Aider Configuration Template

A comprehensive `.aider.conf.yml` configuration template for Aider, the AI pair programming tool. This template includes all valid configuration entries with sensible defaults and detailed comments.

What This Does

This skill provides a complete reference configuration file for Aider that covers:

Instructions

When a user requests an Aider configuration file or asks how to configure Aider:

1. **Understand the use case**

- Ask what specific Aider features they want to configure

- Determine their preferred model provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.)

- Check if they need git integration, linting, or testing automation

2. **Generate the configuration**

- Start with the base template structure below

- Uncomment and customize relevant sections based on their needs

- Set the main model (e.g., `model: openai/gpt-4o` or `model: anthropic/claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219`)

- Configure weak-model for cheaper operations (e.g., `weak-model: openai/gpt-4o-mini`)

3. **Key sections to customize**

**Model Configuration:**

```yaml

model: openai/gpt-4o

weak-model: openai/gpt-4o-mini

# editor-model: xxx # Optional: separate model for editor tasks

```

**Git Integration:**

```yaml

gitignore: false # Set to true to auto-add .aider* to .gitignore

subtree-only: true # Only consider files in current subtree

auto-commits: true # Auto-commit LLM changes

dirty-commits: true # Allow commits when repo is dirty

```

**Linting & Testing:**

```yaml

auto-lint: true # Automatically lint after changes

lint-cmd:

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

- "javascript: eslint"

auto-test: false # Set to true for automatic testing

test-cmd: pytest # Command to run tests

```

**Output Customization:**

```yaml

dark-mode: false # or light-mode: false

code-theme: default # Options: monokai, solarized-dark, etc.

stream: true # Enable streaming responses

```

4. **API Key Configuration**

- Note that only OpenAI and Anthropic keys can go in YAML

- Recommend using `.env` file for other providers

- Show how to use `--set-env` for API settings

5. **Save location**

- Place in home directory: `~/.aider.conf.yml` (global settings)

- Or at git repo root: `.aider.conf.yml` (project-specific settings)

- Aider searches: git root → current directory → home directory

6. **Provide the complete file**

- Output the full configuration with commented sections

- Highlight any customized values

- Include inline comments explaining key options

Important Notes

Example Configurations

**Minimal OpenAI setup:**

```yaml

model: openai/gpt-4o

weak-model: openai/gpt-4o-mini

auto-commits: true

```

**Anthropic with linting:**

```yaml

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

weak-model: openai/gpt-4o-mini

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check"

- "typescript: eslint"

```

**No git integration (for quick experiments):**

```yaml

model: openai/gpt-4o

git: false

auto-commits: false

```

Configuration File Template

```yaml

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

Aider Configuration File (.aider.conf.yml)

Place in home directory or git repo root

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

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

Main model:

model: openai/gpt-4o

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

API Keys and settings:

#openai-api-key: xxx

#anthropic-api-key: xxx

#openai-api-base: xxx

#set-env:

- PROVIDER_API_KEY=xxx

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

Model settings:

weak-model: openai/gpt-4o-mini

#editor-model: xxx

#edit-format: xxx

#architect: false

#auto-accept-architect: true

#max-chat-history-tokens: xxx

#timeout: xxx

#verify-ssl: true

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

Cache settings:

#cache-prompts: false

#cache-keepalive-pings: 0

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

Repomap settings:

#map-tokens: xxx

#map-refresh: auto

#map-multiplier-no-files: 2

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

History Files:

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

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

#restore-chat-history: false

#llm-history-file: xxx

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

Output settings:

#dark-mode: false

#light-mode: false

#pretty: true

#stream: true

#code-theme: default

#show-diffs: false

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

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

#tool-error-color: "#FF2222"

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

Git settings:

git: true

gitignore: false

subtree-only: true

auto-commits: true

dirty-commits: true

#attribute-author: true

#attribute-committer: true

#attribute-co-authored-by: true

#attribute-commit-message-author: false

#aiderignore: .aiderignore

#add-gitignore-files: false

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

Fixing and committing:

#lint: false

#lint-cmd:

- "python: flake8"

#auto-lint: true

#test-cmd: pytest

#auto-test: false

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

Other settings:

#file:

- src/main.py

#read:

- docs/README.md

#yes-always: false

#verbose: false

#vim: false

#fancy-input: true

#multiline: false

#chat-language: xxx

#commit-language: xxx

#encoding: utf-8

#line-endings: platform

#suggest-shell-commands: true

#detect-urls: true

#editor: xxx

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

Analytics:

#analytics-disable: false

#check-update: true

```

Constraints