# Helix

> MPL-2.0 modal terminal editor — tree-sitter + LSP

**Category:** Rust  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://helix-editor.com  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/helix-editor/helix  
**Added:** 2026-09-06

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## The Hook

Helix is the modal terminal editor when you want tree-sitter and LSP without a GPU IDE.

## What's Good

MPL-2.0 Rust binary. Kakoune/Vim-inspired multiple selections, built-in tree-sitter highlighting, LSP out of the box. No plugin tax to get a modern editing core. Keyboard-first, fast on SSH and local.

## The Catch

Vs Zed: terminal modal + tree-sitter/LSP; not a GPU IDE. No Electron GUI, weaker AI-IDE surface than Cursor/Zed. Plugin story is thinner than Neovim.

## Verdict

MPL-2.0 terminal editor. Free forever; not Zed/Cursor.