Zed launches parallel agents with new Threads Sidebar
Zed now supports multiple AI agents running in parallel within a single window, managed through a new Threads Sidebar that controls per-thread folder and repository access.
Score breakdown
Developers can now run and monitor multiple AI agent threads across different repos simultaneously in Zed without leaving the editor, enabling more complex agentic workflows while staying in direct control of the code.
- 01Zed now supports multiple AI agents running in parallel within a single editor window.
- 02The new Threads Sidebar groups threads by project and allows per-thread agent selection and worktree isolation.
- 03A redesigned default layout places the Threads and Agent panels on the left, and the Project and Git panels on the right.
Zed has released Parallel Agents, a feature that lets developers run multiple AI agent threads concurrently inside a single editor window. The centerpiece is the new Threads Sidebar, which provides an at-a-glance overview of all threads grouped by project. From the sidebar, users can choose a different agent per thread, work across multiple repositories, selectively isolate worktrees, and perform common operations such as stopping, archiving, or launching new threads. The entire experience runs at Zed's 120 fps and supports any agent the user chooses, with all code remaining open-source.
To complement the feature, Zed redesigned its default panel layout: the Threads Sidebar and Agent Panel now dock on the left, while the Project Panel and Git Panel move to the right.
To complement the feature, Zed redesigned its default panel layout: the Threads Sidebar and Agent Panel now dock on the left, while the Project Panel and Git Panel move to the right. The new arrangement is opt-in for existing users but is the default for new installs. Panels can be repositioned via right-click or the Settings Editor. Authors Mikayla Maki and Richard Feldman describe the design philosophy as "agentic engineering" — a term coined by Zed co-founder and CEO Nathan Sobo in 2025 to capture the balance between AI assistance and direct human engagement with code. The team reports spending days stress-testing the system with hundreds of threads and going through multiple UX iterations before shipping. Parallel Agents is available in the latest Zed release, accessible via the bottom-left sidebar icon or the keybindings `option-cmd-j` (macOS) and `ctrl-option-j` (Linux/Windows).
Key facts
- 01Zed now supports multiple AI agents running in parallel within a single editor window.
- 02The new Threads Sidebar groups threads by project and allows per-thread agent selection and worktree isolation.
- 03A redesigned default layout places the Threads and Agent panels on the left, and the Project and Git panels on the right.
- 04The new layout is opt-in for existing users and default for new installs; panels are customizable via right-click or Settings Editor.
- 05The feature runs at 120 fps, supports any agent, and is fully open-source.
- 06Parallel Agents is available in the latest Zed release; opened via `option-cmd-j` on macOS or `ctrl-option-j` on Linux/Windows.
- 07The design philosophy is rooted in 'agentic engineering', a term coined by Zed CEO Nathan Sobo in 2025.