Aider speaks any OpenAI-compatible API. Two env vars and you're routing through Lite:
export OPENAI_API_BASE=http://localhost:8000/v1
export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-orca-PASTE-YOUR-KEY-HERE
# Use any catalog model
aider --model openai/auto # ← cheapest capable per request
aider --model openai/gpt-4o
aider --model openai/claude-3-5-sonnet-latest
aider --model openai/gemini-2.5-flashThe openai/ prefix is Aider's way of saying "use the OpenAI-compatible HTTP path." Lite serves that path; the model name after the slash is what gets routed.
# Cheap model proposes diffs, expensive model confirms them.
aider \
--model openai/auto \
--weak-model openai/claude-3-5-haiku-latest~/.aider.conf.yml:
openai-api-base: http://localhost:8000/v1
openai-api-key: sk-orca-PASTE-YOUR-KEY-HERE
model: openai/auto
weak-model: openai/claude-3-5-haiku-latest- One env var, every model.
- The local dashboard shows exactly what each Aider session cost.
model="auto"makes routine refactors hit Haiku/Flash automatically; complex sessions land on Sonnet/4o.