Developing Zed for Linux: A Dive into the Challenges and Solutions

From Zed Blog: Learn about the progress of Zed's Linux version development, the challenges faced, and the community efforts to bring it to life. Dive into the technical intricacies of supporting Linux platforms and the solution involving Blade for GPU rendering.

Published 4 months ago by @thorstenball on zed.dev

Abstract

Zed, originally without Linux support, now allows compiling and running on Linux after opening the source code. Challenges involved implementing a Platform trait for Linux, handling various Linux distribution differences, deciding between X11 and Wayland, supporting different desktop environments, and rendering on Linux GPU. The community effort swiftly addressed these challenges by leveraging Blade for GPU rendering, making Zed functional on Linux.

Results

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Discussion

How this relates to indie hacking and solopreneurship.

Relevance

This article is crucial as it showcases the journey of bringing Zed to Linux, highlighting the technical complexities faced by developers when supporting Linux platforms. It emphasizes the importance of community collaboration in open-source projects and the significant impact of leveraging innovative solutions like Blade for GPU rendering.

Applicability

To apply the insights, ensure your application supports various Linux distributions, decide between X11 and Wayland, choose desktop environments to support, and implement GPU rendering without Metal. Engage with the open-source community for support and contributions, leveraging solutions like Blade for efficient GPU rendering.

Risks

One of the risks involves the complexity of supporting multiple Linux distributions, various desktop environments, and rendering on Linux GPUs, which may lead to compatibility issues. Relying on open-source community contributions may introduce inconsistencies or implementation challenges that need careful management.

Conclusion

The trend of expanding applications to support Linux platforms will likely continue, driven by the increasing popularity of Linux among developers and users. As more tools and frameworks like Blade emerge to facilitate GPU rendering on Linux, the process of porting applications to Linux will become more streamlined, presenting new opportunities for developers.

References

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Zed Decoded: Linux when?
From the Zed Blog: In this episode of Zed Decoded, Thorsten talks to Mikayla, who's been leading the effort to Zed working on Linux, about the Zed's Linux version and how it's taking shape

Illustration of Zed Decoded: Linux when?

Zed

Discover the power and performance of Zed, the high-speed, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter. Stay updated with the latest features, tips, and best practices to optimize your coding experience with Zed.