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The command palette is your keyboard-driven control center for Nook. It provides instant access to tabs, history, search, and quick actions without taking your hands off the keyboard.

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Opening the command palette

Open the command palette with:
  • Keyboard shortcut - Cmd+T (new tab) or Cmd+L (current tab)
  • Click URL bar - Click the URL field in the sidebar header
  • Context menu - Right-click sidebar → New Tab
Cmd+T opens the palette for creating a new tab, while Cmd+L opens it to navigate the current tab.

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Search and navigation

The command palette is a unified search interface: Type in the search field to:
  • Navigate to URLs - Enter a URL to visit it
  • Search the web - Enter search terms to search with your default search engine
  • Switch to existing tabs - See matching open tabs
  • Browse history - View recently visited pages

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Smart URL detection

The palette automatically detects whether you’re entering a URL or search query:
  • URL indicators - Domain names (.com, .org, etc.)
  • Search indicators - Plain text without domain indicators
The icon on the left adapts:
  • Globe icon - URL detected
  • Magnifying glass - Search query
You don’t need to type the full URL. Enter github and press Tab to quickly search GitHub, or just press Enter to navigate to github.com.
Search within specific websites using site search shortcuts:
1

Type the site trigger

Enter a configured site trigger (e.g., gh for GitHub).
2

Press Tab

Press Tab to activate site search mode.
3

Enter search query

Type your search query and press Enter.
The palette shows a colored badge indicating the active site search:
  • GitHub - Search GitHub repositories
  • YouTube - Search YouTube videos
  • Wikipedia - Search Wikipedia articles
Configure site search shortcuts in Settings → Search.

Example site search

Type gh nook browser → Tab → “swift ui” → EnterThis searches GitHub for “swift ui” within the nook browser repository.

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Suggestions

The command palette shows intelligent suggestions as you type:

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Tab suggestions

Existing tabs that match your query:
  • Shows tab title and URL
  • Displays the tab’s favicon
  • Click or press Enter to switch to that tab

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History suggestions

Recently visited pages from your browsing history:
  • Filtered to the current profile
  • Sorted by recency
  • Shows page title and URL
  • Click or press Enter to navigate

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URL suggestions

Direct URL matches:
  • Shown when you type a domain
  • Press Enter to navigate directly

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Search suggestions

Search queries generated from your input:
  • Sent to your default search engine
  • Press Enter to search
Suggestions are profile-aware. You’ll only see tabs and history from your current profile, ensuring privacy and relevance.

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Keyboard navigation

Navigate suggestions entirely with the keyboard:
  • Up/Down arrows - Move selection up or down
  • Enter - Activate the selected suggestion
  • Tab - Activate site search (when available)
  • Escape - Close the command palette
  • Delete/Backspace - Exit site search mode (when search field is empty)
The selected suggestion is highlighted with your space’s accent color.

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Behavior modes

The command palette has two behavior modes:

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New tab mode (default)

  • Opened with Cmd+T
  • Creates a new tab in the current space
  • Does not navigate the current tab
  • Opened with Cmd+L or by clicking the URL bar
  • Navigates the current tab to the entered URL
  • Does not create a new tab
Use Cmd+L when you want to change the current page, and Cmd+T when you want to keep the current page and open something new.

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Visual design

The command palette features:
  • Glassmorphism - Translucent background with blur effect
  • Adaptive width - Fits window size (765px default, responsive)
  • Accent colors - Uses your space’s gradient colors
  • Smooth animations - Transitions between states
The palette appears centered at the top of the window, overlaying your web content.

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Search scope

Search scope changes based on your context:

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Profile filtering

Tabs and history are filtered to your current profile:
  • Work profile sees only work tabs and history
  • Personal profile sees only personal tabs and history

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Incognito mode

In incognito windows:
  • No history suggestions (incognito browsing is not saved)
  • Only tabs from the current incognito session
  • Search still works normally

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Cmd+T - Open palette (new tab mode)
  • Cmd+L - Open palette (navigate mode)
  • Up/Down - Navigate suggestions
  • Enter - Activate selection
  • Tab - Activate site search
  • Escape - Close palette

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Quick actions

Beyond navigation, the command palette provides quick access to:
  • Tab switching - Jump to any open tab instantly
  • History browsing - Revisit recent pages
  • Multi-window search - Finds tabs across all windows
The command palette updates in real-time as you type, providing instant feedback and results.

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Customization

Customize command palette behavior in Settings → General:
  • Default search engine - Choose your preferred search provider
  • Site search shortcuts - Configure custom site searches
  • Search suggestions - Enable or disable suggestion types

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