Zed + SkillBoss: 100+ AI Models for Zed Editor

Why Zed + SkillBoss?

Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor with built-in AI assistant.

Problem: Zed's AI has limited model selection and requires separate provider accounts.

Solution: SkillBoss gives you ONE API key for 679+ endpoints:

Quick Setup (3 Minutes)

Quick setup for AI agents: Tell your agent set up skillboss.co/skill.md to auto-configure everything.

# macOS
brew install --cask zed

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

{
  "assistant": {
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "deepseek/deepseek-v3"
    },
    "provider": {
      "openai": {
        "api_url": "https://api.skillboss.co/v1",
        "api_key": "sk-YOUR_SKILLBOSS_KEY",
        "available_models": [
          {
            "name": "deepseek/deepseek-v3",
            "max_tokens": 64000,
            "display_name": "DeepSeek V3 (Cheap)"
          },
          {
            "name": "claude-4-5-sonnet",
            "max_tokens": 200000,
            "display_name": "Claude 4.5 Sonnet"
          },
          {
            "name": "gemini/gemini-2.5-flash",
            "max_tokens": 1000000,
            "display_name": "Gemini Flash (1M ctx)"
          },
          {
            "name": "gpt-5",
            "max_tokens": 128000,
            "display_name": "GPT-5"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Using Zed AI with SkillBoss

Inline Assistant (Cmd/Ctrl + Enter)

1. Select code in editor
2. Press Cmd + Enter (or Ctrl + Enter)
3. Type your request
4. AI generates code inline

// Select this function, press Cmd+Enter, ask "Add error handling"
fn read_file(path: &str) -> String {
    std::fs::read_to_string(path).unwrap()
}

Assistant Panel (Cmd/Ctrl + ?)

1. Open panel: Cmd + ? (or Ctrl + ?)
2. Chat with AI about your code
3. Reference files with @filename

@src/main.rs Explain the main function and suggest improvements

Recommended Models for Zed

Full Model Configuration

Add all SkillBoss models to Zed:

{
  "assistant": {
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "deepseek/deepseek-v3"
    },
    "provider": {
      "openai": {
        "api_url": "https://api.skillboss.co/v1",
        "api_key": "sk-YOUR_SKILLBOSS_KEY",
        "available_models": [
          {"name": "deepseek/deepseek-v3", "max_tokens": 64000, "display_name": "DeepSeek V3 ($0.27/M)"},
          {"name": "deepseek/deepseek-r1", "max_tokens": 64000, "display_name": "DeepSeek R1 Reasoning"},
          {"name": "claude-4-5-sonnet", "max_tokens": 200000, "display_name": "Claude 4.5 Sonnet"},
          {"name": "claude-4-5-opus", "max_tokens": 200000, "display_name": "Claude 4.5 Opus"},
          {"name": "gemini/gemini-2.5-flash", "max_tokens": 1000000, "display_name": "Gemini 2.5 Flash (1M)"},
          {"name": "gemini/gemini-3-pro", "max_tokens": 1000000, "display_name": "Gemini 3 Pro"},
          {"name": "gpt-5", "max_tokens": 128000, "display_name": "GPT-5"},
          {"name": "gpt-4o", "max_tokens": 128000, "display_name": "GPT-4o"},
          {"name": "o1", "max_tokens": 128000, "display_name": "o1 (Reasoning)"},
          {"name": "o4-mini", "max_tokens": 128000, "display_name": "o4-mini"}
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Model Switching

Via Command Palette

1. Cmd + Shift + P (or Ctrl + Shift + P)
2. Type "Assistant: Select Model"
3. Choose from your configured models

Via Settings

Change default_model in settings:

{
  "assistant": {
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "claude-4-5-sonnet"
    }
  }
}

Zed Multiplayer + AI

Zed's multiplayer sessions can share AI context:

1. Start a multiplayer session (Cmd + Shift + C)
2. Invite collaborators
3. Both users see AI responses
4. Collaborate on AI-generated code
5. Same SkillBoss key works for all participants

Cost Optimization

Budget Config (~$5/month)

{
  "assistant": {
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "gemini/gemini-2.5-flash-lite"
    }
  }
}

Balanced Config (~$15/month)

{
  "assistant": {
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "deepseek/deepseek-v3"
    }
  }
}

Performance Config (~$40+/month)

{
  "assistant": {
    "default_model": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "claude-4-5-sonnet"
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Next Steps