Keybindings Reference

Complete keyboard shortcut reference for TUIOS. All keybindings are customizable through the configuration file.

The leader key (default: Ctrl+B) is configurable via the leader_key option in your config file.

Modes

TUIOS has two main modes:

Window Management Mode - Navigate and manage windows (default on startup)
Terminal Mode - Input goes directly to the focused terminal

Key	Action
`i` or `Enter`	Enter Terminal Mode
`Ctrl+B` then `d` or `Esc`	Return to Window Management Mode (from Terminal Mode)
`?` (Window Mode) or `Ctrl+B ?` (universal)	Toggle help overlay
`q` (Window Mode) or `Ctrl+B q` (universal)	Quit TUIOS

Window Management

Key	Action
`n`	Create new window
`w` or `x`	Close focused window
`r`	Rename focused window
`m`	Minimize focused window
`Shift+M`	Restore all minimized windows
`Tab`	Focus next window
`Shift+Tab`	Focus previous window
`1-9`	Select window by number
`Shift+1-9` or `!@#$%^&*(`	Restore minimized window by number

Workspaces

TUIOS supports 9 workspaces for organizing windows.

macOS

Key	Action
`Option+1` through `Option+9`	Switch to workspace 1-9
`Option+Shift+1` through `Option+Shift+9`	Move window to workspace and follow

In your terminal, you can still type Option key unicode characters (¡™£¢∞§¶•ª) in Terminal Mode.

Linux

Key	Action
`Alt+1` through `Alt+9`	Switch to workspace 1-9
`Alt+Shift+1` through `Alt+Shift+9`	Move window to workspace and follow

Window Layout

Manual Snapping (Non-Tiling Mode)

Keyboard Snapping

Key	Action
`h`	Snap window to left half
`l`	Snap window to right half
`f`	Fullscreen window
`u`	Unsnap/restore window
`1`	Snap to top-left corner
`2`	Snap to top-right corner
`3`	Snap to bottom-left corner
`4`	Snap to bottom-right corner

Mouse Edge Snapping

In floating mode (non-tiling), drag a window to the screen edges to snap it:

Edge	Action
Top center	Fullscreen
Left edge	Snap to left half
Right edge	Snap to right half
Top-left corner	Snap to top-left quarter
Top-right corner	Snap to top-right quarter
Bottom-left corner	Snap to bottom-left quarter
Bottom-right corner	Snap to bottom-right quarter

The edge detection zone is 5 pixels from the screen edge. Simply drag a window by its title bar and release when the cursor reaches the desired edge.

Tiling Mode

TUIOS uses Binary Space Partitioning (BSP) for automatic tiling. Windows are arranged in an alternating vertical/horizontal split pattern (spiral layout).

Key	Action
`t`	Toggle automatic tiling mode
`Shift+H` or `Ctrl+Left`	Swap with window to the left
`Shift+L` or `Ctrl+Right`	Swap with window to the right
`Shift+K` or `Ctrl+Up`	Swap with window above
`Shift+J` or `Ctrl+Down`	Swap with window below
`<` or `Shift+,`	Decrease master window width (from right edge)
`>` or `Shift+.`	Increase master window width (from right edge)
`{` or `Shift+[`	Decrease focused window height (from bottom edge)
`}` or `Shift+]`	Increase focused window height (from bottom edge)
`,`	Decrease master window width (from left edge)
`.`	Increase master window width (from left edge)
`[`	Decrease focused window height (from top edge)
`]`	Increase focused window height (from top edge)

BSP Split Controls

These commands are available in tiling mode via the prefix key:

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `-`	Split focused window horizontally (top/bottom)
`Ctrl+B` `\|` or `\`	Split focused window vertically (left/right)
`Ctrl+B` `R`	Rotate split direction at focused window
`Ctrl+B` `=`	Equalize all splits (reset to 50/50 ratios)

The dock shows the next split direction (V for vertical, H for horizontal) when tiling mode is active.

BSP Preselection

Control where the next window spawns relative to the focused window:

Key Sequence	Action
`Alt+h`	Next window appears left of focused
`Alt+l`	Next window appears right of focused
`Alt+k`	Next window appears above focused
`Alt+j`	Next window appears below focused

On macOS, use Option+h/l/k/j instead of Alt+h/l/k/j.

After preselecting a direction, create a new window with n or Ctrl+B c. The preselection is consumed after one window creation. Note: Preselection only works when tiling mode is enabled (press t to enable). Use Case: Creating asymmetric layouts (sidebars, specific window placement).

Copy Mode

Enter copy mode with Ctrl+B [ to navigate scrollback and select text using vim-style commands.

Key	Action
`Ctrl+B` `[`	Enter copy mode
`h` `j` `k` `l`	Move cursor left/down/up/right
`w` `b` `e`	Word forward / word backward / word end
`0` `^` `$`	Start of line / first non-blank / end of line
`gg`	Jump to top of scrollback
`G`	Jump to bottom (live output)
`{number}G`	Jump to line number (e.g., `10G`)
`{` `}`	Jump to previous/next paragraph
`Ctrl+U` `Ctrl+D`	Half page up/down
`Ctrl+B` `Ctrl+F`	Full page up/down
`i`	Return to terminal mode
`q` or `Esc`	Exit copy mode

Count Prefix

Prefix any motion with a number to repeat it:

10j - Move down 10 lines
5w - Move forward 5 words
3{ - Jump up 3 paragraphs

Character Search

Key	Action
`f{char}`	Find next occurrence of char on line
`F{char}`	Find previous occurrence of char on line
`t{char}`	Move cursor before next char
`T{char}`	Move cursor after previous char
`;`	Repeat last character search
`,`	Repeat last search (opposite direction)

Search

Key	Action
`/`	Search forward
`?`	Search backward
`n`	Next match
`N`	Previous match
`Ctrl+L`	Clear search highlights

Visual Selection

Key	Action
`v`	Enter visual character mode
`V`	Enter visual line mode
`y` or `c`	Yank (copy) selection to clipboard
`Esc` or `q`	Exit visual mode

Other Commands

Key	Action
`%`	Jump to matching bracket

Prefix Commands

Press Ctrl+B, release, then press the command key (tmux-style).

The leader key (Ctrl+B by default) is configurable via the leader_key option in your config file.

Main Prefix (`Ctrl+B`)

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `c`	Create new window
`Ctrl+B` `x`	Close current window
`Ctrl+B` `,` or `r`	Rename window
`Ctrl+B` `n` or `Tab`	Next window
`Ctrl+B` `p` or `Shift+Tab`	Previous window
`Ctrl+B` `0-9`	Jump to window
`Ctrl+B` `Space`	Toggle tiling mode
`Ctrl+B` `z`	Fullscreen current window
`Ctrl+B` `w`	Enter workspace prefix menu
`Ctrl+B` `m`	Enter minimize prefix menu
`Ctrl+B` `t`	Enter window prefix menu
`Ctrl+B` `D`	Enter debug prefix menu
`Ctrl+B` `T`	Enter tape manager prefix menu
`Ctrl+B` `[`	Enter copy mode
`Ctrl+B` `s`	Enter scrollback browser
`Ctrl+B` `d` or `Esc`	Detach (exit terminal mode)
`Ctrl+B` `q`	Quit TUIOS
`Ctrl+B` `?`	Toggle help
`Ctrl+B` `Ctrl+B`	Send literal Ctrl+B to terminal

Workspace Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `w`)

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `w` `1-9`	Switch to workspace
`Ctrl+B` `w` `Shift+1-9`	Move window to workspace and follow
`Ctrl+B` `w` `Esc`	Cancel

Minimize Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `m`)

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `m` `m`	Minimize focused window
`Ctrl+B` `m` `1-9`	Restore minimized window by number
`Ctrl+B` `m` `Shift+M`	Restore all minimized windows
`Ctrl+B` `m` `Esc`	Cancel

Window Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `t`)

Alternative prefix-based access to window commands:

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `t` `n`	Create new window
`Ctrl+B` `t` `x`	Close window
`Ctrl+B` `t` `r`	Rename window
`Ctrl+B` `t` `Tab`	Next window
`Ctrl+B` `t` `Shift+Tab`	Previous window
`Ctrl+B` `t` `t`	Toggle tiling mode
`Ctrl+B` `t` `Esc`	Cancel

Tape Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `T`)

Record and manage tape sessions:

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `T` `m`	Open tape manager
`Ctrl+B` `T` `r`	Start recording (prompts for name)
`Ctrl+B` `T` `s`	Stop recording and save
`Ctrl+B` `T` `Esc`	Cancel tape menu

Debug Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `D`)

Access debug and development tools:

Key Sequence	Action
`Ctrl+B` `D` `l`	Toggle log viewer
`Ctrl+B` `D` `c`	Toggle cache statistics
`Ctrl+B` `D` `k`	Toggle showkeys overlay
`Ctrl+B` `D` `a`	Toggle animations
`Ctrl+B` `D` `Esc`	Cancel

Log Viewer Keys:

q, Esc - Exit log viewer
j, k, ↑, ↓ - Scroll up/down one line
Ctrl+U, Ctrl+D, PgUp, PgDn - Scroll half page
g, Home - Go to top
G, End - Go to bottom

Cache Statistics Keys:

q, Esc, c - Exit cache stats viewer
r - Reset cache statistics

Mouse Controls

Left Click - Focus window
Left Drag - Move window (non-tiling) or swap windows (tiling)
Right Drag - Resize window (non-tiling only)
Title Bar Buttons - Minimize, maximize, or close window
Click Dock Item - Restore minimized window
Copy Mode Click - Move cursor to position
Copy Mode Drag - Select text (enters visual mode)
Mouse Wheel ↑ - Enter scrollback mode

Customization

All keybindings can be customized in the configuration file.

Quick Customization

# Edit your keybindings
tuios config edit

# View current configuration
tuios keybinds list

# View only your customizations
tuios keybinds list-custom

Configuration Example

[keybindings]
leader_key = "ctrl+b"  # Change leader key

[keybindings.window_management]
new_window = ["n", "ctrl+n"]  # Multiple bindings
close_window = ["x"]
rename_window = ["r"]

[keybindings.workspaces]
switch_workspace_1 = ["alt+1"]
switch_workspace_2 = ["alt+2"]
# ... and so on

See the Configuration Guide for complete customization options.

Platform-Specific Notes

macOS

Default workspace switching uses Option key:

Option+1 through Option+9 - Switch workspace
Option+Shift+1 through Option+Shift+9 - Move window to workspace

In your terminal, you can still type Option key unicode characters (¡™£¢∞§¶•ª) in Terminal Mode.

Linux

Uses standard Alt key for workspace switching:

Alt+1 through Alt+9
Alt+Shift+1 through Alt+Shift+9

Commands

Reference

Keybindings Reference

Modes

Window Management

Workspaces

macOS

Linux

Window Layout

Manual Snapping (Non-Tiling Mode)

Keyboard Snapping

Mouse Edge Snapping

Tiling Mode

BSP Split Controls

BSP Preselection

Copy Mode

Basic Navigation

Count Prefix

Character Search

Search

Visual Selection

Other Commands

Prefix Commands

Main Prefix (`Ctrl+B`)

Workspace Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `w`)

Minimize Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `m`)

Window Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `t`)

Tape Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `T`)

Debug Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `D`)

Mouse Controls

Customization

Quick Customization

Configuration Example

Platform-Specific Notes

macOS

Linux

See Also

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Commands

Reference

Documentation Index

​Modes

​Window Management

​Workspaces

​macOS

​Linux

​Window Layout

​Manual Snapping (Non-Tiling Mode)

​Keyboard Snapping

​Mouse Edge Snapping

​Tiling Mode

​BSP Split Controls

​BSP Preselection

​Copy Mode

​Basic Navigation

​Count Prefix

​Character Search

​Search

​Visual Selection

​Other Commands

​Prefix Commands

​Main Prefix (Ctrl+B)

​Workspace Prefix (Ctrl+B w)

​Minimize Prefix (Ctrl+B m)

​Window Prefix (Ctrl+B t)

​Tape Prefix (Ctrl+B T)

​Debug Prefix (Ctrl+B D)

​Mouse Controls

​Customization

​Quick Customization

​Configuration Example

​Platform-Specific Notes

​macOS

​Linux

​See Also

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Modes

Window Management

Workspaces

macOS

Linux

Window Layout

Manual Snapping (Non-Tiling Mode)

Keyboard Snapping

Mouse Edge Snapping

Tiling Mode

BSP Split Controls

BSP Preselection

Copy Mode

Basic Navigation

Count Prefix

Character Search

Search

Visual Selection

Other Commands

Prefix Commands

Main Prefix (`Ctrl+B`)

Workspace Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `w`)

Minimize Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `m`)

Window Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `t`)

Tape Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `T`)

Debug Prefix (`Ctrl+B` `D`)

Mouse Controls

Customization

Quick Customization

Configuration Example

Platform-Specific Notes

macOS

Linux

See Also