My avatar logoInom Turdikulov

6 min read

Keyboard shortcut

In computing, a keyboard shortcut also known as hotkey is a series of one or several keys to quickly invoke a software program or perform a preprogrammed action.

This action may be part of the standard functionality of the operating system or application program, or it may have been written by the user in a scripting language.

Some integrated keyboards also include pointing devices; the definition of exactly what counts as a “key” sometimes differs.
— Wikipedia

Touch typing and computer keyboard shortcuts are main driver of mouseless workflow. In this note I describe the most used shortcuts in my workflow, each section except “Universal” is linked to a more detailed note.

Sometimes you need to create and use non-standard shortcuts, and this Keyboard Heatmap tool can find most used keys, you can type most comfort keys for you, analyze heatmap and decide which keys you want to use.

In this file I place basic keybindings list for each my most used program, with link to detailed keybindings in separate note.

Universal

Notepad based shortcuts, work mostly in all “classic” GUI program.

  • Close an open dialog box: ESC, sometimes q or even M-F4
  • Open the help: F1
  • Switch tabs forward: C-tab
  • Switch tabs backward: C-S-tab
  • Close tab: C-w
  • Zoom in, zoom out, reset zoom of the page: C-+, C--, C-0
  • Select all the text: C-a
  • Search text: C-f, /
  • Create new tab: C-t
  • Create new window: C-n
  • Open the Print dialog box: C-p
  • Undo: C-z
  • Redo: C-y or C-S-z
  • Refresh: C-rl
  • PgDn, Select PgDn: NAV-h, NAV-S-h
  • PgUp, Select PgUp: NAV-,, NAV-S-,
  • Left, Select Left: NAV-n, NAV-S-n
  • Right, Select Right: NAV-i, NAV-S-i
  • Word Left, Select Word Left: NAV-C-n, NAV-C-S-n
  • Word Right, Select Word Right: NAV-C-i, NAV-C-S-i
  • Up, Select Up: NAV-u, NAV-S-u
  • Down, Select Down: NAV-e, NAV-S-e
  • Delete Word Left: C-BCK
  • Delete Word Right: C-DEL
  • Home, Select to Home: NAV-l, NAV-S-l
  • End, Select to End: NAV-y, NAV-S-y
  • Top, Select to Top: NAV-C-l, NAV-C-S-l
  • Bottom, Select to bottom: NAV-C-y, NAV-C-S-y

Vim

Since my most used program is Neovim, I have a lot of shortcuts for it. To quit I use ZZ, :x, :q and :qa 😼. I store basic keybindings in my Base keybindings note and more advanced in Neovim.

GNU Readline

GNU Readline used in many programs like Bash, Python, etc. So I need to know some basic keybindings to work with it.

  • Move back one character.: C-b
  • Move forward one character.: C-f
  • Delete the word before the cursor.: C-w
  • Delete the character before the cursor.: C-h
  • Cancel the command line.: C-c
  • Delete (kill) the character underneath the cursor.: C-d

Obsidian

Obsidian is my Zettelkasten system companion, main task is to render markdown, process spaced repetition notes and work with excalidraw diagrams.

Core keybindings:

  • Switch between edit and read mode: C-e
  • Focus on last note: M-n
  • Open quick switcher: M-p
  • Open command palette: C-:
  • Open graph view: C-g
  • Open backlinks for the current file: M-b
  • Follow link under cursor: M-RET
  • Navigate back: C-M-left
  • Navigate forward: C-M-right

Web Browser

I store my shortcuts (advanced list) in browser shortcuts note. Currently, I’m using Brave browser and sometimes Firefox.

Here are some universal shortcuts:

  • Search in active tab: C-k → Type something → <cr>
  • Search in new tab: C-k → Type something → M-<cr>
  • Open a link in current tab: LMB or C-; → keys (requires Vimium)
  • Open link in new tab and switch to it: C-S-LMB or C-: → keys (requires Vimium)
  • Focus item in search dialog (next/previous): F3/S-F3
  • Toggle history: C-H
  • Restore closed tab: C-S-T
  • Focus page content (useful to use from address bar): F6

I also use limited subset of Vimium keybindings:

  • Search in tabs (vimium): T

  • Go back in history (vimium): H

  • Go forward in history (vimium): L

  • Search and click on link: :

  • Focus input: gi

  • Visit previous page: <C-6>

KDE

  • Keep window above others: S-]
  • Keep window below others: S-]

MPV

I use MPV as my main multimedia player.

Basic keybindings:

  • Play/Pause: space
  • Play next file: >
  • Play previous file: <
  • Quit: q

cmus

cmus is my favorite audio-player, near to zero setup, and keyboard driven.

Basic keybindings:

  • Up/Down: k/j
  • Seek -5/+5 seconds: h/l>`
  • Seek -1/+1 minutes: ,/.
  • Switch views: 1-7
  • Pause playback: c
  • Next track: b
  • Previous track: z
  • Toggle shuffle: s
  • Restart track: x
  • Jump to the currently playing track: i
  • Searching: /
  • Reduce the volume by 10%: -
  • Increase the volume by 10%: +

Z shell

I use Zsh as my main interactive command interpreter.

Some keybindings from GNU readline are available in Z shell, but I usually use Vi-mode in Zsh, and it has its own keybindings.

To enter Vi-mode in Zsh type Esc, to back to insert mode type i.

fzf

I use fzf as main UI provider for list of anything, for mine shell scripts and commands.

Some keybindings, which integrated with Zsh:

  • Select and print a path: ls -l|fzf
  • Paste path into command line: C-t
  • Change directory into selected path: M-C

For reverse search in history with ==C-r hotkey and Up== key, I use different tool - atuin.

atuin

Invoke: standard key C-r.

Remove item:

  • Select the entry you want to delete
  • Press C-o to open the inspector
  • Press C-d to delete the entry NOTE: there is no confirmation dialog after pressing C-d.

Sioyek

I use Sioyek to read and annotate PDFs. It’s optimized for research and reading scientific papers.

Basic keybindings:

  • Open recent documents list: O
  • Fit document to screen ignore margins/with margins: F9/F8
  • Open table of contents: t
  • With selection - search in Google Scholar and library genesis: ss/sl
  • Open command palette, useful to find functional: :
  • Search bookmark in the current file and all the bookmarks: gb and gB

Slack

Slack is my team communication tool.

Basic keybindings:

Jump to a conversation: C-k Open direct message’s menu: C-S-k Compose a new message: C-n Open channel browser: C-S-l Open the Threads view: C-S-t Mentions & reactions: C-S-m Search current channel or conversation: C-f

Blender

Blender is my favorite 3D modeling software.

Some keys to navigate and quick actions:

  • Switch between Edit and Object mode: Tab
  • Change Mode Pie Menu: C-TAB
  • Shading Pie Menu: Z
  • Navigation Pie Menu: `
  • Focus: .
  • Isolate: /
  • Search operation: F3
  • Render image: F12
  • Toggle Fly/Walk mode: ~
  • Zoom to region: S-B

Krita

I use Krita as my board and drawing tool.

  • Show a palette of brushes, color history and other tools: RMB
  • Pan the canvas. Also with middle button drag: LMB+Space
  • Freehand Brush Tool: B
  • Move Tool: T

Inkscape

Inkscape is a vector graphics editor. I use it rarely, but it’s very powerful, and I’m planning to learn it more.

  • Select and transform objects: S
  • Pen Tool: P
  • Layers and Objects: C-S-l
  • Trace Bitmap: S-M-b

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