hermes - 💡(How to fix) Fix Bug Report: Local `file://` Images Not Rendering in Hermes Desktop App

Bug Description

Summary: Inline images using local file:// paths do not render in the Hermes desktop app. They either appear as plain text URLs or broken image placeholders

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Open Hermes desktop app (Linux)
2. Send a message with an inline image using a local path, e.g.: ![Iceland](file:///home/user/Downloads/iceland.png)
3. Image does not display — see plain URL or broken placeholder instead

Expected Behavior

Expected:* Local images should render inline, same as web-hosted images.

Actual Behavior

Actual: Image fails to load. Chromium's security policy blocks file:// URLs in <img> tags.

Affected Component

Other

Messaging Platform (if gateway-related)

No response

Debug Report

**Workaround:** Use CLI or Telegram to send images. Desktop app inline rendering is broken.

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**Suggested Fix:**
Add `AsyncImage` component to `markdown-text.tsx` that:
1. Intercepts `file://` URLs
2. Converts them to base64 data URLs via `window.hermesDesktop.readFileDataUrl` IPC
3. Passes data URL to the underlying `<img>` tag

This bypasses Chromium's `file://` restriction by never exposing the `file://` protocol to the DOM.

Operating System

Linux (Ubuntu 22.04)

Python Version

Electron: 40.9.3

Hermes Version

Hermes Desktop: 0.15.2

Additional Logs / Traceback (optional)

Root Cause Analysis (optional)

Root Cause:

Electron (Chromium) sandbox security policy prevents loading file:// URLs in <img> tags by default. The markdown pipeline (streamdown + rehype-harden) processes the path correctly, but the browser refuses to load it at render time.

The rehype-harden library is configured with allowedProtocols: ["*"] so it's not the blocker — the block is at the browser/Chromium level.

A component-level workaround (AsyncImage → converts file:// paths to data URLs via IPC) was written but needs deployment.

Proposed Fix (optional)

Workaround: Use CLI or Telegram to send images. Desktop app inline rendering is broken.

Suggested Fix: Add AsyncImage component to markdown-text.tsx that:

1. Intercepts file:// URLs
2. Converts them to base64 data URLs via window.hermesDesktop.readFileDataUrl IPC
3. Passes data URL to the underlying <img> tag

This bypasses Chromium's file:// restriction by never exposing the file:// protocol to the DOM.

Are you willing to submit a PR for this?

• I'd like to fix this myself and submit a PR