Windows When? Windows Now - Zed Blog
Key Takeaways
- The stable release of the Zed editor is now available for Windows.
- Zed integrates natively with Windows technologies like DirectX 11 and DirectWrite for rendering.
- There is deep, seamless integration with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) for remote editing.
- All major features, including extensions and AI capabilities, are fully supported on the Windows platform.
- The Zed team is actively seeking user feedback, particularly on WSL workflows and display performance, to guide future development.
Zed has announced the general availability of its stable release for Windows users, marking it as a fully supported platform that will receive weekly updates similar to macOS and Linux versions. The development team has established a dedicated Windows team to ensure ongoing maintenance and support, with engineers already using Windows as their primary environment. The editor emphasizes native integration, utilizing DirectX 11 for rendering and DirectWrite for text to match the Windows aesthetic, and it avoids being an Electron application. A significant feature is the deep integration with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), allowing users to open folders directly from the WSL terminal or connect to WSL distros from within Zed. Furthermore, Zed's remote editing capabilities, extensions (which are WebAssembly Components), and all AI features are fully supported on Windows, simplifying cross-platform development workflows. The developers are actively soliciting feedback on specific areas like WSL workflows, IME, and high-refresh-rate displays to guide future improvements.
