Aider Configuration Template

A comprehensive configuration template for Aider, the AI pair programming tool. This template covers all available configuration options that can be placed in `.aider.conf.yml` at your project root or home directory.

What This Does

Provides a complete reference configuration file for Aider with all supported options documented. Use this as a starting point to customize Aider's behavior for:

Instructions

1. **Create the configuration file** at your project root or home directory:

```bash

touch .aider.conf.yml

```

2. **Copy relevant sections** from the template below based on your needs. You don't need to include all options—only uncomment and set values you want to override from defaults.

3. **Set your API keys** (OpenAI/Anthropic only in YAML; other providers use `.env` file):

```yaml

openai-api-key: sk-...

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

```

4. **Choose your primary model**:

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

# or

model: gpt-4o

```

5. **Configure git behavior** (auto-commits, attribution, etc.):

```yaml

auto-commits: true

attribute-author: true

dirty-commits: true

```

6. **Set output preferences**:

```yaml

dark-mode: true

pretty: true

stream: true

code-theme: monokai

```

7. **Enable optional features**:

```yaml

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

cache-prompts: true

map-tokens: 2048

```

8. **Test your configuration**:

```bash

aider --verbose

```

Full 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 model:

Specify the model to use for the main chat

#model: xxx

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

API Keys and settings:

Specify the OpenAI API key

#openai-api-key: xxx

Specify the Anthropic API key

#anthropic-api-key: xxx

Specify the api base url

#openai-api-base: xxx

Set an environment variable (to control API settings)

#set-env:

- xxx

- yyy

Set an API key for a provider

#api-key:

- provider=xxx

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

Model settings:

Specify a file with aider model settings

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

Specify a file with context window and costs

#model-metadata-file: .aider.model.metadata.json

Add model aliases

#alias:

- short-name=full-model-path

Set reasoning effort (for supported models)

#reasoning-effort: xxx

Set thinking token budget

#thinking-tokens: xxx

API timeout in seconds

#timeout: xxx

Specify edit format (default depends on model)

#edit-format: xxx

Use architect edit format

#architect: false

Auto-accept architect changes

#auto-accept-architect: true

Model for commit messages and summarization

#weak-model: xxx

Model for editor tasks

#editor-model: xxx

Show model warnings

#show-model-warnings: true

Soft limit on chat history tokens

#max-chat-history-tokens: xxx

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

Cache settings:

Enable prompt caching

#cache-prompts: false

Keep cache warm (number of 5min pings)

#cache-keepalive-pings: 0

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

Repomap settings:

Tokens for repo map (0 to disable)

#map-tokens: xxx

Refresh frequency: auto, always, files, manual

#map-refresh: auto

Map token multiplier when no files specified

#map-multiplier-no-files: 2

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

History Files:

Chat input history file

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

Chat history file

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

Restore previous chat history

#restore-chat-history: false

Log LLM conversations

#llm-history-file: xxx

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

Output settings:

Dark terminal colors

#dark-mode: false

Light terminal colors

#light-mode: false

Colorized output

#pretty: true

Streaming responses

#stream: true

Color customization

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

#tool-output-color: "xxx"

#tool-error-color: "#FF2222"

#tool-warning-color: "#FFA500"

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

#completion-menu-color: "xxx"

#completion-menu-bg-color: "xxx"

Markdown code theme (default, monokai, solarized-dark, etc.)

#code-theme: default

Show diffs when committing

#show-diffs: false

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

Git settings:

Enable git repo detection

#git: true

Add .aider* to .gitignore

#gitignore: true

Add files from .gitignore to editing scope

#add-gitignore-files: false

Aider ignore file

#aiderignore: .aiderignore

Only use current subtree

#subtree-only: false

Auto-commit LLM changes

#auto-commits: true

Allow commits when repo is dirty

#dirty-commits: true

Attribution settings

#attribute-author: true

#attribute-committer: true

#attribute-commit-message-author: false

#attribute-co-authored-by: true

Skip pre-commit hooks

#git-commit-verify: false

Commit and exit

#commit: false

Custom commit message prompt

#commit-prompt: xxx

Dry run mode

#dry-run: false

Watch files for AI coding comments

#watch-files: false

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

Fixing and committing:

Lint provided or dirty files

#lint: false

Lint commands per language

#lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check"

- "typescript: eslint"

Auto-lint after changes

#auto-lint: true

Test command

#test-cmd: xxx

Auto-test after changes

#auto-test: false

Run tests, fix, and exit

#test: false

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

Analytics:

Enable/disable analytics

#analytics: false

Analytics log file

#analytics-log: xxx

Permanently disable analytics

#analytics-disable: false

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

Upgrading:

Check for updates on launch

#check-update: true

Show release notes

#show-release-notes: true

########

Modes:

Single message mode

#message: xxx

Message from file

#message-file: xxx

Browser GUI mode

#gui: false

Enable copy/paste with web UI

#copy-paste: false

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

Voice settings:

Audio format (wav, webm, mp3)

#voice-format: wav

Language (ISO 639-1 code)

#voice-language: en

Input device name

#voice-input-device: xxx

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

Other settings:

Files to edit

#file:

- xxx

- yyy

Read-only files

#read:

- xxx

VI editing mode

#vim: false

Chat language

#chat-language: xxx

Commit message language

#commit-language: xxx

Always confirm yes

#yes-always: false

Verbose output

#verbose: false

Load commands from file

#load: xxx

Encoding

#encoding: utf-8

Line endings (platform, windows, unix)

#line-endings: platform

Config file path

#config: xxx

.env file path

#env-file: .env

Suggest shell commands

#suggest-shell-commands: true

Fancy input with history

#fancy-input: true

Multi-line input mode

#multiline: false

Terminal bell notifications

#notifications: false

Custom notification command

#notifications-command: xxx

Detect and offer to add URLs

#detect-urls: true

Editor for /editor command

#editor: xxx

```

Common Configurations

Minimal Setup (Claude)

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-...

dark-mode: true

auto-commits: true

```

Python Development

```yaml

model: gpt-4o

openai-api-key: sk-...

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

auto-test: false

test-cmd: pytest

map-tokens: 2048

```

Multi-Model Setup

```yaml

model: claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219

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

editor-model: gpt-4o-mini

cache-prompts: true

```

Important Notes

Resources