Zed
Zed is an editor for writing software, with optional AI tools, shared editing, voice calls and screen sharing. It’s made by Zed Industries, based in the United States.
What it is
Zed is an open-source editor for people who write software. It opens and changes text and code files. Most editing features work without an account.
Its AI tools can read, search and edit project files, and run terminal commands under configurable permissions. Online AI features send prompts and code context to the selected service. Sharing a project gives collaborators access to files within that project.
Zed publishes its source code and security fixes. It sends usage metrics and crash reports by default; these can be switched off. Its collaboration features can use your microphone and show your entire screen when you choose to share it.
Who makes it
Zed Industries is a US software company founded in 2021 that develops tools for writing software. Its legal name is Zed Industries, Inc.. Its website is zed.dev.
Is it the real one?
Every Mac app carries a signature from the developer who made it. Apple checks who the developer is before handing out the certificate, and macOS refuses to open an app whose signature has been tampered with.
HARD hasn’t yet recorded the signature on a real copy of Zed. Its Mac app shows who signed the copy you have.
Its bundle ID, the name macOS knows it by, is dev.zed.Zed or dev.zed.Zed-Preview or dev.zed.Zed-Nightly or dev.zed.Zed-Dev. Download it only from zed.dev, not from an ad or a link someone sends you.
What it connects to
In normal use, Zed talks to these places on the internet. A firewall that asks before apps connect, like the one in HARD’s Mac app, will show them.
| Address | Why |
|---|---|
zed.dev | Account sign-in |
collab.zed.dev | Collaboration service |
api.anthropic.com | Claude requests when using an Anthropic API key |
What it can see
macOS asks you before an app can use these. You can change them any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
| Permission | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Microphone | Voice chat with collaborators; programs run inside Zed can also request microphone access. |
| Screen Recording | Share your screen with collaborators. |
| Camera | Declared for programs run inside Zed that request camera access. |
| Automation | Declared for programs run inside Zed that use AppleScript. |
| Bluetooth | Declared for programs run inside Zed that use Bluetooth. |
| Calendars | Declared for programs run inside Zed that request calendar data. |
| Contacts | Declared for programs run inside Zed that request contacts. |
| Location Services | Declared for programs run inside Zed that request location information. |
| Speech Recognition | Declared for programs run inside Zed that use speech recognition. |
| Reminders | Declared for programs run inside Zed that request reminders. |
Security record
Problems with Zed or Zed Industries in the last three years, newest first. Keeping the app up to date covers the ones that were fixed.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Malicious project settings could run commands on an SSH or WSL remote host when a terminal opened; version 0.227.1 fixed the flaw. | ↗ | |
| Environment variables could make an AI terminal command run extra code despite command permission rules; version 0.229.0 fixed the flaw. | ↗ | |
| Shell arithmetic expressions could bypass AI terminal command permission rules and run arbitrary commands; version 0.229.0 fixed the flaw. | ↗ | |
| Opening a repository with malicious Git settings could run commands even in untrusted mode; version 0.227.1 fixed the flaw. | ↗ | |
| File links could let AI tools read or change files outside the project and expose sensitive data to an AI service; version 0.225.9 fixed the flaw. | ↗ |
References
- Zed official website zed.dev
- Zed macOS bundle identifiers raw.githubusercontent.com
- Zed Privacy Policy zed.dev
- Software Is Made Between Commits — founding history zed.dev
- Zed Software Overview zed.dev
- Authenticate with Zed zed.dev
- Zed AI tools zed.dev
- Zed AI Privacy zed.dev
- Zed collaboration overview zed.dev
- Zed collaboration channels, voice chat and screen sharing zed.dev
- Telemetry in Zed zed.dev
- Download Zed zed.dev
- Update Zed zed.dev
- Zed stable release notes zed.dev
- Zed macOS permission declarations raw.githubusercontent.com
- Zed API access configuration zed.dev
- Zed Anthropic API endpoint raw.githubusercontent.com
- Remote command injection security advisory github.com
- Terminal environment variable permission bypass advisory github.com
- Terminal arithmetic expansion permission bypass advisory github.com
- Malicious Git configuration security advisory github.com
- Agent file tools symlink escape advisory github.com