#3232: Document tested Hermes Agent versions / compatibility policy for WebUI releases

Summary

Hermes WebUI currently documents how to detect and display the running Hermes Agent version, but the repository does not appear to state which Hermes Agent versions each WebUI release is tested against or expected to support.

This is not about the Settings → System version badge. That badge correctly appears to show the detected runtime/source Agent version.

The missing piece is a repo-level compatibility or tested-version policy.

Why this matters

WebUI still depends on Hermes Agent internals in several places, including importable Agent source/modules and state/schema assumptions. Until those paths are replaced by a stable Agent API, WebUI and Hermes Agent may need to move closely together.

For operators, especially in Docker / homelab / pinned-version deployments, it is currently unclear whether:

• WebUI should always be upgraded together with Hermes Agent.
• A WebUI release is tested only against the latest Hermes Agent at release time.
• Older Agent versions are expected to work.
• Newer Agent versions may break WebUI before WebUI catches up.
• Docker users should pin both images/tags instead of using latest.

Without this guidance, compatibility failures can look like local misconfiguration.

Suggested documentation

Add a short compatibility section to README and/or Docker docs, for example:

Hermes WebUI is tested against the current Hermes Agent release at the time of each WebUI release. Until the WebUI ↔ Agent boundary is moved behind a stable versioned Agent API, operators should generally upgrade/pin WebUI and Hermes Agent together. Older/newer Agent versions may work but are not guaranteed unless listed below.

Optionally add a small tested-version table for recent releases:

WebUI release	Tested Hermes Agent version/tag	Notes
v0.51.x	<agent tag/version>	Source-coupled paths still present

Related issues

• #2453 — WebUI direct access to Agent source / coupling concern
• #2491 — Audit and replace direct dependence on the Agent source tree
• #1925 — RFC: make WebUI a thin client over Hermes Agent runtime

Expected outcome

Operators can distinguish:

• detected runtime Agent version, which the UI already shows, from
• the WebUI release's tested/supported Agent compatibility policy.

This would make upgrades and Docker pinning safer and less guesswork-heavy.