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Zed allows you to configure settings on a per-language basis, controlling everything from formatting to language server behavior. Language settings override global defaults.

​
Language Settings Structure

Configure language-specific settings in your settings.json: 
{
  "languages": {
    "Python": {
      "tab_size": 4,
      "formatter": "language_server"
    },
    "JavaScript": {
      "tab_size": 2,
      "formatter": "prettier",
      "code_actions_on_format": {
        "source.fixAll.eslint": true
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Common Language Settings

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Indentation

{
  "languages": {
    "Rust": {
      "tab_size": 4,
      "hard_tabs": false
    },
    "Go": {
      "tab_size": 8,
      "hard_tabs": true
    },
    "YAML": {
      "tab_size": 2,
      "hard_tabs": false
    }
  }
}
  • tab_size: Number of spaces per tab (or tab character width)
  • hard_tabs: Use tab characters (true) vs spaces (false)

​
Line Wrapping

{
  "languages": {
    "Markdown": {
      "soft_wrap": "preferred_line_length",
      "preferred_line_length": 80,
      "show_wrap_guides": true,
      "wrap_guides": [80, 100]
    }
  }
}
  • soft_wrap: "none", "editor_width", or "preferred_line_length"
  • preferred_line_length: Character count for wrapping
  • show_wrap_guides: Show vertical rulers
  • wrap_guides: Array of column positions for guides

​
Formatting

{
  "languages": {
    "TypeScript": {
      "format_on_save": "on",
      "formatter": "prettier",
      "prettier": {
        "allowed": true,
        "parser": "typescript",
        "plugins": ["prettier-plugin-tailwindcss"]
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Format on Save Options

  • "off" - Don’t format on save
  • "on" - Format using configured formatter
  • "language_server" - Use language server formatting
  • "external" - Use external command

​
Formatter Options

  • "auto" - Automatically choose formatter
  • "language_server" - Use LSP formatting
  • "prettier" - Use Prettier (if available)
  • "external" - Use external command
  • ["formatter1", "formatter2"] - Try formatters in order

​
Code Actions on Format

Run code actions automatically when formatting: 
{
  "languages": {
    "TypeScript": {
      "code_actions_on_format": {
        "source.organizeImports": true,
        "source.fixAll.eslint": true
      }
    },
    "Rust": {
      "code_actions_on_format": {
        "source.organizeImports": false
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Save Actions

{
  "languages": {
    "Python": {
      "remove_trailing_whitespace_on_save": true,
      "ensure_final_newline_on_save": true
    }
  }
}

​
Language Servers

​
Enabling/Disabling

{
  "languages": {
    "JavaScript": {
      "enable_language_server": true
    },
    "Plain Text": {
      "enable_language_server": false
    }
  }
}

​
Language Server Selection

Control which language servers to use: 
{
  "languages": {
    "TypeScript": {
      "language_servers": [
        "typescript-language-server",
        "...",  // Include all other registered servers
        "!vtsls"  // Exclude specific server
      ]
    }
  }
}
Tokens:
  • "..." - Placeholder for all other available servers
  • "!name" - Exclude a specific server (prefix with !)

​
Language Server Configuration

{
  "lsp": {
    "rust-analyzer": {
      "initialization_options": {
        "check": {
          "command": "clippy"
        },
        "cargo": {
          "allFeatures": true
        }
      }
    },
    "typescript-language-server": {
      "initialization_options": {
        "preferences": {
          "includeInlayParameterNameHints": "all"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Semantic Tokens

Control how LSP semantic tokens are used for highlighting: 
{
  "languages": {
    "TypeScript": {
      "semantic_tokens": "enhanced"  // Options: "disabled", "basic", "enhanced"
    }
  }
}
  • "disabled" - Don’t use semantic tokens
  • "basic" - Use basic semantic token types
  • "enhanced" - Use full semantic token capabilities

​
Document Features

​
Folding Ranges

{
  "languages": {
    "Python": {
      "document_folding_ranges": "language_server"  // Options: "language_server", "indentation", "treesitter"
    }
  }
}

​
Document Symbols

{
  "languages": {
    "JavaScript": {
      "document_symbols": "language_server"  // Options: "language_server", "treesitter"
    }
  }
}

​
Completions

{
  "languages": {
    "Rust": {
      "show_completions_on_input": true,
      "show_completion_documentation": true,
      "completions": {
        "words": "buffer",  // Options: "off", "buffer", "workspace", "fallback"
        "words_min_length": 3,
        "lsp": true,
        "lsp_fetch_timeout_ms": 5000,
        "lsp_insert_mode": "replace_suffix"  // Options: "insert", "replace", "replace_suffix"
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Inlay Hints

{
  "languages": {
    "Rust": {
      "inlay_hints": {
        "enabled": true,
        "show_type_hints": true,
        "show_parameter_hints": true,
        "show_other_hints": true,
        "show_background": false,
        "edit_debounce_ms": 700,
        "scroll_debounce_ms": 50,
        "toggle_on_modifiers_press": {
          "alt": true,
          "shift": false,
          "control": false,
          "platform": false
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Edit Predictions (AI Completions)

{
  "languages": {
    "Markdown": {
      "show_edit_predictions": false
    },
    "Rust": {
      "show_edit_predictions": true,
      "edit_predictions_disabled_in": ["string", "comment"]
    }
  }
}

​
Bracket Colorization

{
  "languages": {
    "TypeScript": {
      "colorize_brackets": true
    }
  }
}

​
Prettier Configuration

{
  "languages": {
    "JavaScript": {
      "prettier": {
        "allowed": true,
        "parser": "babel",
        "plugins": [],
        "options": {
          "semi": false,
          "singleQuote": true,
          "trailingComma": "es5"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Tasks

Configure language-specific task behavior: 
{
  "languages": {
    "Rust": {
      "tasks": {
        "enabled": true,
        "prefer_lsp": false,
        "variables": {
          "CARGO_TARGET": "release"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Debuggers

Specify preferred debuggers for a language: 
{
  "languages": {
    "Python": {
      "debuggers": ["debugpy", "ptvsd"]
    },
    "JavaScript": {
      "debuggers": ["node"]
    }
  }
}

​
Language-Specific Features

​
Auto-closing

{
  "languages": {
    "HTML": {
      "use_autoclose": true,
      "use_auto_surround": true,
      "jsx_tag_auto_close": true
    }
  }
}

​
Auto-indent

{
  "languages": {
    "Python": {
      "auto_indent": true,
      "auto_indent_on_paste": true
    }
  }
}

​
Comment Continuation

{
  "languages": {
    "JavaScript": {
      "extend_comment_on_newline": true
    },
    "Markdown": {
      "extend_list_on_newline": true,
      "indent_list_on_tab": true
    }
  }
}

​
Linked Edits

{
  "languages": {
    "HTML": {
      "linked_edits": true  // Edit matching HTML tags together
    }
  }
}

​
File Type Associations

Associate file patterns with languages: 
{
  "file_types": {
    "Dockerfile": ["Dockerfile*", "*.dockerfile"],
    "JSON": ["*.json", "*.jsonc", ".eslintrc"],
    "TypeScript": ["*.ts", "*.tsx", "*.mts", "*.cts"],
    "TOML": ["*.toml", "Cargo.lock"],
    "Markdown": ["*.md", "*.mdx", "*.markdown"]
  }
}
Glob patterns are supported:
  • * - Matches any characters except /
  • ** - Matches any characters including /
  • ? - Matches a single character
  • [abc] - Matches any character in the set

​
Common Language Examples

​
Rust

{
  "languages": {
    "Rust": {
      "tab_size": 4,
      "hard_tabs": false,
      "format_on_save": "on",
      "formatter": "language_server",
      "inlay_hints": {
        "enabled": true,
        "show_type_hints": true,
        "show_parameter_hints": false
      }
    }
  },
  "lsp": {
    "rust-analyzer": {
      "initialization_options": {
        "check": {
          "command": "clippy"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

​
Python

{
  "languages": {
    "Python": {
      "tab_size": 4,
      "hard_tabs": false,
      "format_on_save": "on",
      "formatter": "language_server",
      "preferred_line_length": 88
    }
  },
  "lsp": {
    "pyright": {
      "initialization_options": {
        "python": {
          "analysis": {
            "typeCheckingMode": "basic"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

​
TypeScript/JavaScript

{
  "languages": {
    "TypeScript": {
      "tab_size": 2,
      "hard_tabs": false,
      "format_on_save": "on",
      "formatter": "prettier",
      "code_actions_on_format": {
        "source.organizeImports": true,
        "source.fixAll.eslint": true
      }
    },
    "JavaScript": {
      "tab_size": 2,
      "format_on_save": "on",
      "formatter": "prettier"
    }
  }
}

​
Go

{
  "languages": {
    "Go": {
      "tab_size": 8,
      "hard_tabs": true,
      "format_on_save": "on",
      "formatter": "language_server",
      "code_actions_on_format": {
        "source.organizeImports": true
      }
    }
  }
}

​
HTML/CSS

{
  "languages": {
    "HTML": {
      "tab_size": 2,
      "formatter": "prettier",
      "use_autoclose": true,
      "linked_edits": true
    },
    "CSS": {
      "tab_size": 2,
      "formatter": "prettier"
    }
  }
}

​
EditorConfig Support

Zed respects .editorconfig files for per-file settings. EditorConfig takes precedence over language settings for:
  • indent_style (hard_tabs)
  • indent_size (tab_size)
  • max_line_length (preferred_line_length)
  • insert_final_newline (ensure_final_newline_on_save)
  • trim_trailing_whitespace (remove_trailing_whitespace_on_save)

​
Viewing Language Defaults

To see default settings for all languages:
  1. Open Command Palette
  2. Run “zed: open default settings”
  3. Search for specific language names
Default language settings are defined in Zed’s source code and can be inspected in assets/settings/default.json.