Zed MCP Setup: Connect MCP Servers to Zed

What it is

A high-performance, multiplayer code editor written in Rust, with a built-in agent panel for AI-assisted editing.

How MCP works in Zed

Zed calls MCP servers "context servers". You can install them as extensions or add custom ones directly in settings; each launches over stdio.

Config file location

settings.json (Zed's user config) uses a context_servers object — a manually added server must include source: custom or Zed skips it.

Add your first server

A good first server is Playwright MCP — Microsoft's browser automation server. It runs locally over stdio via npx, needs no API key, and gives the agent a real browser to drive. Here is the verified Zed config:

{
  "context_servers": {
    "playwright": {
      "source": "custom",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@playwright/mcp@latest"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

Restart or reload Zed after saving, then confirm the server's tools show up. Swap in any other server from the directory using the same structure.

Transports & platforms

FAQ