+status_after = ctx.commands['ponytail']('')
+print(json.dumps({
+    'default': mod.build_injected_context(None),
+    'off': mod.build_injected_context('off'),
+    'status_before': status_before,
+    'invalid': invalid,
+    'status_after': status_after,
+}))
+`, { XDG_CONFIG_HOME: tmp, PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE: 'ultra' });
+  const data = JSON.parse(output);
+  assert.match(data.default, /level: ultra/);
+  assert.equal(data.off, '');
+  assert.match(data.status_before, /Ponytail mode: ultra/);
+  assert.match(data.invalid, /Usage:/);
+  assert.match(data.status_after, /Ponytail mode: ultra/);
+});
+
+test('Hermes plugin review mode injects the real review skill body', () => {
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+ctx = mod.build_injected_context('review')
+print(json.dumps({'ctx': ctx}))
+`);
+  const { ctx } = JSON.parse(output);
+  assert.match(ctx, /PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: review/);
+  assert.match(ctx, /Review diffs for unnecessary complexity/);
+  assert.match(ctx, /net: -<N> lines possible/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(ctx, /^---/);
+});
+
+test('Hermes /ponytail command changes mode and pre_llm_call injects current context', () => {
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+class Ctx:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.hooks = {}
+        self.commands = {}
+    def register_skill(self, name, path): pass
+    def register_hook(self, name, handler): self.hooks[name] = handler
+    def register_command(self, name, handler, description='', args_hint=''):
+        self.commands[name] = handler
+ctx = Ctx()
+mod.register(ctx)
+message = ctx.commands['ponytail']('ultra')
+injected = ctx.hooks['pre_llm_call'](session_id='s1', user_message='build it', conversation_history=[], is_first_turn=False, model='m', platform='cli')
+print(json.dumps({'message': message, 'context': injected['context']}))
+`);
+  const data = JSON.parse(output);
+  assert.match(data.message, /ultra/);
+  assert.match(data.context, /PONYTAIL MODE ACTIVE — level: ultra/);
+});
+
+test('Hermes gateway rewrite respects slash access denial', () => {
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+class Source:
+    platform = None
+    chat_id = 'c1'
+    user_id = 'u1'
+class Event:
+    text = '/ponytail-review src/app.js'
+    source = Source()
+class Gateway:
+    def _check_slash_access(self, source, command):
+        return 'denied'
+result = mod.rewrite_gateway_command(event=Event(), gateway=Gateway())
+print(json.dumps(result))
+`);
+  assert.equal(output, 'null');
+});
+
+test('Hermes gateway rewrite preserves every skill command and ignores unrelated text', () => {
+  const output = python(String.raw`
+import importlib.util, json
+spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('ponytail_hermes_plugin', '__init__.py')
+mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+class Event:
+    def __init__(self, text): self.text = text
+cases = {}
+for text in ['/ponytail-review x', '/ponytail_audit repo', '/ponytail-debt', '/ponytail-help', '/status', 'hello']:
+    cases[text] = mod.rewrite_gateway_command(event=Event(text))
+print(json.dumps(cases, sort_keys=True))
+`);
+  const data = JSON.parse(output);
+  assert.match(data['/ponytail-review x'].text, /ponytail-review/);
+  assert.match(data['/ponytail_audit repo'].text, /ponytail-audit/);
+  assert.match(data['/ponytail_audit repo'].text, /repo/);
+  assert.match(data['/ponytail-debt'].text, /ponytail-debt/);
+  assert.match(data['/ponytail-help'].text, /ponytail-help/);
+  assert.equal(data['/status'], null);
+  assert.equal(data.hello, null);
+});