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Emma Thorpe e78e52e18d docs: add a keybindings reference covering Sway/tmux/foot/zsh

Document every configured shortcut in lyrathorpe/home/KEYBINDINGS.md,
compiled from the rendered configs (so it includes the home-manager Sway
module defaults alongside the custom binds and modes), and link it from
the top-level README. Notes the Dvorak keysym caveat and the
laptop-only brightness keys.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

2026-06-09 20:57:15 +01:00

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Keybindings reference

Every keyboard shortcut configured across this desktop, and where it is defined. Everything here is managed declaratively through Nix — edit the listed file and rebuild, never the generated dotfiles.

Area	Defined in
Sway (compositor)	`sway.nix` `config.keybindings` + `config.modes`, plus the home-manager Sway module's built-in defaults
tmux	`shell.nix` `programs.tmux`
zsh line editor	`shell.nix` `programs.zsh.historySubstringSearch`
foot (terminal)	foot package defaults — only colours are themed (in `sway.nix`)

Conventions

Super is the Mod4 / logo (Windows/Command) key; Alt is Mod1.
Letter keys are keysyms (the character produced), not physical positions. The keyboard is Dvorak (us/dvorak), so e.g. "Super+s" is whatever key types s in Dvorak.
Shortcuts apply to every Sway host (MBP, T400, Mac Pro); brightness keys are laptop-only, as noted.

Sway

Applications & session

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`Return`	Open a terminal (foot)
`Super`+`Space`	App launcher (sway-launcher-desktop in a floating foot)
`Super`+`d`	App launcher (same as above; module default)
`Super`+`e`	File manager (nemo)
`Super`+`c`	Clipboard history picker (clipman → fuzzel)
`Super`+`l`	Lock screen (swaylock)
`Super`+`Shift`+`q`	Close the focused window
`Super`+`Shift`+`c`	Reload the Sway config
`Super`+`Shift`+`e`	Exit Sway (asks for confirmation)

Focus

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`←`/`↓`/`↑`/`→`	Move focus by direction
`Super`+`h`/`j`/`k`	Move focus left / down / up (vim-style)
`Super`+`a`	Focus the parent container
`Super`+`Alt`+`Space`	Toggle focus between tiling and floating

Note: vim focus-right would be Super+l, but that is bound to lock here; use Super+→.

Moving windows

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`Shift`+`←`/`↓`/`↑`/`→`	Move the window by direction
`Super`+`Shift`+`h`/`j`/`k`/`l`	Move the window left / down / up / right
`Super`+`Shift`+`Space`	Toggle the window floating

Mouse (with Super held): left-drag moves a window, right-drag resizes it.

Layout

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`b`	Split horizontally
`Super`+`v`	Split vertically
`Super`+`s`	Stacking layout
`Super`+`w`	Tabbed layout
`Super`+`f`	Toggle fullscreen
`Super`+`y`	Layout submenu: `s` stacking · `w` tabbed · `e` toggle split · `Return`/`Esc` exit

The layout submenu's e (toggle split) is the home for that action since Super+e now opens the file manager.

Workspaces

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`1`…`0`	Switch to workspace 1…10
`Super`+`Shift`+`1`…`0`	Move the window to workspace 1…10
`Super`+`z`	Previous workspace
`Super`+`x`	Next workspace

Scratchpad

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`Shift`+`-`	Move the window to the scratchpad
`Super`+`-`	Show / cycle the scratchpad

Modes (submenus)

Shortcut	Action
`Super`+`r`	Resize mode: arrow keys resize; `Return`/`Esc` exit
`Super`+`y`	Layout mode (see Layout above)
`Super`+`Shift`+`x`	Power menu: `l` lock · `e` log out · `s` sleep · `r` reboot · `Shift`+`s` shutdown · `Return`/`Esc` exit

Screenshots

Shortcut	Action
`Print`	Select a region → swappy (annotate/save)
`Shift`+`Print`	Focused window → swappy

Audio & media

Shortcut	Action
`XF86AudioRaiseVolume` / `XF86AudioLowerVolume`	Volume ±5% (wpctl)
`XF86AudioMute`	Toggle output mute
`XF86AudioMicMute`	Toggle microphone mute
`XF86AudioPlay`	Play/pause (playerctl)
`XF86AudioNext` / `XF86AudioPrev`	Next / previous track

Brightness — laptops only

Shortcut	Action
`XF86MonBrightnessUp` / `XF86MonBrightnessDown`	Backlight ±5% (brightnessctl)

Present only on portable hosts (T400, MBP); desktops have no internal backlight.

tmux

Prefix is Ctrl+b (default). Copy mode uses vi keys.

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl`+`b` then `v`	Split into left/right panes
`Ctrl`+`b` then `s`	Split into top/bottom panes
`Alt`+`←`/`→`/`↑`/`↓`	Switch pane by direction (no prefix needed)
`Ctrl`+`b` then `[`	Enter copy mode (then vi motions; `Space`/`Enter` to select/copy)
`Ctrl`+`b` then `z`	Zoom / unzoom the focused pane
`Ctrl`+`b` then `c`	New window
`Ctrl`+`b` then `n` / `p`	Next / previous window
`Ctrl`+`b` then `d`	Detach
Mouse	Enabled — click to focus, drag borders, scroll, select

The stock split keys % and " are unbound; use v / s above. Ctrl+b then s is therefore a split, not the session tree.

foot (terminal)

Only colours are themed; these are foot's default key bindings.

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`c` / `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`v`	Copy / paste (clipboard)
`Shift`+`Insert`	Paste primary selection
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`r`	Search scrollback
`Ctrl`+`+` / `Ctrl`+`-` / `Ctrl`+`0`	Font larger / smaller / reset
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`u`	URL mode (jump to/open links)
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`n`	Spawn a new terminal
`Shift`+`PageUp` / `Shift`+`PageDown`	Scroll back / forward

zsh

Shortcut	Action
`↑` / `↓`	History substring search — type a fragment first, then the arrows cycle matching past commands

Bound for both CSI and SS3 cursor sequences, so it works in foot, iTerm2 and the Linux TTY alike.

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