# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Agent workspace containment and folder boundaries

## Open now

- 3 issues, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- #8926: \[Feature\]: I hope the agent only operates within their own workspace.
- #25279: \[BUG\] Agents do not respect workspace boundaries, scatter files across entire filesystem
- #56159: \[Feature\]: Specify a folder that al;l Hermes work stays within
- PR #98614: feat(agent): compose context files with \`@\` include directives
- _Broad area: open items may be separate problems._

These issues and PRs concern limiting agent file operations to a designated workspace or project folder, including a reported bug about files scattering outside expected boundaries and feature requests for configurable workspace scoping.

## TL;DR

- 5 member(s): 3 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 0 PR(s) closed without merging.
- No fix has been merged to main; one or more PRs were attempted (see below).
- **Recommended:** review the prior/competing PR(s) below. A fix was attempted but not merged; your case may extend or revive that work.

## 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_PARTIAL`): some members are connected by structural evidence (shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference); the rest are joined by an automated relevance judgement over their text.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 `0.21`: 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

- #8926: \[Feature\]: I hope the agent only operates within their own workspace.
- #25279: \[BUG\] Agents do not respect workspace boundaries, scatter files across entire filesystem
- #56159: \[Feature\]: Specify a folder that al;l Hermes work stays within

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #502: Feature: Project Context System — @ References, .hermes.md Config Files & Workspace Awareness

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#98614: feat(agent): compose context files with \`@\` include directives**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`
  - files: `agent/prompt_builder.py`, `tests/agent/test_prompt_builder.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/features/context-files.md`

## Fix status

- No merged fix on record.
- Subsystem: `agent`