Aider Configuration

Professional Aider configuration optimized for Claude 3.7 Sonnet with architect mode, custom API routing, and enhanced repository understanding.

What This Does

This skill configures Aider (an AI pair programming tool) with:

Instructions

When the user requests Aider configuration, create a `.aider.conf.yml` file in the project root with the following settings:

1. **Enable architect mode** for architectural planning and design discussions

2. **Configure the primary model**:

- Model: `openai/claude-3.7-sonnet-thought` (via Copilot API proxy)

- Edit format: `diff` for main chat

- Editor edit format: `editor-diff` for editor tasks

3. **Set up API routing**:

- API base URL: `http://localhost:4141/` (local Copilot API proxy)

- API key: `not-needed` (handled by proxy)

4. **Define model aliases** for quick switching:

- `sonnet` → `openai/claude-3.7-sonnet`

- `sonnet-t` → `openai/claude-3.7-sonnet-thought`

- `flash` → `openai/gemini-2.0-flash-001`

- `o3` → `openai/o3-mini`

5. **Configure model metadata**:

- Settings file: `~/.config/aider/.aider.model.settings.yml`

- Metadata file: `~/.config/aider/.aider.model.metadata.json`

- Disable model warnings for unknown models

6. **Set editor model**: `openai/claude-3.7-sonnet` for editing tasks

7. **Optimize repository mapping**:

- Map tokens: `2048` (double the default for better context)

- Enable dark mode for terminal output

8. **Configure Git behavior**:

- Disable auto-commits (manual control)

- Disable dirty commits (require clean repo)

- Disable author/committer attribution

9. **Add read-only reference files**:

- `llms/gscc.md` (conventions)

- `llms/conventions.md` (coding standards)

10. **Additional settings**:

- Disable URL detection

- Require manual confirmations (`yes-always: false`)

Configuration Template

```yaml

Reference

https://aider.chat/docs/config/aider_conf.html#sample-yaml-config-file

architect: true

Specify the model to use for the main chat

model: openai/claude-3.7-sonnet-thought

edit-format: diff

editor-edit-format: editor-diff

########################

API Keys and settings:

openai-api-key: not-needed

openai-api-base: http://localhost:4141/

#################

Model settings:

alias:

- "sonnet:openai/claude-3.7-sonnet"

- "sonnet-t:openai/claude-3.7-sonnet-thought"

- "flash:openai/gemini-2.0-flash-001"

- "o3:openai/o3-mini"

model-settings-file: ~/.config/aider/.aider.model.settings.yml

model-metadata-file: ~/.config/aider/.aider.model.metadata.json

show-model-warnings: false

###################

Repomap settings:

map-tokens: 2048

##################

Output settings:

dark-mode: true

###############

Git settings:

auto-commits: false

dirty-commits: false

attribute-author: false

attribute-committer: false

#################

Other settings:

read:

- "llms/gscc.md"

- "llms/conventions.md"

detect-urls: false

yes-always: false

```

Customization Options

Ask the user if they want to customize:

Important Notes