Zed

Zed is a fast, open-source code editor written in Rust for collaborating with teammates and AI agents, on macOS, Linux and Windows.

Zed is a code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter, written from scratch in Rust to use multiple CPU cores and the GPU for quick startup and low typing latency. It runs AI agents in parallel threads across projects, works with its own hosted models or the user's own API keys, and supports external agents such as Claude Agent and Codex CLI, plus MCP servers. Edit predictions suggest the next change as code is typed. Teammates can chat, edit together and share their screen and project inside the editor, and built-in tools cover debugging, Git staging and commits, multibuffers, Vim bindings and remote development. Zed is free for personal use, with a Pro plan for hosted AI and a Business plan for organisation-wide controls.

Zed at a glance

Best for: Software engineer
Runs on: macOS, Windows, Linux, open source
Pricing: Personal free; Pro with $5 of tokens plus usage billing; Business plans
Released: March 2023
Category: AI coding tool
Website: zed.dev

Key features

Native Rust editor using multiple cores and the GPU
Parallel AI agent threads across projects
Support for Claude Agent, Codex CLI and MCP
Edit predictions as code is typed
Real-time collaboration with chat and screen sharing
Built-in debugger, Git and multibuffers
Vim mode and remote development

Use it for

Run several AI agents on different tasks at once
Pair program live with a teammate
Replace a slow editor on a large codebase

Companions

Tools that articles about Zed recommend using with it, each with its job.

Claude Code — Runs in Zed via ACP or a Terminal Thread with CLAUDE.md, MCP and Skills.
Codex — A parallel Codex thread in the same window.
OpenCode — OpenCode is in Zed's ACP agent list.
Amp — Any CLI agent can sit in the Agent Panel beside the code.
Ghostty — Terminal Threads don't replace a real terminal.

Alternatives to Zed

ZCode — Integrates GLM-5.3 with multi-agent workflows and remote chat control.
jevgrep — Reduces coding agent costs by providing targeted, relevant repository context.
Cline — Open source, any model, with approval on every step
Cursor — Autocomplete, inline edits and parallel agents in one editor
Lody — Run coding agents in parallel with isolated worktrees and live diff reviews.
Zephium — It combines a fast native browser engine with parallel AI agents that perform work on a visible canvas.
fx — Minimal size and fast startup with zero background services.
CodeGraph — It eliminates file crawling, reducing AI agent tool calls by 88% and cutting costs.
Coop — Runs AI coding agents in isolated virtual machines to protect host systems.
Zest — Control development workflows with a local glass command wheel.
TRAE — It features an autonomous coding agent that drives the entire development process.
ZCF — It completes end-to-end environment initialization and proxy setup within minutes.

All Zed alternatives