Give AI coding tools
Move from chat-only assistance to a controlled coding workflow that can work with project files.
A repository (repo) is a project folder tracked by Git so changes can be reviewed and restored.
What this step is for.
A chat window can suggest code, but a coding tool can inspect files, propose edits and run explicit commands. This increases capability and risk. Use a repository, review changes and avoid giving broad system access that the task does not need.
Keep the scope small enough that you can inspect the result yourself. AI can accelerate the work, but it should not erase the distinction between a suggestion, a changed file, a successful build and a verified product.
Take one concrete action.
Create a disposable practice repository. Connect your chosen coding assistant only to that repository. Ask it to make one tiny, reversible change and inspect the diff before accepting it.
Use Aider on one disposable file and inspect every change
1. Install Git first. Download Git from git-scm.com/download/win. Open a new PowerShell and run git --version. Configure practice identity with git config --global user.name "Your Name" and git config --global user.email "you@example.com", replacing both values with your own.
2. Install Python and Aider. If python --version fails, install Python from python.org and enable Add Python to PATH. Run python -m pip install aider-install and then aider-install. Reopen PowerShell if aider is not found.
3. Create the file yourself. Run mkdir "$HOME\Documents\aider-practice", cd "$HOME\Documents\aider-practice", Set-Content -Path hello.txt -Value "before AI", git init, git add hello.txt and git commit -m "practice baseline". Get-Content hello.txt must print before AI.
4. Start Aider. With the Step 04 model installed, run aider --no-auto-commits --model ollama_chat/llama3.2:3b hello.txt. Ask: Change hello.txt so it contains exactly: AI coding works.
5. Inspect the diff. Run /diff inside Aider. It should show before AI removed and AI coding works added. Exit with /exit and run git diff -- hello.txt in PowerShell.
6. Accept or reject. Accept with git add hello.txt then git commit -m "accept AI practice edit". To reject an uncommitted edit instead, run git restore hello.txt. Success: you can inspect the proposed diff and deliberately choose commit or restore.
Turn the idea into evidence.
Repeat the edit once more, but reject it instead of committing it. Your evidence is a clean git status and a file whose contents match the last accepted commit.
Do not move on until this is true.
You can identify exactly which files changed and restore the previous state.
Why we use this principle.
Nyfir Studios treats generated output and verified output as different states. Development work on local AI, Android software and bookkeeping workflows has repeatedly shown that recoverable state, explicit tests and clear product status are more useful than simply producing more output.