Aider Configuration

This skill configures Aider, the AI pair programming tool, with optimized settings for development workflows using Claude Sonnet.

What This Skill Does

Creates a comprehensive `.aider.conf.yml` configuration file that sets up:

Claude Sonnet as the main model

Dark mode with custom color scheme

Manual repo map refresh for better control

Neovim as the default editor

Git integration with automatic commits

Linting and testing workflows

History file management

Configuration Details

Model Settings

**Main Model**: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (sonnet: true)

Optimized for code generation and editing tasks

Cache prompts disabled by default

UI/UX Settings

**Dark Mode**: Enabled with custom color palette

- User input: #B3B1AD

- Tool output: #B3B1AD

- Assistant output: #39BAE6

- Error messages: #F26D78

- Warnings: #FFB454

**Code Theme**: one-dark

**Editor**: Neovim (nvim)

Repository Management

**Repo Map Refresh**: Manual (prevents automatic refreshes)

**Git Integration**: Enabled with auto-commits

**Aiderignore**: Configured at `.aiderignore`

**Dirty Commits**: Allowed

File History

Input history: `.aider.input.history`

Chat history: `.aider.chat.history.md`

Model settings: `.aider.model.settings.yml`

Model metadata: `.aider.model.metadata.json`

Development Workflow

**Auto-lint**: Enabled (runs after changes)

**Auto-test**: Disabled (manual control)

**Shell Command Suggestions**: Enabled

**URL Detection**: Enabled

Instructions

When a user requests Aider configuration or asks to set up AI pair programming:

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

```yaml

# Place at: ~/.aider.conf.yml or <repo-root>/.aider.conf.yml

```

2. **Use the following configuration**:

```yaml

Main model

sonnet: true

Repomap settings

map-refresh: manual

Output settings

dark-mode: true

user-input-color: #B3B1AD

tool-output-color: #B3B1AD

tool-error-color: #F26D78

tool-warning-color: #FFB454

assistant-output-color: #39BAE6

completion-menu-color: #B3B1AD

completion-menu-bg-color: #0F131A

completion-menu-current-color: #B3B1AD

completion-menu-current-bg-color: #1B3A5B

code-theme: one-dark

History files

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

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

Git settings

auto-commits: true

dirty-commits: true

attribute-author: true

attribute-committer: true

Fixing and committing

auto-lint: true

auto-test: false

Other settings

editor: nvim

suggest-shell-commands: true

detect-urls: true

env-file: .env

```

3. **Explain key settings** to the user:

- Manual repo map refresh gives more control over when context is updated

- Auto-commits are enabled to track AI-generated changes

- Auto-lint runs after changes to catch issues early

- Neovim is set as the default editor for `/editor` command

4. **Optional customizations** based on user needs:

- Add API keys (OpenAI, Anthropic) if not using .env file

- Configure lint commands for specific languages

- Set up test commands for auto-testing

- Adjust color scheme for light mode terminals

- Change editor to vim, emacs, vscode, etc.

5. **Create companion files** if needed:

- `.aiderignore` - files to exclude from Aider context

- `.aider.model.settings.yml` - custom model configurations

- `.env` - API keys and environment variables

Usage Examples

**Basic setup:**

```bash

User asks: "Set up Aider for my project"

→ Create .aider.conf.yml in repo root with the configuration above

```

**Custom model:**

```bash

User asks: "Configure Aider to use GPT-4"

→ Modify configuration to set `4o: true` instead of `sonnet: true`

```

**Light mode terminal:**

```bash

User asks: "I use a light terminal background"

→ Change `dark-mode: true` to `light-mode: true`

→ Adjust color values for light background visibility

```

Important Notes

API keys should be stored in `.env` file for security, not in the YAML config

The configuration file can be placed in home directory (`~/.aider.conf.yml`) for global settings or repo root for project-specific settings

Repo-specific config overrides global config

Auto-commits can be disabled if the user prefers manual control

Model costs vary - Claude Sonnet is balanced for quality and cost

Cache prompts can be enabled to reduce costs with supported providers

Constraints

Only OpenAI and Anthropic API keys can be stored in YAML config

Other provider keys must use `.env` file

Color values must be valid hex codes

Editor must be accessible from command line

Git repository required for most features

Some features require ffmpeg (audio formats)

Aider Configuration

Aider Configuration

What This Skill Does

Configuration Details

Model Settings

UI/UX Settings

Repository Management

File History

Development Workflow

Instructions

Main model

Repomap settings

Output settings

History files

Git settings

Fixing and committing

Other settings

Usage Examples

User asks: "Set up Aider for my project"

→ Create .aider.conf.yml in repo root with the configuration above

User asks: "Configure Aider to use GPT-4"

→ Modify configuration to set `4o: true` instead of `sonnet: true`

User asks: "I use a light terminal background"

→ Change `dark-mode: true` to `light-mode: true`

→ Adjust color values for light background visibility

Important Notes

Constraints

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