Tabby includes comprehensive desktop automation capabilities that enable system-level control and window management. These features power the invisible typing, text capture, and window focus restoration that make Tabby feel like a natural extension of your operating system.
Core Technologies
Tabby’s desktop automation is built on two powerful libraries:
- @nut-tree-fork/nut-js - Cross-platform keyboard and mouse automation
- node-window-manager - Window management and focus control
Window Management
Active Window Capture
Tabby automatically captures the last active window before showing its interface, ensuring text is always pasted back to the correct application.
// frontend/electron/src/services/text-handler.ts:15
export async function captureLastActiveWindow(): Promise<void> {
const activeWindow = windowManager.getActiveWindow();
lastActiveWindowId = activeWindow?.id ?? null;
}
Focus Restoration
After processing text or accepting suggestions, Tabby seamlessly returns focus to your original application:
// frontend/electron/src/services/text-handler.ts:49
async function restoreFocusToLastWindow(): Promise<boolean> {
if (lastActiveWindowId) {
const targetWindow = windowManager
.getWindows()
.find((w) => w.id === lastActiveWindowId);
if (targetWindow) {
targetWindow.bringToTop();
return true;
}
}
return false;
}
Keyboard Automation
Text Capture
Tabby can capture selected text from any application using programmatic keyboard control:
Release Modifier Keys
Ensures no interfering key states from previous shortcuts
Simulate Ctrl+C
Programmatically copies selected text to clipboard
Extract and Restore
Reads the copied text and restores the original clipboard content
// frontend/electron/src/services/text-handler.ts:25
export async function captureSelectedText(): Promise<string> {
const original = clipboard.readText();
// Release modifiers
await keyboard.releaseKey(Key.LeftAlt, Key.RightAlt, ...);
// Copy selected text
await keyboard.pressKey(Key.LeftControl);
await keyboard.pressKey(Key.C);
await keyboard.releaseKey(Key.C);
await keyboard.releaseKey(Key.LeftControl);
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 150));
const selected = clipboard.readText();
clipboard.writeText(original); // Restore
return selected;
}
Standard Paste Mode
The default output mode uses clipboard-based pasting:
// frontend/electron/src/services/text-handler.ts:64
export async function pasteToLastWindow(text: string): Promise<void> {
const originalClipboard = clipboard.readText();
await restoreFocusToLastWindow();
clipboard.writeText(text);
// Simulate Ctrl+V
await keyboard.pressKey(Key.LeftControl);
await keyboard.pressKey(Key.V);
await keyboard.releaseKey(Key.V);
await keyboard.releaseKey(Key.LeftControl);
clipboard.writeText(originalClipboard);
}
Standard paste mode is fast and reliable, but some applications (like online coding platforms) may detect automated clipboard operations.
Configuration
Keyboard automation uses configurable timing to ensure compatibility across different applications:
keyboard.config.autoDelayMs = 5; // Minimal delay between key events
Global Shortcuts
Tabby’s automation powers these system-wide shortcuts:
| Shortcut | Action | Implementation |
|---|
Ctrl+\ | Capture text & open menu | captureLastActiveWindow() + captureSelectedText() |
Ctrl+Space | Get AI suggestion | captureSelectedText() → AI → suggestion window |
Shift+Tab | Accept ghost text | sendTextToLastWindow() with selected mode |
Shift+Escape | Cancel typing | Immediately stops all automation |
Desktop automation requires appropriate system permissions. On Windows, Tabby may need to run with administrator privileges to control certain protected applications.
Text Output Modes
Tabby supports multiple output modes that can be configured in settings:
export type TextOutputMode = "paste" | "typewriter" | "typewriter-leetcode";
export async function sendTextToLastWindow(
text: string,
mode: TextOutputMode = "paste"
): Promise<void> {
if (mode === "typewriter") {
await typeSimpleToLastWindow(text);
} else if (mode === "typewriter-leetcode") {
await typeLeetCodeToLastWindow(text);
} else {
await pasteToLastWindow(text);
}
}
Emergency Stop
Tabby includes a panic button to immediately stop all automation:
let isTypingCancelled = false;
export function cancelTyping(): void {
isTypingCancelled = true;
console.log("Typing cancelled by user");
}
Shift+Escape at any time to cancel ongoing automation and hide all Tabby UI elements.