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Aider OpenDesign

Design With
Aider in
OpenDesign.

How to design interfaces with Aider in OpenDesign: one commit per revision, CONVENTIONS.md as the rulebook, one changelog-page task from brief to reviewed file, and the limits to know before you start.

Download OpenDesign Go to setup
From brief to interface01 / Aider
YOU BRING THE IDEA↗

“A changelog page, one commit
per revision, easy to revert.”

Illustrative interface · not a captured product session

THREE WAYS INTO THIS AIDER GUIDE

Choose Where to Start With Aider

THIS GUIDE · UI DESIGN

Build a Product Interface With Aider

This guide: brief, references, design rules and a reviewed HTML result.

Read this guide SETUP

Set Up Aider From Zero

Here is the full path from a clean machine to an Aider that can build and verify UI.

Go to setup COMPARISON

Compare Aider With Other Agents

How Aider differs from Codex, Claude Code, Cursor for design work, and when to choose another workflow.

See the comparison
On This Page Example
  1. Example
  2. Fit
  3. Compatibility
  4. Setup
  5. Workflow
  6. Resources
  7. Limitations
  8. FAQ

One Complete Aider Design Task

A Aider Design Task, From Brief to Interface

A single task, shown end to end: the brief and constraints you hand over, the artifact that comes back, and the checks you still run before it is done. The interface below is an illustrative example built for this page, not a recorded Aider run.

1Design Brief and Constraints

Brief

Design a changelog and release-notes page for a CLI tool: version list, a highlighted release with grouped changes, and an upgrade command. Keep each revision as its own commit. Desktop and phone.

  • Design systemOpenDesign paper canvas: Albert Sans, one green accent
  • Breakpoints1440px desktop and 390px mobile, no horizontal scroll
  • InteractionsVersion list, copy upgrade command, anchor per release
  • OutputOne self-contained HTML file with stable data-od-id hooks

2Division of Work: You, Aider and OpenDesign

  • You

    Write the brief, select the design system and define the acceptance criteria.

  • Aider

    Plans the layout, writes the HTML, CSS and JavaScript and revises it on request.

  • OpenDesign

    Provides the design system and skill, renders the preview and stores every version as a file in the project.

  • Review

    Visual hierarchy, spacing on the 8px grid, both breakpoints and every interaction are checked before handoff.

3Aider Artifact: The Changelog Page at 1440px and 390px

Aider Artifact: The Changelog Page at 1440px and 390px — Desktop
Illustrative example

4Review Before Handoff

Layout

Grid and Spacing

Version list, notes and rail on the 8px grid; release headings align with the list.

Hierarchy

Visual Hierarchy

Version and date first, then the breaking callout; the accent marks the current version only.

Responsive

Mobile Layout

Version list becomes a select; notes take the full width.

Interaction

Interaction Checks

Copy the upgrade command, jump to an older release, open the breaking callout link.

Fit

When Aider Fits the Task, and When It Does Not

Aider Fits When

  • Model-agnostic, BYOK. Connect almost any LLM with your own key, and use a vision-capable model to turn a reference image into responsive markup.
  • Git-native iteration. Auto-commits make every design pass a reviewable diff you can undo, so output stays clean and traceable.
  • CONVENTIONS.md context. A read-only conventions file carries your tokens, primitives, and design rules into every run.
  • Open source. Apache-2.0 and local-first, working directly on the code in your own repository.

Choose Another Workflow When

  • You need editable vector files. The artifact is HTML, not an editable design document. Check a separate vector workflow for your required asset format.
  • You have no reference and no constraints. Without a design system or examples the output tends toward a generic look; write the brief first.
  • You do not have the credential this agent needs. Required: Your own provider API key — BYOK (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Gemini, or local). OpenDesign does not provide or proxy credentials.
  • Your team works in OpenCode or Kilo. Those agents have their own pages; the workspace is the same, the setup differs. See related agents.

Compatibility

Aider Requirements Before You Start

This guide covers Aider as connected through the OpenDesign desktop app. Published references checked on 6 September 2026.

Tool ScopeAider, by Aider

Aider is an open-source (Apache-2.0) AI pair-programming tool that runs in your terminal. It maps your codebase, edits files in place, and automatically commits each change with a sensible message. This page is about designing interfaces with Aider through OpenDesign, not about Aider’s own interface. OpenDesign’s setup notes list the available agents.

Accounts and AuthenticationYour own provider API key — BYOK (OpenAI,

Your own provider API key — BYOK (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Gemini, or local). Authenticate with your own provider API key (BYOK) — credentials stay on your machine. This page does not promise a quota or price.

System and VersionsDesktop app or source

Check the download page for desktop builds. The Node.js and pnpm requirements in the source quickstart apply to running from source, not to installing a desktop package. Minimum compatible Aider version: not verified here.

Connection CheckThe success signal

Follow the connection instructions shown by your installed version, then run a small task. Confirm that Aider handled it and that the artifact opens. A download alone does not establish a working connection.

Start with the desktop app

Aider Setup in Three Steps

Download first, complete the Aider setup for your installed version, then check a small result. You do not need to build OpenDesign from source to follow this path.

  1. 1

    Download the OpenDesign Desktop App

    Choose the package for your computer, install it and open the app.

    Download OpenDesign
    CHECKPOINT
    The desktop app opens. Already installed? Move to the next step; there is no need to download again.
  2. 2

    Prepare Your Aider Connection

    Follow the Aider instructions in your installed version. Authenticate with your own provider API key (BYOK) — credentials stay on your machine.

    Aider — AI pair programming in your terminal 
    # 1. Install Aider (recommended installer; Python 3.8–3.13)
python -m pip install aider-install
aider-install
# or with pipx: pipx install aider-chat

# 2. Start it in your git project and bring your own key
cd your-project
aider --model sonnet --api-key anthropic=<your-key>
# or: aider --api-key openai=<your-key>   (also deepseek=, gemini=)

    From the Aider setup notes in the published guide; check the vendor documentation for the current command.

    CHECKPOINT
    Confirm the intended agent and account. If it is unavailable, check compatibility before trying a larger task.
  3. 3

    Run One Small Aider Task

    Use a small brief so you can judge the whole loop, including one revision.

    Starter brief

    Build a settings screen with a profile form and a save confirmation. Use my design rules. Check it at desktop and mobile widths.

    CHECKPOINT
    Open the result, test the save state and request one specific change. A generated file is the beginning of review, not the end.

To run OpenDesign from source, follow the technical quickstart instead.

The Aider design workflow

The Aider Design Workflow in Five Steps

The same changelog page task, followed from brief to verified file. Each step lists what you provide, what Aider does, what OpenDesign contributes and what you check.

  1. 1

    Design Brief

    Plain language, three to six lines. Name the audience, the job of the screen and the platforms.

    • YouWrite the brief; attach a reference screenshot if you have one.
    • AiderReads the brief and the project’s instruction file; asks when something is ambiguous.
    • OpenDesignProvides the project, the prompt surface and the skill for the artifact type.
    • CheckConfirm the brief states the acceptance criteria. Adding them now is cheaper than after generation.
  2. 2

    Design Constraints

    A design system and a few hard rules. This is what separates on-brand output from a generic look.

    • YouPick a design system; state breakpoints and any must-use components.
    • AiderLoads the DESIGN.md tokens and posture rules into context before writing a line.
    • OpenDesignShips the design-system library and binds the chosen one into the skill template.
    • CheckThe tokens match your brand. One accent, the right fonts, the right radius.
  3. 3

    Generate the Interface

    Aider writes a self-contained HTML file: layout, styles, interactions and stable hooks.

    • YouWait, or answer a clarifying question. Nothing to configure.
    • AiderPlans the sections, writes the HTML, CSS and JavaScript, runs the file and fixes what fails.
    • OpenDesignSaves the artifact into the project folder and indexes it for preview.
    • CheckNothing yet. Judge the file after it is rendered, not from the source.
  4. 4

    Preview

    The file renders inside OpenDesign at the widths you asked for. This is where the design is judged.

    • YouSwitch widths, click through the interactions, leave comments on elements.
    • AiderReads your comments on the preview and prepares the next revision.
    • OpenDesignRenders the preview, exposes data-od-id targets for comments and edits.
    • CheckHierarchy, contrast, overflow at 390px, focus states, and whether the accent is used sparingly.
  5. 5

    Revise and Verify

    Request changes by pointing at elements in the preview. Every revision is a new file; nothing is overwritten silently.

    • YouTurn comments into requests; decide when the task is done.
    • AiderApplies the changes in place and re-runs the file.
    • OpenDesignKeeps versions side by side; exports an image or the HTML when you are done.
    • CheckRe-check only the area that changed, then the whole page once at each breakpoint.

Resources

Aider Design Resources

Skills

Design Skills

The artifact types Aider can produce in OpenDesign, one skill per type.

Browse skills Design systems

Design Systems

Brand tokens and components to bind before Aider generates anything.

Browse systems Templates

Templates

Starting points for decks, landing pages and product screens.

Browse templates

Limitations

Aider Limitations, Manual Checks and Fallbacks

  • ScopeThis page covers Aider as an agent connected to OpenDesign, not every Aider feature.
  • Usage LimitsUsage limits and cost follow the credential you use (Your own provider API key — BYOK (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Gemini, or local)). This page makes no claim about free quotas.
  • NetworkLocal project files do not mean offline inference. Review your agent’s provider settings and data policies before sharing sensitive inputs.
  • Output Is HTMLArtifacts are HTML files, not vector design files.
  • Manual ReviewAccessibility, real content, brand fit and interaction correctness are reviewed by you in the preview. Treat any self-check by the agent as a first pass.
  • FallbackIf the agent is unavailable or a task fails, check the installed version’s connection instructions and authentication. Preserve the error and the last working artifact before changing configuration.

FAQ

Common Questions About Aider and OpenDesign

Can Aider Really Do Design Work?
Yes — with an aesthetic skill, a design system, and real reference images in context, Aider produces production-quality, responsive UI, and on vision-capable models it reads screenshots to verify output against references. Without that context it tends to default to a generic look, which is the gap OpenDesign fills.
Which Models Can I Use With Aider for Design?
Aider is model-agnostic. You bring your own API key and connect almost any LLM — Claude, GPT-4o, DeepSeek, Gemini, or a local model. For image-based design work, use a vision-capable model like GPT-4o or Claude. OpenDesign never proxies your credentials.
What Makes Aider Good for Design Specifically?
Two things: it is model-agnostic, so you pick the model that designs best for your task, and it is git-native, committing every change so each design iteration is reviewable and reversible. Both help — but taste still comes from the design system, skill, and references you supply.
Does Aider Edit My Files and Commit to Git?
Yes. Aider edits files directly in your repository and automatically commits each change with a sensible message, so you can diff, manage, and undo the AI's work with the git tools you already use.
How Do I Give Aider My Design Conventions?
Create a CONVENTIONS.md with your tokens, primitives, and rules, then load it read-only with /read CONVENTIONS.md or aider --read CONVENTIONS.md (or set read: CONVENTIONS.md in .aider.conf.yml to load it every run). Aider then works against your brand instead of a default look.

Start a First Design Task With Aider

Start with a small task, judge the round trip, then bring the real brief. Choose the option that matches your setup; the page does not detect it.

Where are you in the setup?
Download OpenDesign See the setup checklist

OpenDesign Desktop

One design system. Every output unmistakably your brand

Inside the full Vibe Design Workspace, use the same brand rules across websites, slide decks, interactive prototypes, dashboards, images, and HTML video. Connect Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, and other coding agents already on your computer, then create locally for free.

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