Configuring Zed

Zed can be configured via a simple JSON file

Zed can be configured via a simple JSON file located at ~/.config/zed/settings.json.
Opening your settings file
You can open ~/.config/zed/settings.json via cmd-,, the command palette, or the Zed > Settings > Open Settings application menu item.
You should see something that looks like this:
{
  "theme": "One Dark",
  "buffer_font_family": "PragmataPro Liga",
  "buffer_font_size": 16
}
Here are all the currently available settings.
Available settings
Option
Default
Description
autosave
off
See 'autosave' section below
buffer_font_family
zed-mono
string Either zed-mono or the name of an installed Font family
buffer_font_size
16
number The editor font size
enable_language_server
true
boolean Whether language servers should be used
ensure_final_newline_on_save
true
boolean If missing, whether an empty newline will be added at the end of the file
lsp
null
See 'lsp' section below
format_on_save
on
See 'format on save' section below
formatter
language_server
See 'formatter' section below
hard_tabs
false
boolean Indent using tabs instead of spaces
hover_popover_enabled
true
boolean Enables triggering the hover popover with the mouse
show_completions_on_input
true
boolean Causes the completion menu to show in editors while typing
language_overrides
null
See 'overrides' section below
tab_size
4
The number of columns occupied by a tab
theme
One Dark
string The name of a Zed theme
preferred_line_length
80
The number of characters at which to soft wrap lines, when soft wrap is enabled
projects_online_by_default
true
boolean Project goes online when opened.
remove_trailing_whitespace_on_save
true
boolean Whether all trailing whitespace will be removed on each line
soft_wrap
editor_width
editor_width, none, preferred_line_length
active_pane_magnification
1.0
Scale by which to zoom the active pane. When set to 1.0, the active pane has the same size as others, but when set to a larger value, the active pane takes up more space.
vim_mode
false
boolean Enables Vim mode (WIP)
terminal
See below
See 'Terminal' section below
Autosave
The autosave setting has four different modes:
1.To disable autosave, set it to "off"
{
  "autosave": "off"
}
2.To autosave when focus changes, use "on_focus_change":
{
  "autosave": "on_focus_change"
}
3.To autosave when the active window changes, use "on_window_change":
{
  "autosave": "on_window_change"
}
4.To autosave after an inactivity period, use "after_delay":
{
  "autosave": {
    "after_delay": {
      "milliseconds": 1000
    }
  }
}
Format On Save
The format_on_save setting controls if files are formatted before saving. There are two modes:
1.on, enables format on save obeying formatter setting:
{
  "format_on_save": "on"
}
2.off, disables format on save:
{
  "format_on_save": "off"
}
Formatter
The formatter setting dictates how a format is performed and has two different modes:
1.To use the current language server, use "language_server":
{
  "formatter": "language_server"
}
2.Or to use an external command, use "external". Specify the name of the formatting program to run, and an array of arguments to pass to the program. The buffer's text will be passed to the program on stdin, and the formatted output should be written to stdout. For example, the following command would strip trailing spaces using sed(1):
{
  "formatter": {
    "external": {
      "command": "sed",
      "arguments": ["-e", "s/ *$//"]
    }
  }
}
Lsp
The following settings can be overridden for specific language servers:
initialization_options
To override settings for a language, add an entry for that language server's name to the lsp value. Example:
"lsp": {
  "rust-analyzer": {
    "initialization_options": {
      "checkOnSave": {
        "command": "clippy" // rust-analyzer.checkOnSave.command
      }
    }
  }
}
Overrides
The following settings can be overridden for specific languages:
tab_size
hard_tabs
soft_wrap
preferred_line_length
format_on_save
formatter
enable_language_server
To override settings for a language, add an entry for that languages name to the language_overrides value. Example:
"language_overrides": {
  "C": {
    "format_on_save": "off",
    "preferred_line_length": 64,
    "soft_wrap": "preferred_line_length"
  },
  "JSON": {
    "tab_size": 4
  }
}
For a complete list of languages you can override settings for see Supported Languages.
Terminal
Option
Default
Description
shell
"system"
What shell to use on launch, see below.
working_directory
"current_project_directory"
What working directory strategy to use, see below.
blinking
"terminal_controlled"
Set the terminal cursor blink, see below.
alternate_scroll
"on"
Default for the terminal alternate scroll mode, see below.
option_as_meta
true
Re-interprets the option keys to act like a 'meta' key, like in Emacs.
copy_on_select
false
Whether or not selecting text in the terminal will automatically copy to the system clipboard.
env
{}
See below.
font_size
not set
What font size to use for the terminal. When not set defaults to matching the editor's font size.
font_family
not set
What font to use for the terminal. When not set, defaults to matching the editor's font.
Terminal: Launch Shell
What shell to use when opening a terminal. May take 3 values:
1.Use the system's default terminal configuration (usually the pw file).
"shell": "system"
2.A program to launch:
"shell": {
  "program": "sh"
}
3.A program with arguments:
"shell": {
    "with_arguments": {
      "program": "/bin/bash",
      "arguments": ["--login"]
    }
}
Terminal: Working Directory Strategy
There are four possible values:
1.Use the current file's project directory. Will Fallback to the first project directory strategy if unsuccessful
"working_directory": "current_project_directory"
2.Use the first project in this workspace's directory. Will fallback to using this platform's home directory.
"working_directory": "first_project_directory"
3.Always use this platform's home directory (if we can find it)
"working_directory": "always_home"
4.Always use a specific directory. This value will be shell expanded. If this path is not a valid directory the terminal will default to this platform's home directory.
  "working_directory": {
    "always": {
      "directory": "~/zed/projects/"
    }
  }
Terminal: Cursor Blink
Set the cursor blinking behavior in the terminal. May take 3 values:
1.Never blink the cursor, ignore the terminal mode
"blinking": "off",
2.Default the cursor blink to off, but allow the terminal to turn blinking on
"blinking": "terminal_controlled",
3.Always blink the cursor, ignore the terminal mode
"blinking": "on",
Terminal: Alternate Scroll Mode
Set whether Alternate Scroll mode (DECSET code: ?1007) is active by default. Alternate Scroll mode converts mouse scroll events into up / down key presses when in the alternate screen (e.g. when running applications like vim or less). The terminal can still set and unset this mode with ANSI escape codes. May take 2 values:
1.Default alternate scroll mode to on
"alternate_scroll": "on",
2.Default alternate scroll mode to off
"alternate_scroll": "off",
Terminal: Environment Variables
Any key-value pairs added to this object will be added to the terminal's environment. Keys must be unique, use : to separate multiple values in a single variable:
"env": {
    "ZED": "1",
    "KEY": "value1:value2"
}
An example configuration:
// ~/.config/zed/settings.json
{
  "theme": "cave-light",
  "tab_size": 2,
  "preferred_line_length": 80,
  "soft_wrap": "none",
​
  "buffer_font_size": 18,
  "buffer_font_family": "Zed Mono",
​
  "autosave": "on_focus_change",
  "format_on_save": "off",
  "vim_mode": false,
  "projects_online_by_default": true,
  "terminal": {
    "font_family": "FiraCode Nerd Font Mono",
    "blinking": "off"
  },
  "language_overrides": {
    "C": {
      "format_on_save": "language_server",
      "preferred_line_length": 64,
      "soft_wrap": "preferred_line_length"
    }
  }
}

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Key bindings

Last modified 2d ago

Option	Default	Description
`autosave`	`off`	See 'autosave' section below
`buffer_font_family`	`zed-mono`	`string` Either `zed-mono` or the name of an installed Font family
`buffer_font_size`	`16`	`number` The editor font size
`enable_language_server`	`true`	`boolean` Whether language servers should be used
`ensure_final_newline_on_save`	`true`	`boolean` If missing, whether an empty newline will be added at the end of the file
`lsp`	`null`	See 'lsp' section below
`format_on_save`	`on`	See 'format on save' section below
`formatter`	`language_server`	See 'formatter' section below
`hard_tabs`	`false`	`boolean` Indent using tabs instead of spaces
`hover_popover_enabled`	`true`	`boolean` Enables triggering the hover popover with the mouse
`show_completions_on_input`	`true`	`boolean` Causes the completion menu to show in editors while typing
`language_overrides`	`null`	See 'overrides' section below
`tab_size`	`4`	The number of columns occupied by a tab
`theme`	`One Dark`	`string` The name of a Zed theme
`preferred_line_length`	`80`	The number of characters at which to soft wrap lines, when soft wrap is enabled
`projects_online_by_default`	`true`	`boolean` Project goes online when opened.
`remove_trailing_whitespace_on_save`	`true`	`boolean` Whether all trailing whitespace will be removed on each line
`soft_wrap`	`editor_width`	`editor_width`, `none`, `preferred_line_length`
`active_pane_magnification`	`1.0`	Scale by which to zoom the active pane. When set to `1.0`, the active pane has the same size as others, but when set to a larger value, the active pane takes up more space.
`vim_mode`	`false`	`boolean` Enables Vim mode (WIP)
`terminal`	See below	See 'Terminal' section below

Option	Default	Description
`shell`	`"system"`	What shell to use on launch, see below.
`working_directory`	`"current_project_directory"`	What working directory strategy to use, see below.
`blinking`	`"terminal_controlled"`	Set the terminal cursor blink, see below.
`alternate_scroll`	`"on"`	Default for the terminal alternate scroll mode, see below.
`option_as_meta`	`true`	Re-interprets the option keys to act like a 'meta' key, like in Emacs.
`copy_on_select`	`false`	Whether or not selecting text in the terminal will automatically copy to the system clipboard.
`env`	`{}`	See below.
`font_size`	not set	What font size to use for the terminal. When not set defaults to matching the editor's font size.
`font_family`	not set	What font to use for the terminal. When not set, defaults to matching the editor's font.