Connect Aider to NekoCloud
Aider supports OpenAI-compatible endpoints. This guide uses Chat Completions, not a promise that every model works well for editing.1 NekoCloud has not individually acceptance-tested this toolchain; these are documentation-based instructions, not a verified integration claim.
1. Prepare and install
Create a NekoCloud key and check balance, key-group permissions, and the exact ID in the model plaza. Install Aider using its official installation guide, or keep your existing installation; do not modify the system Python merely to install it.2 Back up existing .aider.conf.yml and environment settings, preserve unrelated options, and use a test project.
2. Minimal configuration
Linux/macOS Bash example. Replace both placeholders; do not include Bearer in the key:
export OPENAI_API_BASE="https://api.nekocloud.vip/v1"
export OPENAI_API_KEY="REPLACE_WITH_API_KEY"
cd /path/to/project
aider --model openai/REPLACE_WITH_MODEL_ID| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
OPENAI_API_BASE | NekoCloud OpenAI base URL, including /v1 |
OPENAI_API_KEY | Your actual NekoCloud key |
--model | Client routing prefix openai/, followed by the exact model ID |
These variable names and the prefix follow Aider's compatibility guide; do not substitute names from other clients.1 On Windows, set the same user environment variables and reopen the terminal.
3. Model selection and reload
Use /model openai/REPLACE_WITH_MODEL_ID to change the main model. /models searches client model metadata, not your NekoCloud authorization or live inventory.3 After environment changes, exit and restart from the same terminal. For unfamiliar-model warnings, check the ID and official guidance rather than inventing context limits, prices, or capability metadata. If using weak/editor auxiliary models, check their routing and authorization separately.
4. Verification and security
The following tests can incur model charges; run them only after confirming consent. Send a short greeting and verify the selected model and response. Then enter /read-only README.md and ask via /ask for a summary quoting the file, without edits or shell execution.3 This validates Aider's file-reference and question-answering path, not OpenAI tool_calls. Confirm files are unchanged, then compare request time, model, and tokens with NekoCloud usage records. /tokens describes the current context, not the bill.3
Never commit keys or include them in screenshots or chats. The plaintext export is illustrative; use hidden Bash input and export the variable for real credentials. For 401, check credentials and process environment; for 404, check URL and model; for 400, check protocol parameters. Stop repeated retries and redact secrets before troubleshooting.