CainandChristopher Biscardi
326a5f026a
# Objective Add an optional smooth cursor movement animation to make cursor position changes easier to follow, especially during larger jumps and multi-cursor editing. Related to #4991. ## Solution - Add a new `cursor_animation.enabled` editor setting, disabled by default. - Animate local bar and block cursors using a damped spring while preserving momentum during rapid cursor movement. - Support multiple local cursors independently. - Continue using the cursor color provided by the active theme. - Snap immediately when scrolling, resizing, or other viewport changes would make interpolation misleading. - Respect the `reduce_motion` setting. - Request animation frames only while an enabled cursor animation is active. Enabling the feature causes additional editor redraws while the cursor is moving, so it is opt-in and the performance cost is mentioned in the setting documentation. ### Attribution The cursor spring physics and four-corner deformation algorithm are adapted from [vscode-neovide-cursor](https://github.com/LengineerC/vscode-neovide-cursor), which is available under the MIT License and inspired by Neovide. The implementation adapts the algorithm to Zed's editor and GPUI architecture, including viewport handling, selection state reconciliation, multi-cursor support, theme integration, and reduced-motion behavior. The attribution and license information are also retained in the source file. ## Testing Automated checks run on Windows: - `cargo fmt --all --check` - `cargo test -p editor cursor_animation --lib` - 15 cursor animation tests passed. The tests cover: - Spring convergence. - Short and long cursor movements. - Mid-animation retargeting and momentum preservation. - Multiple independent cursors. - Selection replacement and state cleanup. - Viewport and scroll changes. - Invalid or unusually large timing values. - Supported cursor shapes. To test manually: 1. Add the following to the settings file: ```json "cursor_animation": { "enabled": true } ``` 2. Move the cursor using typing, arrow keys, mouse clicks, and multi-cursor actions. 3. Toggle the setting off and confirm that cursor rendering immediately returns to its normal behavior. Manual testing was performed on Windows and Linux using a release build from this exact PR branch. Verified that: - Cursor animation is disabled by default. - Enabling `cursor_animation.enabled` is hot-reloaded without restarting Zed. - Disabling the setting immediately restores the original cursor behavior. - Cursor movement remains responsive during typing, keyboard navigation, and mouse navigation. This exact PR branch has not yet been manually tested on macOS. ## Self-Review Checklist: - [x] I've reviewed my own diff for quality, security, and reliability - [x] Unsafe blocks (if any) have justifying comments - [x] The content adheres to Zed's UI standards ([UX/UI](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#uiux-checklist) and [icon](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed/blob/main/crates/icons/README.md) guidelines) - [x] Tests cover the new/changed behavior - [x] Performance impact has been considered and is acceptable ## Showcase https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/17450529-491e-4982-b539-c46e3d5df467 --- Release Notes: - Added an optional cursor movement animation setting. --------- Co-authored-by: Christopher Biscardi <chris@christopherbiscardi.com>
Zed
Welcome to Zed, a high-performance, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter.
Installation
On macOS, Linux, and Windows you can download Zed directly or install Zed via your local package manager (macOS/Linux/Windows).
Other platforms are not yet available:
- Web (tracking discussion)
Developing Zed
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md for ways you can contribute to Zed.
Also... we're hiring! Check out our jobs page for open roles.
Licensing
Zed source code is licensed primarily under GPL-3.0-or-later, with Apache-2.0 components where marked.
License information for third party dependencies must be correctly provided for CI to pass.
We use cargo-about to automatically comply with open source licenses. If CI is failing, check the following:
- Is it showing a
no license specifiederror for a crate you've created? If so, addpublish = falseunder[package]in your crate's Cargo.toml. - Is the error
failed to satisfy license requirementsfor a dependency? If so, first determine what license the project has and whether this system is sufficient to comply with this license's requirements. If you're unsure, ask a lawyer. Once you've verified that this system is acceptable add the license's SPDX identifier to theacceptedarray inscript/licenses/zed-licenses.toml. - Is
cargo-aboutunable to find the license for a dependency? If so, add a clarification field at the end ofscript/licenses/zed-licenses.toml, as specified in the cargo-about book.
Sponsorship
Zed is developed by Zed Industries, Inc., a for-profit company.
If you’d like to financially support the project, you can do so via GitHub Sponsors. Sponsorships go directly to Zed Industries and are used as general company revenue. There are no perks or entitlements associated with sponsorship.