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Zed

Ultra-fast collaborative code editor with AI

$10/mo AI plan code-editorcollaborativerust
8.4 /10 Expert Score
Features
9
Pricing
7
DX
6
Ecosystem
10
Performance
10
4.8 /5 G2 Rating (60+ reviews)

About

Zed is a high-performance collaborative code editor written in Rust that prioritizes raw speed and real-time collaboration above all else. Unlike Electron-based editors that consume hundreds of megabytes of memory, Zed launches instantly and renders at the GPU level for buttery-smooth scrolling and editing, even on large files and monorepos with thousands of files. Zed's AI features are built around an optional hosted LLM service that provides inline code generation, agentic editing, and context-aware completions. The editor supports real-time multiplayer editing with channel-based collaboration—ideal for pair programming, code reviews, and mob programming sessions. Vim mode is first-class, with deep modal editing support that won't disappoint terminal veterans. Zed is best for developers who prioritize performance and want an editor that never gets in the way. It excels for Rust, TypeScript, Python, and Go development, though language support is more limited than VS Code. The AI features require a $10/month subscription, while the core editor is free and open source with 55,000+ GitHub stars. Real-time collaboration, GPU-accelerated rendering, and multi-buffer editing make it a compelling choice for performance-focused teams willing to trade extension breadth for speed.

Key Features

  • AI inline assistance
  • Agent editing mode
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Vim mode
  • Multi-buffer editing
  • GPU-accelerated rendering

Deals, Discounts & How to Save

Core editor free & open source (Apache 2.0)BYO API key instead of $10/mo hosted AI plan
$

Maximize free tiers before subscribing—most AI editors have generous free plans. Students should always apply for education discounts (often 50%+ off). If you use multiple IDEs, choose an editor with a permissive free tier to avoid paying twice.

Pros

  • Blazing fast startup and editing
  • Real-time collaborative editing
  • Open source, hackable

Cons

  • Smaller extension ecosystem
  • AI features require subscription
  • Limited language support vs VS Code

Pro Tips for Zed

1

Use ai inline assistance regularly—it becomes more accurate the more context it has about your coding patterns and project structure.

2

Configure agent editing mode in your project settings to match your team conventions—consistent configuration produces better results.

3

Combine real-time collaboration with keyboard shortcuts to minimize context switching between thinking and coding.

4

Use vim mode regularly—it becomes more accurate the more context it has about your coding patterns and project structure.

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