# Configuring Zed

Zed is designed to be configured: we want to fit your workflow and preferences exactly. We provide default settings that are designed to be a comfortable starting point for as many people as possible, but we hope you will enjoy tweaking it to make it feel incredible.

In addition to the settings described here, you may also want to change your [theme](./themes.md), configure your [key bindings](./key-bindings.md), set up [tasks](./tasks.md) or install [extensions](https://github.com/zed-industries/extensions).

## Settings files

<!--
TBD: Settings files. Rewrite with "remote settings" in mind (e.g. `local settings` on the remote host).
Consider renaming `zed: Open Local Settings` to `zed: Open Project Settings`.

TBD: Add settings documentation about how settings are merged as overlays. E.g. project>local>default. Note how settings that are maps are merged, but settings that are arrays are replaced and must include the defaults.
-->

Your settings file can be opened with {#kb zed::OpenSettings}. By default it is located at `~/.config/zed/settings.json`, though if you have XDG_CONFIG_HOME in your environment on Linux it will be at `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/zed/settings.json` instead.

This configuration is merged with any local configuration inside your projects. You can open the project settings by running {#action zed::OpenProjectSettings} from the command palette. This will create a `.zed` directory containing`.zed/settings.json`.

Although most projects will only need one settings file at the root, you can add more local settings files for subdirectories as needed. Not all settings can be set in local files, just those that impact the behavior of the editor and language tooling. For example you can set `tab_size`, `formatter` etc. but not `theme`, `vim_mode` and similar.

The syntax for configuration files is a super-set of JSON that allows `//` comments.

## Default settings

You can find the default settings for your current Zed by running {#action zed::OpenDefaultSettings} from the command palette.

Extensions that provide language servers may also provide default settings for those language servers.

# Settings

## Active Pane Modifiers

- Description: Styling settings applied to the active pane.
- Setting: `active_pane_modifiers`
- Default:

```json
{
  "active_pane_modifiers": {
    "border_size": 0.0,
    "inactive_opacity": 1.0
  }
}
```

### Border size

- Description: Size of the border surrounding the active pane. When set to 0, the active pane doesn't have any border. The border is drawn inset.
- Setting: `border_size`
- Default: `0.0`

**Options**

Non-negative `float` values

### Inactive Opacity

- Description: Opacity of inactive panels. When set to 1.0, the inactive panes have the same opacity as the active one. If set to 0, the inactive panes content will not be visible at all. Values are clamped to the [0.0, 1.0] range.
- Setting: `inactive_opacity`
- Default: `1.0`

**Options**

`float` values

## Bottom Dock Layout

- Description: Control the layout of the bottom dock, relative to the left and right docks
- Setting: `bottom_dock_layout`
- Default: `"contained"`

**Options**

1. Contain the bottom dock, giving the full height of the window to the left and right docks

```json
{
  "bottom_dock_layout": "contained"
}
```

2. Give the bottom dock the full width of the window, truncating the left and right docks

```json
{
  "bottom_dock_layout": "full"
}
```

3. Left align the bottom dock, truncating the left dock and giving the right dock the full height of the window

```json
{
  "bottom_dock_layout": "left_aligned"
}
```

3. Right align the bottom dock, giving the left dock the full height of the window and truncating the right dock.

```json
{
  "bottom_dock_layout": "right_aligned"
}
```

## Auto Install extensions

- Description: Define extensions to be autoinstalled or never be installed.
- Setting: `auto_install_extension`
- Default: `{ "html": true }`

**Options**

You can find the names of your currently installed extensions by listing the subfolders under the [extension installation location](./extensions/installing-extensions#installation-location):