> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.artil.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Receive messages automatically > Let an incoming message notify Claude Code or Pi, or start a Hermes run. Use `artil init` to have incoming messages notify an open Claude Code or Pi session, or start a Hermes run. It also writes the `artil` skill to `~/.claude/skills`, `~/.pi/agent/skills`, or Hermes' `skills` folder, and links the agent account's stored API keys and passwords to the client, so the client can read and send messages and use those secrets in a conversation. To use the secrets anywhere else, [link them yourself](/secrets). First [install the CLI](/installation), [sign in as your agent account](/authentication), and check that you can [read its email](/email). With an `--account` login, only remote Hermes can be set up; `artil init --agent ` picks its agent. Claude Code, Pi, and Hermes can also hear about new messages through a plugin: the [Claude Code plugin](/claude-code), the [Pi package](/pi), or the [Hermes plugin](/hermes). Use one or the other for a client: installing the plugin replaces what `artil init` set up for it, and `artil init` will not set up a client whose plugin is installed. OpenClaw hears about new messages only through [its plugin](/openclaw). ## 1. Choose where the agent will run Choose a client below. Local setup adds message delivery, the `artil` skill, and secret loading. Choosing a new client replaces this computer's delivery setup, including a remote Hermes webhook set up from here. Local setup links **all** of the agent's stored secrets. Only the agent's own login can reveal them; members can't. The Claude Code and Pi links use your user-level configuration and apply across projects; Hermes uses its configured installation. Review the agent's secrets before connecting a client. Install Claude Code and use Anthropic authentication. Channels are not available through Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform, or Microsoft Foundry. On Team and Enterprise plans, an owner must enable channels first. Console organizations that deploy managed settings must enable `channelsEnabled`. The development flag below cannot override a disabled channel setting. See [Claude's channel requirements](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/channels#enterprise-controls). Connect this computer: ```bash theme={null} artil init --client claude-code ``` Setup adds the `artil-messages` channel and allows the CLI commands that read and send messages. Complete anything listed under **Next steps**, such as a skill name conflict or a secret that was left out. Start a new Claude Code session using the command setup prints: ```bash theme={null} claude --dangerously-load-development-channels server:artil-messages ``` Check that Claude starts with the channel enabled. Resolve any startup warning about blocked channels. The new session also loads the secrets hook. Keep it open for the email check below; closing it stops notifications. Install [Pi](https://pi.dev) first. ```bash theme={null} artil init --client pi ``` Setup adds the `artil-messages` and `artil-secrets` extensions to `~/.pi/agent/extensions` and the `artil` skill to `~/.pi/agent/skills`. Pi's bash commands load the agent's secrets. Complete anything listed under **Next steps**. Start Pi, or run `/reload` in an open session. A new message starts a turn in that session, or waits until Pi finishes the current one. Pi runs commands without asking for approval, so a message can lead it to act before you see it. Keep the session open for the email check below; closing it stops notifications. Install and configure Hermes first. Background delivery needs a macOS login session or a running Linux systemd user service; Hermes in Docker has neither, so use the [Hermes plugin](/hermes) there. ```bash theme={null} artil init --client hermes --connection local ``` Read the **Next steps** output and complete any remaining setup. The machine must stay on and connected; no public webhook URL is needed. Setup prints the background job's log path. Each incoming message starts a separate `hermes chat -q` run, one at a time. Check that log if a run fails. Runs stop after 30 minutes, and after the computer was off, the job catches up on messages that arrived since its last run. Use the public URL for your Hermes server: ```bash theme={null} artil init --client hermes --connection server --url https://hermes.example.com ``` Setup adds the webhook route and shared signing secret to Hermes' configuration when it is on this computer. Otherwise it prints the route to add on the server. Then complete the steps under **Next steps**. Create a token on the agent's **Tokens** tab and put it in Hermes' `.env` on the server as `ARTIL_TOKEN`. Add the printed `mcp_servers.artil` entry to Hermes' `config.yaml`; it points at Artil's `/api/mcp` with that token as a Bearer header. Restart Hermes and check that its public URL is reachable. The webhook only says that a message arrived. It asks Hermes to use Artil's `messages.read` and `messages.send` tools with the incoming message ID. Install any skills and credentials Hermes needs on the remote server separately. You can also install the [Hermes plugin](/hermes) on the server with a [headless login](/authentication#use-a-headless-machine) instead, which needs no public URL. ## 2. Check an incoming message From your own email account, send a new message to the agent's address. For example: “Please reply to confirm you can read this email.” The client receives a notification containing the message ID. Local clients use the CLI to read and reply; the remote Hermes webhook prompts it to use its configured message tools. Watch the client read the message, then check your inbox for its reply. Keep the Claude Code or Pi session open, or check the background-job log for local Hermes. For a remote Hermes server, check that webhook setup is complete and the URL is reachable. Inspect any client permission prompts before expecting a reply. Run `artil auth status` to check the agent and its channels. Sender restrictions, spam filtering, and notification limits can stop a message from reaching the client. See [message troubleshooting](/troubleshooting). Apart from remote Hermes, which a webhook reaches, one client at a time hears an agent's new messages, and a message that arrives while none listens waits in the inbox; see [Who hears about new messages](/delivery). Use this inbox to receive a verification email, finish signup, and store the service's credentials. ## Change or disconnect a client Run `artil init` to choose a different client. A new choice replaces this computer's delivery setup, including a remote Hermes webhook set up from here. Keeping the same choice repairs outdated setup and updates the installed skill and secret links. If a separately installed skill has the same name, setup keeps it and reports the conflict under **Next steps**. This command removes delivery setup on this computer, including a remote Hermes webhook set up from here. A webhook set up from another computer stays. To remove it, disconnect on that computer, or set up remote Hermes here, which replaces it, and then disconnect. ```bash theme={null} artil init --client none ``` It also removes the skills, the Pi extensions, secret links, and allowed `artil` commands that setup added for the disconnected local clients. Open Pi sessions keep receiving messages until you run `/reload` in them. Your agent, messages, and secrets remain stored in Artil. If Hermes' `config.yaml` is on this computer, the command removes the `artil` route and asks you to restart Hermes. On another server, remove that route yourself. Plugins from `artil plugin install` stay; the command names them, and `artil plugin remove ` takes them out. Remove separately linked secrets, such as a project's `.env`, with `artil secrets unlink `. Stop programs that already loaded those values. For CLI sign-out, see [manage a login](/authentication#manage-a-login). This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.