Zed — High-Performance Code Editor with AI Built-In

What it is

Zed is a high-performance code editor written in Rust with GPU-accelerated rendering, a native AI assistant, and real-time multiplayer editing. It achieves sub-millisecond latency for typing and scrolling by rendering directly on the GPU. The built-in AI assistant supports Claude, GPT-4, and local models for inline completions and chat-based code editing. The project has 55,000+ GitHub stars.

Zed targets developers who want the speed of a minimal editor with the intelligence of an AI-powered IDE. It works on macOS and Linux, with Windows support in development.

How it saves time or tokens

Zed's GPU rendering eliminates the micro-lag that accumulates during long coding sessions in Electron-based editors. The native AI assistant provides code completions and chat without switching to a browser or external tool. Multiplayer editing enables real-time pair programming without screen sharing overhead. These performance and integration advantages reduce friction across the entire development workflow.

How to use

1. Install Zed:

# macOS
brew install --cask zed

# Linux
curl -fsSL https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

1. Open Zed and press Cmd+Enter (macOS) to open the AI assistant panel.

1. Configure your AI model in Settings > AI. Connect Claude, GPT-4, or a local model.

Example

Using Zed's AI assistant for code editing:

# In the AI assistant panel:
'Refactor this function to use async/await instead of callbacks'

# The assistant:
# 1. Reads the selected code
# 2. Generates the refactored version
# 3. Shows a diff preview
# 4. Applies changes on confirmation

# Inline completion:
# Start typing a function and Zed suggests the complete implementation
# based on your codebase context and the AI model

Multiplayer editing works by sharing a workspace link -- other developers join and edit files simultaneously with cursor presence.

Related on TokRepo

• AI Tools for Coding — Compare AI code editors and coding assistants
• AI Tools for Automation — Development automation tools that integrate with code editors

Common pitfalls

• Zed is not yet available on Windows. Windows developers need to use WSL or wait for the official Windows release.
• The extension ecosystem is smaller than VS Code's. Check if your essential extensions (language support, debuggers) are available before switching.
• AI features require an API key for cloud models. The free tier of supported providers may have usage limits that affect heavy coding sessions.
• Always check the official documentation for the latest version-specific changes and migration guides before upgrading in production environments.