Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Complete reference for all keyboard shortcuts in Lokus. Shortcuts are customizable and work across macOS, Windows, and Linux with platform-appropriate modifiers.

Platform Modifiers

Lokus uses cross-platform modifier keys that adapt to your operating system:

File Operations

Edit Operations

View Operations

Formatting

Insert Operations

Navigation

Application

Customizing Shortcuts

Via Preferences

1. Open Preferences (Cmd/Ctrl+,)
2. Navigate to Keyboard Shortcuts section
3. Click on a shortcut to edit
4. Press your desired key combination
5. Click Save to apply

Via Configuration File

Edit the configuration file directly:

Location:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/com.lokus.app/config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%/com.lokus.app/config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/com.lokus.app/config.json

Format:

{
  "shortcuts": {
    "save-file": "CommandOrControl+S",
    "new-file": "CommandOrControl+N",
    "command-palette": "CommandOrControl+K",
    "custom-action": "CommandOrControl+Shift+X"
  }
}

Programmatic API

import { setShortcut, resetShortcuts } from '@/core/shortcuts/registry';
 
// Set custom shortcut
await setShortcut('save-file', 'CommandOrControl+Alt+S');
 
// Reset all shortcuts to defaults
await resetShortcuts();

Shortcut Conflicts

System Shortcuts

Lokus avoids registering global shortcuts that conflict with system operations:

Never registered globally:

• Cmd/Ctrl+C (Copy)
• Cmd/Ctrl+V (Paste)
• Cmd/Ctrl+X (Cut)
• Cmd/Ctrl+A (Select All)
• Cmd/Ctrl+Z (Undo)
• Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z (Redo)

These shortcuts work within the app but don’t override system behavior.

Application Conflicts

If a shortcut conflicts with another application:

1. Lokus shortcuts take precedence when app is focused
2. System shortcuts always take precedence
3. Custom shortcuts can override defaults

Resolving Conflicts

Change conflicting shortcut:

// Change command palette shortcut if Cmd+K conflicts
await setShortcut('command-palette', 'CommandOrControl+Shift+P');

Disable global shortcut:

{
  "shortcuts": {
    "action-id": null
  }
}

Platform-Specific Shortcuts

macOS

Additional macOS-specific shortcuts:

Windows

Additional Windows-specific shortcuts:

Linux

Additional Linux-specific shortcuts:

Shortcut Cheat Sheet

Essential Shortcuts

Get Started:

• Cmd/Ctrl+N - New file
• Cmd/Ctrl+S - Save
• Cmd/Ctrl+F - Find in note
• Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F - Search workspace

Navigation:

• Cmd/Ctrl+K - Command palette
• Cmd/Ctrl+W - Close tab
• Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+→ - Next tab
• Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+← - Previous tab

Formatting:

• Cmd/Ctrl+B - Bold
• Cmd/Ctrl+I - Italic
• Cmd/Ctrl+L - Insert link
• Cmd/Ctrl+E - Inline code

Advanced:

• Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+G - Graph view
• Cmd/Ctrl+\\ - Split view
• F1 - Shortcuts help

Printable Reference

Download or print the keyboard shortcuts reference:

• PDF Download
• Print-friendly version

Accessibility

Keyboard Navigation

Lokus is fully keyboard accessible:

• Tab - Navigate between UI elements
• Shift+Tab - Navigate backwards
• Enter - Activate buttons/links
• Escape - Close dialogs/modals
• Arrow Keys - Navigate lists and trees

Screen Reader Support

All shortcuts are announced by screen readers with descriptions.

Visual Indicators

• Shortcut hints in tooltips
• Active shortcuts highlighted in menus
• Conflict warnings in preferences

Advanced Customization

Creating Custom Shortcuts

Define custom shortcuts for plugin actions:

import { ACTIONS } from '@/core/shortcuts/registry';
 
// Add custom action
ACTIONS.push({
  id: 'my-custom-action',
  name: 'My Custom Action',
  event: 'custom:action',
  default: 'CommandOrControl+Shift+X'
});
 
// Register shortcut
await registerGlobalShortcuts();
 
// Listen for event
window.addEventListener('custom:action', () => {
  console.log('Custom action triggered!');
});

Context-Specific Shortcuts

Some shortcuts behave differently based on context:

In Editor:

• Cmd/Ctrl+B - Bold text
• Cmd/Ctrl+K - Insert link or command palette

In Sidebar:

• Enter - Open file
• Delete - Delete file
• F2 - Rename file

In Search:

• Enter - Open result
• Escape - Close search
• Up/Down - Navigate results

Troubleshooting

Shortcuts Not Working

1. Check if globally registered

   • Some shortcuts only work when app is focused
   • System shortcuts take precedence

2. Verify no conflicts

   • Open Preferences → Keyboard Shortcuts
   • Look for warning icons

3. Reset to defaults

   await resetShortcuts();

4. Clear configuration cache

   • Quit Lokus
   • Delete config file
   • Restart app

Global Shortcuts Disabled

In development mode, global shortcuts are disabled by default to prevent conflicts.

Enable in development:

// src/core/shortcuts/registry.js
const DISABLE_GLOBAL_SHORTCUTS_IN_DEV = false;

Platform-Specific Issues

macOS:

• Check System Preferences → Keyboard → Shortcuts
• Ensure no conflicts with system shortcuts

Windows:

• Check Windows keyboard settings
• Disable gaming mode if shortcuts lag

Linux:

• Check desktop environment shortcuts
• May need to disable compositor shortcuts

Best Practices

Choosing Shortcuts

1. Use standard patterns - Follow OS conventions
2. Avoid system shortcuts - Don’t override Cmd+Q, Alt+F4
3. Group related actions - Use similar patterns (Cmd+B, Cmd+I)
4. Add Shift for variations - Cmd+T vs Cmd+Shift+T
5. Test across platforms - Ensure shortcuts work on all OSes

Teaching Users

1. Show shortcuts in tooltips
2. Display in command palette
3. Provide printable reference
4. Offer interactive tutorial
5. Highlight most-used shortcuts

Next Steps

• Configuration - Configure shortcuts
• Plugin API - Add plugin shortcuts
• Advanced Customization - Advanced shortcuts