Aider Configuration

Comprehensive configuration template for Aider, the AI pair programming tool. This skill provides a complete `.aider.conf.yml` file with all available configuration options organized by category.

What This Does

Generates a fully-documented Aider configuration file that can be placed in your home directory or git repository root. The configuration covers:

Instructions

1. **Analyze User Requirements**

- Ask what aspects of Aider they want to configure (model, git behavior, appearance, etc.)

- Determine if they're using OpenAI, Anthropic, or another provider

- Check if they need specific features enabled (auto-commits, auto-lint, auto-test, architect mode)

2. **Generate Configuration File**

- Start with the complete template structure

- Uncomment and set values for requested features

- Keep frequently-used options at the top

- Leave unused options commented with descriptions

- Add inline comments explaining non-obvious settings

3. **Key Configuration Sections**

**Model Settings:**

```yaml

# Main model for coding tasks

model: 'openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4'

# Optional: Lighter model for commit messages

#weak-model: xxx

# Optional: Model for editor tasks

#editor-model: xxx

```

**Git Behavior:**

```yaml

# Enable/disable auto-commits (default: True)

auto-commits: false

# Enable/disable commits when repo is dirty (default: True)

#dirty-commits: true

# Attribute commits to aider using Co-authored-by trailer

#attribute-co-authored-by: true

```

**Output Customization:**

```yaml

# Dark or light terminal theme

#dark-mode: false

#light-mode: false

# Color scheme

#user-input-color: "#00cc00"

#assistant-output-color: "#0088ff"

# Code syntax highlighting theme

#code-theme: default

```

**Automation:**

```yaml

# Auto-lint after changes (default: True)

#auto-lint: true

# Auto-test after changes (default: False)

#auto-test: false

# Custom lint commands per language

#lint-cmd:

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

# - "javascript: eslint"

```

4. **Important Settings to Highlight**

- **Model selection**: Default uses OpenRouter with Claude Sonnet 4

- **Auto-commits**: Example shows disabled (`auto-commits: false`)

- **Update checking**: Example shows enabled (`check-update: true`)

- **API keys**: Note that only OpenAI and Anthropic keys can go in YAML; others require `.env`

- **File location**: Can be placed in home dir (`~/.aider.conf.yml`) or git root

5. **Provide Usage Instructions**

After generating the configuration:

- Explain where to save the file (home directory or git root)

- Note that git root takes precedence over home directory

- Mention the `.env` file option for API keys

- Suggest using `aider --help` to see all current options

- Remind them that command-line flags override config file settings

6. **Common Configurations**

**Minimal setup (model only):**

```yaml

model: 'gpt-4'

```

**Conservative (manual commits):**

```yaml

model: 'gpt-4'

auto-commits: false

auto-lint: false

auto-test: false

```

**Aggressive automation:**

```yaml

model: 'gpt-4'

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

auto-test: true

test-cmd: 'pytest'

```

**Dark theme with architect mode:**

```yaml

model: 'claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022'

architect: true

dark-mode: true

code-theme: monokai

```

Constraints

Example Usage

**User Request:** "I want to configure Aider to use Claude Sonnet 4 via OpenRouter, disable auto-commits, and use a dark theme."

**Output:** Generate `.aider.conf.yml` with:

```yaml

model: 'openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4'

auto-commits: false

dark-mode: true

code-theme: monokai

```

**User Request:** "Give me a complete configuration template with all options documented."

**Output:** Generate the full template file with all options commented out and documented (as shown in the source content).