Aider Configuration with Read-Only Conventions

A production-ready Aider configuration file optimized for terminal-based AI-assisted development. This setup references read-only Python conventions, enables essential features like auto-commits and repo map refresh, while disabling analytics and history tracking for privacy.

Features

Instructions

1. **Save this configuration as `.aider.conf.yml`** in your project root or home directory (`~/.aider.conf.yml` for global config)

2. **Update the conventions path**:

- Modify the `read` path to point to your actual conventions file location

- Example: `read: [~/dot/conventions/python.md]` or `read: [.github/CONVENTIONS.md]`

3. **Configure API keys** (choose one method):

- **Recommended**: Set environment variables instead of uncommenting keys in config

```bash

export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-key"

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-key"

```

- Alternative: Uncomment and fill in `openai-api-key` or `anthropic-api-key` lines (less secure)

4. **Select your model** by uncommenting one of the model lines:

- `model: "vertex_ai/gemini-2.0-flash-thinking-exp"` (default shown)

- `opus: ""` for Claude Opus

- `sonnet: ""` for Claude Sonnet

- `4o: ""` for GPT-4o

- Other options: haiku, mini, turbo, deepseek, o1_mini, o1_preview

5. **Optional customizations**:

- **Enable linting**: Uncomment `lint-cmd` and set `lint: true`, `auto-lint: true`

- **Enable testing**: Uncomment `test-cmd` and set `test: true`, `auto-test: true`

- **Custom commit messages**: Uncomment and modify `commit-prompt`

- **Enable architect mode**: Set `architect: true` for planning-first workflows

- **Adjust history**: Change history file paths from `/dev/null` to actual files if you want persistence

6. **Run Aider** in your project directory:

```bash

aider

```

The configuration will automatically load, and the conventions file will be available as read-only context.

Key Configuration Highlights

Git Workflow

Privacy & Performance

Developer Experience

Constraints

Notes