Aider Configuration

This skill helps you set up and configure aider with best practices and useful defaults for AI-assisted coding.

What This Does

Configures aider with optimized settings for development workflows including:

Instructions

When the user wants to configure aider or asks about aider settings:

1. **Create or update `.aider.conf.yml`** in the project root (or `~/.aider.conf.yml` for global config)

2. **Include these core settings:**

- `attribute-commit-message-author: true` - Credits aider in commit messages

- `dark-mode: true` - Enables dark mode UI

- `code-theme: solarized-dark` - Sets syntax highlighting theme

- `watch-files: true` - Automatically reloads files when changed

3. **Set the AI model:**

- Default: `model: sonnet` (Claude Sonnet - best balance)

- Alternative: `model: gemini/gemini-2.5-pro-preview-05-06` (commented out)

- Cheaper option: `model: o4-mini` (commented out)

- Premium option: `model: o3` (expensive, top leaderboard performance, commented out)

4. **Add global conventions:**

- `read: ~/.config/aider/GLOBAL_CONVENTIONS.md`

- This file should contain coding standards, patterns, and conventions to follow

- Create `~/.config/aider/GLOBAL_CONVENTIONS.md` if it doesn't exist

5. **Configure notifications (optional):**

- `notifications-command: say 'it done'` - macOS text-to-speech notification

- Adjust command based on OS (e.g., `notify-send` on Linux)

Example Configuration

```yaml

https://aider.chat/docs/config/aider_conf.html

attribute-commit-message-author: true

dark-mode: true

code-theme: solarized-dark

watch-files: true

read: ~/.config/aider/GLOBAL_CONVENTIONS.md

model: sonnet

model: gemini/gemini-2.5-pro-preview-05-06

model: o4-mini # cheaper, below gemini

model: o3 # expensive, top of leaderboard

notifications-command: say 'it done'

```

Usage Examples

Notes