Day 2 Overview

Aider is the minimalist git-first pair programmer. It edits files, auto-commits with descriptive messages, and stays out of your way. No TUI, no panels, no Docker sandboxes. Just a terminal prompt where you describe what you want and Aider edits your code. By the end of Day 2 you will have Aider installed, paired to a real project, and using architect mode with multiple models.

The five lessons move from zero to multi-model workflows: install and pair, master the git integration, understand the repository map, use architect mode for planning-then-editing, and switch models mid-session for different kinds of work.

What you'll build

By the end of these five lessons you will:

• Have Aider installed and paired to a git repository
• Use Aider's git integration to track, review, and undo every change
• Understand how the repository map gives Aider codebase-wide context without bloating the chat
• Use architect mode to separate planning from editing, improving results on complex tasks
• Switch between multiple models mid-session for cost/quality tradeoffs

Lessons

1. Installation & First Pair -- Install via pip, uv, or pipx. Launch Aider on a git repo, add files, and pair on your first real coding task.

2. Git Workflow & Commits -- Auto-commits, /undo, /diff, /commit, /git. How Aider's git integration makes every change traceable and reversible.

3. Repository Map & Codebase Context -- How Aider builds a map of your entire codebase and uses graph ranking to send only the most relevant symbols to the LLM. Token budgets, .aiderignore, and large-repo strategies.

4. Architect Mode -- Separate planning from editing. The architect proposes a solution, the editor translates it into file edits. Chat modes, /ask//code workflow, and --architect flag.

5. Multi-Model Workflows -- Switch models mid-session with /model. Pair a reasoning architect with a fast editor. .aider.conf.yml for persistent configuration. Voice coding and --watch mode.

Next: Day 3 -- OpenHands: The Autonomous Agent Platform