Exploring Zed: The Lightning-Fast Code Editor Built in Rust

Have you ever found yourself waiting for your code editor to catch up with your thoughts? We've all been there - watching that spinning wheel as our editor struggled to open a large file or feeling the lag with each keystroke. That's why I've been exploring Zed, a relatively new code editor that's build in rust.

What is Zed?

Zed is a modern code editor built from the ground up in Rust. If you're not familiar with Rust, it's a programming language known for its performance and memory safety. This foundation gives Zed incredible speed and responsiveness that you can feel immediately when using it.

The team includes the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter, who have taken their 15+ years of experience building developer tools and applied those lessons to create something new and exciting.

Getting Started

It is currently available for macOS and Linux, with Windows support on the roadmap. You can download it directly from zed.dev or install it via your package manager.

When you first open the editor, you'll notice its clean, minimalist interface. There's no clutter - just your code and the tools you need to work with it.

What stands out?

Speed That You Can Feel

The first thing most developers notice about Zed is its speed. Everything from startup time to file navigation feels instantaneous. This isn't just marketing talk - the Rust foundation really does make a difference.

Let me share a quick example: I recently opened a project with several large JSON files that made my previous editor choke. It handled them without breaking a sweat. The typing latency is so low that it feels like your thoughts are appearing on screen in real-time.

Collaboration Built-In

One of Zed's standout features is its built-in collaboration tools. You can:

• Chat with teammates directly in the editor
• Write notes together
• Share your screen and project

All of this is included out of the box - no plugins or third-party services required.

Multibuffer Editing

It introduces a concept called "multibuffers" that lets you compose excerpts from across your codebase in one editable surface. This is incredibly useful when you're working on related pieces of code that span multiple files.

Instead of constantly switching between tabs, you can have all the relevant code in one view. It's basically like having the best parts of split views and tabs combined into something more powerful.

Language Support

Zed supports a wide range of programming languages through Tree-sitter, WebAssembly, and the Language Server Protocol. This means you get:

• Syntax highlighting
• Code completion
• Error checking
• Go-to-definition
• And other language-specific features

The editor feels smart without being intrusive. It gives you help when you need it but stays out of your way otherwise.

Terminal and Task Runner

The built-in terminal is fast and integrates well with the rest of the editor. You can run commands, see the output, and even set up task runners for your project.

I've found this particularly useful for running tests or build commands without leaving the editor. The terminal performance is noticeably better than what you'd find in many other editors.

Vim Mode

If you're a Vim user, you'll be happy to know that they have first-class Vim bindings. These aren't just basic key mappings - they include advanced features like text objects and marks.

The Vim mode feels natural and responsive, making it a viable option for die-hard Vim users who want modern editor features.

How's the performance?

Language Servers In-Depth

Zed's language support is built on the Language Server Protocol (LSP). Some technical highlights:

• Asynchronous Communication: LSP requests happen off the main thread, preventing UI lag.
• Document Sync Optimization: Only changed portions of files are sent to language servers.
• Multi-LSP Support: It can work with multiple language servers simultaneously for polyglot projects.
• Auto-installation: It automatically installs and manages language servers for supported languages.

For advanced users, you can configure custom language servers in your settings:

{
  "language_servers": {
    "rust-analyzer": {
      "command": "rust-analyzer",
      "config": {
        "checkOnSave": {
          "command": "clippy"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Multiplayer Technical Implementation

The collaboration feature isn't just a bolt-on - it's deeply integrated into Zed's architecture:

• CRDT Synchronization: Uses Conflict-free Replicated Data Types for real-time editing without conflicts.
• WebRTC P2P: Direct peer-to-peer connections minimize latency between collaborators.
• Encrypted Communication: All collaboration traffic is end-to-end encrypted.
• Project Synchronization: File tree changes propagate to all participants in real-time.

Installation Guide

Let's see how we can install our new editor:

macOS Installation

The easiest way to install Zed on macOS is by downloading the .dmg file directly from the Zed website and drag it to your Applications folder.

For Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Macs, it comes with native ARM support for maximum performance.

Linux Installation

On Ubuntu and Debian-based distributions:

# Add the repository
curl -fsSL https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

For other distributions, you can refer the Zed website.

Configurations

It uses a JSON-based configuration system. To access your settings, press Cmd+, (macOS) or Ctrl+, (Linux).

Here are some useful configurations:

Theme Customization

{
  "theme": "One Dark",
  "ui_font_family": "Inter",
  "ui_font_size": 14,
  "buffer_font_family": "JetBrains Mono",
  "buffer_font_size": 15
}

Key Bindings

Create custom keyboard shortcuts:

{
  "keymaps": {
    "normal": {
      "ctrl-t": "workspace::NewFile",
      "ctrl-p": "workspace::OpenFiles",
      "ctrl-shift-p": "command_palette::Toggle"
    }
  }
}

For more information on configuring Zed, you can refer the documentation.

Extensibility

While Zed comes with a lot of functionality out of the box, it also has a growing extensions ecosystem just like Visual Studio Code. You can add:

• Additional language support
• New themes
• Custom functionality

The extension system is still evolving, but it's already quite capable. The team is actively working on making it even more powerful.

The Open Source Advantage

In early 2024, Zed was open-sourced under a mix of licenses. This move has accelerated its development and allowed the community to contribute improvements.

Being open source means:

1. You can see exactly how the editor works
2. You can contribute fixes and features
3. The editor will continue to improve through community efforts

The GitHub repository is quite active, with regular releases and a growing contributor base.

How Zed Compares to Other Editors

You might be wondering how Zed stacks up against other popular editors like VS Code, Sublime Text, or Atom. Here's a quick comparison:

• VS Code: Zed is significantly faster but has fewer extensions (for now). If you find VS Code sluggish, especially with large files, Zed might be a breath of fresh air.

• Sublime Text: Both are fast, but Zed offers better collaboration features and a more modern approach to language support.

• Atom: Zed feels like the spiritual successor to Atom, built with performance as a priority from day one.

Should You Try Zed?

If you value performance, clean design, and modern features, Zed is definitely worth a try. It's particularly appealing if you:

• Work with large codebases or files
• Collaborate with others frequently
• Appreciate minimalist, distraction-free interfaces
• Want an editor that feels responsive and fast

The best way to know if Zed is right for you is to download it and give it a spin. It's free to use, and you might be surprised by how much you enjoy the experience.

Conclusion

Zed represents a fresh approach to code editing - one that prioritizes performance, simplicity, and collaboration. By building on modern technologies like Rust and incorporating lessons learned from previous editors, the Zed team has created something that feels both familiar and revolutionary.

As developers, we spend countless hours in our editors. Having one that feels fast, responsive, and enjoyable to use can make a real difference in our daily work. Zed might just be that editor for you.