Aider AI Shell Configuration

Professional Aider configuration optimized for AI pair-programming with Claude 3.5 Sonnet, featuring expert system prompting and extensible automation hooks.

What This Skill Does

This configuration sets up Aider to work as an expert AI pair-programmer using Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet model. It establishes a thoughtful, step-by-step reasoning approach and provides a foundation for automated linting and testing workflows.

Instructions

1. Create the Configuration File

Create a file named `.aider.conf.yml` in your project root with the following configuration:

```yaml

Use Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet by default for its large context window and strong reasoning.

default_lm: anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet

Your Anthropic API key. It's best to set this as an environment variable.

anthropic_api_key:

A custom system message to prime the agent.

system_message: |

You are an expert AI pair-programmer.

You are working inside a larger automated system.

Carefully follow the instructions provided in the user's prompt.

Reason step-by-step and think through your plan before making code changes.

We'll use this later to run linters/tests automatically.

hooks:

pre_command: [npm run lint --if-present]

```

2. Set Up Your API Key

Set your Anthropic API key as an environment variable (recommended approach):

```bash

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY='your-api-key-here'

```

Or add it to your shell profile (`.bashrc`, `.zshrc`, etc.):

```bash

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc

source ~/.bashrc

```

3. Verify the Configuration

Run Aider to verify it picks up your configuration:

```bash

aider --help

```

Check that it's using Claude 3.5 Sonnet as the default model.

4. (Optional) Enable Automation Hooks

When you're ready to add automated linting or testing before code changes, uncomment and customize the hooks section:

```yaml

hooks:

pre_command: [npm run lint --if-present]

# or for Python projects:

# pre_command: [pytest, ruff check .]

```

Usage Examples

Basic Pair Programming Session

```bash

aider src/main.py

```

Start coding with Aider using your configured settings. The system message ensures step-by-step reasoning.

Add Multiple Files to Context

```bash

aider src/main.py tests/test_main.py

```

Work across multiple files simultaneously while maintaining context.

Use with Git Auto-Commit

```bash

aider --auto-commits

```

Automatically commit changes after each successful modification.

Configuration Details

**Model Selection:** Claude 3.5 Sonnet is chosen for:

**System Message:** The custom prompt ensures:

**Automation Hooks:** Prepared structure for:

Important Notes

Constraints