Ability to run custom code in extensions

[alanhamlett]

Check for existing issues

• Completed

Describe the feature

After #5269, an extension API was added but it only supports Grammer, Language, and Theme changes. A full extension API is necessary for real extensions that need to execute code like WakaTime.

[jansol]

There is already some support for custom code hooks (language server integrations use this to run and optionally download language servers).

[hanxuanliang]

Will it be possible to support the construction of plugins similar to Copilot in the future?

[jansol]

What do you mean? There is already built in support for Copilot.

[m-kalai]

probably just means what most of us here are looking for, being able to extend Zed functionality even without LSP. similar to Sublime plugins maybe. Copilot was just an example i guess. in my case i was excited to try to create own extension few days ago (something simple manipulating text for example), only to find out that i can't do that much if i don't have language server 🙂

[hanxuanliang]

My intention is to develop a plugin similar to a copilot, such as CodeGeeX in VSCode.

[UserNobody14]

There's a really great project called extism that essentially lets you run arbitrary pieces of wasm inside other projects (with some configs and other convenient features available). I think that would be ideal for zed, since it wouldn't leave the extension system exclusive to rust devs, and it would enable some sandboxing and security of extension code vs. core code. Additionally, it would simplify distribution, since extism plugins can be distributed from a simple wasm file. I've been working on an (unrelated) rust project that uses extism a little, if the devs are interested I'd be happy to try working it in here.