Aider
aider.chat
Open-source AI pair programmer for your terminal — makes git commits as it edits your codebase.
Quick Information
- Category:
- Coding
- Pricing:
- Free
- Platforms:
- Web
- Free Plan:
- Yes
- Last Verified:
- September 2026
What Is Aider?
Most AI coding assistants live inside an editor, making changes you review in a diff panel before deciding whether to keep them. Aider takes a different, more terminal-native approach: it runs in a command line against your actual local codebase, reads the relevant files, proposes edits, and — distinctively — makes real git commits as it goes, so every AI-made change is a reviewable, revertible commit rather than an in-place edit sitting in your working directory.
That git-native workflow is Aider's defining feature relative to editor-embedded assistants. It gives a developer a clean audit trail of exactly what the AI changed and why, and reverting a bad AI suggestion is as simple as a normal git revert rather than manually untangling a diff by hand. For anyone who already thinks in commits as the unit of change, that mental model maps naturally onto how Aider works.
It's built for developers who are comfortable working from the command line and want AI-made changes to slot directly into their existing git discipline, rather than developers looking for a fully integrated IDE experience with a chat sidebar. It's open-source, actively maintained, and worth trying alongside other options in our Coding tools directory if a git-first workflow appeals more than an editor-embedded one.
What Can You Use Aider For?
Multi-file code changes
Reads and edits across multiple files in a codebase to implement a described change.
Git-tracked AI edits
Makes every AI-driven change as its own git commit, keeping a clean, revertible history.
Terminal-based development
Fits naturally into a command-line-centric development workflow without needing a specific IDE.
Aider Features
- Automatic git commits — Commits each AI-made change to git automatically, creating a reviewable and revertible history.
- Multi-file context awareness — Reads relevant files across a codebase to make coherent changes spanning more than one file.
- Model flexibility — Works with multiple underlying AI models rather than being locked to a single provider.
- Terminal-native interface — Runs entirely from the command line rather than requiring a specific code editor.
Who Is Aider For?
- Developers who work primarily in the terminal — Fits naturally into a command-line workflow without needing a specific IDE.
- Teams with strict git discipline — Every AI change lands as its own commit, keeping the audit trail clean and consistent with existing practices.
Aider Pros & Limitations
What We Like
- Every AI-made change is a real, revertible git commit
- Works across multiple files in a codebase, not just single-file edits
- Open-source and not locked to a single AI model provider
Limitations
- Requires comfort with the command line rather than a graphical IDE experience
- No built-in chat sidebar or visual diff review the way some IDE-integrated tools offer
- Users need to bring their own API key for the underlying AI model
Aider Pricing
Free
Pricing was last verified September 2026. Check the official website for the latest pricing.
AI Listing Jungle Ranking
- Global Rank:
- #106
- Overall Score:
- 75.2/100
- Monthly Users:
- –
- Rank Change:
- ▲ 13
This ranking reflects AI Listing Jungle's own independent scoring methodology and is not an endorsement by Aider or its company. How Our Rankings Work
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aider free?
Aider itself is free and open-source; you pay only for usage of whichever underlying AI model provider you connect it to.
Does Aider work with any code editor?
It runs from the terminal rather than inside a specific editor, so it works alongside whatever editor you already use.
Can I undo changes Aider makes?
Yes, since every change is committed to git individually, undoing it is as simple as a standard git revert.
Which AI models does Aider support?
It supports multiple model providers rather than being locked to a single one, letting you choose based on cost or capability.
Our Take
Aider's git-native approach is a genuinely different, and for many developers more trustworthy, way of working with an AI coding assistant than an in-editor diff panel.
It rewards developers who already think in commits and are comfortable in a terminal — less so those wanting a fully visual, IDE-integrated experience.
Aider Alternatives
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