Aider Configuration Template

A comprehensive configuration template for Aider, the AI pair programming tool. This template covers all available configuration options to customize Aider's behavior, including model selection, API settings, git integration, output preferences, and workflow automation.

What This Skill Does

This skill provides a fully-documented `.aider.conf.yml` configuration file that can be placed in your home directory or at the root of your git repository. It includes every valid Aider configuration entry with inline comments explaining each option.

Configuration Categories

The template is organized into the following sections:

1. **Main Model Selection** - Choose your primary AI model (Claude, GPT-4, DeepSeek, etc.)

2. **API Keys and Settings** - Configure API credentials and endpoints

3. **Model Settings** - Advanced model configuration, aliases, and metadata

4. **Cache Settings** - Enable prompt caching for cost savings

5. **Repomap Settings** - Control repository context mapping

6. **History Files** - Customize chat and command history locations

7. **Output Settings** - Colors, themes, and display preferences

8. **Git Settings** - Auto-commits, attribution, and repository behavior

9. **Fixing and Committing** - Linting, testing, and validation workflows

10. **Analytics** - Usage tracking preferences

11. **Voice Settings** - Voice input configuration

12. **Other Settings** - File handling, editor modes, and miscellaneous options

Key Features Highlighted

Dark Mode Enabled

```yaml

dark-mode: true

```

Pre-configured for developers using dark terminal themes.

Model Flexibility

Supports multiple AI providers:

Git Integration

Workflow Automation

Customization

Usage Instructions

1. **Copy the configuration file** to one of these locations:

- `~/.aider.conf.yml` (global, applies to all projects)

- `<project-root>/.aider.conf.yml` (project-specific)

2. **Uncomment and customize** the settings you want to enable:

- Remove the `#` prefix from any line you want to activate

- Update values to match your preferences

3. **Add API keys** (OpenAI and Anthropic only in YAML; use `.env` for others):

```yaml

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

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-your-key-here

```

4. **Select your primary model** by uncommenting one of:

```yaml

sonnet: true # Claude 3.5 Sonnet (recommended)

# 4o: true # GPT-4o

# deepseek: true # DeepSeek Chat

```

5. **Configure git behavior** if you want custom commit handling:

```yaml

auto-commits: true # Auto-commit changes

attribute-author: true # Attribute to Aider

commit-prompt: "Custom prompt for commit messages"

```

6. **Set up linting/testing** for automatic validation:

```yaml

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

test-cmd: "npm test"

auto-test: true

```

7. **Launch Aider** - it will automatically load your configuration:

```bash

aider

```

Important Notes

Example Configurations

Minimal Setup (Claude Sonnet)

```yaml

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-xxx

sonnet: true

dark-mode: true

auto-commits: true

```

Power User Setup

```yaml

anthropic-api-key: sk-ant-xxx

sonnet: true

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

dark-mode: true

auto-commits: true

auto-lint: true

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

auto-test: true

test-cmd: "pytest"

map-tokens: 2048

cache-prompts: true

fancy-input: true

suggest-shell-commands: true

```

Multi-Model Setup with Ollama

```yaml

model: ollama/deepseek-r1

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

openai-api-base: http://localhost:11434

set-env:

- OLLAMA_NUM_CTX=8192

dark-mode: true

```

Constraints

Related Resources