Enhancing Language Support in Zed with Extensibility (Part 1)

Dive into how Zed has made its code editor extensible by focusing on enhancing language support using Tree-sitter and the Language Server Protocol, providing insights into the challenges faced and the solutions found.

Published 7 months ago by @zeddotdev on zed.dev

Abstract

Zed is making its code editor extensible by enhancing language support through Tree-sitter parsers and the Language Server Protocol. Challenges with packaging parsers due to C code led to using WebAssembly for safer plugin installations. A hybrid native + WebAssembly system was adopted to balance safety and performance. New primitives were added to the Tree-sitter library, allowing the use of WebAssembly to load languages. The implementation highlights the integration of Wasmtime engine and providing custom memory allocation functions for external scanners. Zed's community has rapidly embraced this feature with over 67 language extensions already available, showcasing syntax-aware features like syntax highlighting, auto-indent, and more.

Results

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Discussion

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Relevance

This article is crucial for enhancing your code editor's extensibility, especially in improving language support. It addresses the challenges of packaging parsers and introduces innovative solutions like using WebAssembly and a hybrid native + WebAssembly system. Embracing these enhancements can attract more users and foster community engagement through language extensions.

Applicability

If you are looking to expand language support in your code editor, you should consider adopting Tree-sitter parsers and the Language Server Protocol for extensibility. Utilize WebAssembly for safer plugin installations and explore a hybrid system for balancing safety and performance. Integrate new primitives into your language processing library to enable WebAssembly support and encourage community engagement through language extensions.

Risks

One risk to consider is the complexity involved in integrating WebAssembly and maintaining hybrid systems, which may require additional development effort and potential compatibility issues. Additionally, relying on custom memory allocation functions for external scanners could introduce new challenges in memory management and performance optimization.

Conclusion

The use of WebAssembly for packaging Tree-sitter grammars opens up exciting possibilities for enhancing extensibility in code editors. This innovative approach can lead to a broader range of supported languages, improved user experiences, and a growing ecosystem of community-driven language extensions. Embracing these trends can position your projects for long-term success by catering to diverse user needs and improving developer productivity.

References

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Extensible Language Support in Zed - Part 1
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Illustration of Extensible Language Support in Zed - Part 1

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