Aider fails to discover .aider.conf.yaml, requires .aider.conf.yml

[geekmdtravis]

Issue

When launching Aider from the command line without specifying a configuration file, it is anticipated that Aider will automatically search for environmental configuration files as outlined in the documentation. However, while this process is initiated, the file extension yaml is not recognized for aider.conf.yaml, necessitating the use of yml instead.

To reproduce, simply give the configuration file a yaml file extension.

Version and model info

Aider v0.82.3
Main model: openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25 with whole edit format
Weak model: openrouter/qwen/qwen3-235b-a22b:free
Git repo: .git with 3 files
Repo-map: using 1024 tokens, auto refresh
Config File (/Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aider.conf.yml):
model: openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25
auto-accept-architect:False
weak-model: openrouter/qwen/qwen3-235b-a22b:free
editor-model: openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25
auto-commits: False
dirty-commits: False
vim: True
Defaults:
--set-env: []
--api-key: []
--model-settings-file:.aider.model.settings.yml
--model-metadata-file:.aider.model.metadata.json
--cache-keepalive-pings:0
--map-refresh: auto
--map-multiplier-no-files:2
--input-history-file:/Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aider.input.history
--chat-history-file:/Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aider.chat.history.md
--user-input-color:#00cc00
--tool-error-color:#FF2222
--tool-warning-color:#FFA500
--assistant-output-color:#0088ff
--code-theme: default
--aiderignore: /Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aiderignore
--lint-cmd: []
--test-cmd: []
--voice-format: wav
--voice-language: en
--encoding: utf-8
--line-endings: platform
--env-file: /Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.env

Option settings:

• 35turbo: False
• 4: False
• 4_turbo: False
• 4o: False
• aiderignore: /Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aiderignore
• alias: None
• analytics: None
• analytics_disable: False
• analytics_log: None
• anthropic_api_key: None
• api_key: []
• apply: None
• apply_clipboard_edits: False
• assistant_output_color: #0088ff
• attribute_author: True
• attribute_commit_message_author: False
• attribute_commit_message_committer: False
• attribute_committer: True
• auto_accept_architect: False
• auto_commits: False
• auto_lint: True
• auto_test: False
• cache_keepalive_pings: 0
• cache_prompts: False
• chat_history_file: /Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aider.chat.history.md
• chat_language: None
• check_model_accepts_settings: True
• check_update: True
• code_theme: default
• commit: False
• commit_prompt: None
• completion_menu_bg_color: None
• completion_menu_color: None
• completion_menu_current_bg_color: None
• completion_menu_current_color: None
• config: None
• copy_paste: False
• dark_mode: False
• deepseek: False
• detect_urls: True
• dirty_commits: False
• dry_run: False
• edit_format: None
• editor: None
• editor_edit_format: None
• editor_model: openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25
• encoding: utf-8
• env_file: /Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.env
• exit: False
• fancy_input: True
• file: None
• files: []
• git: True
• git_commit_verify: False
• gitignore: True
• gui: False
• haiku: False
• input_history_file: /Users/travis/Development/sandbox/.aider.input.history
• install_main_branch: False
• just_check_update: False
• light_mode: False
• line_endings: platform
• lint: False
• lint_cmd: []
• list_models: None
• llm_history_file: None
• load: None
• map_multiplier_no_files: 2
• map_refresh: auto
• map_tokens: None
• max_chat_history_tokens: None
• message: None
• message_file: None
• mini: False
• model: openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25
• model_metadata_file: .aider.model.metadata.json
• model_settings_file: .aider.model.settings.yml
• multiline: False
• notifications: False
• notifications_command: None
• o1_mini: False
• o1_preview: False
• openai_api_base: None
• openai_api_deployment_id: None
• openai_api_key: None
• openai_api_type: None
• openai_api_version: None
• openai_organization_id: None
• opus: False
• pretty: True
• read: None
• reasoning_effort: None
• restore_chat_history: False
• set_env: []
• show_diffs: False
• show_model_warnings: True
• show_prompts: False
• show_release_notes: None
• show_repo_map: False
• skip_sanity_check_repo: False
• sonnet: False
• stream: True
• subtree_only: False
• suggest_shell_commands: True
• test: False
• test_cmd: []
• thinking_tokens: None
• timeout: None
• tool_error_color: #FF2222
• tool_output_color: None
• tool_warning_color: #FFA500
• upgrade: False
• user_input_color: #00cc00
• verbose: False
• verify_ssl: True
• vim: True
• voice_format: wav
• voice_input_device: None
• voice_language: en
• watch_files: False
• weak_model: openrouter/qwen/qwen3-235b-a22b:free
• yes_always: None

[sltptr]

Hi, I also ran into this issue earlier today. For people such as myself who are new to Aider it can be a bit confusing that the .yml extension is a strict requirement. I spent a couple hours not understanding why my config was wrong, turns out it was just the extension.

Opened this PR to address it: #4031

[geekmdtravis]

Hi, I also ran into this issue earlier today. For people such as myself who are new to Aider it can be a bit confusing that the .yml extension is a strict requirement. I spent a couple hours not understanding why my config was wrong, turns out it was just the extension.

Opened this PR to address it: #4031

I like your solution. I was considering coming back to this when I had more free time, so I'm glad you beat me to it. ^_^ I hope they'll integrate your solution.

[sukima]

This is especially difficult for new users as the documentation explicit uses .yaml when the application uses .yml

If it were not for the GitHub issue I would never have been able to use aider!

Edit: the documentation does not explicitly use .yaml. I was mistaken.

[paul-gauthier]

Thanks for trying aider and filing this issue.

@sukima can you show me where the docs use .yaml ?

[geekmdtravis]

Thanks for trying aider and filing this issue.

@sukima can you show me where the docs use .yaml ?

I am pretty sure it doesn't actually give an example *.yaml file. There is consistent use of the *.yml extension in the documentation. However, when referencing the file type there is an alternation between the appropriate uppercased acronym YAML and a slightly confusing lowercase yaml, which can easily be taken as an acceptable file extension (on top of the fact that the official file extension for YAML is .yaml).

[sukima]

@paul-gauthier You are correct. I don't see where I thought I saw .yaml

I apologize for incorrectly stating it was in the docs.

[paul-gauthier]

I've changed all yaml references to YAML, which may help reduce confusion.

[github-actions]

I'm labeling this issue as stale because it has been open for 2 weeks with no activity. If there are no additional comments, I will close it in 7 days.

Note: A bot script made these updates to the issue.

[github-actions]

I'm closing this issue because it has been stalled for 3 weeks with no activity. Feel free to add a comment here and we can re-open it. Or feel free to file a new issue at any time.

Note: A bot script made these updates to the issue.