ZED setup

zed.md

Zed Setup Notes

Restore these files on a new machine to make Zed behave closer to VS Code.

Settings

File:

~/.config/zed/settings.json

Relevant settings applied:

{
  "use_system_window_tabs": false,
  "bottom_dock_layout": "contained",
  "tabs": {
    "file_icons": true,
    "git_status": true
  },
  "tab_bar": {
    "show": true
  },
  "title_bar": {
    "show_sign_in": true
  },
  "terminal": {
    "font_size": 14.0,
    "shell": "system",
    "button": true
  },
  "cli_default_open_behavior": "existing_window",
  "project_panel": {
    "button": true,
    "dock": "left"
  },
  "outline_panel": {
    "dock": "left"
  },
  "collaboration_panel": {
    "dock": "left"
  },
  "agent": {
    "dock": "right",
    "favorite_models": [],
    "model_parameters": []
  },
  "git_panel": {
    "button": true,
    "dock": "left",
    "default_width": 300,
    "status_style": "icon",
    "sort_by_path": true,
    "collapse_untracked_diff": false,
    "starts_open": false
  },
  "diff_view_style": "split",
  "git": {
    "git_gutter": "tracked_files",
    "inline_blame": {
      "enabled": false
    },
    "hunk_style": "staged_hollow"
  },
  "telemetry": {
    "diagnostics": false,
    "metrics": false
  },
  "ui_font_size": 14.0,
  "buffer_font_size": 14.0,
  "theme": {
    "mode": "system",
    "light": "Ayu Dark",
    "dark": "Gruvbox Dark Hard"
  }
}

Notes:

• Zed already defaults to the VS Code base keymap, so no base_keymap override is required.
• Git panel is placed on the left, made compact, sorted by path, and configured with split diffs.
• Inline blame is disabled to feel closer to VS Code's default Source Control behavior.

Keymap

File:

~/.config/zed/keymap.json

Applied keymap:

[
  {
    "context": "Workspace",
    "use_key_equivalents": true,
    "bindings": {
      "cmd-shift-g": "git_panel::ToggleFocus"
    }
  },
  {
    "context": "Terminal",
    "use_key_equivalents": true,
    "bindings": {
      "cmd-t": "workspace::NewTerminal",
      "cmd-1": ["pane::ActivateItem", 0],
      "cmd-2": ["pane::ActivateItem", 1],
      "cmd-3": ["pane::ActivateItem", 2],
      "cmd-4": ["pane::ActivateItem", 3],
      "cmd-5": ["pane::ActivateItem", 4],
      "cmd-6": ["pane::ActivateItem", 5],
      "cmd-7": ["pane::ActivateItem", 6],
      "cmd-8": ["pane::ActivateItem", 7],
      "cmd-9": ["pane::ActivateItem", 8],
      "cmd-0": "pane::ActivateLastItem"
    }
  }
]

Shortcut behavior:

• Cmd+Shift+G: toggle/focus the Git panel.
• Cmd+T in the terminal: open a new terminal tab/item.
• Cmd+1 through Cmd+9 in the terminal: switch to the matching terminal tab/item.
• Cmd+0 in the terminal: switch to the last terminal tab/item.

Restore Commands

mkdir -p ~/.config/zed
$EDITOR ~/.config/zed/settings.json
$EDITOR ~/.config/zed/keymap.json

Paste the matching blocks above, then restart Zed.