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Code Editors🔴Developer
Z

Zed

High-performance, multiplayer code editor written in Rust with a first-class AI agent panel that supports any LLM and the Model Context Protocol.

Starting at$0
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💡

In Plain English

High-performance, multiplayer code editor written in Rust with a first-class AI agent panel that supports any LLM and the Model Context Protocol.

OverviewFeaturesPricingUse CasesLimitationsFAQ

Overview

Zed is a code editor written from scratch in Rust by the team behind Atom and Tree-sitter, with a focus on GPU-accelerated rendering, multiplayer editing, and a first-class AI Agent Panel.

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Key Features

GPU-Accelerated Rendering Engine+

Zed renders its entire UI through the GPU using Metal on macOS and Vulkan on Linux, bypassing the CPU-bound rendering pipelines used by Electron-based editors. This architecture enables sub-millisecond keystroke response times and eliminates the frame drops and input lag that developers experience in VS Code and Cursor during heavy editing sessions, fast scrolling, or working with large files exceeding 100,000 lines.

Multi-Provider AI Assistant+

The built-in Assistant Panel connects to multiple LLM providers including Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT-4, and Google Gemini, giving developers flexibility to choose the most suitable model for each task. The assistant supports inline code transformations, extended multi-turn conversations in a dedicated panel, and project-wide context indexing that feeds relevant codebase information to the AI for more accurate suggestions.

CRDT-Based Real-Time Collaboration+

Unlike editors that bolt on collaboration via extensions, Zed uses Conflict-free Replicated Data Types as its core data model, enabling truly simultaneous multi-user editing without merge conflicts. Each participant maintains a full local replica of the workspace, and changes propagate in real time with shared cursors, collaborative terminals, and the ability to follow other developers' viewports.

Native Rust Performance+

Built entirely in Rust, Zed achieves memory safety guarantees without garbage collection overhead, resulting in predictable performance and notably lower RAM consumption compared to Electron-based editors. The Rust architecture also enables fine-grained concurrency for background tasks like indexing, LSP communication, and file watching without impacting editing responsiveness.

Comprehensive Language Intelligence via LSP+

Zed provides first-class Language Server Protocol integration for over 30 programming languages, delivering autocomplete, diagnostics, go-to-definition, symbol search, and code actions with minimal configuration. Language servers run in separate processes to prevent any single language tool from blocking the editor, and Tree-sitter grammars provide instant syntax highlighting and structural editing capabilities.

Pricing Plans

Zed (Free)

$0

    Zed Pro

    $20/user/month

      Zed Business

      Custom

        See Full Pricing →Free vs Paid →Is it worth it? →

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        Best Use Cases

        🎯

        Developers who want a fast, modern editor with serious AI tooling

        ⚡

        Teams pair-programming in real time across remote offices

        🔧

        Engineers using local LLMs via Ollama and MCP-exposed tools

        🚀

        Open-source contributors wanting an alternative to closed AI IDEs

        Limitations & What It Can't Do

        We believe in transparent reviews. Here's what Zed doesn't handle well:

        • ⚠No stable Windows support as of early 2026 — the editor is only fully supported on macOS and Linux, which excludes a significant portion of professional developers and mixed-OS teams
        • ⚠Extension ecosystem has far fewer options than VS Code's 50,000+ extensions, meaning developers reliant on niche language tools, framework-specific integrations, or specialized debugging setups may find gaps
        • ⚠No integrated visual debugger — developers must rely on terminal-based debuggers or external debugging tools, which breaks the all-in-one editor workflow that VS Code users expect
        • ⚠AI features are limited in the free tier, with the $20/month Pro plan required for heavy AI usage — developers doing extensive AI-assisted coding may find better value in competitors that bundle more AI capacity at similar price points
        • ⚠Some advanced LSP features and language servers may have less polish or stability compared to VS Code's more mature implementations, particularly for less common programming languages

        Pros & Cons

        ✓ Pros

        • ✓Genuinely the fastest mainstream editor — perceivable latency improvement
        • ✓Native MCP client support is unusual among VS Code competitors
        • ✓Open-source core with no required subscription for full AI features
        • ✓Multiplayer editing actually works without a screenshare bolt-on
        • ✓Bring-your-own-key keeps cost flat for heavy AI users

        ✗ Cons

        • ✗Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code — niche language plugins lag
        • ✗Windows build is still preview-quality compared to macOS
        • ✗Some IDE-grade features (refactorings, advanced debug UIs) less polished
        • ✗Agent Panel still maturing relative to Cursor's deeper context features

        Frequently Asked Questions

        How much does Zed cost?+

        Zed pricing starts at $0. They offer 3 pricing tiers.

        What are the main features of Zed?+

        Zed includes GPU-Accelerated Rendering: Uses Metal on macOS and Vulkan on Linux to render the entire UI on the GPU, achieving sub-millisecond keystroke latency and smooth scrolling even in very large files with thousands of lines of code., Built-in AI Assistant: Integrated assistant panel supporting Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and other LLMs for code generation, refactoring, explanation, and inline transformations with full project-wide context indexing for deeper codebase understanding., Real-Time Multiplayer Collaboration: CRDT-based collaboration engine allows multiple developers to edit the same workspace simultaneously with live cursors, shared terminals, and zero-conflict merging. and 2 other features. High-performance, multiplayer code editor written in Rust with a first-class AI agent panel that supports any LLM and the Model Context Protocol....

        What are alternatives to Zed?+

        Popular alternatives to Zed include [object Object], [object Object], [object Object], [object Object]. Each offers different features and pricing models.
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        What's New in 2026

        As of early 2026, Zed is actively developing Windows support, which remains the most requested missing platform. The team continues to expand the AI assistant capabilities with improved project-wide context indexing and support for additional LLM providers. The extension ecosystem has grown significantly, with new community-contributed extensions for popular frameworks and languages. Collaboration features have been refined with better audio channel support and improved workspace sharing for larger teams.

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        Quick Info

        Category

        Code Editors

        Website

        zed.dev
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