Fast open-source code editor with a built-in AI agent, MCP support and edit prediction; use your own API keys, Ollama or LM Studio, or Zed's paid models.
Open-source alternative toCursorClaude Code
Zed at a glance
Checked 21 Oct 2026Zed (v1.25.2, October 2026) is a native code editor for macOS, Windows and Linux. Its built-in Zed Agent edits files, searches the codebase and runs terminal commands, can use MCP servers, and can run several threads in parallel, each in its own Git worktree. Other agent CLIs can run inside it too. Models come from your own API keys, an existing subscription, a gateway, or local models via Ollama, LM Studio or llama.cpp. Hosted models and Zed's own edit prediction need the paid Pro plan. Code is GPL-3.0-or-later, with some Apache-2.0 parts.
RepoQuarry. “Zed.” Checked 21 Oct 2026. https://repoquarry.dev/projects/zedHow much of Cursor does it replace?
- Personal use
- Confirmed: Yes
- For a business
- Confirmed: Yes
6 of 7 jobs. No cloud background agents; Zed's own edit prediction needs Pro, but Copilot or a local model can be used instead.
For run agents in the cloud in the background, see other Cursor alternatives. You may also need to build an interface, an API server and hosting yourself.
How much of Claude Code does it replace?
- Personal use
- Confirmed: Yes
- For a business
- Confirmed: Yes
3 of 6 jobs. An editor, not a terminal agent or VS Code/JetBrains plugin; Git help is commit messages, not pull requests; no headless CI mode documented.
For edit code across a repo from the terminal with an AI agent, use the agent inside VS Code or JetBrains, run the agent headless in scripts or CI (GitHub Actions), see other Claude Code alternatives. You may also need to build an interface, an API server and hosting yourself.
Facts, with sources
Every answer links to where we found it. We read the documentation; we did not install it.
On macOS, Linux, and Windows you can download Zed directly or install Zed via your local package managergithub.com · zed#installation ↗ today
Zed source code is licensed primarily under GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 components where marked.github.com · zed#licensing ↗ today
Zed source code is licensed primarily under GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 components where marked.github.com · zed#licensing ↗ today
Use Ollama for local models with Zed Agent, Inline Assistant, and similar model-backed Zed AI features.zed.dev · use-a-local-model ↗ today
Zed requires a Vulkan 1.3 driver and the following desktop portalszed.dev · installation#system-requirements ↗ today
On macOS, Linux, and Windows you can download Zed directly or install Zed via your local package managergithub.com · zed#installation ↗ today
For most Linux users, the easiest way to install Zed is through our installation scriptzed.dev · installation ↗ today
No licence changes since we started watching. Licence watch: follow Zed and we email you if its licence terms change.
Growth and activity in detail
Is it popular, and is anyone still working on it? From GitHub.
Numbers appear after the first nightly fetch from GitHub.