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title: I replaced VS Code and Notepad++ with this one free...
description: A personal account of switching from using both Notepad++ and VS Code to relying primarily on Zed, an open-source code editor. Zed handles quick text edits...
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og:description: A personal account of switching from using both Notepad++ and VS Code to relying primarily on Zed, an open-source code editor. Zed handles quick text edits...
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# I replaced VS Code and Notepad++ with this one free open-source editor, and I haven't looked back

**[XDA Developers](https://daily.dev/sources/xda-developers)** · 4 min read · 50 upvotes · 14 comments

## Summary

A personal account of switching from using both Notepad++ and VS Code to relying primarily on Zed, an open-source code editor. Zed handles quick text edits well and, thanks to language server support, also provides autocomplete, diagnostics, go-to-definition, git integration, and a clean command-palette-driven interface. VS Code is still kept around for specialized extensions, advanced debugging, and framework-specific workflows Zed doesn't yet match.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.xda-developers.com/i-replaced-vscode-and-notepad-with-this-one-free-open-source-editor>

## Questions this post answers

### What does Zed offer that makes it a replacement for both Notepad++ and VS Code?

Zed combines lightweight text editing with IDE-like code intelligence. It handles quick edits to TXT, Markdown, JSON, and XML files like Notepad++, while also offering language server support for autocomplete, diagnostics, go-to-definition, find-references, git diff review, extensions, and debugging, all wrapped in a low-clutter interface with a command palette.

_daily.dev surfaces real-world comparisons like this for developers weighing a switch to Zed._

### What are the limitations of Zed compared to VS Code for development work?

Zed still lags behind VS Code in ecosystem breadth: certain framework-specific extensions, advanced debugging setups, and testing tools are easier to configure in VS Code, and it's more likely to have an existing extension for a specific need. Language-specific customization options also remain more mature in VS Code, so many developers keep both editors installed rather than fully switching.

_Track editor trade-offs like these on daily.dev before deciding whether to drop VS Code entirely._

## Community discussion

Top comments from developers on daily.dev.

**@pixelwolf** · 8 upvotes

> Ive tried Zed. Its just another text editor. Lightweight for sure, but its nowhere as good as something like VS code. Uninstalled it after a couple minutes of use. Hope it gets more functions in the future.

**@petermrozek** · 7 upvotes

> If you want Zed, but without AI, telemetry, phoning home, etc., then I can point you in the direction of Gram - a Zed clone without all the snoopy-snoopy stuff. 😉

**@andradei** · 6 upvotes

> Zed is a good editor. But it needs time to get better plugins if it wants to pull plugin-reliant users from VSCode.
>
> And user's that don't rely much on plugins to enhance their experience usually go the neovim/helix/emacs route. It's a tough market, but it's a good editor nonetheless.

**@hunordori** · 3 upvotes

> Almost every Zed post, has comments from people who tried for a short period of time and they didn’t like it.
>
> I am not a plugin heavy user and I switched from VSCode to Zed years ago when it had a lot of issues. They improved a lot and I don’t want to go back. It was a few months to adjust, but I can understand if somebody doesn’t have the time or the reason to switch.

**@ristotoldsep** · 2 upvotes

> Zed for speed, VS Code for that one extension. yep, checks out.

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [VS Code is no longer the default for me – here is the tool that finally broke the habit](https://daily.dev/posts/vs-code-is-no-longer-the-default-for-me-here-is-the-tool-that-finally-broke-the-habit-i0zxbligz) · XDA Developers · 1 upvotes · 0 comments
- [Zed made sense to me only after I stopped trying to replace VS Code](https://daily.dev/posts/zed-made-sense-to-me-only-after-i-stopped-trying-to-replace-vs-code-chyhytrcv) · XDA Developers · 40 upvotes · 5 comments

---

Tags: [#open-source](https://daily.dev/tags/open-source), [#devtools](https://daily.dev/tags/devtools), [#vscode](https://daily.dev/tags/vscode), [#zed](https://daily.dev/tags/zed)

[View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/i-replaced-vs-code-and-notepad-with-this-one-free-open-source-editor-and-i-haven-t-looked-back-pfmo5jfpf)

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