# NousResearch/hermes-agent · config set serializes structured values as strings

## Open now

- 1 issue, 3 PRs open on GitHub.
- #60551: config.yaml: agent write guard, and 'hermes config set' writes string scalar for list keys
- PR #40546: fix(cli): parse JSON object values in config set
- PR #63569: fix: parse JSON-string fallback_providers in YAML config
- PR #64399: fix(cli): hermes config set now parses YAML lists/dicts (#64323)

A recurring bug where 'hermes config set' writes JSON objects, arrays, and lists as raw strings in config.yaml instead of structured YAML, silently breaking plugin loading, fallback chains, and other list-typed config keys. Multiple fix attempts and related parsing patches are represented.

## TL;DR

- 19 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 5 closed issue(s), 3 open PR(s), 2 merged PR(s), 8 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #88163. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #88163 (and any competing PRs below) before filing. Confirm the merged change covers your symptom.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `unresolved`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_PARTIAL`): some members are connected by structural evidence (shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference); the rest are joined by an automated relevance judgement over their text.
- Members outside that structural core may belong to a different underlying problem.
- Pairwise link density `0.10`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Open related issues

- #60551: config.yaml: agent write guard, and 'hermes config set' writes string scalar for list keys

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #37455: config set: string value overwrites list for 'enabled' key, silently breaking plugin loading
- #40545: \[Bug\]: Hermes config set writes JSON object values as strings in config.yaml
- #51560: fallback_providers as JSON string (from 'hermes config set') silently empties the fallback chain — _iter_fallback_entries drops str
- #63383: \[Bug\]: docker_volumes ignored in Hermes Desktop (works in CLI)
- #64323: \`hermes config set\` silently writes list values as strings — docker \`docker_volumes\` mounts then silently no-op (false sense of isolation/config success)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#40845: fix(cli): persist JSON object/array values as structured YAML in config set**. closed without merge · fix tier `suggested`
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#40546`, `#40546`
  - _suggested-tier fix detail withheld; re-request with `?tier=all` to include it._
- **#88163: fix(config): parse structured list/dict values in hermes config set (consolidates 8-PR cluster)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_config_set_list_values.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/configuring-models.md`
- **#118843: config.yaml quoted-string lists are flagged by doctor/startup and no longer written by config set; catalog stars probe re-mints its App token (#83308 #105706 #118113)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `.github/workflows/skills-index.yml`, `hermes_cli/config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_config_set_list_values.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_config_validation.py`, `tests/website/test_fetch_plugin_stars.py`, `website/docs/reference/cli-commands.md`, `website/scripts/fetch-plugin-stars.py`
- **#37460: fix(config): parse bracket-delimited list values in config set**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `#88163`, `#59182`
- **#40546: fix(cli): parse JSON object values in config set**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `129e616818fa8bd7530007d11007704a329359c1`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_set_config_value.py`
- **#51594: fix(cli): parse JSON-string fallback_providers (#51560)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `c3021aff0dc`, `#88163`, `#118843`, `#105706`
- **#52099: fix(fallback): parse JSON-string fallback_providers written by config set**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`
- **#59182: fix(config): parse list/mapping literals in hermes config set**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#88163`, `#37460`
- **#60558: fix(config): parse JSON list/dict values in config set**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#40546`, `#40546`, `#40545`, `#60551`, `#44226`
- **#63569: fix: parse JSON-string fallback_providers in YAML config**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#51594`, `#51560`, `#52099`, `#51594`
  - files: `hermes_cli/fallback_config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_fallback_config.py`
- **#64389: fix(config): parse structured config values**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `partial_fix`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `84be3202305a`, `#64323`, `#64389`, `#64399`, `#66439`, `#64389`, `#64399`, `#64389`, `#64389`, `#40546`, `#66439`, `#64389`, `#64389`, `#64399`, `#64389`, `#64389`, `#64399`, `#40546`, `#66439`, `#64389`, `#64389`, `#64399`, `#64389`, `#66439`, `#1`, `#1`, `#15803`, `#14532`, `#6`, `#1`, `#9`, `#374151`, `#4338`, `#64323`, `#64389`, `#64399`
- **#64399: fix(cli): hermes config set now parses YAML lists/dicts (#64323)**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#40546`, `#40546`, `#40546`, `#60558`
  - files: `hermes_cli/config.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_set_config_value.py`
- **#77645: fix(config): persist JSON object/array values as structured YAML in config set (#40545)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#40546`, `#40546`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #88163 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-22`.
- Subsystem: `apps/desktop`