Aider Configuration Manager

Configure Aider AI coding assistant through `.aider.conf.yml` configuration files. This skill helps you set up models, API credentials, git behavior, output styling, automated linting/testing, and advanced features for optimal AI-assisted coding workflows.

What This Does

Guides you through creating or modifying Aider configuration files to customize:

Instructions

When a user wants to configure Aider settings:

1. **Determine Configuration Scope**

- Ask whether this is for global settings (home directory) or project-specific (git repo root)

- Global: `~/.aider.conf.yml`

- Project: `<repo-root>/.aider.conf.yml`

2. **Identify Configuration Categories**

Based on user needs, focus on relevant sections:

- **Model Selection**: `--model`, `--weak-model`, `--editor-model`, `--edit-format`

- **API Keys**: `--openai-api-key`, `--anthropic-api-key`, `--api-key`, `--set-env`

- **Git Behavior**: `--auto-commits`, `--dirty-commits`, `--attribute-author`, `--git-commit-verify`

- **Output Styling**: `--dark-mode`, `--pretty`, `--code-theme`, `--show-diffs`

- **Automation**: `--auto-lint`, `--lint-cmd`, `--auto-test`, `--test-cmd`

- **Performance**: `--map-tokens`, `--cache-prompts`, `--max-chat-history-tokens`

3. **Generate Configuration File**

Create YAML with only relevant settings (avoid commenting out unused options):

```yaml

# Main model selection

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

# Git settings

auto-commits: true

attribute-author: true

show-diffs: true

# Output preferences

dark-mode: true

pretty: true

code-theme: monokai

# Automation

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

```

4. **Handle API Keys Securely**

- **Recommend `.env` file** for API keys instead of YAML (more secure)

- Only OpenAI and Anthropic keys can go in YAML

- For other providers, use `--set-env` or `.env` file

- Example `.env` approach:

```bash

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-proj-...

```

5. **Configure Common Scenarios**

**Scenario A: Basic Setup (New User)**

```yaml

model: gpt-4o

auto-commits: true

dark-mode: true

```

**Scenario B: Team Project with Linting**

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

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

auto-commits: true

attribute-author: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

auto-test: false

test-cmd: "pytest tests/"

```

**Scenario C: Advanced with Caching**

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

cache-prompts: true

cache-keepalive-pings: 3

map-tokens: 2048

max-chat-history-tokens: 4096

dark-mode: true

show-diffs: true

```

**Scenario D: Multi-Provider Setup**

```yaml

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

set-env:

- ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

- OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-proj-...

alias:

- "gpt4o=openai/gpt-4o"

- "sonnet=anthropic/claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219"

```

6. **Validate Configuration**

- Ensure YAML syntax is correct (proper indentation, no tabs)

- Check that list values use hyphen syntax for arrays

- Verify model names match Aider's supported models

- Confirm file paths are appropriate for OS

7. **Test the Configuration**

Provide command to test:

```bash

# Verify config is loaded

aider --config /path/to/.aider.conf.yml --show-prompts --exit

# Or just run aider

aider

```

8. **Handle Special Cases**

- **Custom models**: Use `--model-settings-file` and `--model-metadata-file`

- **SSL issues**: Set `verify-ssl: false` (not recommended for production)

- **Proxy/custom endpoints**: Use `--openai-api-base`

- **Reasoning models**: Set `--reasoning-effort` or `--thinking-tokens`

Key Configuration Patterns

Model Selection Hierarchy

Git Attribution Options

Performance Optimization

Automation Safety

Common Pitfalls

1. **Don't put all providers' keys in YAML** - only OpenAI/Anthropic supported; use `.env` for others

2. **List syntax matters** - use `- value` format, not `[value1, value2]`

3. **Color codes need quotes** - `"#00cc00"` not `#00cc00`

4. **Model names must be exact** - check `aider --list-models <partial-name>`

5. **Paths are platform-specific** - use forward slashes on Unix, backslashes on Windows (or forward slashes work on both)

Examples

Minimal Configuration

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

dark-mode: true

auto-commits: true

```

Full-Featured Team Setup

```yaml

Models

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

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

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

Git

auto-commits: true

dirty-commits: true

attribute-author: true

attribute-commit-message-author: true

show-diffs: true

Code quality

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

auto-test: false

test-cmd: "npm test"

Performance

cache-prompts: true

map-tokens: 2048

UI

dark-mode: true

code-theme: monokai

stream: true

pretty: true

```

Notes