Aider Configuration

Configure Aider, the AI pair programming assistant, with customized settings for models, git workflows, output preferences, and automation.

What This Skill Does

This skill helps you set up and configure Aider using a `.aider.conf.yml` file. It covers all major configuration options including:

Instructions

When a user requests Aider configuration, follow these steps:

1. **Assess Current Setup**

- Check if `.aider.conf.yml` exists in the project root or home directory

- Review any existing configuration settings

- Identify the user's current development workflow

2. **Determine Configuration Needs**

- Ask about preferred LLM model (Claude Sonnet, GPT-4o, etc.)

- Clarify git workflow preferences (auto-commits, commit attribution)

- Understand testing and linting requirements

- Determine output preferences (dark/light mode, colors)

3. **Model Configuration**

- Set the primary model via flags like `sonnet: true`, `4o: true`, etc.

- Configure weak-model for summaries if needed

- Set editor-model for specialized tasks

- Configure API keys (note: only OpenAI and Anthropic keys in YAML, others in .env)

4. **Git Settings**

- `auto-commits: false` to disable automatic commits (common preference)

- `attribute-author: true` to credit Aider in git author

- `gitignore: true` to auto-add .aider* files

- Configure commit message prefixes if desired

5. **Repo Map Settings**

- `map-tokens: 1024` (default) for context window management

- `map-refresh: auto` to control map update frequency

- Adjust `map-multiplier-no-files` for better context when working without specific files

6. **Output Customization**

- Set `dark-mode: true` or `light-mode: true` based on terminal

- Customize colors for user input, tool output, errors, warnings

- Configure `code-theme` (default, monokai, solarized-dark, etc.)

- Enable `show-diffs: true` if user wants to see changes before commits

7. **Automation Options**

- Configure `lint-cmd` for different languages if auto-linting desired

- Set `test-cmd` for automated testing

- Enable `auto-lint: true` and/or `auto-test: false` based on workflow

- Consider `suggest-shell-commands: true` for CLI suggestions

8. **Create Configuration File**

- Generate `.aider.conf.yml` in project root or home directory

- Include only non-default settings to keep file clean

- Add comments explaining important choices

- Ensure proper YAML formatting

9. **Additional Files**

- Create `.aiderignore` if specific files should be excluded

- Set up `.env` file for non-OpenAI/Anthropic API keys

- Consider `.aider.model.settings.yml` for custom model configs

10. **Validation**

- Verify YAML syntax is correct

- Ensure API keys are properly secured

- Test configuration with a simple aider command

- Confirm git integration works as expected

Common Configuration Patterns

**Minimal Setup (Claude Sonnet, no auto-commits)**

```yaml

sonnet: true

auto-commits: false

verbose: false

```

**Full-Featured Development**

```yaml

sonnet: true

auto-commits: false

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

test-cmd: "pytest"

auto-test: false

dark-mode: true

show-diffs: true

```

**Custom Colors and Output**

```yaml

sonnet: true

dark-mode: true

user-input-color: "#00cc00"

assistant-output-color: "#0088ff"

code-theme: "monokai"

pretty: true

stream: true

```

Important Notes

Examples

**Example 1: Configure for Python project with linting**

```

User: Set up Aider for my Python project with automatic linting

Assistant: Creates .aider.conf.yml with sonnet model, auto-lint enabled, ruff configured

```

**Example 2: Minimal configuration for TypeScript**

```

User: I want basic Aider setup with GPT-4o and no auto-commits

Assistant: Creates minimal config with 4o: true and auto-commits: false

```

**Example 3: Full-featured setup with testing**

```

User: Configure Aider with Claude Sonnet, pytest integration, and dark mode

Assistant: Creates comprehensive config with test-cmd, dark-mode, and code-theme settings

```

Constraints