Aider

Aider is an open-source AI pair programmer for the terminal that edits code across a repo and commits each change to git.

Aider is an open-source command-line tool for pair programming with large language models, either to start a new project or to work on an existing codebase. It builds a map of the whole repository so it can work well in large projects, supports more than 100 programming languages, and commits every change to git with a sensible message so changes are easy to review or undo. It connects to almost any model, from Anthropic, OpenAI and DeepSeek to local models, and can also copy code back and forth with a browser chat. Developers can add images and web pages for context, request changes by voice, or leave comments in their own editor for Aider to act on. It can run linters and tests after each change and fix the problems they report.

Aider at a glance

Best for: Software engineer
Runs on: CLI, open source
Pricing: Free and open source; model providers charge for API use
Released: June 2023
Category: AI coding tool
Website: aider.chat

Key features

Repository map for working in large codebases
Automatic git commits for each change
Works with cloud and local models
Supports 100+ programming languages
Images, web pages and voice as input
Lint and test runs with automatic fixes
Comment-driven edits from any editor

Use it for

Add a feature to an existing repo from the terminal
Fix failing tests and lint errors automatically
Pair program with a local model offline

Companions

Tools that articles about Aider recommend using with it, each with its job.

OpenRouter — One key for any model; escalate hard refactors to frontier models.
Ollama — Fully local runs through its OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
LM Studio — Desktop local model server Aider connects to directly.

Alternatives to Aider

OpenCode — Works with 75+ model providers, local models, and existing subscriptions
jevgrep — Reduces coding agent costs by providing targeted, relevant repository context.
Git AI — It moves work to the server and handles concurrent tasks without standard Git bottlenecks.
OpenClaude — Connects one terminal interface to over 200 different AI models.
Freebuff — Access multiple coding AI models for free without subscriptions.
Cursor — Autocomplete, inline edits and parallel agents in one editor
Entire CLI — Mirrors Git repositories globally to increase cloning speeds for AI agents.
Refact.ai — Open-source, self-hosted, and integrates directly into your IDE.
opensrc — Provides AI agents direct access to package source code rather than types.
Dirac — Executes complex coding tasks efficiently with hash-anchored edits and low token overhead.
GitHub Copilot — Built into GitHub, with Claude and Codex agents on the same plan
TRAE — It features an autonomous coding agent that drives the entire development process.

All Aider alternatives