Keyboard

The grammar, as the panel resolves it (app/src/ui/keys.ts). cmd is the platform's primary modifier: ⌘ on macOS, Ctrl on Linux.

keys does
↓, ↑, ctrl+n, ctrl+p Move the cursor
enter Run the primary action
cmd+enter Run the secondary action
cmd+k Toggle the action panel
escape Close action panel, else clear query, else pop a level, else hide
cmd+backspace Pop a level when the query is empty
tab, shift+tab Cycle the filter dropdown, when there is one
cmd+i Toggle the detail pane
cmd+1 Jump to row 1..9 (cmd+1 to cmd+9)
home, end, pageup, pagedown Scroll the list
cmd+c Any other modifier combo runs the action carrying that shortcut

Notes from the same file:

  • Only cursor movement repeats while a key is held; Enter, Escape and shortcuts fire once.
  • Typing with nothing focused goes to the search box, unless an overlay (the action panel, a confirmation, a form) is up; then its own fields own the keys.
  • Mid-composition (dead keys, CJK input) the keys belong to the input method: Enter commits, arrows pick a candidate.
  • Without a filter, Tab is still swallowed, so focus never walks out of the search box.
  • In a show level (a read-only detail pushed by a pick), Enter and Escape go back; arrows and PageUp/PageDown scroll.

Shortcuts the shell adds

These ride on the last row of the grammar: actions the panel itself puts in the action panel, with a shortcut (app/src/Launcher.tsx).

keys action where
cmd+, Open Settings the root
cmd+r Refresh everything (root) or Refresh (palette) the root, or an indexed palette
cmd+shift+b Browse (palette): drill into the palette a result came from the root
cmd+i Show details / Hide details everywhere

Palette actions carry their own (cmd+c Copy link in bookmarks, cmd+p Pin in clipboard history, ...); the action panel lists them next to each action. See Palettes.

In the Settings window, escape and ⌘W hide it (the Meta key on Linux, not Ctrl).

Rendered from docs/keyboard.md in the pal repo, 2026-09-16.