Zed

A lightning-fast open-source editor with built-in AI.

Filed under: Coding

About Zed

Zed is a high-performance, open-source code editor written in Rust, designed for speed and real-time collaboration. Its built-in AI features include inline assistance, chat, and agentic editing powered by leading models. Among AI coding tools, Zed appeals to developers who want a minimal, fast editor rather than a heavyweight IDE. It is a strong open alternative to Cursor for keyboard-driven workflows.

Key features

GPU-accelerated, Rust-based editor
Built-in AI chat and inline edits
Real-time collaborative editing
Agentic coding with top models
Vim mode and themes
Free and open source core

Zed screenshots

Zed: pros & cons

Pros

Extremely fast and lightweight
Open source
Real-time collaboration built in
Clean, minimal interface

Cons

Smaller extension ecosystem
macOS and Linux only
AI usage costs beyond included amounts

Zed FAQs

Is Zed free?

Yes, the Zed editor is free and open source; AI features include some usage with paid options for more.

Is Zed available on Windows?

Zed officially supports macOS and Linux; Windows support has been in development.

How does Zed compare to VS Code?

Zed is much faster and lighter than VS Code but has fewer extensions.