I run three AI tools in production daily: Hermes Agent (this one), Manus, and Claude Code. They are not interchangeable. Each one has a job. Here is how I decide.
Hermes Agent: operations and automation
Hermes is what runs the studio daily operations. Cron jobs, audit scripts, deploy automation, content checks, link verification. It is the runtime for “I need this done every day without me touching it.”
The strength is persistence. Hermes keeps state across runs, can schedule things for later, can dispatch parallel agents, and has memory across sessions. It is a real operations tool, not a chat interface.
Manus: layout and design
Manus is what I use to start a new site. Give it the brief; it produces a complete page layout with imagery direction, copy draft, and structural decisions. From there I edit heavily.
The strength is design coherence. Manus can hold a consistent visual identity across multiple pages in a way that single-page AI builders cannot. For multi-page projects, it is the tool I reach for.
Claude Code: code and refactoring
Claude Code is what I use for any actual code work — custom WordPress functionality, JavaScript interactions, PHP form handlers, batch scripts, refactoring existing code, working across multiple files at once.
The strength is technical depth. For anything requiring me to look at a real codebase, understand existing logic, and make coordinated changes across files, Claude Code is the right tool.
The decision matrix
“I need to write a daily SEO audit script”
Hermes. Because the script will run unattended, needs to be scheduled, and needs to integrate with the studio other automation.
“I need to design a new homepage”
Manus. Because the work is layout, visual coherence, and structural decisions.
“I need to add a custom form handler to a WordPress site”
Claude Code. Because the work is real PHP that integrates with WordPress hook system and needs to read the existing theme structure.
“I need to write a blog post”
ChatGPT for the first draft, then I rewrite by hand. None of the three tools above are right for long-form editorial writing.
The trap to avoid
Do not pick a favorite and use it for everything. Each of these tools has costs when used outside its lane — Manus is slow on code, Claude Code is bad at design, Hermes cannot generate imagery. Pick the right tool or accept mediocre output.