Request for Unreal Engine C++ Support

[DenisMedeirosSDK]

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C++

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Hello Zed Team,

I would like to request support for Unreal Engine (UE) C++ development in Zed. While Unreal Engine uses C++ as its primary language, it introduces several unique aspects and macros that differentiate it from standard C++. These include but are not limited to UPROPERTY, UFUNCTION, and UCLASS macros, which are integral to Unreal's reflection system and metadata.

Key Differences in Unreal Engine C++:

• Macros: UE uses specific macros like UPROPERTY, UFUNCTION, UCLASS, UENUM, and more. These macros are crucial for defining properties, functions, and classes that integrate with Unreal's blueprint system, garbage collection, and serialization.
• Reflection System: Unlike standard C++, UE's reflection system requires these macros to properly expose and manage the elements within the Unreal Editor.
• Build System: Unreal has its own build system (Unreal Build Tool) that handles the compilation process differently from typical C++ projects.

Benefits of Adding Support:

1. Improved Developer Experience: Developers working with Unreal Engine would benefit from accurate IntelliSense and autocomplete for UE-specific macros and syntax, making Zed a more powerful tool for UE development.
2. Syntax Highlighting and Linting: Proper syntax highlighting and linting for UE C++ would help developers avoid common mistakes and speed up development.
3. Boilerplate Code Generation: Automatic generation of boilerplate code for common UE patterns (e.g., Actor components, UObject-derived classes) would streamline the workflow.
4. Build Integration: Integration with Unreal's build system could allow Zed to handle compilation and error reporting in a manner consistent with the Unreal Editor.

Industry Adoption:

The importance of Unreal Engine in the game development industry is growing, with major studios adopting it for their upcoming titles. For example:

• CD Projekt Red will be using Unreal Engine for their next major title, The Witcher 4.
• 343 Industries, known for the Halo series, is transitioning to Unreal Engine for their future projects.
• Epic Games' Fortnite, one of the largest and most popular games in the world, is built on Unreal Engine.

Given these industry trends, adding support for Unreal Engine C++ in Zed would position your IDE as a valuable tool for a broad and growing community of developers. Currently, we have only two IDE options that provide good support for Unreal Engine: Visual Studio (free + 128gb RAM) and JetBrains Rider (subscription).

Thank you for considering this request. I'd be happy to provide more details or assist in any way to facilitate this integration.