Zed Editor Integration

The Qwen Code extension for Zed integrates Qwen Code as an AI agent server using the Agent Client Protocol (ACP). This provides a native agent experience directly within Zed’s interface.

Features

Native Agent Experience

Integrated AI assistant panel within Zed’s interface

Agent Client Protocol

Full support for ACP enabling advanced IDE interactions

File Management

@-mention files to add them to the conversation context

Conversation History

Access to past conversations within Zed

Multi-platform

Works on macOS (ARM64 & Intel), Linux, and Windows

Workspace Awareness

Read, write, and edit files in your workspace

Requirements

The Zed extension requires the Qwen Code CLI to be installed separately.

Zed Editor: Latest version recommended
Node.js: Version 20 or later
Qwen Code CLI: Installed globally via npm
Internet connection: For AI model access

Installation

Install Qwen Code CLI

First, install the Qwen Code CLI globally:

npm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code

Verify the installation:

qwen --version

Install Zed Extension

Open Zed and install the extension using one of these methods:Via Extensions Panel:

Open the Extensions panel:
- macOS: cmd-shift-x
- Linux/Windows: ctrl-shift-x
Search for “Qwen Code”
Click “Install”

Via Command Line:

zed --install-extension qwen-code

Enable Agent Server

After installation:

Switch to the Agent Server tab in the Extensions panel
Ensure “Qwen Code” is enabled
The agent server will start automatically

Open Agent Panel

Launch the Agent Panel:

macOS: cmd-shift-a
Linux/Windows: ctrl-shift-a

Select “Qwen Code” from the agent list and start chatting!

Usage

Opening the Agent Panel

Access the Qwen Code agent:

Press cmd-shift-a (macOS) or ctrl-shift-a (Linux/Windows)
Select “Qwen Code” from the agent dropdown
Start your conversation

Using @-mentions

Reference files in your workspace:

@filename to mention specific files
@directory/ to reference entire directories

Example:

Explain what @src/main.rs does
Refactor @utils/parser.ts to improve performance
Add tests for @components/Button.tsx

Agent Capabilities

The Qwen Code agent can:

Read files: Access any file in your workspace
Write files: Create new files or modify existing ones
Edit code: Make surgical changes to specific functions or sections
Explain code: Provide detailed explanations of code structure and logic
Debug: Help identify and fix bugs
Suggest improvements: Recommend refactorings and optimizations

Natural Language Commands

Use natural language to describe what you want:

"Explain the codebase structure"
"Find all TODO comments"
"Refactor this function to use async/await"
"Generate unit tests for the parser module"
"Fix the type errors in src/types.ts"

Configuration

Environment Variables

The Zed extension inherits environment variables from Zed. To set custom variables:

Open Zed settings (macOS: cmd-,, Linux/Windows: ctrl-,)
Add agent server environment variables:

{
  "agent_servers": {
    "qwen-code": {
      "env": {
        "QWEN_LOG_LEVEL": "info",
        "YOUR_CUSTOM_VAR": "value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Qwen Code Settings

The agent server reads configuration from:

User settings: ~/.qwen/settings.json
Project settings: .qwen/settings.json (workspace root)

Configure authentication, models, and other options:

{
  "modelProviders": {
    "openai": [
      {
        "id": "qwen3-coder-plus",
        "name": "qwen3-coder-plus",
        "baseUrl": "https://dashscope.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1",
        "envKey": "DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"
      }
    ]
  },
  "env": {
    "DASHSCOPE_API_KEY": "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxx"
  },
  "security": {
    "auth": {
      "selectedType": "openai"
    }
  },
  "model": {
    "name": "qwen3-coder-plus"
  }
}

See the Configuration Guide for all options.

Authentication

The extension uses your existing Qwen Code authentication. Configure it by running the CLI:

qwen
/auth

Choose between:

Qwen OAuth: Free tier with 1,000 requests/day
API Key: Use OpenAI, Anthropic, or other compatible providers

Platform Support

The Zed extension is available for:

Platform	Architecture	Status
macOS	ARM64 (Apple Silicon)	✅ Supported
macOS	x86_64 (Intel)	✅ Supported
Linux	x86_64	✅ Supported
Windows	x86_64	✅ Supported

The current version requires Node.js to run. A single-file executable version is in development.

Tips & Best Practices

Mention files explicitly

Always use @-mentions to specify which files you’re asking about. This gives Qwen precise context:Good: “Refactor @src/parser.ts to use async/await”Not as good: “Refactor the parser file”

Review changes before accepting

When Qwen suggests file changes, review them carefully in Zed’s diff view before accepting.

Use conversation history

Build on previous conversations. Qwen remembers the context from your chat history.

Start broad, then narrow

Begin with high-level questions (“What does this project do?”) then drill down into specifics.

Troubleshooting

Server shutdown unexpectedly

Issue: Error message “server shut down unexpectedly”Solutions:

Collect logs:
- Press cmd-shift-p (macOS) or ctrl-shift-p (Windows/Linux)
- Select Zed: Open Log
Check logs for errors related to:
- Agent server startup
- Node.js runtime
- Qwen Code CLI
Verify Qwen Code CLI works:
```
qwen --version
qwen --acp
```

Check Node.js version:

node --version  # Should be 20 or later

Agent server starts but has issues

Issue: Agent starts but encounters problems during useSolutions:

Open ACP logs:
- Press cmd-shift-p (macOS) or ctrl-shift-p (Windows/Linux)
- Select Dev: Open ACP Logs
Look for error messages in the ACP logs
Check authentication:
```
qwen
/auth
```
Verify internet connectivity

Agent not appearing in list

Issue: Can’t find Qwen Code in the agent dropdownSolutions:

Verify the extension is installed (check Extensions panel)
Ensure the agent server is enabled in the Agent Server tab
Restart Zed

Check that Qwen Code CLI is installed:

which qwen  # Unix/macOS
where qwen  # Windows

Authentication errors

Issue: Agent can’t authenticate or make requestsSolutions:

Run authentication setup:
```
qwen
/auth
```
Check ~/.qwen/settings.json for correct API keys
Test authentication in the CLI:
```
qwen -p "Hello"
```
Verify API key validity with your provider

Viewing Logs

Access different log files for debugging:

Log Type	How to Access	Contains
Zed Logs	`cmd/ctrl-shift-p` → “Zed: Open Log”	General Zed and extension logs
ACP Logs	`cmd/ctrl-p` → “Dev: Open ACP Logs”	Agent Client Protocol communication
Qwen Logs	Terminal: `tail -f ~/.qwen/logs/*.log`	Qwen Code CLI logs

Reporting Issues

If you encounter problems:

Collect diagnostic information:
- Zed version: Help → About Zed
- Qwen Code version: qwen --version
- Node.js version: node --version
- Relevant log excerpts
Report the issue at one of these locations:
- Qwen Code Issues
- Qwen Code Zed Extension Issues
Include in your report:
- Clear description of the issue
- Steps to reproduce
- Expected vs. actual behavior
- Relevant log excerpts
- System information

Resources

Zed Agent Panel Guide

Learn more about Zed’s agent panel

Agent Client Protocol

Understand the ACP specification

Qwen Code Discussions

Join the community discussion

Zed Community

Connect with other Zed users

Next Steps

Explore Qwen Code CLI features
Learn about configuration options
Try the VS Code extension for a different workflow
Check out JetBrains integration for IntelliJ IDEs

Getting Started

Core Features

Configuration

IDE Integration

Advanced

Zed Editor Integration

Features

Native Agent Experience

Agent Client Protocol

File Management

Conversation History

Multi-platform

Workspace Awareness

Requirements

Installation

Usage

Opening the Agent Panel

Using @-mentions

Agent Capabilities

Natural Language Commands

Configuration

Environment Variables

Qwen Code Settings

Authentication

Platform Support

Tips & Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Viewing Logs

Reporting Issues

Resources

Zed Agent Panel Guide

Agent Client Protocol

Qwen Code Discussions

Zed Community

Next Steps

Getting Started

Core Features

Configuration

IDE Integration

Advanced

​Features

Native Agent Experience

Agent Client Protocol

File Management

Conversation History

Multi-platform

Workspace Awareness

​Requirements

​Installation

​Usage

​Opening the Agent Panel

​Using @-mentions

​Agent Capabilities

​Natural Language Commands

​Configuration

​Environment Variables

​Qwen Code Settings

​Authentication

​Platform Support

​Tips & Best Practices

​Troubleshooting

​Viewing Logs

​Reporting Issues

​Resources

Zed Agent Panel Guide

Agent Client Protocol

Qwen Code Discussions

Zed Community

​Next Steps

Features

Requirements

Installation

Usage

Opening the Agent Panel

Using @-mentions

Agent Capabilities

Natural Language Commands

Configuration

Environment Variables

Qwen Code Settings

Authentication

Platform Support

Tips & Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Viewing Logs

Reporting Issues

Resources

Next Steps