Aider Configuration

A comprehensive Aider configuration file (`.aider.conf.yml`) that configures all aspects of Aider's AI-powered pair programming environment, including model selection, API settings, git integration, output styling, and workflow automation.

Instructions

When a user requests Aider configuration assistance, follow these steps:

1. **Identify Configuration Needs**

- Ask about their primary use case (model provider, git workflow preferences, output preferences)

- Determine if they need API key configuration, custom models, or specific integrations

- Check if they want automation features (auto-commits, linting, testing)

2. **Create Base Configuration File**

- Generate `.aider.conf.yml` in the git repository root or home directory

- Start with essential settings based on their model provider choice

- Include commented examples for common customizations

3. **Configure Model Settings**

- Set the main model using the `model:` key (e.g., `claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219`, `gpt-4o`)

- Configure weak model for summaries if needed

- Add editor model configuration for code editing tasks

- Include model aliases if using custom or provider-specific models

4. **Set Up API Configuration**

- For OpenAI/Anthropic: Use YAML keys (`openai-api-key`, `anthropic-api-key`) or recommend `.env` file

- For other providers: Use `--set-env` or `--api-key` options

- Configure API base URL for custom endpoints if needed

- Add SSL verification and timeout settings for enterprise environments

5. **Configure Git Integration**

- Enable/disable auto-commits based on workflow preference

- Set up commit attribution (author, committer, co-authored-by)

- Configure `.aiderignore` file location

- Set commit message customization options

6. **Customize Output Settings**

- Choose dark mode or light mode color scheme

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

- Set code theme for syntax highlighting

- Configure streaming and pretty output preferences

7. **Add Repository Map Settings**

- Set `map-tokens` to control repo context size (0 to disable)

- Configure `map-refresh` strategy (auto, always, files, manual)

- Adjust `map-multiplier-no-files` for broader context when no files specified

8. **Enable Automation Features** (if requested)

- Configure `auto-lint` with custom `lint-cmd` for different languages

- Set up `auto-test` with `test-cmd` for automatic testing

- Enable `watch-files` for AI coding comment detection

9. **Set Up History and Logging**

- Configure chat history file location

- Set input history file for command recall

- Enable LLM conversation logging if debugging is needed

10. **Add Advanced Features** (optional)

- Configure voice settings for voice-to-code workflows

- Set up notification commands for long-running operations

- Enable GUI mode or copy-paste mode if needed

- Configure editor integration for `/editor` command

11. **Create .env File** (if needed)

- Create `.env` file in git root for API keys not in YAML

- Add keys for multiple providers

- Reference `.env` file location in config with `env-file` option

12. **Provide Usage Examples**

- Show how to override config with command-line flags

- Explain precedence: CLI flags > `.aider.conf.yml` > defaults

- Demonstrate common workflows with the configuration

Configuration Categories

Essential Settings

API Configuration

Git Integration

Output Customization

Automation

Advanced

Example Configurations

Minimal Configuration (Anthropic Claude)

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

auto-commits: false

dark-mode: true

map-tokens: 2048

```

Full-Featured Configuration (OpenAI with Automation)

```yaml

model: gpt-4o

weak-model: gpt-4o-mini

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

auto-test: true

test-cmd: pytest

dark-mode: true

code-theme: monokai

map-tokens: 4096

cache-prompts: true

attribute-co-authored-by: true

```

Custom Provider Configuration

```yaml

model: meta_llama/Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E-Instruct-FP8

api-key:

- provider=YOUR_API_KEY_HERE

openai-api-base: https://api.your-provider.com/v1

map-tokens: 2048

gitignore: true

auto-commits: false

```

Important Notes

Constraints