Aider Pro Configuration

A comprehensive Aider configuration optimized for professional development workflows with Gemini models, automatic linting, prompt caching, and clean git integration.

Overview

This configuration sets up Aider with:

Instructions

1. Create Configuration File

Create `.aider.conf.yml` in your project root or home directory with the following content:

```yaml

Model Configuration

model: gemini/gemini-2.5-pro-preview-03-25

weak-model: gemini/gemini-2.5-flash-preview-04-17

editor-model: gemini/gemini-2.5-pro-preview-03-25

Architect Mode - Use AI-driven code editing

auto-accept-architect: true

Caching - Faster responses with prompt caching

cache-prompts: true

History Files - Keep organized in .aider/ directory

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

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

aiderignore: .aider/.aiderignore

Output Settings

dark-mode: true

stream: true

notifications: true

Git Settings - Manual commits for better control

auto-commits: false

auto-lint: true

Test Configuration

test-cmd: "run tests"

```

2. Set Up Directory Structure

Create the `.aider/` directory for organized history files:

```bash

mkdir -p .aider

```

3. Configure API Keys

Set your Gemini API key as an environment variable:

```bash

export GEMINI_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

```

Or add it to your `.env` file in the project root:

```

GEMINI_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

```

4. Create .aiderignore (Optional)

Create `.aider/.aiderignore` to exclude files from Aider's context:

```

Dependencies

node_modules/

venv/

.venv/

Build outputs

dist/

build/

*.pyc

IDE files

.vscode/

.idea/

```

5. Run Aider

Launch Aider with your configuration:

```bash

aider

```

The configuration will be automatically loaded from `.aider.conf.yml`.

Key Features Explained

Model Selection

Prompt Caching

`cache-prompts: true` speeds up responses by caching repetitive context like file contents and system prompts.

Auto-Linting

`auto-lint: true` automatically runs linters after AI changes to catch issues immediately.

Manual Commits

`auto-commits: false` gives you control over when changes are committed, allowing you to review AI modifications before committing.

Notifications

`notifications: true` triggers a terminal bell when responses are ready, useful for long-running operations.

Customization Options

Use Different Models

Replace model names with your preferred AI providers:

```yaml

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

weak-model: gpt-4o-mini

```

Add Custom Lint Commands

Configure language-specific linters:

```yaml

lint-cmd:

- "python: ruff check --fix"

- "javascript: eslint --fix"

- "typescript: eslint --fix"

```

Enable Auto-Commits

For faster iteration, enable automatic commits:

```yaml

auto-commits: true

```

Customize Colors

Adjust terminal colors for your theme:

```yaml

user-input-color: "#00cc00"

assistant-output-color: "#0088ff"

code-theme: monokai

```

Advanced Usage

Working with Multiple Files

Add files to context explicitly:

```bash

aider src/main.py tests/test_main.py

```

Read-Only Files

Include files for reference without allowing edits:

```bash

aider --read docs/API.md --file src/api.py

```

Voice Input

Enable voice coding (requires microphone):

```yaml

voice-format: wav

voice-language: en

```

Then use `/voice` command in Aider.

Constraints

Tips

1. **Keep history files**: Don't delete `.aider/` - it contains useful conversation history

2. **Review before committing**: With `auto-commits: false`, always review changes with `/diff` before manually committing

3. **Use `/lint` command**: Manually trigger linting if auto-lint is disabled

4. **Leverage architect mode**: Let AI suggest file-level refactorings with `/architect`

5. **Monitor token usage**: Use `/tokens` to check context window usage