Aider Configuration Helper

Configure Aider AI pair programming assistant with comprehensive settings covering models, API keys, git integration, output formatting, history management, and workflow automation.

What This Skill Does

This skill helps you set up and configure Aider through its `.aider.conf.yml` configuration file. It covers all major configuration areas including model selection, API settings, git behavior, output preferences, testing/linting automation, and more.

Configuration Instructions

When the user requests Aider configuration help, follow these steps:

1. **Determine the configuration scope**

- Ask which aspects of Aider they want to configure (model settings, git behavior, output preferences, etc.)

- Identify if they want a minimal config or comprehensive setup

- Check if they have an existing `.aider.conf.yml` file to update

2. **Locate or create the configuration file**

- Configuration file should be placed at:

- Project root (git repository root): `.aider.conf.yml`

- Home directory: `~/.aider.conf.yml`

- Project-level configs override home directory configs

3. **Apply configuration based on user needs**

**Essential settings to configure:**

- **Main Model**: Set the primary LLM model

```yaml

model: openai/gemini-2.5-pro # or anthropic/claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219, gpt-4o, etc.

```

- **API Keys**: Configure provider credentials (can also use .env file)

```yaml

openai-api-key: xxx

anthropic-api-key: xxx

```

- **Git Auto-commits**: Control automatic committing

```yaml

auto-commits: false # Set to true for automatic commits of LLM changes

```

- **Model Warnings**: Reduce noise from model metadata checks

```yaml

show-model-warnings: false

```

- **Code Theme**: Set syntax highlighting theme

```yaml

code-theme: gruvbox-dark # or monokai, solarized-dark, solarized-light, etc.

```

**Common configuration patterns:**

- **For team projects**: Enable auto-commits, configure linting, set test commands

- **For personal exploration**: Disable auto-commits, enable verbose output

- **For production work**: Enable auto-testing, configure weak-model for efficiency

- **For offline/air-gapped**: Configure local models, set api-base URLs

4. **Key configuration categories**

**Model Configuration:**

```yaml

model: <primary-model>

weak-model: <model-for-commits-and-summaries>

editor-model: <model-for-editor-tasks>

edit-format: <diff|whole|udiff|diff-fenced|architect>

```

**Git Integration:**

```yaml

auto-commits: true|false

dirty-commits: true|false

attribute-author: true|false

git-commit-verify: false # Skip pre-commit hooks

```

**Linting and Testing:**

```yaml

auto-lint: true|false

lint-cmd:

- "python: flake8 --select=..."

- "javascript: eslint"

test-cmd: pytest

auto-test: true|false

```

**Output and Display:**

```yaml

dark-mode: false

light-mode: false

pretty: true

stream: true

code-theme: <theme-name>

user-input-color: "#00cc00"

```

**History and Caching:**

```yaml

input-history-file: .aider.input.history

chat-history-file: .aider.chat.history.md

restore-chat-history: false

cache-prompts: false

```

**Repository Mapping:**

```yaml

map-tokens: 1024 # 0 to disable

map-refresh: auto # auto|always|files|manual

```

5. **Validate the configuration**

- Ensure YAML syntax is correct

- Verify file paths are valid for the user's system

- Check that model names are valid (use `aider --list-models <partial-name>` to verify)

- Confirm API keys are set (either in config or .env file)

6. **Provide usage guidance**

- Explain how to override config with CLI flags: `aider --model gpt-4o --auto-commits`

- Show how to use environment-specific configs (dev vs production)

- Mention `.env` file for sensitive API keys: `OPENAI_API_KEY=xxx`

- Explain precedence: CLI flags > project config > home config > defaults

Important Notes

Examples

**Minimal configuration for getting started:**

```yaml

model: openai/gpt-4o

auto-commits: false

show-model-warnings: false

```

**Power user configuration:**

```yaml

model: anthropic/claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

weak-model: anthropic/claude-3-5-haiku-20241022

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

auto-test: false

show-model-warnings: false

code-theme: gruvbox-dark

dark-mode: true

map-tokens: 2048

cache-prompts: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check"

- "typescript: eslint"

test-cmd: pytest -v

```

**Team collaboration setup:**

```yaml

model: openai/gpt-4o

auto-commits: true

dirty-commits: false

attribute-commit-message-author: true

git-commit-verify: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: flake8 --config=.flake8"

test-cmd: npm test

show-diffs: true

```

Constraints