Aider Configuration Template

A complete configuration template for Aider, the AI pair programming tool. This file demonstrates all available configuration options for customizing Aider's behavior, model selection, git integration, output formatting, and development workflow.

What This Does

This SKILL.md provides a comprehensive `.aider.conf.yml` configuration template that covers:

Instructions

When a user asks to set up or configure Aider, follow these steps:

1. **Determine the user's needs** by asking about:

- Which LLM provider they want to use (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.)

- Whether they need auto-commits and git attribution

- If they want automatic linting/testing enabled

- Their preferred color scheme (dark/light mode)

2. **Create a `.aider.conf.yml` file** in either:

- The user's home directory (for global settings)

- The root of their git repository (for project-specific settings)

3. **Include only relevant configuration options**. Don't include every option—customize based on the user's workflow:

- For beginners: model, auto-commits, dark-mode/light-mode

- For teams: git settings, commit attribution, lint-cmd

- For advanced users: map-tokens, cache-prompts, weak-model

4. **Set API keys appropriately**:

- Remind users that only OpenAI and Anthropic keys can go in the YAML file

- For other providers, create a `.env` file in the git root

- Never hardcode actual API keys—use placeholders like `your-api-key-here`

5. **Configure model-specific settings**:

```yaml

# Example: Using Claude Sonnet

model: claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620

anthropic-api-key: your-api-key-here

# Example: Using GPT-4o

model: gpt-4o-2024-08-06

openai-api-key: your-api-key-here

```

6. **Set up git integration** based on user preferences:

```yaml

# Recommended defaults

auto-commits: true

dirty-commits: true

attribute-author: true

attribute-committer: true

gitignore: true

```

7. **Configure linting/testing** if requested:

```yaml

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

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

- "javascript: eslint"

auto-test: false # Usually false to avoid running tests after every change

test-cmd: "pytest"

```

8. **Set up output preferences**:

```yaml

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

pretty: true

stream: true

code-theme: monokai # or default, solarized-dark, solarized-light

```

9. **Add advanced features** for power users:

```yaml

# Repo mapping for better context

map-tokens: 1024

map-refresh: auto

# Prompt caching (can reduce costs)

cache-prompts: true

# Custom commit messages

commit-prompt: "Generate a concise commit message following conventional commits format"

```

10. **Provide usage instructions** after creating the config:

- How to verify the config is loaded: `aider --verbose`

- How to override config options via CLI: `aider --model gpt-4o`

- Where to find additional documentation: https://aider.chat/docs/config/

Example Configurations

Minimal Setup (Beginner)

```yaml

.aider.conf.yml

model: claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620

anthropic-api-key: your-api-key-here

dark-mode: true

auto-commits: true

```

Team Development

```yaml

.aider.conf.yml

model: gpt-4o-2024-08-06

openai-api-key: your-api-key-here

Git settings

auto-commits: true

attribute-author: true

attribute-committer: true

attribute-commit-message-committer: true

Linting

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

Output

dark-mode: true

pretty: true

show-diffs: true

```

Power User

```yaml

.aider.conf.yml

model: claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620

weak-model: claude-3-haiku-20240307

anthropic-api-key: your-api-key-here

Advanced model settings

map-tokens: 2048

cache-prompts: true

edit-format: diff

Git

auto-commits: true

dirty-commits: true

commit-prompt: "Generate conventional commit message with type, scope, and description"

Linting and testing

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

auto-test: false

test-cmd: "pytest -v"

History

restore-chat-history: true

llm-history-file: .aider.llm.history

Output

dark-mode: true

code-theme: monokai

stream: true

```

Important Notes

Constraints