File Search Mastery

Navigating large projects efficiently requires mastering file search techniques. Zed’s fuzzy finder and advanced filters make finding any file lightning-fast.

Quick File Picker

The fastest way to open files:

Cmd + P
# Open quick file picker
 
Start typing any part of the filename
No need for exact matches!

Fuzzy Matching Examples

You don’t need to type the exact filename:

Type: "usrctrl"
Matches: "UserController.ts"
 
Type: "apidoc"
Matches: "api/documentation.md"
 
Type: "cfg"
Matches: "config.json", "app.config.ts"

Advanced File Search

Search by Path

Include directory names in your search:

src/comp/but
# Finds: src/components/Button.tsx

File Type Filtering

Add extension to narrow results:

user.ts
# Only TypeScript files containing "user"
 
style.css
# Only CSS files

Project-Wide File Browser

Open the file tree:

Cmd + B
# Toggle sidebar with file browser
 
Use arrow keys to navigate
Press Enter to open

File Tree Navigation

Cmd + Shift + E
# Focus on file explorer
 
Type to filter files in current directory
Cmd + Down - Expand folder
Cmd + Up - Collapse folder

Recent Files

Quickly switch between recently opened files:

Cmd + E
# Show recent files
 
Or:
Ctrl + Tab
# Cycle through recent files

Search Filters and Patterns

Glob Patterns

Use wildcards in search:

**/*.test.ts
# All test files
 
src/**/index.tsx
# All index files in src

Exclude Patterns

Ignore certain directories:

{
  "file_scan_exclusions": [
    "**/.git",
    "**/node_modules",
    "**/dist",
    "**/.next"
  ]
}

Pro Tips

• Use abbreviations: Type capital letters of camelCase names (e.g., “UC” for “UserController”)
• Recent locations: Zed remembers where you were in each file
• Split navigation: Cmd + Click opens file in new split
• Symbol search: Cmd + T to search for functions/classes across files
• Workspace symbols: Access any symbol in your project instantly
• Set custom ignore patterns in settings to exclude generated files