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Aider Commands List

Search and copy Aider commands by category: in-chat slash commands, CLI flags, chat modes, and config files. One-click copy.

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How to Use

Expand how to use
  1. 1

    Search commands

    Type a keyword to filter command names, flags, options, and examples all at once.

  2. 2

    Filter by category

    Switch between Slash Commands, CLI Flags, Chat Modes, and Config to focus on what you need.

  3. 3

    Copy and use

    Click the copy button on any card to grab the command and paste it directly into your terminal or Aider session.

Latest Version

This cheat sheet covers Aider v0.86.x (latest v0.86.2, February 2026). Includes slash commands, CLI flags, chat modes, and config files.

v0.86.1 (August 2025)

  • Support for reasoning_effort setting with GPT-5 series models
  • Temperature disabled by default for GPT-5 family (deterministic output)

v0.86.0 (August 2025)

  • Expanded GPT-5 model support to OpenAI, Azure, and OpenRouter
  • Support for dated / chat / mini / nano variants
See all version notes

Slash Commands

/add

Add files to the chat to make them editable.

Notes

  • /add <file>
  • Wildcards supported (e.g. /add src/*.ts)

Examples

/add src/main.py
Add src/main.py to the chat as an editable file.

/drop

Remove files from the chat to free up context.

Notes

  • /drop <file>
  • No argument removes all files

Examples

/drop src/main.py
Remove src/main.py from the chat context.

/clear

Clear the chat history. The file list is preserved.

Examples

/clear
Erase conversation history and reset the chat.

/reset

Drop all files and clear the chat history.

Examples

/reset
Fully reset the session (files + history).

/ls

List all known files and files currently in the chat.

Examples

/ls
Check which files are added to the chat and known to Aider.

/diff

Show the diff of changes since the last message.

Examples

/diff
View the latest changes Aider made in diff format.

/undo

Undo the most recent git commit made by Aider.

Examples

/undo
Roll back the last Aider commit with git reset.

/commit

Commit edits made outside the chat (message optional).

Notes

  • /commit [message]

Examples

/commit fix: typo in README
Commit manually edited changes with a custom message.

/code

Request code changes (switches to code mode).

Notes

  • /code <instruction>

Examples

/code Fix the bug
Run the request in code mode regardless of current mode.

/architect

Switch to architect/editor two-model configuration.

Notes

  • /architect <instruction>

Examples

/architect Refactor this module
Run the request in architect mode.

/ask

Ask questions about the codebase without editing files (switches to ask mode).

Notes

  • /ask <question>

Examples

/ask What does this class do?
Ask a question without making code changes.

/context

Switch to context mode to explore surrounding code context.

Notes

  • /context <question>

Examples

/context What code is related to this bug?
Explore the codebase in context mode.

/help

Ask questions about how to use Aider.

Notes

  • /help <question>

Examples

/help
Show available commands and help information.

/run

Run a shell command and optionally add output to the chat. Alias: !

Notes

  • /run <command>
  • Alias: !<command>

Examples

/run python test.py
Run a shell command and add its output to the chat.

/test

Run a shell command and add output to the chat on non-zero exit.

Notes

  • /test <command>

Examples

/test pytest
Run tests and let Aider auto-fix failures.

/lint

Lint and fix files in the chat (or all dirty files).

Examples

/lint
Lint the files currently in the chat and fix issues.

/model

Switch the main model.

Notes

  • /model <model-name>

Examples

/model claude-opus-4-5
Switch the main chat model.

/models

Search for available models.

Notes

  • /models <search-term>

Examples

/models claude
List available models matching 'claude'.

/editor-model

Switch the editor model (used in architect mode).

Notes

  • /editor-model <model-name>

Examples

/editor-model gpt-4o
Change the editor model for architect mode.

/weak-model

Switch the weak model (used for commit messages, etc.).

Notes

  • /weak-model <model-name>

Examples

/weak-model gpt-4o-mini
Change the lightweight model for commit message generation.

/web

Scrape a webpage, convert to Markdown, and add it to the message.

Notes

  • /web <URL>

Examples

/web https://example.com/docs
Fetch page content as Markdown and add it to context.

/paste

Paste image or text from the clipboard.

Examples

/paste
Paste clipboard content into the chat.

/copy

Copy the last assistant message to the clipboard.

Examples

/copy
Copy the latest Aider response to the clipboard.

/copy-context

Copy the current chat context as Markdown (for pasting into a web UI).

Examples

/copy-context
Copy chat content as Markdown to paste into a browser-based AI.

/read-only

Add a file as read-only, or mark an existing file as read-only.

Notes

  • /read-only <file>

Examples

/read-only src/config.py
Add the file as a reference-only (non-editable) context.

/map

Display the current repository map.

Examples

/map
Show the repository structure Aider has built.

/map-refresh

Force regeneration of the repository map.

Examples

/map-refresh
Refresh the repo map after adding or removing files.

/tokens

Show the token usage of the current chat context.

Examples

/tokens
Check current token usage against the context window.

/chat-mode

Switch to a new chat mode.

Notes

  • Options: code, ask, architect, context, help

Examples

/chat-mode ask
Switch to ask mode (no code changes).

/multiline-mode

Toggle multi-line mode (swap Enter and Meta+Enter behavior).

Examples

/multiline-mode
Switch to a mode where Enter inserts a newline and Meta+Enter sends.

/voice

Record voice input and transcribe it to text.

Examples

/voice
Record audio with the microphone and convert it to a prompt.

/git

Run a git command (output is not added to the chat).

Notes

  • /git <git-command>

Examples

/git log --oneline -5
Check the last 5 commits without adding output to chat.

/settings

Display current Aider settings.

Examples

/settings
View current configuration (model, format, etc.).

/editor

Open an editor to write the prompt. Alias: /edit

Notes

  • Alias: /edit

Examples

/editor
Open $EDITOR to write a multi-line prompt.

/ok

Alias for /code "Ok, please go ahead..." — approves a proposed change.

Examples

/ok
Approve and proceed with Aider's proposed changes.

/save

Save commands to reproduce the current session's file setup to a file.

Notes

  • /save <file>

Examples

/save .aider.session
Save the current file set for later reuse.

/load

Load and execute commands from a file.

Notes

  • /load <file>

Examples

/load .aider.session
Load and run saved session commands.

/think-tokens

Set the thinking token budget (e.g. 8k, 0.5M, 0 to disable).

Notes

  • /think-tokens <value>
  • Examples: 8k, 0.5M, 0 (disable)

Examples

/think-tokens 8k
Limit thinking tokens to 8,000.

/reasoning-effort

Set the reasoning effort level (number or low/medium/high).

Notes

  • Options: low, medium, high, or a value from 0 to 1

Examples

/reasoning-effort high
Set the reasoning model's thinking depth to maximum.

/report

Open a GitHub Issue to report a problem.

Examples

/report
Open the Aider bug report GitHub Issue form.

/quit

Exit Aider. Alias: /exit

Notes

  • Alias: /exit

Examples

/quit
End the Aider session.

CLI Flags

--model

Specify the model to use for the main chat.

Notes

  • --model MODEL

Examples

aider --model claude-opus-4-5
Launch Aider with the specified model.

--message

Send a one-shot message and exit after processing. Alias: -m

Notes

  • -m / --message "..."
  • Alias: -m

Examples

aider -m "Update the README" README.md
Run a one-shot message and exit.

--message-file

Read the message from a file, process it, and exit.

Notes

  • --message-file FILE

Examples

aider --message-file task.txt
Use the content of task.txt as the prompt and exit.

--file

Specify files to add as editable on launch (multiple allowed).

Notes

  • --file FILE (repeatable)

Examples

aider --file src/main.py --file src/utils.py
Launch with multiple files already added to the chat.

--read

Specify read-only files on launch (multiple allowed).

Notes

  • --read FILE (repeatable)

Examples

aider --read docs/spec.md
Launch with a spec file added as read-only context.

--yes-always

Automatically answer yes to all confirmation prompts.

Notes

  • --yes-always

Examples

aider --yes-always
Run in non-interactive mode with all prompts auto-confirmed.

--auto-commits / --no-auto-commits

Enable/disable automatic commits of LLM changes (default: enabled).

Notes

  • --auto-commits (enable)
  • --no-auto-commits (disable)

Examples

aider --no-auto-commits
Disable automatic commits so you can review before committing.

--auto-lint / --no-auto-lint

Enable/disable automatic lint after changes (default: enabled).

Notes

  • --auto-lint (enable)
  • --no-auto-lint (disable)

Examples

aider --no-auto-lint
Disable automatic lint runs after file changes.

--auto-test / --no-auto-test

Enable/disable automatic test after changes (default: disabled).

Notes

  • --auto-test (enable)
  • --no-auto-test (disable)

Examples

aider --auto-test
Run tests automatically after each change and fix failures.

--edit-format

Specify the edit format the LLM should use.

Notes

  • --edit-format FORMAT
  • Options: whole, diff, diff-fenced, udiff

Examples

aider --edit-format diff
Use diff format (efficient for small changes).

--architect

Use the architect edit format for the main chat.

Notes

  • --architect

Examples

aider --architect
Launch in architect/editor two-model configuration.

--map-tokens

Set the suggested token budget for the repository map.

Notes

  • --map-tokens VALUE

Examples

aider --map-tokens 2048
Limit the repo map size to 2048 tokens.

--config

Specify the location of the config file.

Notes

  • --config FILE

Examples

aider --config ~/.aider.custom.yml
Launch Aider with a custom config file path.

--env-file

Specify the .env file to load (default: .env).

Notes

  • --env-file FILE
  • Default: .env

Examples

aider --env-file .env.production
Load a production .env file on launch.

--dark-mode / --light-mode

Switch to color scheme for dark/light terminal backgrounds.

Notes

  • --dark-mode (dark background)
  • --light-mode (light background)

Examples

aider --dark-mode
Launch with colors optimized for dark terminals.

--no-stream

Disable streaming responses.

Notes

  • --no-stream

Examples

aider --no-stream
Disable streaming and display the full response after completion.

--gui / --browser

Launch Aider's web UI in the browser.

Notes

  • --gui / --browser

Examples

aider --browser
Run Aider with a browser-based web UI.

--watch-files

Watch files for AI comments and auto-execute them.

Notes

  • --watch-files

Examples

aider --watch-files
Detect AI: comments in code and run them automatically.

--copy-paste

Enable automatic copy/paste with the web UI.

Notes

  • --copy-paste

Examples

aider --copy-paste
Automatically copy/paste context between terminal and browser.

--voice-language

Set the language for voice input using an ISO 639-1 code.

Notes

  • --voice-language LANG
  • Examples: en, ja, fr

Examples

aider --voice-language en
Configure voice input for English.

--encoding

Set the encoding for input/output (default: utf-8).

Notes

  • --encoding VALUE
  • Default: utf-8

Examples

aider --encoding shift-jis
Use Shift-JIS encoding for files.

--commit

Commit pending changes with an auto-generated message and exit.

Notes

  • --commit

Examples

aider --commit
Commit changes without opening an Aider session.

--show-diffs

Show diffs when committing.

Notes

  • --show-diffs

Examples

aider --show-diffs
Display change diffs before each commit.

--apply

Apply changes from a file without running a chat session.

Notes

  • --apply FILE

Examples

aider --apply changes.diff
Apply a diff file through Aider.

--lint

Lint and fix specified (or dirty) files, then exit.

Notes

  • --lint

Examples

aider --lint
Lint changed files, fix issues, and exit.

--test

Run tests, fix issues, and exit.

Notes

  • --test

Examples

aider --test
Run the test command, fix failures, and exit.

--vim

Use VI editing mode in the terminal.

Notes

  • --vim

Examples

aider --vim
Launch Aider with vim key bindings enabled.

Chat Modes

code

Default mode. Aider modifies code in response to your requests.

Notes

  • Switch: /code or --chat-mode code

Examples

/code Fix this bug
Request a code change in code mode.

ask

Discuss and answer questions about the code without making changes.

Notes

  • Switch: /ask or --chat-mode ask

Examples

/ask Explain the control flow of this function
Ask for an explanation without changing any code.

architect

An architect model proposes changes; an editor model implements the specific edits.

Notes

  • Switch: /architect, --chat-mode architect, or --architect

Examples

/architect Redesign this module
Request a design change in architect mode.

help

Answers questions about Aider's usage, configuration, and troubleshooting.

Notes

  • Switch: /help or --chat-mode help

Examples

/chat-mode help
Ask about Aider configuration in help mode.

Config & Env Vars

.aider.conf.yml

YAML config file. Set any CLI option here. Auto-discovered from home, git root, and current directory.

Notes

  • Filename: .aider.conf.yml

Examples

model: claude-opus-4-5
auto-commits: false
Set the model and disable auto-commits in .aider.conf.yml.

.aiderignore

.gitignore-style patterns to exclude files from the repo map and editing scope.

Notes

  • Filename: .aiderignore

Examples

*.lock
node_modules/
dist/
Exclude lock files and build artifacts in .aiderignore.

.env

Write API keys and settings as environment variables. Auto-loaded or via --env-file.

Notes

  • Filename: .env
  • Use --env-file for a custom path

Examples

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
Set Anthropic and OpenAI API keys in .env.

.aider.model.settings.yml

Per-model configuration including edit format and other settings.

Notes

  • Filename: .aider.model.settings.yml

Examples

- name: claude-opus-4-5
  edit_format: diff
Set per-model edit format in .aider.model.settings.yml.

OPENAI_API_KEY / ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

Set API keys as environment variables for OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and more.

Notes

  • OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
  • ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

Examples

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
Set the Anthropic API key as a shell environment variable.

Version History

Compiled from Aider official GitHub releases.

v0.86.1 (August 2025)

View official release

  • Support for reasoning_effort setting with GPT-5 series models
  • Temperature disabled by default for GPT-5 family (deterministic output)
v0.86.0 (August 2025)

View official release

  • Expanded GPT-5 model support to OpenAI, Azure, and OpenRouter
  • Support for dated / chat / mini / nano variants
v0.85.2 (July 2025)

View official release

  • Support for Grok-4 (xai/grok-4, openrouter/x-ai/grok-4)
  • Support for gemini-2.5-flash-lite preview
  • /clear now shows a confirmation message
  • /undo now shows only the first line of the commit message

About This Tool

A reference tool to browse and copy-paste all Aider v0.86.x slash commands, CLI flags, chat modes, and config files on a single page. Aider is a Git-integrated terminal AI pair programming tool featuring multi-file editing, automatic commits, lint/test integration, and support for multiple LLMs (Claude, GPT, Gemini, and more). Use the category filter to narrow by command type, search by keyword, and copy any command without leaving the context.

What You Can Find

  • All 41 slash commands (/add, /architect, /ask, /code, /commit, /undo, and more)
  • All 27 CLI flags (--model, --architect, --auto-commits, --yes-always, and more)
  • 4 chat modes (code, ask, architect, help) with switching instructions
  • 5 config files and environment variables (.aider.conf.yml, .aiderignore, API keys, etc.)
  • Sub-options, notes, and usage examples for each entry

When It's Useful

  • When you want to check the difference between /architect and /ask during a coding session
  • When you need to verify flags like --auto-commits or --architect before launching Aider
  • When you want to adjust the thinking budget with /think-tokens or /reasoning-effort
  • When you want to explore what can be configured in .aider.conf.yml
  • When introducing Aider to teammates and sharing a quick command reference
  • When reviewing or rolling back Aider changes with /undo or /diff

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aider?

Aider is a Git-integrated terminal AI pair programming tool. It supports multiple LLMs including Claude, GPT, and Gemini, and enables multi-file editing, automatic commits, and lint/test integration directly from the terminal. All changes are automatically committed via Git, so you can always roll back with /undo.

How do I install Aider?

You can install Aider with pip: run `pip install aider-install` then launch `aider`, or use `python -m pip install aider-chat` for a direct install. After installation, run the `aider` command in your project directory to start a session.

What are slash commands?

Slash commands are in-session commands you type during a chat with Aider. They control file management (/add, /drop, /read-only), code changes (/code, /architect, /ask), Git operations (/commit, /undo, /diff), model switching (/model, /editor-model), and more. Use /help to see the full list.

What is the difference between code, ask, and architect modes?

Code mode (default) lets Aider modify your code based on requests. Ask mode answers questions about the code without making changes. Architect mode uses an architect model to propose changes and an editor model to implement the specific edits. Help mode answers questions about using Aider itself.

What is the --architect flag?

The --architect flag enables the architect edit format at CLI launch, making Aider operate in a two-model configuration of architect + editor. It is equivalent to --chat-mode architect, and helps with complex tasks by separating design proposals from concrete code edits.

How do I set up API keys?

Set them as environment variables: `export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...` for OpenAI and `export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...` for Anthropic. Writing them in a .env file lets Aider pick them up automatically on launch. You can also set API keys in .aider.conf.yml.

How do I undo Aider's changes?

Use the /undo command to revert the most recent git commit made by Aider. You can run it multiple times to roll back multiple commits. Standard Git operations like git reset also work since Aider uses plain Git commits.

Does this tool store my input data?

No. This cheat sheet is a static reference page. No commands, text, or clipboard data are sent to any server. Filtering and copying all happen entirely in your browser.

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