Zed

What is Zed

Zed is a next generation code editor designed for performance, collaboration, and AI enhanced development. Built in Rust, it delivers a fast and lightweight experience by leveraging multiple CPU cores and GPU acceleration to compile, render, and navigate code with exceptional efficiency. The editor is fully open source and offers advanced tools for real time collaboration, AI integration, and extensibility, providing developers with a modern and transparent environment for writing code.

Key features

• Rust based architecture optimized for multi core and GPU acceleration, ensuring speed and responsiveness
• AI assistant with inline code transformations, contextual prompts, and transparent editing of the underlying instructions
• Real time multiplayer editing that includes synchronized cursors, shared terminals, team chat, and screen sharing
• Agent panel displaying the full AI context including commands, file contents, and diagnostics for full control
• Edit prediction powered by an open source language model that anticipates and suggests code
• Slash command system to quickly insert diagnostics, terminal output, file content, or even external data into context
• Rich development environment with support for LSP, syntax trees, debugging via DAP, remote projects, and plugins
• Fully open source under GPL with a focus on community contributions and extensibility

Pros

• Exceptional performance with lightning fast startup and keystroke response
• Collaboration features like real time editing and shared terminals built in by default
• Transparent AI design that allows developers to see and adjust prompt context behind code suggestions
• Predictive editing streamlines workflows and reduces friction in coding
• Extensible through plugins, themes, debuggers, and language servers
• Open source foundation encourages trust, visibility, and contributions from the developer community

Cons

• Available only for macOS and Linux, with Windows support still under development
• AI tools may require users to become comfortable with editing prompts and configurations
• Some settings and navigation options require manual file editing, which may challenge beginners
• Advanced customization options are still expanding due to the platform’s relative newness

Who is using Zed

Zed is used by developers, open source contributors, and technical teams that prioritize speed, collaboration, and AI powered workflows. It is especially popular among engineers who work in pairs or groups, remote teams that need integrated editing and communication, and programmers who want powerful AI tools without losing visibility or control. Its creators, who previously worked on Atom, Electron, and Tree sitter, have also attracted users who appreciate both technical rigor and thoughtful design.

What makes Zed unique

Zed distinguishes itself through its blend of raw speed, collaboration, and AI transparency. Its Rust foundation and GPU acceleration make it one of the fastest editors available, and its multiplayer features transform coding into a team activity by default rather than an add on.

Unlike many editors that treat AI as a black box, Zed’s agent panel exposes the full context of prompts, commands, and file data, giving developers complete control over AI assistance. This, combined with predictive editing and powerful slash commands, turns Zed into an adaptive coding workspace rather than just a static text editor.

Its open source roots and pedigree from the creators of Atom and Electron add to its credibility and design maturity. This balance of speed, openness, collaboration, and AI assistance makes Zed a forward looking platform that is reshaping how developers write and share code.

Conclusion

Zed is a high performance open source code editor built to meet the needs of modern developers. With Rust based speed, GPU powered rendering, real time collaboration, and transparent AI tools, it delivers both efficiency and flexibility. While still growing in customization options and Windows support, Zed’s unique combination of speed, collaboration, and AI integration positions it as a next generation coding environment that empowers individuals and teams to work faster, smarter, and more collaboratively.