Keyboard Shortcuts
Generally speaking...
- ⌘ kicks off most keyboard shortcuts
- Shift usually does the opposite (for example, if ⌘ + Z is undo, ⌘ + ⇧ + Z is redo)
- Option and control are usually modifiers
- It’s totally OK to keep mashing keys until what you want happens (you > machine)
- Keyboard shortcuts are almost always also actions available and documented in the applications main menu (for example, open the File menu)
Modifier Keys
These keys are your friends. Knowing how to use them in combination with other characters on your keyboard will make it easier to manipulate code.
| Name | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Command | ⌘ |
| Option | ⌥ |
| Control | ⌃ |
| Shift | ⇧ |
Working with text
The following shortcuts work in most environments where you're editing text. Modify any of these commands with ⇧ to make a selection.
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| ⌥ + → | Move cursor to the end of next word |
| ⌥ + ← | Move cursor to the beginning of previous word |
| ⌘ + → | Move cursor to the end of a line or paragraph |
| ⌘ + ← | Move cursor to the end of a line or paragraph |
| ⌘ + ↑ | Move cursor to the beginning of file |
| ⌘ + ↓ | Move cursor to the end of of file |
Atom
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| ⌘ + O | Open file or folder |
| ⌘ + N | New file |
| ⌘ + S | Save current file |
| ⌘ + D | Make a selection then use this command to also highlight the next instance of what is currently selected. This shortcut is great for a quick find/replace to rename a variable or fix a typo. |
| ⌘ + return | Create a new line below the current line and move your cursor there. Great to continue editing regardless of where your cursor may be. |
| ⌘ + click | Creates multiple cursors at the beginning of each line clicked to type on many lines with the same text. |
| Any tag name (e.g, p, img) + tab | HTML-only. Stubs out an empty tag for you to fill in (press tab to cycle through the parts of the element without touching your mouse) |
| ⌘ + ⌥ + . | HTML-only. Closes the last open tag |
Chrome
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| ⌘ + L | Open location (put your cursor in the URL bar) |
| ⌘ + R | Refresh Page |
| ⌘ + ⌥ + I | Open the Elements tab of the Developer Tools |
| ⌘ + ⌥ + J | Open the Console tab of the Developer Tools |
| ⌃ + tab | Switch tab (forward) |
| ⌃ + ⇧ + tab | Switch tab (backward) |
Mac
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| ⌘ + ⌃ + space | Bring up Spotlight to search. Just start typing to find applications, contacts, documents, and more. Also you can do math, like 2 + 2 |
| ⌘ + tab | Switch programs (forward) |
| ⌘ + ⇧ + tab | Switch programs (backward) |
| ⌘ + ` | Switch windows within a program (forward) |
| ⌘ + ⇧ + ` | Switch windows within a program (backward) |
| ⌘ + ⇧ + 4 | Take a screenshot (saved to desktop) and... free ruler! |