Zed

AI-native, Rust-based open-source code editor built for speed.

Open Source Coding & Development
Visit Website ↗ by Zed Industries

What is Zed?

Zed is an AI-native code editor written in Rust and developed by Zed Industries, designed for fast startup, low latency, and built-in AI assistance. Its Agent Panel lets users bring their own API keys for major model providers and pair-program with AI directly inside the editor. It is open source under the GPL and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Key features

  • AI Agent Panel with support for major LLM providers
  • Bring-your-own-key model integration
  • Written in Rust for speed and low latency
  • Real-time collaborative editing

Watch: Zed tutorial

I Left VS Code AND Neovim for Zed I Left VS Code AND Neovim for Zed — Chris Titus Tech

Video by Chris Titus Tech on YouTube — plays here without leaving this page.

Pros

  • Very fast and lightweight compared to Electron-based editors
  • Open source with transparent development

Cons

  • Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code
  • AI features depend on the user's own model API keys

Zed at a glance

PricingOpen Source
CategoryCoding & Development
Platformswindows, macos, linux
CompanyZed Industries
Official websitezed.dev
code editoropen sourcerustai codingagent panel

How to choose the right Coding & Development tool

The right coding tool depends on where you write code and how much of your codebase it can understand. IDE integration is the first filter — a tool that lives in your editor, sees your project files and respects your stack will help far more than a general chatbot you paste snippets into. Look for accurate completions, clear explanations of suggested changes, and strong refactoring and debugging support for your main languages. Privacy deserves real attention: check whether your code is used for training, and whether a self-hosted or enterprise option exists for sensitive projects. Price against the hours it actually saves — most developers feel the difference within the first week of real use.

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Zed FAQs

What is Zed?

Zed is an AI-native code editor written in Rust and developed by Zed Industries, designed for fast startup, low latency, and built-in AI assistance. Its Agent Panel lets users bring their own API keys for major model providers and pair-program with AI directly inside the editor. It is open source under the GPL and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What are the main features of Zed?

Zed offers AI Agent Panel with support for major LLM providers, Bring-your-own-key model integration, Written in Rust for speed and low latency and Real-time collaborative editing.

How much does Zed cost?

Zed is open source, so the software itself is free to download, use and self-host. Your only costs are the infrastructure you run it on and any paid services you connect to it.

What are the pros and cons of Zed?

Strengths of Zed include Very fast and lightweight compared to Electron-based editors; Open source with transparent development. On the downside, Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code; AI features depend on the user's own model API keys.