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BetterOpenSource

Zed vs Cody

A side-by-side comparison of two open-source tools to help you choose the right one.

Feature
SummaryA blazing-fast, AI-native code editor in Rust.Enterprise AI coding assistant by Sourcegraph.
GitHub stars58K3K
LicenseSource AvailableApache 2.0
LanguageRustTypeScript
PricingFree & Open SourceFreemium
Self-hostable
ReplacesClaude Code, CursorClaude Code, GitHub Copilot
Rating4.7 / 54.4 / 5

Zed features

  • GPU-accelerated, extremely fast editor
  • Built-in AI assistant and inline edits
  • Real-time multiplayer collaboration
  • Tree-sitter and LSP powered
  • Native macOS, Linux, and Windows apps

Cody features

  • Whole-codebase context via code search
  • Chat, autocomplete, and inline fixes
  • Works across large, multi-repo codebases
  • VS Code and JetBrains support
  • Enterprise controls and self-hosting

Zedpros & cons

Pros

  • Outstanding performance and responsiveness
  • AI features built into a real editor
  • Open source and rapidly improving

Cons

  • Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code
  • License is GPL/AGPL-flavored, not permissive

Codypros & cons

Pros

  • Excellent context on large codebases
  • Strong enterprise and on-prem options
  • Backed by Sourcegraph's code intelligence

Cons

  • Advanced/enterprise features are paid
  • Most valuable on big codebases

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