TypeScript for Zed

Zed extension that runs the TypeScript 7 native language server.

It attaches to Zed's existing JavaScript, JSX, TypeScript, and TSX languages.

How the server runs

TypeScript 7's language server is a native executable that ships inside the platform-specific @typescript/typescript-<platform>-<arch> npm packages, launched in LSP mode:

tsc --lsp --stdio

The extension executes that native binary directly when it can locate it next to the resolved typescript package (npm/bun hoisted layouts, pnpm on Linux/macOS). Otherwise it falls back to the package's bin/tsc Node launcher — Microsoft's own resolution logic — via the worktree's node (volta/fnm shims included) or Zed's bundled Node. No Node process stays in the middle on the native path.

Server resolution

The extension resolves the TypeScript 7+ package to run, preferring the project's own copy:

1. tsdk.path (explicit, version checked). Accepts the package root, its lib dir (VS Code typescript.tsdk convention), a bin/tsc path, or a platform package containing the native binary.
2. Any dep (dependencies/devDependencies/peerDependencies) in the worktree package.json whose effective package name is typescript: either a direct "typescript" dependency or an npm: alias under any key (such as "@typescript/native": "npm:typescript@^7"). Verifies that the installed package is >=7 and has a usable launcher. (Skips @typescript/typescript6 compat aliases.)
3. Otherwise: managed npm install typescript into the extension's own directory (version >=7 enforced).

For managed installs, version wins over updateChannel:

Setting	Install behavior
version	Install any npm version spec, such as 7.0.2, next, or ^7.0.0.
updateChannel: "latest"	Install the latest stable typescript package.
updateChannel: "next"	Install typescript@next, matching TypeScript's nightly channel.

TypeScript 6 and older are rejected — for those, use Zed's built-in TypeScript support instead.

Settings

All configuration lives under lsp.typescript in Zed settings. The extension owns a small set of launch/install keys; everything else in settings is forwarded verbatim to the language server, which pulls it via workspace/configuration.

Extension-owned settings

Setting	Meaning
version	npm version spec to install (wins over updateChannel).
updateChannel	"latest" or "next".
tsdk.path	Explicit TypeScript package location (see Server resolution).
server.pprofDir	Passes --pprofDir so the server writes pprof CPU/memory profiles there.
server.goMemLimit	Sets GOMEMLIMIT for the server. Integer bytes with optional B/KiB/MiB/GiB/TiB suffix, or off.
server.args	Extra CLI args appended to --lsp --stdio — forwards future server flags without an extension update.
server.env	Extra environment variables for the server process (e.g. GOGC, debug vars).

Dotted ("server.pprofDir": …) and nested ("server": {"pprofDir": …}) forms are both accepted; the nested form wins when both are set.

{
  "lsp": {
    "typescript": {
      "settings": {
        "updateChannel": "next",
        "server": {
          "pprofDir": "./.typescript-pprof",
          "goMemLimit": "2048MiB",
          "env": { "GOGC": "50" }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

The current server flag surface in --lsp mode is --stdio, --pipe <name>, --socket <addr>, and --pprofDir <dir>; anything new lands via server.args.

Custom binary

lsp.typescript.binary overrides how the server is launched entirely:

{
  "lsp": {
    "typescript": {
      "binary": {
        // a path ending in tsc/tsc.js/tsc.exe is launched as the server itself;
        // any other path is treated as a custom node to run the resolved tsc with
        "path": "/path/to/tsc",
        "arguments": ["--lsp", "--stdio"], // optional: full args override
        "env": { "GOMEMLIMIT": "4GiB" } // optional: highest-precedence env
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment precedence, lowest to highest: shell environment, server.env, server.goMemLimit, binary.env.

Language server configuration (forwarded)

The server requests the configuration sections js/ts, typescript, javascript, and editor, and merges them with ascending precedence editor → javascript → typescript → js/ts. Put those sections directly in settings — they are forwarded to the server:

{
  "lsp": {
    "typescript": {
      "settings": {
        "typescript": {
          "preferences": {
            "quoteStyle": "single",
            "importModuleSpecifier": "non-relative",
            "preferTypeOnlyAutoImports": true
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Matching Zed's built-in TypeScript support, the extension enables all inlay hint kinds and both code lens kinds server-side by default (Zed's own inlay_hints setting still controls whether hints are displayed). Your settings deep-merge over these defaults and win at leaf level, so e.g. "typescript": {"inlayHints": {"parameterNames": {"enabled": "none"}}} turns one hint kind off while the rest keep their defaults.

VS Code-style dotted keys are also accepted and expanded, so configuration copied from TypeScript docs works as-is (nested form wins on conflict):

{
  "lsp": {
    "typescript": {
      "settings": {
        "typescript.inlayHints.parameterNames.enabled": "all",
        "js/ts.implicitProjectConfig.checkJs": true
      }
    }
  }
}

Option groups the server reads (same names as the VS Code TypeScript settings, minus the typescript./javascript. prefix): inlayHints.*, preferences.* (quote style, auto-imports, module specifiers, organize imports), suggest.*, format.*, referencesCodeLens.* / implementationsCodeLens.*, validate.*, workspaceSymbols.*, autoClosingTags, and implicitProjectConfig.* under js/ts. The authoritative list is UserPreferences in the server source.

Initialization options (forwarded)

initialization_options are passed to the server verbatim at initialize.
Known upstream options (InitializationOptions, read in server.go):

Option	Upstream meaning
disablePushDiagnostics	Disable automatic diagnostic pushes.
codeLensShowLocationsCommandName	Client command used by resolved references/implementations CodeLens.
userPreferences	Initial user preferences (same shape as the sections above).
enableTelemetry	Enable server telemetry events.
logVerbosity	Initial server log verbosity.

{
  "lsp": {
    "typescript": {
      "initialization_options": {
        "enableTelemetry": false,
        "logVerbosity": 2
      }
    }
  }
}

Preferences set via the configuration sections update live on workspace/didChangeConfiguration; initialization_options only apply at server startup.

Known limits

• TypeScript 7 has no stable programmatic API yet, so embedded-language workflows (Vue, MDX, Astro, Svelte, Angular templates) are not supported by the upstream server.
• codeLensShowLocationsCommandName requires client-side command support that Zed extensions cannot register; code lenses resolve, but the "show locations" command is editor-dependent.

Dev Install

Prerequisite: Rust installed with rustup.

In Zed, run zed: install dev extension and select this directory.

After edits, rebuild from the Extensions page.
For logs, run Zed with zed --foreground or use zed: open log.