Ralph Workflow vs Aider: Terminal Pair Programming vs Composable Workflow

Aider is a terminal-based AI pair programming tool that edits code directly in your git repo. Ralph Workflow is a free open-source composable loop framework for autonomous coding runs that aims to end in finished, tested code you can review.

They are different tools with different primary use cases — but they can actually complement each other.

At a Glance

| Ralph Workflow | Aider
What it is | Operating system for autonomous coding: free open-source composable loop framework and AI orchestrator | Terminal-based AI pair programming in your git repo
License | AGPL (source) / CC0 (outputs) | Free / Open source
Setup | TOML config files, no cloud required | Varies
Vendor lock-in | None — own your config | Varies
Primary use case | Unattended coding runs with a reviewable finish | Interactive terminal-based coding with git integration

Key Differences

Aider is a pair programming tool — you drive the session, Aider suggests and applies edits. Ralph Workflow is designed for when you want to walk away from the keyboard and come back to a result you can review.

Ralph Workflow is the better choice when you want:

A loop that runs unattended and produces finished, tested code

A multi-phase workflow (planning → development → verification → follow-up)

Cost control via model routing across task phases

A workflow you can use as-is or extend without replacing the core

Aider is the better choice when you want:

A terminal-native coding partner

Git-native edit tracking and git commit automation

Direct interactive editing in your local environment

Support for multiple LLMs in a single session

Feature Comparison

Feature | Ralph Workflow | Aider
Multi-agent orchestration | ✅ | ❌
Claude Code integration | ✅ | ❌
OpenCode / Codex integration | ✅ | ❌
Cost model routing | ✅ | ❌
Unattended execution | ✅ (built for it) | ⚠️ (interactive-first)
Policy-defined config (TOML) | ✅ | ❌
Checkpoint / resume | ✅ | ⚠️
MCP support | ✅ | ⚠️
Parallel work units | ✅ | ❌
Open source | ✅ | ✅
Self-hosted | ✅ | ⚠️
Git-native | ⚠️ | ✅

How They Can Work Together

One practical setup: use Aider for interactive development sessions where you want direct control over each edit, and use Ralph Workflow for the surrounding loop — scoping the task, verifying the result, and planning the next phase.

Aider handles the edit. Ralph Workflow handles the workflow around the edit.

Why the Distinction Matters

The pair programming model (human drives, AI edits) is fundamentally interactive. You are present and making decisions throughout.

The autonomous coding model is different: you define the task, set the scope, and come back to a result. The gap there is not speed — it is trust. Did the work actually finish? Is the diff clean? Are the checks green?

Ralph Workflow is built to close that gap. Aider is built for a different workflow.

When You'd Use Both Together

A practical setup that leverages both: use Aider for interactive development sessions where you want direct control over each git commit it produces, and use Ralph Workflow to wrap those sessions — scoping the task beforehand, verifying the full diff afterward, and running the integration test suite. Aider's git-native edit tracking means each change is individually reviewable in git history; Ralph Workflow's verification phase catches regressions across the full combination of those edits before you merge.

The pairing works because Aider is strong at the tactical edit and Ralph Workflow is strong at the strategic loop around the edit. You get git-level precision from Aider and workflow-level confidence from Ralph.

Try Ralph Workflow

pipx install ralph-workflow
cd /path/to/your/project
ralph --init
$EDITOR PROMPT.md # write your task
ralph # walk away

Ralph Workflow runs on your own machine. It works with Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode. The default workflow handles planning, development, verification, and follow-up — or you can compose your own.

Install guide → · Quick start → · Primary Codeberg repo → · GitHub mirror: github.com/Ralph-Workflow/Ralph-Workflow