> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.remoteagent.chat/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# aider

> Use Aider as the AI runner — open-source, multi-model, works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, and more.

[Aider](https://aider.chat) is an open-source AI pair programmer that works with a wide range of model providers. The `aider` runner invokes the `aider` CLI binary as a subprocess, making it a flexible choice if you want to use models other than Claude — including self-hosted models via Ollama.

<Warning>
  The Aider runner is currently in **beta**. Some edge cases in output parsing
  and session handling may exist. If you encounter issues, please open an issue
  on the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/remoteagent).
</Warning>

## Requirements

* Python 3.9 or later
* pip

Install Aider:

```bash theme={null}
pip install aider-chat
```

Verify the installation:

```bash theme={null}
aider --version
```

## Model and API key configuration

Aider reads model configuration from environment variables or its own config files. Configure your preferred model before using it with RemoteAgent.CHAT.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash OpenAI theme={null}
  export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
  # Aider defaults to gpt-4o when OPENAI_API_KEY is set
  ```

  ```bash Anthropic theme={null}
  export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
  # Use: aider --model claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022
  ```

  ```bash Ollama (local) theme={null}
  # Start Ollama with a model first
  ollama pull llama3.2
  # Then use: aider --model ollama/llama3.2
  ```
</CodeGroup>

You can also create an `~/.aider.conf.yml` file to set defaults permanently. See [Aider's configuration docs](https://aider.chat/docs/config/aider_conf.html) for details.

## Setup

```bash theme={null}
remoteagent init --runner aider
```

Or choose `aider` when prompted by the interactive wizard.

During `remoteagent init`, the wizard will ask for:

* **API key** — saved and passed to Aider via environment variable
* **Model** (e.g. `claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022`, `gpt-4o`) — saved and passed as the `--model` flag on every run
* **Architect mode** (yes/no) — if enabled, the `--architect` flag is appended to every invocation

These settings are saved in `~/.remoteagent/agents/{agentId}.json` and applied automatically on every run.

## How it works

The runner executes:

```bash theme={null}
aider --message "<prompt>" --no-auto-commits --yes [--model <model>] [--architect]
```

Key flags:

* `--message` passes the prompt non-interactively
* `--no-auto-commits` prevents Aider from committing changes automatically (you remain in control of your git history)
* `--yes` answers any confirmation prompts automatically (required for non-interactive operation)
* `--model <model>` is included if a model was specified during init
* `--architect` is included if architect mode was enabled during init

Output from stdout is forwarded to Telegram as it arrives.

## Aider with git

By default, Aider is designed to work inside a git repository and uses git context to understand your codebase. Make sure your project directory is a git repo, or pass `--no-git` in your Aider config to disable git integration.

```bash theme={null}
# Check if your project is a git repo
git status
```

## Pros and cons

| Pros                                             | Cons                                             |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| Open-source and auditable                        | Beta status — edge cases in output parsing       |
| Works with many model providers                  | Requires Python environment                      |
| Supports local models via Ollama                 | More setup steps than opencode                   |
| Model and architect mode configurable via wizard | `--no-auto-commits` disables a key Aider feature |
| No vendor lock-in                                | —                                                |

## Updating Aider

```bash theme={null}
pip install --upgrade aider-chat
aider --version
```

Restart the agent after updating:

```bash theme={null}
remoteagent start
```