.aiderignore
.aiderignore tells the Aider CLI which files to exclude from the chat context and edits.
This week: 0% of 499 scanned repos had .aiderignore.See Radar #4 →
What it is
.aiderignore is a gitignore-style file that Aider reads to skip matching files when adding repository context or making changes.
Why use it
It keeps secrets and large files out of Aider’s context, which also reduces token usage and avoids accidental edits to sensitive files.
How to set it up
Create .aiderignore in your project root and add one glob pattern per line for files Aider should ignore.
.env
.env.*
*.pem
*.key
secrets/What to exclude
Common sensitive categories worth adding to .aiderignore:
FAQ
- Does Aider already respect .gitignore?
- Aider focuses on tracked files, but .aiderignore lets you add extra exclusions specific to the assistant.
Check your own project
158 of 499 repos this week exposed sensitive paths to AI tools. Check yours in seconds:
Run the same local check with Offsend CLI:
brew install --cask offsend/tap/offsend-cli
offsend show
offsend prepare --dry-runEverything runs locally. No file contents are uploaded.