Aider Configuration Template

Complete configuration template for Aider AI pair programming tool. This skill provides a comprehensive `.aider.conf.yml` file with all available configuration options for customizing Aider's behavior.

What This Does

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

Instructions

1. **Identify Configuration Needs**

- Determine which Aider features you want to customize

- Check which AI models you have access to

- Consider your workflow preferences (auto-commits, linting, testing)

2. **Create Configuration File**

- Create `.aider.conf.yml` in your home directory for global settings

- OR create `.aider.conf.yml` in your git repository root for project-specific settings

- Copy the template provided below

3. **Customize Settings**

- Uncomment lines you want to activate (remove the `#` prefix)

- Set your preferred model (sonnet, opus, 4o, mini, deepseek, etc.)

- Configure API keys (or use `.env` file for better security)

- Enable/disable features like auto-commits, auto-lint, auto-test

- Customize colors for dark/light terminal themes

4. **Key Configuration Sections**

**Model Selection:**

- Set `model:` for custom model or use shortcuts like `sonnet: true`, `4o: true`

- Configure `weak-model:` for commit messages and summaries

- Set `editor-model:` for editing tasks

**Git Integration:**

- `auto-commits: true` - automatic commits of LLM changes

- `dirty-commits: true` - allow commits when repo has uncommitted changes

- `attribute-author: true` - credit aider in git author

- `commit-prompt:` - custom commit message generation

**Linting & Testing:**

- `auto-lint: true` - run linter after every change

- `lint-cmd:` - specify lint commands per language

- `auto-test: true` - run tests after changes

- `test-cmd:` - specify test command

**Repository Mapping:**

- `map-tokens: 1024` - control context size for repo map

- `map-refresh: auto` - when to refresh repo map (auto/always/files/manual)

**Output & Colors:**

- `dark-mode: true` or `light-mode: true`

- Customize colors for user input, assistant output, errors, warnings

- `code-theme:` - markdown syntax highlighting theme

5. **Security Best Practices**

- Never commit API keys to git repositories

- Use `.env` file for API keys instead of YAML config

- Add `.aider.conf.yml` to `.gitignore` if it contains secrets

- Use separate configs for personal vs. shared projects

6. **Advanced Features**

**Cache Settings:**

- `cache-prompts: true` - enable prompt caching (reduces costs)

- `cache-keepalive-pings: 5` - keep cache warm with periodic pings

**Edit Formats:**

- `edit-format:` - specify how LLM should format edits

- `architect: true` - use architect mode for planning changes

**Voice Input:**

- `voice-format: wav` - audio format (wav/webm/mp3)

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

7. **Verify Configuration**

- Run `aider --verbose` to see loaded configuration

- Use `aider --show-prompts` to verify system prompts

- Test with `aider --dry-run` to preview behavior without changes

Configuration Template

```yaml

##########################################################

Sample .aider.conf.yml

This file lists *all* the valid configuration entries.

Place in your home dir, or at the root of your git repo.

##########################################################

#######

Main:

Specify the OpenAI API key (prefer .env file)

#openai-api-key: xxx

Specify the Anthropic API key (prefer .env file)

#anthropic-api-key: xxx

Specify the model to use for the main chat

#model: xxx

Use claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022 model for the main chat

#sonnet: false

Use claude-3-5-haiku-20241022 model for the main chat

#haiku: false

Use gpt-4o-2024-08-06 model for the main chat

#4o: false

Use gpt-4o-mini model for the main chat

#mini: false

Use deepseek/deepseek-coder model for the main chat

#deepseek: false

#################

Model Settings:

Specify the api base url

#openai-api-base: xxx

Specify a file with aider model settings for unknown models

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

Specify what edit format the LLM should use (default depends on model)

#edit-format: xxx

Use architect edit format for the main chat

#architect: false

Specify the model to use for commit messages and chat history summarization

#weak-model: xxx

Specify the model to use for editor tasks

#editor-model: xxx

#################

Cache Settings:

Enable caching of prompts (reduces API costs)

#cache-prompts: false

Number of times to ping at 5min intervals to keep prompt cache warm

#cache-keepalive-pings: 0

###################

Repomap Settings:

Suggested number of tokens to use for repo map, use 0 to disable

#map-tokens: 1024

Control how often the repo map is refreshed (auto/always/files/manual)

#map-refresh: auto

################

History Files:

Specify the chat input history file

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

Specify the chat history file

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

Restore the previous chat history messages

#restore-chat-history: false

##################

Output Settings:

Use colors suitable for a dark terminal background

#dark-mode: false

Use colors suitable for a light terminal background

#light-mode: false

Enable/disable pretty, colorized output

#pretty: true

Enable/disable streaming responses

#stream: true

Set the color for user input

#user-input-color: #00cc00

Set the color for assistant output

#assistant-output-color: #0088ff

Set the markdown code theme (default/monokai/solarized-dark/solarized-light)

#code-theme: default

Show diffs when committing changes

#show-diffs: false

###############

Git Settings:

Enable/disable looking for a git repo

#git: true

Enable/disable adding .aider* to .gitignore

#gitignore: true

Specify the aider ignore file

#aiderignore: .aiderignore

Enable/disable auto commit of LLM changes

#auto-commits: true

Enable/disable commits when repo is found dirty

#dirty-commits: true

Attribute aider code changes in the git author name

#attribute-author: true

Prefix commit messages with 'aider: ' if aider authored the changes

#attribute-commit-message-author: false

Specify a custom prompt for generating commit messages

#commit-prompt: xxx

Perform a dry run without modifying files

#dry-run: false

########################

Fixing and committing:

Specify lint commands to run for different languages

#lint-cmd:

- "python: flake8 --select=E,W,F"

- "javascript: eslint"

Enable/disable automatic linting after changes

#auto-lint: true

Specify command to run tests

#test-cmd: pytest

Enable/disable automatic testing after changes

#auto-test: false

#################

Other Settings:

Use VI editing mode in the terminal

#vim: false

Specify the language to use in the chat

#chat-language: en

Check for new aider versions on launch

#check-update: true

Always say yes to every confirmation

#yes-always: false

Enable verbose output

#verbose: false

Enable/disable suggesting shell commands

#suggest-shell-commands: true

Specify which editor to use for the /editor command

#editor: vim

#################

Voice Settings:

Audio format for voice recording (wav/webm/mp3)

#voice-format: wav

Specify the language for voice using ISO 639-1 code

#voice-language: en

```

Common Configuration Examples

**Minimal Setup (Claude Sonnet):**

```yaml

sonnet: true

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

dark-mode: true

```

**Cost-Optimized Setup:**

```yaml

4o: false

mini: true

weak-model: gpt-4o-mini

cache-prompts: true

map-tokens: 512

```

**Strict Quality Setup:**

```yaml

sonnet: true

auto-lint: true

auto-test: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: flake8 --select=E,W,F && mypy"

test-cmd: pytest --strict

show-diffs: true

```

Important Notes