How To Install Zed Code Editor on Linux Mint 22

If you’ve been searching for a faster, leaner alternative to VS Code that actually feels native on Linux — Zed is worth your full attention. Built entirely in Rust and rendered through the GPU, the Zed code editor delivers a development experience that’s both blazingly quick and elegantly minimal. And the best part? Linux Mint 22 is a perfect home for it.

This guide walks you through every method to install Zed on Linux Mint 22, step by step. Whether you prefer a one-command install or want full manual control over where the binary lives, there’s a method here for you. By the end, you’ll have Zed running, configured, and ready for serious development work.

What Is Zed Code Editor?

Zed is a high-performance, open-source code editor written in Rust. It was created by Nathan Sobo, the original author of the Atom text editor, alongside the co-creators of Tree-sitter — the incremental parsing library now used by dozens of editors worldwide. That pedigree alone signals something worth paying attention to.

What makes Zed stand apart technically is its custom GPU rendering framework called GPUI, which uses the Vulkan API to draw the UI directly on the graphics card. The result is an editor that processes text input and re-renders faster than anything built on Electron. Zed officially landed on Linux in July 2024, backed by $32 million in funding and open-sourced under the GPL license.

Key Features That Set Zed Apart

• GPU-accelerated rendering via Vulkan — noticeably snappier on large files
• Built-in AI assistant supporting GitHub Copilot, GPT-4, Claude, and Ollama — no extensions required
• Real-time multiplayer collaboration — think Google Docs, but for code
• Native Language Server Protocol (LSP) support out of the box
• Integrated terminal, Vim mode, and command palette
• JSON-based settings — zero UI layers between you and your config
• Lightweight footprint — native binary, no Chromium runtime overhead

Why Linux Mint 22 Is an Ideal Match for Zed

Linux Mint 22, codenamed “Wilma,” is built on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat). That matters because Zed’s official Linux binary requires glibc ≥ 2.31 for x86_64 systems. Linux Mint 22 ships with glibc 2.39 — well above the threshold. You’re in the clear before you type a single command.

Performance-wise, the pairing makes sense. Zed’s edit latency benchmarks at around 58ms, compared to approximately 97ms for VS Code. On Linux Mint 22, running the Cinnamon desktop environment, Zed’s native Rust binary avoids the Electron overhead entirely. For developers working on mid-range hardware, that difference is real and noticeable.

System Requirements for Zed on Linux Mint 22

Before installing, confirm your system meets these baseline requirements:

Check your architecture with:

uname -m

Verify your glibc version with:

ldd --version

Prerequisites: Before You Begin

A clean setup avoids 90% of install problems. Run a system update first — always.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install curl, which is required for the official script method:

sudo apt install curl -y

If you plan to build from source, install git as well:

sudo apt install git -y

Optionally — and this is a good habit on Linux Mint specifically — take a Timeshift snapshot before making major system changes. It costs you two minutes and can save you hours. Open Timeshift from the application menu and create a restore point before proceeding.

Method 1: Install Zed via the Official Script (Recommended)

This is the fastest and most straightforward path. The official Zed install script handles architecture detection, binary download, and PATH setup automatically.

Step 1 — Open Terminal

Press Ctrl + Alt + T or search “Terminal” in the Linux Mint application menu.

Step 2 — Run the Official Install Script

curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

The script does the following automatically:

• Detects your CPU architecture (x86_64 or aarch64)
• Downloads the latest stable Zed binary
• Installs the binary to ~/.local/bin/zed
• Places a desktop launcher at ~/.local/share/applications/zed.desktop

Want the preview channel — which gets updates about a week earlier? Use:

curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | ZED_CHANNEL=preview sh

Step 3 — Add Zed to Your PATH

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Step 4 — Verify the Installation

zed --version

You should see output like Zed 0.x.x. If you do, the install worked.

Step 5 — Launch Zed

zed

Or open it from the Cinnamon application menu by searching “Zed.” To open a specific project directory:

zed /path/to/your/project

Updating Zed (Script Method)

Simply re-run the install script at any time to pull the latest release:

curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

No version tracking. No manual file management. It just updates.

Method 2: Install Zed via Release Tarball (System-Wide)

This method gives you full control over the installation location and makes Zed available system-wide, meaning all users on the machine can access it.

Step 1 — Download the Tarball

For x86_64 (Intel/AMD):

curl -LO https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/releases/latest/download/zed-linux-x86_64.tar.gz

For aarch64 (ARM):

curl -LO https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/releases/latest/download/zed-linux-aarch64.tar.gz

Step 2 — Extract to /opt

The /opt directory is the Linux standard for manually installed third-party software.

sudo tar -C /opt -xzf zed-linux-x86_64.tar.gz

Step 3 — Fix the Desktop Icon Path

By default, the launcher references the icon by name only. Fix it with a single sed command:

sudo sed -i 's_Icon=zed_Icon=/opt/zed.app/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/zed.png_' /opt/zed.app/share/applications/zed.desktop

Step 4 — Create System-Wide Symlinks

sudo ln -s /opt/zed.app/bin/zed /usr/local/bin/zed
sudo ln -s /opt/zed.app/share/applications/zed.desktop /usr/local/share/applications/

Step 5 — Verify Installation

zed --version

Updating Zed (Tarball Method)

1. Download the new tarball from the Zed GitHub releases page
2. Remove the old install: sudo rm -rf /opt/zed.app
3. Extract the new tarball to /opt following Steps 2–4 above

Method 3: Install Zed via Flatpak

Linux Mint 22 ships with Flatpak support enabled by default. This makes the Flatpak route beginner-friendly and safe — the editor runs in an isolated sandbox, away from your core system libraries.

Step 1 — Enable Flathub (If Not Already Active)

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Step 2 — Install Zed from Flathub

flatpak install flathub dev.zed.Zed

Zed is officially listed on Flathub under the ID dev.zed.Zed.

Step 3 — Launch Zed

flatpak run dev.zed.Zed

Or find it directly in the Linux Mint application menu — Flatpak apps integrate natively with the Cinnamon launcher.

Updating Zed (Flatpak)

flatpak update dev.zed.Zed

Advantages of the Flatpak method:

• Sandboxed and isolated — no dependency conflicts
• Dead simple to update
• Works on virtually any Linux Mint installation

One limitation to be aware of: The Flatpak sandbox may restrict access to certain system paths. If Zed can’t read files outside your home directory, grant broader filesystem access with:

flatpak override --user --filesystem=home dev.zed.Zed

Method 4: Build Zed from Source (Advanced)

This path is for contributors, developers who want cutting-edge builds, or users who need to compile for unsupported configurations. It takes longer — expect 10 to 30 minutes depending on your CPU.

⚠️ This method is for advanced users. If you just want Zed up and running, use Method 1.

Step 1 — Install Git and Rust

sudo apt install git -y
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source ~/.cargo/env

Step 2 — Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/zed-industries/zed
cd zed

Step 3 — Install Build Dependencies

The Zed repo includes a convenience script that auto-installs all required system libraries for Debian-based distros:

./script/linux

You will be prompted for your sudo password. The script also invokes rustup to install the correct Rust toolchain.

Step 4 — Build and Install

source ~/.bashrc && ./script/install-linux

The compiled binary installs to ~/.local/bin/zed and the desktop launcher goes to ~/.local/share/applications/.

Uninstalling a Source Build

zed --uninstall

The shell will prompt whether you want to keep your preferences. Clean and simple.

Configuring Zed After Installation

All Zed settings live in a single JSON file at ~/.config/zed/settings.json. Open it directly within Zed using Ctrl + ,.

Recommended Starter Configuration

{
  "autosave": "on_focus_change",
  "theme": "One Dark",
  "format_on_save": "on",
  "buffer_font_size": 14,
  "tab_size": 2
}

Enabling Vim Mode

"vim_mode": true

Connecting GitHub Copilot

Open the Command Palette with Ctrl + Shift + P, type copilot: sign in, and follow the GitHub OAuth prompt. Zed supports Copilot, OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, and local models via Ollama — all configured directly in settings.json without any plugin installations required.

Cross-Device Settings Sync

Sign in with your GitHub account inside Zed to enable settings sync across machines. Your theme, keybindings, and preferences travel with you.

Installing Extensions and Themes

Open the Extension Manager with Ctrl + Shift + X. Search by language or tool name, click Install, and Zed activates the extension immediately.

Popular language extensions to install first:

• python — full LSP support for Python development
• typescript — JavaScript and TypeScript language intelligence
• go — Go language server integration
• php — PHP support for web development

To change your theme: Open the Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P) → theme selector: toggle. Popular community themes include Catppuccin, Dracula, Tokyo Night, and Solarized Dark.

Troubleshooting Common Issues on Linux Mint 22

curl: command not found

sudo apt install curl -y

zed: command not found After Installation

Your ~/.local/bin directory isn’t on the PATH yet. Fix it:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

Zed Shows a Black Screen or Fails to Open a Window

This is a Vulkan/GPU driver issue. Install Mesa Vulkan drivers:

sudo apt install mesa-vulkan-drivers vulkan-tools -y

Verify Vulkan is working:

vkcube

If Zed still won’t open, check the log at ~/.local/share/zed/logs/Zed.log for GPU error messages. As a temporary workaround, force software rendering:

LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 zed

Flatpak Zed Can’t Access Project Folders

flatpak override --user --filesystem=home dev.zed.Zed

Build from Source Fails: Rust Not Found

The Rust environment isn’t sourced in the current shell session:

source ~/.cargo/env

Zed Isn’t Saving API Keys or Login Sessions

Zed relies on XDG desktop portals to store secrets securely. Install a keychain provider:

sudo apt install gnome-keyring -y

Then log out and back in. The org.freedesktop.portal.Secret interface will be available.

glibc version not found Error

This means your system’s glibc is too old. Linux Mint 22 ships with glibc 2.39 — this error should not appear. If you’re somehow seeing it, upgrade your base system first:

sudo apt dist-upgrade

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Zed code editor. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the Zed code editor on Linux Mint 22 system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Zed website.