Model Aliases for Aider

This skill configures convenient short aliases for AI models in Aider, making it faster to switch between different models during coding sessions.

What This Does

Sets up command-line aliases for popular AI models accessed through OpenRouter, allowing you to use short codes instead of full model paths. For example, use `ds` instead of typing `openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v3.1-terminus:exacto`.

Configured Aliases

Instructions

When a user requests this skill, follow these steps:

1. **Locate or create Aider configuration file**

- Check for existing `.aider.conf.yml` in the user's home directory or project root

- If it doesn't exist, create a new one

2. **Add the alias configuration block**

```yaml

alias:

- "ds:openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v3.1-terminus:exacto"

- "snt:openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5"

- "gpt:openrouter/openai/gpt-5.1"

- "km:openrouter/moonshotai/kimi-k2-0905:exacto"

- "kmt:openrouter/moonshotai/kimi-k2-thinking"

- "mm: openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2"

- "g:openrouter/google/gemini-3-pro-preview"

```

3. **Verify configuration format**

- Ensure proper YAML syntax with correct indentation

- Maintain the alias format: `"short-name:full-model-path"`

- Preserve any existing configuration in the file

4. **Inform the user**

- Confirm which file was modified

- Explain that they can now use these short aliases when running Aider

- Example: `aider --model ds` to use DeepSeek

- Remind them that an OpenRouter API key must be configured separately

Usage Examples

After configuration, users can launch Aider with any alias:

```bash

Use DeepSeek V3.1

aider --model ds

Use Claude Sonnet 4.5

aider --model snt

Use GPT-5.1

aider --model gpt

```

Important Notes