Keyboard Shortcuts

Master all of Termix's keyboard shortcuts for maximum productivity. This comprehensive reference covers every key binding organized by function and context.

Quick Reference Card

Essential Shortcuts

Key	Action	Key	Action
↑↓ / JK	Move selection	Enter / L	Open/Enter
Backspace / H	Go up	S	Search
A	Add	R	Rename
C	Copy	X	Move/Cut
P	Paste	D	Delete
Q	Quit	Esc	Cancel/Clear

Navigation Shortcuts

Basic Movement

Key	Action	Description
↑	Move up	Select previous item
↓	Move down	Select next item
J	Move up (Vim)	Vim-style up movement
K	Move down (Vim)	Vim-style down movement
Home	Jump to top	Select first item in list
End	Jump to bottom	Select last item in list

Directory Navigation

Key	Action	Description
Enter	Open/Enter	Open file or enter directory
L	Open/Enter	Alternative key for opening
Backspace	Go up	Move to parent directory
H	Go up (Vim)	Vim-style parent navigation

Preview Pane Control

Key	Action	Description
Alt + ↑	Scroll up	Scroll preview content up
Alt + ↓	Scroll down	Scroll preview content down
Alt + ←	Scroll left	Scroll preview content left
Alt + →	Scroll right	Scroll preview content right

File Operations

Creation and Modification

Key	Action	Description
A	Add	Create new file or directory
R	Rename	Rename selected item
D	Delete	Delete with confirmation

Clipboard Operations

Key	Action	Description
C	Copy	Copy item to clipboard
X	Move/Cut	Cut item to clipboard
P	Paste	Paste from clipboard

Search and Filter

Search Control

Key	Mode	Action	Description
S	Normal	Start search	Enter search mode
Esc	Search	Apply filter	Finish search, navigate results
Esc	Filtered	Clear filter	Remove filter, show all files
B	Any	Back to results	Return to search results

Search Input

Key	Mode	Action
Character keys	Search	Add to query
Backspace	Search	Remove from query
Enter	Search	(Same as Esc) Apply filter

Application Control

Session Management

Key	Action	Description
Q	Quit	Exit Termix
Esc	Cancel	Cancel current operation

Special Contexts

Key	Context	Action
y	Delete confirm	Confirm deletion
n	Delete confirm	Cancel deletion
y	Quit confirm	Force quit with operations
n	Quit confirm	Cancel quit

Mode-Specific Shortcuts

Normal Mode

Default mode for navigation and file operations

Category	Keys	Actions
Movement	↑↓JK, Home/End	Navigate through files
Navigation	Enter/L, Backspace/H	Open/close directories
Operations	ARCXPD	File operations
Search	S	Start search
Preview	Alt + arrows	Scroll preview
Exit	Q	Quit application

Search Mode

Active when typing search queries

Key	Action	Notes
Character keys	Add to search	Real-time filtering
Backspace	Remove character	Update results
Esc	Apply filter	Switch to filtered navigation
Enter	Apply filter	Same as Esc

Filtered Navigation Mode

Active after applying a search filter

Key	Action	Notes
Navigation keys	Move through results	Only filtered items shown
File operations	Work on filtered items	All operations available
B	Back to search	Return to original results
Esc	Clear filter	Show all files
S	New search	Start fresh search

Add Mode

Active when creating files/directories

Key	Action
Character keys	Type name
Backspace	Remove character
Enter	Create item
Esc	Cancel creation

Rename Mode

Active when renaming items

Key	Action
Character keys	Edit name
Backspace	Remove character
Enter	Confirm rename
Esc	Cancel rename

Delete Confirm Mode

Active when confirming deletions

Key	Action
y	Confirm delete
n	Cancel delete
Esc	Cancel delete

Advanced Key Combinations

Vim-Style Navigation

For Vim users, these combinations feel natural:

h j k l    →    H J K L
← ↓ ↑ →    →    Parent Down Up Enter

Power User Workflows

Quick File Creation:

A → filename.ext → Enter

Search and Operate:

S → query → Esc → navigate → operate → B

Clipboard Workflow:

C → navigate → P  (copy)
X → navigate → P  (move)

Context-Sensitive Behavior

Esc Key Behavior

The Esc key behaves differently based on context:

Context	Action
Normal mode with filter	Clear active filter
Normal mode with clipboard	Clear clipboard
Search mode	Apply filter and enter navigation
Add/Rename mode	Cancel operation
Delete confirm	Cancel deletion

Backspace Key Behavior

The Backspace key has dual purposes:

Context	Action
Normal navigation	Go to parent directory
Text input mode	Remove last character

Custom Key Patterns

Directory Traversal Patterns

L L L    # Dive deep into directories
H H H    # Go up multiple levels  
End L    # Go to last item and enter
Home L   # Go to first item and enter

Search Patterns

S .js Esc          # Find JavaScript files
S test Esc         # Find test files
S config Esc       # Find config files
S src/ Esc         # Find files in src directories

File Management Patterns

C → navigate → P   # Copy workflow
X → navigate → P   # Move workflow
A folder/ Enter    # Create directory
R newname Enter    # Quick rename

Accessibility and Alternatives

Alternative Key Bindings

Most actions have alternative keys for different preferences:

Primary	Alternative	Action
↑↓	JK	Vertical movement
Enter	L	Open/Enter
Backspace	H	Go up

No Mouse Required

Termix is entirely keyboard-driven:

• No mouse dependency: All features accessible via keyboard
• Fast navigation: Keyboard is faster than mouse for file operations
• Terminal native: Works in any terminal environment

Memory Aids

Mnemonic Devices

Key	Mnemonic	Action
A	Add	Create new item
R	Rename	Rename item
C	Copy	Copy to clipboard
X	Cut (eXtract)	Move to clipboard
P	Paste	Paste from clipboard
D	Delete	Delete item
S	Search	Start search
Q	Quit	Exit application

Vim Connections

Vim	Termix	Action
j	J	Move down
k	K	Move up
h	H	Go left/up
l	L	Go right/down

Troubleshooting Key Issues

Keys Not Working

If shortcuts aren't responding:

1. Check terminal focus: Ensure terminal window has focus
2. Verify key support: Some terminals may not support all key combinations
3. Check for conflicts: Other applications might intercept keys
4. Try alternatives: Most actions have alternative key bindings

Special Key Combinations

Some terminals handle special keys differently:

• Alt combinations: May not work in all terminals
• Function keys: Not used by Termix to avoid conflicts
• Ctrl combinations: Avoided to prevent terminal conflicts

Next Steps

Now that you know all the shortcuts:

• Practice with Tips & Tricks to build efficient workflows
• Check Configuration for customization options
• Visit Troubleshooting if you encounter issues

Muscle Memory Development

Focus on learning one category of shortcuts at a time. Start with navigation (↑↓JK, Enter, Backspace), then add file operations (ARCXPD), and finally master search (S, Esc, B).

Terminal Compatibility

While Termix works in most terminals, some key combinations (especially Alt+arrow keys) may not work in all environments. All essential functions have alternative key bindings that work everywhere.