Tech Stack
VS Code with a medium project uses 500 MB to 1.5 GB RAM across three Chromium processes. One extension event handler that never resolves freezes everything on that thread.Mountain runs native Rust and Tauri. Echo runs every background task on a work-stealing thread pool. The editor thread never blocks.
Porting your extension library to a new editor is weeks of work you should never have to do.Cocoon mirrors the full VS Code API surface via Effect-TS fibers. Install an extension and it works. Not mostly works. Unchanged.
VS Code Promises cannot be interrupted, raced, or run in parallel. A hung async operation in one extension stalls every other on that event loop.Effect-TS fibers can be interrupted, raced, and run concurrently across CPU cores. Bugs that reach production in VS Code never compile in Land.
Building native apps for three operating systems used to mean three rendering engines, three toolchains, and three deployment pipelines.Tauri uses the OS's own WebView on each platform. One Rust codebase compiles to native macOS, Windows, and Linux. No bundled Chromium.
VS Code's Restart to Update prompt kills every open terminal, unsaved diff, and in-progress language server.Air pre-downloads and PGP-verifies the next version while you work. The update stages between sessions. The next launch opens on the new version with no prompt.
Most open source editors have license clauses that restrict commercial use, require attribution, or forbid forking the UI.The entire Land codebase is CC0 public domain. Use it, fork it, ship it, build commercial products on top of it. No attribution required. No compliance headaches.
Elements
Roadmap
Elements
Roadmap
Runs in the background after you close the editor. Downloads updates, verifies cryptographic signatures, and indexes your workspace for instant search.The next launch is already on the latest version. You never see a restart-to-update prompt.
Background Daemon Silent Update Crypto-Signed
A Node.js sidecar that intercepts require and import at the module level and routes them through a complete Effect-TS service layer mirroring the VS Code API.Install any extension. It runs unchanged. No patches, no rewrites, no compatibility hacks.
Extension Host Full VS Code API Effect-TS Shim
The pure abstract core of Land. Defines typed effects, composable building blocks, and abstract traits that every element builds on, with no concrete implementations.Mock any trait and test any element without a running window, webview, or sidecar.
Shared Foundation Abstract Trait Zero Implementation
A lock-free concurrency runtime built on crossbeam-deque. Every task runs inside a supervised worker pool: no fire-and-forget spawns, graceful startup and shutdown guaranteed.Heavy indexing and analysis run in the background without ever blocking the editor.
Work-Stealing Scheduler Every CPU Core
Runs VS Code extensions compiled to WebAssembly inside WASMtime with configurable resource limits and capability-based security. Supports gRPC, IPC, and WASM transports.The path to a true sandboxed extension model where an extension can only touch what you explicitly grant.
Secure WASM Sandbox WASMtime Capability-Based Isolation
Build pipelines for the entire Land ecosystem. Embedded Rhai scripting for flexible build logic, compile-time validated TOML and JSON5 configurations, and deterministic artifact generation.Same commit always produces the same output. No environment surprises.
Build Orchestrator Rhai Scripting TOML/JSON5 Config
Creates a fully sandboxed DNS zone that resolves every *.editor.land domain to 127.0.0.1. All Land services communicate through this local layer.Nothing leaks to the public internet. A clean network boundary between the editor and the outside world.
DNS Sandbox Local *.editor.land Resolution
Handles windows, files, processes, and extension IPC via Rust and Tauri. Where Electron takes milliseconds, Mountain responds in microseconds.Starts faster, uses less RAM, stays responsive with hundreds of files open. Authentication tokens live in the OS keychain, never on disk.
Native Rust Backend Replaces Electron Main Process
Processes TypeScript from VS Code, Land, and the Rest compiler into fully bundled artifacts. A plugin-routed architecture handles each source type on its own path.Same commit, same output. Every bundle is deterministic and checksum-verified.
Compilation Pipeline Deterministic Bundle Checksum
OXC-powered TypeScript compiler implemented in Rust. 100% compatible output at 2-3x the speed of esbuild.Rust-native, zero Node.js overhead.
TypeScript Compiler Rust + OXC 2-3x Faster
Packages and selects the exact Node.js sidecar binary at compile time based on the target triple: aarch64-apple-darwin, x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, and four others.Cocoon always gets the binary that matches the host exactly. No runtime detection, no fallback chains.
Binary Distributor Node.js Runtime Per Platform
Every panel, sidebar, tab bar, and status bar is an Astro component. Three workbench layouts for full desktop, embedded, and minimal deployments.Tauri reloads Sky instantly on any component change. High-fidelity VS Code UI compatibility with a significantly smaller footprint.
Visual UI Layer Astro Component Instant Hot-Reload
Every inter-process service interface starts as a .proto file. The generated Rust and TypeScript stubs are the only way Land processes communicate.Typed at the wire, typed at the call site, verified at compile time. Refactor a message field and every consumer breaks loudly instead of silently.
gRPC Backbone Contract-First .proto Definition
A clean TypeScript re-implementation of the VS Code Workbench: panels, sidebars, activity bar. Every service is a composable Effect-TS Layer: file dialogs, clipboard, configuration, and output channels.Native OS calls via Tauri. No Electron IPC proxy. No renderer-to-main roundtrip.
VS Code Workbench Reimplemented Effect-TS Layer Native OS API
Manages caching, offline support, and dynamic CSS imports from JavaScript modules in the editor shell. Auth tokens are AES-GCM encrypted, requests are HMAC-signed, and tokens refresh automatically.The shell stays functional and authenticated even when the network drops.
Service Worker Offline Support AES-GCM Auth
Universal Binary: Apple Silicon and Intel
64-bit (x64)
DEB, RPM, AppImage
