Keyboard Shortcuts

Patterns for implementing keyboard shortcuts, keybindings, and command palettes in Rezi applications.

Problem

You need to:

Add global keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+S, Ctrl+Q)
Implement modal keymaps (Vim-style normal/insert modes)
Support chord sequences (Ctrl+K Ctrl+S)
Display shortcuts to users
Build command palettes

Solution

Use app.keys() for global bindings, app.modes() for contextual keymaps, and provide visual feedback with ui.kbd().

Global Keyboard Shortcuts

import { ui } from "@rezi-ui/core";
import { createNodeApp } from "@rezi-ui/node";

type State = {
  content: string;
  saved: boolean;
};

const app = createNodeApp<State>({
  initialState: { content: "", saved: true },
});

app.view((state) =>
  ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
    ui.panel("Editor", [
      ui.row({ gap: 2, pb: 1, justify: "between" }, [
        ui.text(state.saved ? "Saved" : "Modified", {
          variant: state.saved ? "caption" : "label",
        }),
        ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [
          ui.kbd(["Ctrl", "S"]),
          ui.text("Save", { variant: "caption" }),
        ]),
      ]),
      ui.input({
        id: "editor",
        value: state.content,
        onInput: (value) =>
          app.update((s) => ({ ...s, content: value, saved: false })),
      }),
    ]),
  ])
);

// Global shortcuts
app.keys({
  "ctrl+s": {
    handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, saved: true })),
    description: "Save document",
  },
  "ctrl+q": {
    handler: () => app.stop(),
    description: "Quit application",
  },
  "ctrl+z": {
    handler: (ctx) => {
      // Undo logic
      console.log("Undo");
    },
    description: "Undo",
  },
  "ctrl+shift+z": {
    handler: () => console.log("Redo"),
    description: "Redo",
  },
});

await app.start();

Key features:

handler - Function to execute when shortcut is pressed
description - Metadata for help displays
ctx - Access to app state and update function

Shorthand Syntax

For simple handlers without descriptions:

app.keys({
  q: () => app.stop(), // Simple function
  "ctrl+c": () => app.stop(), // No description needed
});

Implement mode-based keybindings:

type State = {
  content: string;
  mode: "normal" | "insert";
};

const app = createNodeApp<State>({
  initialState: { content: "", mode: "insert" },
});

app.view((state) =>
  ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
    ui.panel("Editor", [
      ui.text(`Mode: ${state.mode}`, { variant: "caption" }),
      ui.input({
        id: "editor",
        value: state.content,
        disabled: state.mode === "normal",
        onInput: (value) => app.update((s) => ({ ...s, content: value })),
      }),
      ui.divider(),
      ui.column({ gap: 0 }, [
        ui.text("Shortcuts:", { variant: "label" }),
        ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [ui.kbd("Esc"), ui.text("→ Normal mode")]),
        ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [ui.kbd("i"), ui.text("→ Insert mode (from normal)")]),
        ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [ui.kbd("q"), ui.text("→ Quit (from normal)")]),
      ]),
    ]),
  ])
);

// Global shortcuts (active in all modes)
app.keys({
  "ctrl+q": () => app.stop(),
});

// Mode-specific shortcuts
app.modes({
  insert: {
    escape: {
      handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, mode: "normal" })),
      description: "Enter normal mode",
    },
  },
  normal: {
    i: {
      handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, mode: "insert" })),
      description: "Enter insert mode",
    },
    q: {
      handler: () => app.stop(),
      description: "Quit",
    },
    dd: {
      handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, content: "" })),
      description: "Delete all content",
    },
  },
});

// Set initial mode
app.setMode("insert");

await app.start();

Mode features:

Mode isolation - Keys only active in specific modes
Global overrides - app.keys() bindings work in all modes
Dynamic mode switching - app.setMode(modeName)

Chord Sequences

Multi-key sequences (e.g., Ctrl+K Ctrl+S):

app.keys({
  "ctrl+k ctrl+s": {
    handler: (ctx) => {
      console.log("Open settings");
      ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, showSettings: true }));
    },
    description: "Open settings",
  },
  "ctrl+k ctrl+t": {
    handler: () => console.log("Toggle theme"),
    description: "Toggle theme",
  },
  "ctrl+k ctrl+k": {
    handler: () => console.log("Clear all"),
    description: "Clear all",
  },
});

Chord Feedback

Show pending chord state to users:

app.view((state) =>
  ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
    ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [
      ui.text("Status:"),
      ui.text(
        app.pendingChord ? `Waiting: ${app.pendingChord}` : "Ready",
        { variant: "caption" }
      ),
    ]),
    // ... rest of UI
  ])
);

app.pendingChord contains the current partial chord (e.g., "ctrl+k" while waiting for the next key).

Displaying Shortcuts

Manual Shortcut Display

ui.column({ gap: 1 }, [
  ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [
    ui.kbd(["Ctrl", "S"]),
    ui.text("Save"),
  ]),
  ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [
    ui.kbd(["Ctrl", "Q"]),
    ui.text("Quit"),
  ]),
  ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [
    ui.kbd(["Ctrl", "K"]),
    ui.kbd(["Ctrl", "S"]),
    ui.text("Open Settings"),
  ]),
]);

Auto-Generated Help

Display all registered keybindings:

import { ui } from "@rezi-ui/core";

type State = { showHelp: boolean };

app.view((state) =>
  ui.layers([
    ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
      ui.button({
        id: "help",
        label: "Show Shortcuts",
        onPress: () => app.update((s) => ({ ...s, showHelp: true })),
      }),
    ]),

    state.showHelp &&
      ui.modal({
        id: "help-modal",
        title: "Keyboard Shortcuts",
        content: ui.keybindingHelp(app.getBindings()),
        actions: [
          ui.button({
            id: "close",
            label: "Close",
            onPress: () => app.update((s) => ({ ...s, showHelp: false })),
          }),
        ],
        onClose: () => app.update((s) => ({ ...s, showHelp: false })),
      }),
  ])
);

app.keys({
  "?": {
    handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, showHelp: true })),
    description: "Show keyboard shortcuts",
  },
});

app.getBindings() returns all registered keybindings with descriptions for the current mode.

Command Palette

Searchable command interface:

import { ui } from "@rezi-ui/core";

type Command = {
  id: string;
  label: string;
  description: string;
  shortcut?: string;
  action: () => void;
};

type State = {
  showPalette: boolean;
  paletteQuery: string;
};

const commands: Command[] = [
  {
    id: "save",
    label: "Save",
    description: "Save current document",
    shortcut: "Ctrl+S",
    action: () => console.log("Save"),
  },
  {
    id: "settings",
    label: "Open Settings",
    description: "Open application settings",
    shortcut: "Ctrl+,",
    action: () => console.log("Settings"),
  },
  {
    id: "quit",
    label: "Quit",
    description: "Exit application",
    shortcut: "Ctrl+Q",
    action: () => app.stop(),
  },
];

function filterCommands(commands: Command[], query: string): Command[] {
  if (!query) return commands;
  const lower = query.toLowerCase();
  return commands.filter(
    (cmd) =>
      cmd.label.toLowerCase().includes(lower) ||
      cmd.description.toLowerCase().includes(lower) ||
      cmd.shortcut?.toLowerCase().includes(lower)
  );
}

const app = createNodeApp<State>({
  initialState: { showPalette: false, paletteQuery: "" },
});

app.view((state) => {
  const filtered = filterCommands(commands, state.paletteQuery);

  return ui.layers([
    ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
      ui.panel("Application", [
        ui.text("Press Ctrl+P to open command palette"),
      ]),
    ]),

    state.showPalette &&
      ui.commandPalette({
        id: "palette",
        query: state.paletteQuery,
        items: filtered.map((cmd) => ({
          id: cmd.id,
          label: cmd.label,
          description: cmd.description,
          shortcut: cmd.shortcut,
          onSelect: () => {
            cmd.action();
            app.update((s) => ({ ...s, showPalette: false, paletteQuery: "" }));
          },
        })),
        onQueryChange: (query) =>
          app.update((s) => ({ ...s, paletteQuery: query })),
        onClose: () =>
          app.update((s) => ({ ...s, showPalette: false, paletteQuery: "" })),
        placeholder: "Type a command...",
      }),
  ]);
});

app.keys({
  "ctrl+p": {
    handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, showPalette: true })),
    description: "Open command palette",
  },
});

await app.start();

Context-Aware Shortcuts

Shortcuts that behave differently based on app state:

type State = {
  activeTab: "editor" | "preview";
  content: string;
};

app.keys({
  "ctrl+e": {
    handler: (ctx) => {
      if (ctx.state.activeTab === "preview") {
        ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: "editor" }));
      }
    },
    description: "Switch to editor (from preview)",
  },
  "ctrl+p": {
    handler: (ctx) => {
      if (ctx.state.activeTab === "editor") {
        ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: "preview" }));
      }
    },
    description: "Switch to preview (from editor)",
  },
  "ctrl+s": {
    handler: (ctx) => {
      if (ctx.state.activeTab === "editor") {
        // Save logic
        console.log("Saved:", ctx.state.content);
      }
    },
    description: "Save (editor only)",
  },
});

Conditional Keybindings

Show different shortcuts based on state:

app.view((state) => {
  const shortcuts =
    state.mode === "edit"
      ? [
          { keys: ["Ctrl", "S"], label: "Save" },
          { keys: ["Esc"], label: "Cancel" },
        ]
      : [
          { keys: ["E"], label: "Edit" },
          { keys: ["D"], label: "Delete" },
        ];

  return ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
    ui.panel("Shortcuts", [
      ui.column({ gap: 1 }, [
        ...shortcuts.map((s, i) =>
          ui.row({ gap: 1, key: String(i) }, [
            ui.kbd(s.keys),
            ui.text(s.label),
          ])
        ),
      ]),
    ]),
  ]);
});

Key Binding Priority

Widget-level handlers - Inputs, buttons capture first
Modal mode keys - Current mode’s app.modes() bindings
Global keys - app.keys() bindings
Fallback - Default system behavior

Overlay Item Shortcuts

Display shortcuts in dropdown menus:

ui.dropdown({
  id: "menu",
  items: [
    {
      id: "save",
      label: "Save",
      shortcut: "Ctrl+S",
      onSelect: () => console.log("Save"),
    },
    {
      id: "open",
      label: "Open",
      shortcut: "Ctrl+O",
      onSelect: () => console.log("Open"),
    },
    { type: "divider" },
    {
      id: "quit",
      label: "Quit",
      shortcut: "Ctrl+Q",
      onSelect: () => app.stop(),
    },
  ],
  trigger: ui.button({ id: "menu-btn", label: "File" }),
});

// Register corresponding global shortcuts
app.keys({
  "ctrl+s": () => console.log("Save"),
  "ctrl+o": () => console.log("Open"),
  "ctrl+q": () => app.stop(),
});

Note: shortcut on dropdown items is display/filter only - you must register actual keybindings with app.keys().

Platform-Specific Modifiers

import { ui } from "@rezi-ui/core";

const isMac = process.platform === "darwin";
const modKey = isMac ? "cmd" : "ctrl";

app.keys({
  [`${modKey}+s`]: () => console.log("Save"),
  [`${modKey}+q`]: () => app.stop(),
});

app.view(() =>
  ui.page({ p: 1 }, [
    ui.row({ gap: 1 }, [
      ui.kbd([isMac ? "Cmd" : "Ctrl", "S"]),
      ui.text("Save"),
    ]),
  ])
);

Common Patterns

app.keys({
  "ctrl+1": (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: 0 })),
  "ctrl+2": (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: 1 })),
  "ctrl+3": (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: 2 })),
  "ctrl+tab": (ctx) =>
    ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: (s.activeTab + 1) % 3 })),
  "ctrl+shift+tab": (ctx) =>
    ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, activeTab: (s.activeTab - 1 + 3) % 3 })),
});

Debugging Shortcuts

app.keys({
  "ctrl+shift+d": {
    handler: (ctx) => {
      console.log("Current state:", ctx.state);
      ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, debugMode: !s.debugMode }));
    },
    description: "Toggle debug mode",
  },
  "ctrl+shift+l": {
    handler: () => console.log("Logs:", app.getLogs()),
    description: "Dump logs",
  },
});

Quick Actions

app.keys({
  "ctrl+n": {
    handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, showNewDialog: true })),
    description: "New item",
  },
  "ctrl+f": {
    handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, showSearch: true })),
    description: "Find",
  },
  "/": {
    handler: (ctx) => ctx.update((s) => ({ ...s, showSearch: true })),
    description: "Search (quick)",
  },
});

Best Practices

Use standard conventions - Ctrl+S (save), Ctrl+Q (quit), Ctrl+Z (undo)
Provide visual shortcuts - Display key hints with ui.kbd()
Add descriptions - Enable auto-generated help with metadata
Avoid conflicts - Don’t override browser/system shortcuts
Use modes for complex apps - Separate editing/navigation contexts
Show pending chords - Display app.pendingChord for feedback
Test keyboard navigation - Ensure all features are keyboard-accessible
Document shortcuts - Provide a help modal with app.getBindings()
Use command palette for discoverability - Searchable command list
Platform-aware modifiers - Use Cmd on Mac, Ctrl elsewhere

Kbd Widget - Displaying keyboard shortcuts
Command Palette Widget - Searchable commands
Modal Patterns Recipe - Modal keyboard handling
Focus Management - Focus navigation

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Recipes

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts

Problem

Solution

Global Keyboard Shortcuts

Shorthand Syntax

Chord Sequences

Chord Feedback

Displaying Shortcuts

Manual Shortcut Display

Auto-Generated Help

Command Palette

Context-Aware Shortcuts

Conditional Keybindings

Key Binding Priority

Overlay Item Shortcuts

Platform-Specific Modifiers

Common Patterns

Navigation Shortcuts

Debugging Shortcuts

Quick Actions

Best Practices

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Recipes

​Keyboard Shortcuts

​Problem

​Solution

​Global Keyboard Shortcuts

​Shorthand Syntax

​Modal Keymaps (Vim-style)

​Chord Sequences

​Chord Feedback

​Displaying Shortcuts

​Manual Shortcut Display

​Auto-Generated Help

​Command Palette

​Context-Aware Shortcuts

​Conditional Keybindings

​Key Binding Priority

​Overlay Item Shortcuts

​Platform-Specific Modifiers

​Common Patterns

​Navigation Shortcuts

​Debugging Shortcuts

​Quick Actions

​Best Practices

​Related

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Keyboard Shortcuts

Problem

Solution

Global Keyboard Shortcuts

Shorthand Syntax

Modal Keymaps (Vim-style)

Chord Sequences

Chord Feedback

Displaying Shortcuts

Manual Shortcut Display

Auto-Generated Help

Command Palette

Context-Aware Shortcuts

Conditional Keybindings

Key Binding Priority

Overlay Item Shortcuts

Platform-Specific Modifiers

Common Patterns

Navigation Shortcuts

Debugging Shortcuts

Quick Actions

Best Practices

Related