Develop zd

Use the browser fixtures for fast frontend work and the native shell whenever a change touches projects, files, Git, terminals, windows, notifications, diagnostics, or packaging.

Set up the checkout

Install a Node version accepted by package.json and Rust through rustup. The repository pins its Rust toolchain in rust-toolchain.toml.

npm ci

Run the app

npm run app                       # native workbench without a project
npm run app:open -- .             # native workbench with the current folder
npm run app:open -- README.md     # native workbench with one file
npm run dev                       # browser development server

The browser build deliberately has no native authority. Use these assembled fixtures when the corresponding native boundary is not part of the change:

http://localhost:1420/dev/workbench.html for the workbench shell;
http://localhost:1420/dev/editor.html for editor behavior;
http://localhost:1420/dev/changes-performance.html for Changes and diff behavior; and
http://localhost:1420/dev/terminal-performance.html for the bounded terminal surface.

Choose the verification cut point

npm run check
npm run test:e2e
npm run test:e2e:release
cargo test --manifest-path packages/tauri/Cargo.toml --all-targets
cargo clippy --manifest-path packages/tauri/Cargo.toml --all-targets -- -D warnings
npm run website:build
npm run format:check

npm run check covers types, lint, unit and contract tests, and synchronized release versions. Playwright drives Chromium. Native-boundary changes need the proportional Cargo test and Clippy checks; performance claims need the release fixture that owns the claim.

Find the owning module

Path	Responsibility
`packages/app/src/workbench`	Root state, shell, commands, preferences, and lifecycle composition
`packages/app/src/projects`	Project model, controller, and compact project list
`packages/app/src/threads`	Thread model, lifecycle, terminal surface, and attention events
`packages/app/src/files`	Persistent compact file tree and filtering
`packages/app/src/git` and `packages/app/src/changes`	Git adapters, reconciliation, Changes, history, and diffs
`packages/app/src/editor`	CodeMirror buffer, language, Find/Replace, and editor facade
`packages/app/src/design`	Semantic tokens, fonts, and validated themes
`packages/app/src/platform.ts`	The frontend’s complete native boundary
`packages/tauri`	Native grants, files, Git, PTYs, windows, notifications, and diagnostics
`packages/scripts`	Repository checks, releases, objectives, and session automation

Read the architecture explanation before moving a responsibility across a boundary. Read CONTRIBUTING.md before preparing a repository change.