Aider Configuration Manager

A comprehensive skill for configuring Aider, the AI pair programming tool, with optimized settings for development workflows including model selection, git integration, automatic testing, linting, and code quality automation.

What This Skill Does

This skill helps you set up and customize Aider's configuration file (`.aider.conf.yml`) with best practices for:

Instructions

When a user asks to configure Aider or optimize their Aider setup:

1. **Assess Current Setup**

- Check if `.aider.conf.yml` exists in the project root or home directory

- Review existing configuration if present

- Identify the user's preferred AI models and workflow needs

2. **Model Selection Configuration**

- Set the primary model (recommend `sonnet: true` for Claude 3.5 Sonnet as default)

- Configure weak model for summaries (cost optimization)

- Set editor model for code editing tasks

- Enable model warnings: `show-model-warnings: true`

3. **Git Integration Setup**

- Enable git: `git: true`

- Configure auto-commits based on workflow:

- `auto-commits: false` for manual control

- `auto-commits: true` for automatic commits

- Set commit message style with `commit-prompt` for conventional commits

- Configure attribution: `attribute-author: true`, `attribute-committer: true`

- Set up `.aiderignore` file: `aiderignore: .aiderignore`

4. **Linting Configuration**

- Enable auto-linting: `auto-lint: true`

- Configure language-specific lint commands in `lint-cmd`

- Example for Python: `"python: flake8 --select=..." or "uv run pylint ..."`

- Add multiple linters as array items if needed

5. **Testing Automation**

- Set test command in `test-cmd` (e.g., `pytest` with coverage flags)

- Enable auto-testing: `auto-test: true` for TDD workflows

- Configure test flags for verbose output and coverage reports

6. **Performance Optimization**

- Enable prompt caching: `cache-prompts: true`

- Set cache keepalive: `cache-keepalive-pings: 5` for warm cache

- Configure repo map tokens: `map-tokens: 1024` (or 0 to disable)

- Set map refresh strategy: `map-refresh: auto`

7. **Terminal UI Customization**

- Set code theme: `code-theme: solarized-dark` (or other themes)

- Enable vim mode if user prefers: `vim: true`

- Configure colors for different output types

- Enable streaming: `stream: true`

- Set pretty output: `pretty: true`

8. **Environment and Security**

- Set env file location: `env-file: .env` (or custom path)

- Store API keys in `.env` file, NOT in YAML

- Configure SSL verification: `verify-ssl: true`

9. **Read-Only Files**

- Add project rules or guidelines to `read:` array

- Example: Include architecture docs, coding standards, or custom rules

10. **File Structure**

```yaml

# Model Configuration

sonnet: true

cache-prompts: true

cache-keepalive-pings: 5

# Git Settings

git: true

auto-commits: false

commit-prompt: "..."

# Code Quality

lint-cmd: "..."

auto-lint: true

test-cmd: "..."

auto-test: true

# UI/UX

vim: true

code-theme: solarized-dark

# Environment

env-file: .env

read:

- docs/architecture.md

- .aider.rules

```

Usage Examples

Example 1: Python Project Setup

```bash

User: "Set up Aider for my Python project with auto-testing"

Create .aider.conf.yml with:

- Claude Sonnet model

- pytest with coverage

- pylint for linting

- conventional commit messages

- auto-test enabled

```

Example 2: Manual Control Workflow

```bash

User: "Configure Aider without auto-commits, I want manual control"

Create config with:

- auto-commits: false

- auto-test: false

- show-diffs: true for review before commits

```

Example 3: TDD Workflow

```bash

User: "Optimize Aider for test-driven development"

Create config with:

- auto-test: true

- auto-lint: true

- prompt caching enabled

- fast model for tests

```

Important Notes

Configuration File Location Priority

Aider searches for config files in this order:

1. File specified with `--config` flag

2. `.aider.conf.yml` in current directory

3. `.aider.conf.yml` in git root

4. `.aider.conf.yml` in home directory

Advanced Settings