Aider

Aider uses the OpenAI-compatible route with the openai/ model prefix. Put the stable route settings in .aider.conf.yml; Aider loads this file from your home directory, then the git repo root, then the current directory, with later files taking priority. Use --config <filename> only when you want one explicit config file.

For a deployed instance, use:

# ~/.aider.conf.yml or <repo>/.aider.conf.yml
model: openai/gpt-5.6-terra
openai-api-base: https://codex-pooler.example.com/v1

For local setup, use:

# ~/.aider.conf.yml or <repo>/.aider.conf.yml
model: openai/gpt-5.6-terra
openai-api-base: http://localhost:4000/v1

Aider’s .aider.conf.yml route settings do not carry context or output limits. If your installed Aider version does not recognize gpt-5.6-terra, use Aider’s separate model metadata JSON file for model behavior and limits instead of adding unsupported context fields to the main config.

{
  "openai/gpt-5.6-luna": {
    "max_tokens": 258400,
    "max_input_tokens": 130400,
    "max_output_tokens": 128000,
    "litellm_provider": "openai",
    "mode": "chat",
    "supports_function_calling": true,
    "supports_vision": true,
    "supports_reasoning": true
  },
  "openai/gpt-5.6-terra": {
    "max_tokens": 258400,
    "max_input_tokens": 130400,
    "max_output_tokens": 128000,
    "litellm_provider": "openai",
    "mode": "chat",
    "supports_function_calling": true,
    "supports_vision": true,
    "supports_reasoning": true
  },
  "openai/gpt-5.6-sol": {
    "max_tokens": 258400,
    "max_input_tokens": 130400,
    "max_output_tokens": 128000,
    "litellm_provider": "openai",
    "mode": "chat",
    "supports_function_calling": true,
    "supports_vision": true,
    "supports_reasoning": true
  }
}

When the Pool’s /v1/models entry provides context_length, use that effective value as the authoritative max_tokens value; the explicit input and output limits must still add up to it.

Keep the Pool API key out of the YAML file. Export it in the shell, or put it in a gitignored .env file that Aider can load:

export OPENAI_API_KEY="$CODEX_POOLER_API_KEY"

Check Aider from a repository with a real file edit. The command should only need the one-off prompt when the config file is present:

aider \
  --message 'Create a file named aider-ok.txt containing exactly: aider ok. After the file exists, reply with exactly: aider ok' \
  --yes-always \
  --no-auto-commits \
  --no-git \
  --no-browser \
  --no-gui \
  --no-analytics

The check is only useful if aider-ok.txt exists with the expected content; a text reply alone does not prove Aider can edit through the configured model path.

The Pool API key authenticates /v1 model requests. Do not use an operator MCP token as the OpenAI API key.