+++
slug = "thoughts-on-zed"
title = "Zed: Early Thoughts"
date = 2024-08-24T15:37:07.509694-04:00
draft = false

[taxonomies]
# An array of quoted strings
tags = ["software", "review"]
+++

![](/images/zed-screenshot.png)

I've been using [Zed](https://zed.dev) a bit, and as a software developer on the internet, I have *thoughts.* I'm using it to write Elixir/Phoenix, HTML/CSS, and some Markdown, and it's trying to take the place of the venerable Emacs (running [DOOM](https://github.com/doomemacs/doomemacs).

In no particular order:

* A truly open-source editor! Written in Rust! Finally, a modern editor that isn't a Microsoft embrace/extend/extinguish vector!
* Goddammit is that a Github sign-in link? Shit.
* The built-in vim mode isn't bad, but it pales in comparison to `evil-mode`. Specifically I can't highlight a region and `:%s/search/replace/g` inside it.
* I think having `:` open the command palette is a bad idea. The way one uses the command palette vs vim-style commands has less overlap than you'd think.
* It's pretty! Look I'm not immune to eye-candy, and Emacs has always ranked low in that area.
* I'm not getting anything from elixir-ls. Even *Emacs* automatically installs and sets that up so...y'know, damn. Two demerits, Mr. Zed.
* Same with speling check in things like Markdown files.
* Like most things, it ignores the "Emacs-keys" GTK setting &emdash; not being a GTK app I'm not shocked, but things like Firefox respect it, so it *can* be done. Ctrl-A not going to beginning of line, for instance.
* Not sure I love this though:

![the Zed Roadmap for 2024 includes "embrace AI" as one of the three items on the list.](/images/zed-roadmap-2024.png)

I'm running solo at the moment so I haven't tried any of the "multiplayer" remote-pairing stuff. I *believe* it's behind a Github-login though, and I wish that weren't the case.

Overall: three stars, worthy of your time and attention, also please stop using Microsoft products.