Aider Configuration

This skill helps you create and customize an Aider configuration file (`.aider.conf.yml`) for the Aider AI pair programming tool.

What This Does

Generates a properly formatted Aider configuration file that controls:

Instructions

When a user requests Aider configuration:

1. **Determine the scope** - Ask what aspects they want to configure:

- Model selection (OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, GitHub Copilot, etc.)

- Git behavior (auto-commits, attribution, hooks)

- Output preferences (colors, themes, streaming)

- Performance (caching, repo map tokens)

- Workflow (chat mode, editor, testing)

2. **Gather specific requirements**:

- Which AI model(s) to use for main chat, weak model, and editor?

- API keys location (.env vs config file)?

- Git preferences (auto-commit on/off, dirty commits, attribution)?

- Terminal theme (dark mode, light mode, custom colors)?

- Special features needed (voice, GUI, analytics)?

3. **Create the configuration file**:

- Use `.aider.conf.yml` as the filename

- Place in git repo root or home directory

- Include only requested settings (don't bloat with defaults)

- Add helpful comments for complex settings

- Validate YAML syntax

4. **Key configuration patterns**:

**Model Selection:**

```yaml

model: github_copilot/grok-code-fast-1

weak-model: github_copilot/gpt-5-mini

editor-model: github_copilot/grok-code-fast-1

```

**Git Integration:**

```yaml

git: true

auto-commits: false

dirty-commits: true

show-diffs: true

```

**Performance:**

```yaml

cache-prompts: true

cache-keepalive-pings: 1

map-refresh: auto

```

**Output Customization:**

```yaml

dark-mode: true

pretty: true

stream: true

code-theme: monokai

```

5. **Important constraints**:

- Only OpenAI and Anthropic API keys can go in YAML (others use .env)

- Use `set-env` for custom API endpoints (like Ollama)

- Model settings file can extend unknown model support

- Git operations respect .gitignore by default

- Analytics is randomized by default (can disable permanently)

6. **Common configurations**:

**Local Ollama setup:**

```yaml

model: ollama_chat/codellama

set-env: OLLAMA_API_BASE=http://localhost:11434

```

**GitHub Copilot:**

```yaml

model: github_copilot/gpt-4

chat-mode: code

```

**Minimal Git:**

```yaml

git: true

auto-commits: false

gitignore: true

```

7. **Write the file** using the Write tool to `.aider.conf.yml`

8. **Provide usage guidance**:

- Location options (repo root vs home directory)

- How to override with command-line flags

- Related files (.aiderignore, .env, model settings)

- Testing the configuration

Example Usage

**User:** "Set up Aider to use Claude with dark mode and no auto-commits"

**Response:**

```yaml

chat-mode: code

model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5

dark-mode: true

pretty: true

stream: true

code-theme: monokai

git: true

auto-commits: false

show-diffs: true

```

**User:** "Configure Aider for local Ollama with custom colors"

**Response:**

```yaml

model: ollama_chat/deepseek-coder

set-env: OLLAMA_API_BASE=http://192.168.1.100:11434

show-model-warnings: false

user-input-color: "#00FF00"

assistant-output-color: "#00AAFF"

code-theme: solarized-dark

dark-mode: true

cache-prompts: true

```

Notes