cli: Add --reuse flag for replacing workspace in existing window

[mateonoel2]

Closes #ISSUE

it is was still in discussion

Release Notes:

• Added: --reuse (-r) CLI flag to replace the workspace in an existing window instead of opening a new one

This PR adds a new --reuse (-r) CLI flag that allows users to replace the workspace in an existing Zed window instead of opening a new one or adding files to the current workspace.

What it does

The --reuse flag finds an available local workspace window and replaces its workspace with the newly specified paths. This provides a third workspace opening mode alongside the existing --add and --new flags.

Implementation Details

• CLI Flag: Added --reuse (-r) flag with proper mutual exclusion with --add and --new
• Window Replacement: Uses the existing replace_window option in workspace::OpenOptions
• Window Selection: Reuses the first available local workspace window
• Fallback Behavior: When no existing windows are found, creates a new window
• Test Coverage: Added comprehensive test for the reuse functionality

Behavior

• zed -r file.txt - Replaces the workspace in an available window with file.txt
• If no windows are open, creates a new window (same as default behavior)
• Mutually exclusive with -a/--add and -n/--new flags
• Works with multiple files and directories

Files Changed

• crates/cli/src/cli.rs - Added reuse field to CliRequest::Open
• crates/cli/src/main.rs - Added CLI argument definition and parsing
• crates/zed/src/zed/open_listener.rs - Implemented reuse logic and added tests
• crates/zed/src/zed/windows_only_instance.rs - Updated for Windows compatibility

Testing

• ✅ Unit tests pass
• ✅ Manual testing confirms expected behavior:
  • Works when no windows are open
  • Replaces workspace in existing window
  • Maintains compatibility with existing -a and -n flags
  • Proper help text display

Manual testing

In this first video we do a couple of tests:

• 1: What happens if we use the -r flag when there are no windows open?
  - works as expected. It opens the files in a new window.

• 2: Does it work as expected if there is already a window open. Does it overrides the workspace?
  - yes it does. When opening a different file it overrides the current window instead of creating a new one.

• 3: Does the -n flag still works as expected?
  - yes, it creates the project in a new window

• 4: What about the -a flag?
  - yes, on the last accessed page

• 5: we do the replace command. It overrides the first opened window, do we want this behavior?
  - It is good enough that it overrides one of the opened windows with the new project. It still makes the user automatically go to the window with the specified files

• 6: we use the -r command again replacing the workspace with a new one.
  - this indeed worked as expected

more_cli_testing.mp4

In here the we check how the --help flag now displays the new command. (Description was later updated)

comparing_cli_help.mp4

[kevinnkansah]

These are the intended functionalities i wanted in Zed

[ConradIrwin]

Thanks for this!

[kevinnkansah]

thank you @mateonoel2 i no longer require vs code!

[JonGretar]

Thanks. This might not seem such a big change, but it shaves off a couple seconds many times a day for me.

[o3wiz]

amazing feature!

[olafgeibig]

I'm really disappointed that you made this the default behavior. I'm a CLI first user and my workflow is to change into a directory and then do zed . To be honest, I think this is really not okay to change the default behavior on the CLI. This is not what users who live mostly on the CLI expect. I will create an alias for me now, but still I'm a bit angry about this. At least there should be an option to configure the default behavior

[injust]

At least there should be an option to configure the default behavior

@olafgeibig cli_default_open_behavior?

[JonGretar]

I think this is really not okay to change the default behavior on the CLI.

It asked you what the default should be the first time you ran it after the update. You must have just 'enter'-ed your way past it.

[olafgeibig]

@olafgeibig cli_default_open_behavior?
Oh did not see this option. I somehow missed it. My bad. Then I'm happy!