Aider runs in the terminal and works on a git repo: describe the change in natural language, and it pulls relevant files into the conversation, produces edits and commits, with git itself for rollback. It is not tied to a model service; your config decides. Plain command line and honest version history suit people who already work in a terminal. On large repos, control how many files join the chat or edits drift, and test after each step.
What it does
- Command-line interaction from the repo directory
- git integration with commits and rollback
- Your own model and key, swappable for comparison
- Files named explicitly to bound context
- Open source, reusable in scripts
Who it is for
- Projects already in git that need clear change history
- A terminal-first workflow without switching editors
- Comparing models on the same set of edits
- Fixing a small, well-bounded defect without planning
How to get started
- Start in a clean repo and confirm version state and branch
- Add only the files involved, then state the requirement in one sentence
- Review diffs before accepting and test after each commit
