Getting Started

Zed is an open-source code editor with built-in collaboration and AI tools.

This guide covers the essential commands, environment setup, and navigation basics.

Quick Start

Welcome Page

When you open Zed without a folder, you see the welcome page in the main editor area. The welcome page offers quick actions to open a folder, clone a repository, or view documentation. Once you open a folder or file, the welcome page disappears. If you split the editor into multiple panes, the welcome page appears only in the center pane when empty—other panes show a standard empty state.

To reopen the welcome page, close all items in the center pane or use the command palette to search for “Welcome”.

1. Open a Project

Open a folder from the command line:

zed ~/projects/my-app

Or use Cmd+O (macOS) / Ctrl+O (Linux/Windows) to open a folder from within Zed.

By default, new projects open in your current window’s threads sidebar. To open in a new window instead, use zed -n ~/projects/my-app or press Cmd+Enter when selecting from Open Recent. See Windows & Projects for more details.

2. Learn the Essential Commands

The command palette (Cmd+Shift+P) is your gateway to every action in Zed. If you forget a shortcut, search for it there.

Panel Layout

Use Panel Layout > Agentic from the user menu in the title bar (or the workspace: use agentic layout action) when you want the Agent Panel and Threads Sidebar next to each other on the left. Use Panel Layout > Classic (or workspace: use classic layout) to restore the editor-oriented layout.

3. Configure Your Editor

Open the Settings Editor with Cmd+, (macOS) or Ctrl+, (Linux/Windows). Search for any setting and change it directly.

Common first changes:

• Theme: Press Cmd+K Cmd+T (macOS) or Ctrl+K Ctrl+T (Linux/Windows) to open the theme selector
• Font: Search for buffer_font_family in Settings
• Format on save: Search for format_on_save and set to on

4. Set Up Your Language

Zed includes built-in support for many languages. For others, install the extension:

1. Open Extensions with Cmd+Shift+X (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+X (Linux/Windows)
2. Search for your language
3. Click Install

See Languages for language-specific setup instructions.

5. Try AI Features

Zed includes built-in AI assistance. Open the Agent Panel with Cmd+Shift+A (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+A (Linux/Windows) to start a conversation, or use Cmd+Enter (macOS) / Ctrl+Enter (Linux/Windows) for inline assistance.

See AI Overview to configure providers and learn what’s possible.

Coming from Another Editor?

We have dedicated guides for switching from other editors:

• VS Code — Import settings, map keybindings, find equivalent features
• IntelliJ IDEA — Adapt to Zed’s approach to navigation and refactoring
• PyCharm — Set up Python development in Zed
• WebStorm — Configure JavaScript/TypeScript workflows
• RustRover — Rust development in Zed

You can also enable familiar keybindings:

• Vim: Enable vim_mode in settings. See Vim Mode.
• Helix: Enable helix_mode in settings. See Helix Mode.

Join the Community

Zed is open source. Join us on GitHub or in Discord to contribute code, report bugs, or suggest features.

• Discord
• GitHub Discussions
• Zed Reddit