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Zed 1.18.0 Explained: Markdown Preview and C++ Inline Values

1.18.0 is the 2 September weekly: Markdown preview, inline C++ values in CodeLLDB/GDB, and File Finder history that survives sessions.

Zed Industries shipped open-source editor Zed 1.18.0 on 2 September 2026. The stable notes compress the week to three items: Markdown preview restyle, C/C++ inline debug values, and File Finder history across sessions.

Decide whether to update by matching these names: Markdown preview, CodeLLDB / GDB inline values, and the new feel of F10 / F11.

1.18.0Stable build
Sep 2Date on zed.dev
F10Step over while paused

What the weekly names

Preview and finder

Markdown preview gets typography, spacing, and rounded inline-code backgrounds. Tabular preview settings move into a popover. File Finder keeps recently opened files from earlier sessions.

Debugger and keys

C and C++ show inline values under CodeLLDB or GDB. Adapters that support single-thread continue get separate Continue Program and Continue Thread. While paused, F10 / F11 match VS Code.

This is a weekly, not a major-version story.

How it differs from 1.17

Look at1.17.x (August)1.18.0 (2 September)
ThemeCSV preview, Git stash, large-file memoryMarkdown, C++ inline values, finder history
FeelTables and Git panelStep keys and Gemini roster
InstallPrior stable weekzed.dev stable / install script

Should you update now

  1. 01
    Match the work

    If you read READMEs in Zed, step C++ in CodeLLDB, or lean on cmd-p history, this weekly is aimed at you.

  2. 02
    Read the breaks

    The notes say paused F10 steps over and F11 steps into. Google AI defaults to Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and drops the 2.5 line. Linux archives no longer ship GLib.

  3. 03
    Do not treat a weekly as a design review

    A nicer preview still leaves module boundaries on one drawing. Open sitdraw when the meeting is the diagram.

Is this an emergency security release?
The public notes list preview, debugger, finder, models, and a long bug list. They are not written as a CVE advisory.
Is this the same story as IntelliJ IDEA 2026.2.2?
No. That is a JetBrains maintenance patch. This is Zed’s weekly stable.

Start with the three surfaces you will touch

Docs preview, C++ inline values, finder history across sessions. The full list stays in the release notes.

# Zed 1.18.0 official summary
Markdown preview styling
C/C++ inline values (CodeLLDB / GDB)
File Finder history across sessions

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