What is Zed?
Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor developed by the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter. Written in Rust, it leverages the power of the GPU to deliver a responsive, lag-free user interface. Zed is designed from the ground up for speed and real-time collaboration, allowing multiple developers to work together in the same workspace seamlessly, complete with integrated voice and text chat. It also includes a powerful AI assistant for code generation, refactoring, and contextual understanding.
Key Features
- Blazing-Fast Performance: Built in Rust and GPU-accelerated, Zed offers exceptional speed for everything from file loading to keystroke latency.
- Real-Time Collaboration: Work with your team in the same editor simultaneously. Features include shared code, cursors, integrated voice/text chat, and project sharing via a simple link.
- Integrated AI: Zed comes with a built-in assistant that can understand your code’s context. Use it to generate, refactor, and debug code, or simply ask it questions about your project.
- First-Class Vim Mode: A comprehensive and responsive Vim emulation mode for users who prefer Vim keybindings.
- Built-in Terminal: Access a fully integrated terminal directly within the editor, streamlining your workflow.
- Modern, Minimalist UI: A clean and distraction-free interface that helps you focus on your code.
Use Cases
- Remote Pair Programming: Effortlessly code with a teammate, no matter where they are. The integrated communication tools make it feel like you’re in the same room.
- Team Code Reviews: Conduct live, interactive code reviews and make edits on the fly.
- High-Performance Solo Development: For individual developers who demand speed and responsiveness from their tools.
- AI-Assisted Coding: Leverage the AI assistant to accelerate development, learn new concepts, and reduce boilerplate code.
Getting Started
Getting started with Zed is straightforward.
- Download Zed: Visit the official website at zed.dev and download the version for your operating system (macOS and Linux are currently supported).
- Install the Application: Follow the standard installation procedure for your OS.
- Open a Project: You can open a project from the command line:
# Navigate to your project directory cd /path/to/your/project # Open the project in Zed zed . - Start Coding: Begin editing files. To use the AI features, open the assistant panel (check the keybindings in the documentation) and type your query. To collaborate, start a new project session and share the generated link with your team.
Pricing
Zed is currently free to use while it is in its public beta phase. The developers plan to introduce paid, team-focused features in the future, but they have committed to keeping the core code editor free for individual use.