04 / Software▸Review▸Dev Tools
Full review — three-week desk testRust, GPU UI, collaborative editing, and a 1.x release train that ships weekly. We used Zed 1.17.2 as the primary editor for TypeScript, Python, and Markdown across macOS and Linux.
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Zed's pitch has always been physical: an editor that feels instant because the UI is GPU-drawn and the core is Rust. In 2026 the 1.x train is real — weekly stables, Windows support, tabular previews for CSV/TSV in 1.17, and collaboration that does not feel bolted on.
We made Zed the default for three weeks on a MacBook Pro and a Linux desktop: Next.js, Payload CMS TypeScript, Python scripts, and a lot of Markdown. The speed claim holds. The extension gap is the honest asterisk.
Daily-drove Zed 1.17.2 for TypeScript/React and Python; pair-programmed via built-in collab; compared latency and memory against VS Code on the same monorepo.
brew install --cask zedzed --versionLatency, first. Typing, file open, and fuzzy find feel cheaper than VS Code. On large files the difference is not subtle — 1.17 also cut peak memory when opening large buffers.
Focus, second. The UI is calmer. Collaboration is a first-class mode, not a Live Share scavenger hunt.
Open source, third. You can read the code, file issues that get weekly release attention, and leave without a license ritual.
PullZed makes VS Code feel like an Electron tax you forgot you were paying.
| Annoyance | Severity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Extension ecosystem still thinner | High | Keep VS Code for niche tooling |
| Keybinding muscle memory | Medium | Remap; expect a week |
| Remote/SSH workflows less mature | Medium | Depends on your setup |
| AI features noisy if left on casually | Low | Disable what you don't use |
| If you… | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Want the fastest local editor feel | Make Zed primary |
| Depend on a long VS Code extension tail | Partial switch |
| Pair-program often | Strong yes — collab is excellent |
| Live in remote containers / niche languages | Evaluate carefully |
Score bars map to lived questions: features you actually used, day-to-day snappiness, threat-model honesty, price vs capability, ecosystem coverage, and how long until the tool felt invisible.
Zed 1.17 is past the curiosity phase. It is a daily driver for many of us — with VS Code still one dock icon away for the long tail.
Honesty requires alternatives. Depending on how your brain is shaped, one of these may be the right call instead.
Indispensable for many teams, heavy for daily RAM, and increasingly priced — the alternatives have never looked better.
Spotlight, replaced. The AI features are optional — thankfully — and the speed is absurd.