Aider (`aider`)

Set up this tool

Aider reads rules from CONVENTIONS.md. agnostic-ai writes that file, an optional .aider.conf.yml that loads it, and .aiderignore.

First rule

Install the client using the official setup guide, then open your project in it.

Select aider in agnostic-ai.yaml, then follow First rule to add the shared commit-prefix rule and sync it. With the default paths, it reaches CONVENTIONS.md.

Aider does not load this file automatically unless you enable the project config.

For existing files, review migration and the import aider command before syncing.

Verify

Run agnostic-ai sync --check and inspect CONVENTIONS.md for the commit-prefix rule. Start Aider with aider --read CONVENTIONS.md. Ask it to write a commit subject for a small fix; it should use fix:.

Next, enable automatic rule loading so you do not need --read on each launch.

Output

CONVENTIONS.md           # pointer body + inlined rules block (written by sync)
.aider.conf.yml          # only when conf-file is set
.aiderignore             # only when the project has ignore entries

Rules: CONVENTIONS.md holds the instructions that point to source specs plus a marked ## Rules block with the project-wide rule bodies. import aider strips that block. Load it with aider --read CONVENTIONS.md.
Auto-load: set outputs.aider.conf-file: .aider.conf.yml to add a read: entry to Aider's project config. model and weak-model go into the same file when set. Your other keys stay, and the read: list has no duplicates. Each sync rewrites the file with sorted keys and drops its comments.
Ignore: ignore entries go to .aiderignore in the project root. That is Aider's default path (Aider config docs), so it needs no setup. If you point outputs.aider.ignore-file elsewhere, Aider reads it only when the config file's aiderignore: key names that path.

What sync removes from .aider.conf.yml

When aider leaves targets or conf-file is unset, sync removes only model, weak-model, and the read: entry it added. It preserves your key order and remaining comments, and removes the header. When rules-file changes, sync removes the read: entry it added for the old path.

Config keys

Key	Default	Notes
`outputs.aider.conf-file`	empty, opt-in
`outputs.aider.model`
`outputs.aider.weak-model`
`outputs.aider.rules-file`	unset	writes all rules into one legacy file and skips the write of instructions that point to source specs
`outputs.aider.ignore-file`	`.aiderignore`

With builtins: [handoff], a configured rules-file includes the handoff instructions.

Protected paths

Not enforced. This target takes no settings specs, so sync reports a spec with a protected block as unsupported. See protected-path alternatives.

Aider (aider)