Aider Configuration

This skill provides a comprehensive configuration template for Aider, an AI pair programming tool that works with your terminal and git repository.

Overview

Aider is a command-line AI coding assistant that can edit your code directly. This configuration covers all available settings including:

Instructions

When the user requests Aider configuration:

1. **Identify Requirements**: Determine which aspects of Aider the user needs to configure:

- Model provider and API keys

- Git workflow preferences

- Linting/testing automation

- Output appearance (colors, themes)

- Repository context settings

- Voice input configuration

2. **Create Configuration File**: Generate a `.aider.conf.yml` file in either:

- User's home directory (for global settings)

- Git repository root (for project-specific settings)

3. **Key Configuration Sections**:

**API Keys and Model Selection**:

```yaml

# Only OpenAI and Anthropic keys allowed in yaml

# Other API keys should go in .env file

openai-api-key: sk-...

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

# Choose your model

model: claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620

# Or use shortcuts: opus, sonnet, 4o, mini, etc.

```

**Git Integration**:

```yaml

git: true # Enable git integration

auto-commits: true # Auto-commit LLM changes

dirty-commits: true # Allow commits when repo is dirty

attribute-author: true # Tag aider in git author

gitignore: true # Add .aider* to .gitignore

```

**Automatic Linting**:

```yaml

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

```

**Automatic Testing**:

```yaml

auto-test: false # Enable if desired

test-cmd: "pytest tests/" # Your test command

```

**Repository Mapping** (controls how much context is sent):

```yaml

map-tokens: 1024 # Tokens for repo map (0 to disable)

map-refresh: auto # When to refresh: auto, always, files, manual

map-multiplier-no-files: 2 # More context when no files specified

```

**Output Customization**:

```yaml

dark-mode: true # Or light-mode: true

pretty: true # Colorized output

stream: true # Streaming responses

code-theme: monokai # Syntax highlighting theme

show-diffs: false # Show diffs on commit

```

**Cache Settings** (for supported models):

```yaml

cache-prompts: true # Enable prompt caching

cache-keepalive-pings: 0 # Keep cache warm

```

**Voice Input**:

```yaml

voice-format: wav # Or webm, mp3 (requires ffmpeg)

voice-language: en # ISO 639-1 language code

```

4. **Environment File Setup**: For API keys beyond OpenAI/Anthropic, create `.env` file:

```bash

# Additional API keys go here

DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=sk-...

OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-...

```

5. **Common Presets**:

**Minimal Setup** (just get started):

```yaml

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

sonnet: true

auto-commits: true

```

**Full Featured** (everything enabled):

```yaml

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

model: claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620

git: true

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd: ["python: ruff check --fix"]

map-tokens: 2048

dark-mode: true

cache-prompts: true

```

**Safe Mode** (manual control):

```yaml

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

sonnet: true

auto-commits: false

dirty-commits: false

auto-lint: false

auto-test: false

yes: false

```

6. **File Specifications**:

- Use `file: [path1, path2]` to specify files to edit

- Use `read: [path1, path2]` for read-only context files

- Use `.aiderignore` file to exclude files (like .gitignore)

7. **Model Settings**: For custom/unknown models:

```yaml

model-settings-file: .aider.model.settings.yml

model-metadata-file: .aider.model.metadata.json

openai-api-base: https://custom-endpoint.com/v1

```

Usage Examples

**Basic usage with configuration**:

```bash

Configuration will be auto-loaded from .aider.conf.yml

aider

Override config file location

aider --config /path/to/config.yml

One-off message without chat mode

aider --message "Add type hints to all functions"

```

**Project-specific workflow**:

```bash

Configure for Python project with testing

cat > .aider.conf.yml <<EOF

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

sonnet: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd: ["python: ruff check --fix"]

auto-test: true

test-cmd: "pytest tests/ -v"

EOF

aider

```

Important Notes

Constraints