Aider Configuration Template

Complete configuration template for Aider AI pair programming tool with all available settings.

Overview

This skill provides a comprehensive `.aider.conf.yml` configuration file that covers all Aider settings including model selection, API configuration, git integration, output customization, and workflow automation. Customize it to match your development workflow.

Instructions

1. **Create configuration file**

- Place `.aider.conf.yml` in your git repository root OR home directory

- Repository-level configs override home directory configs

2. **Configure your primary model**

```yaml

model: gemini/gemini-2.5-flash # or anthropic/claude-3-7-sonnet, gpt-4o, etc.

```

3. **Set API keys** (choose one method)

- In config file (OpenAI/Anthropic only):

```yaml

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-xxx

openai-api-key: sk-xxx

```

- Or in `.env` file (supports all providers):

```

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-xxx

GEMINI_API_KEY=xxx

```

4. **Customize git workflow**

```yaml

auto-commits: true # Auto-commit LLM changes

show-diffs: true # Show diffs before committing

attribute-author: true # Credit aider in git author

watch-files: true # Watch for AI coding comments

```

5. **Configure auxiliary models**

```yaml

weak-model: gemini/gemini-2.0-flash-lite # For commit messages

editor-model: anthropic/claude-3-7-sonnet # For editing tasks

```

6. **Set up linting and testing**

```yaml

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

auto-test: false

test-cmd: pytest

```

7. **Customize output appearance**

```yaml

dark-mode: true # or light-mode: true

pretty: true # Colorized output

stream: true # Streaming responses

code-theme: monokai # Syntax highlighting theme

```

8. **Enable repo mapping**

```yaml

map-tokens: 1024 # Tokens for repo context map

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

```

9. **Configure caching** (for supported models)

```yaml

cache-prompts: true

cache-keepalive-pings: 3 # Keep cache warm

```

10. **Advanced settings**

```yaml

edit-format: diff # or whole, udiff, editor-diff, architect

architect: false # Use architect mode

multiline: true # Multi-line input with Meta-Enter

notifications: true # Terminal bell on completion

```

Key Configuration Sections

Model Settings

Git Integration

Output Customization

Workflow Automation

Cache Management

Examples

**Minimal config (Anthropic Claude)**

```yaml

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

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-xxx

auto-commits: true

show-diffs: true

```

**Python development setup**

```yaml

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

weak-model: anthropic/claude-3-haiku-20240307

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

test-cmd: pytest

dark-mode: true

code-theme: monokai

```

**Budget-conscious config with caching**

```yaml

model: gemini/gemini-2.5-flash

cache-prompts: true

cache-keepalive-pings: 5

map-tokens: 512

auto-commits: true

```

Important Notes

Constraints