The keyboard keeps you more productive if you have to handle a lot of text every day.
It doesn't matter much what the text represents: code, post, note, etc.
In this article, I want to share hotkeys that I'm using daily while working in the Visual Studio Code.
Worth to note, that the list of shortcuts is available by this combination Ctrl + K Ctrl + S.
Spread cursor selection over several lines
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + Alt + Up |
Option + Command + Up |
Add cursor above |
Ctrl + Alt + Down |
Option + Command + Down |
Add cursor below |
![Select and edit two strings via Ctrl + Alt + Down Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ksazcjiihng5so72ht25.gif)
Select entries starting from the word under the cursor
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + D |
Command + D |
Add Selection To Next Find Match |
![Select and edit matches via Ctrl + D Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/s975tq4k7trxspjkrpp2.gif)
Change all occurrences of the word under the cursor
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + F2 |
Command + F2 |
Change All Occurrences |
![Change all occurrences via Ctrl + F2 Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/kvoukarl1n1900uippj1.gif)
Tell editor to treat document in the selected format
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + K M |
Command + K M |
Change Language Mode |
![Change language mode via Ctrl + K M Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ubd069044ig4ohnudxjf.gif)
Copy active line up or down without altering the clipboard
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Shift + Alt + Down |
Shift + Option + Down |
Copy Line Down |
Shift + Alt + Up |
Shift + Option + Up |
Copy Line Up |
![Copy lines via Shift + Alt + Down Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/9r322528cyvnmrhs4mpj.gif)
Delete line without altering the clipboard
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + Shift + K |
Command + Shift + K |
Delete Line |
![Delete line via Ctrl + Shift + K Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/iviyj9uwz2wncbfz57gs.gif)
Move focus to the open editors' view
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + K E |
Command + K E |
Focus On Open Editors View |
![Select editor via Ctrl + K E Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/jn8vcn5a0bckkun1ugr3.gif)
Compare file with the clipboard
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + K C |
Command + K C |
Compare Active File With Clipboard |
![Compare file with clipboard via Ctrl + K C Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/1wyf9x2qhi5pbsoirvx4.gif)
Fast navigation within the file
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + Shift + . |
Command + Shift + . |
Focus Breadcrumbs |
![Fast navigation within the file via Ctrl + Shift + . Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/rb6ai4oxofz7qnd2sizx.gif)
Fold/unfold section
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + Shift + [ |
Option + Command + [ |
Fold |
Ctrl + Shift + ] |
Option + Command + ] |
Unfold |
Ctrl + K Ctrl + 0 |
Command + K Command + 0 |
Fold All |
Ctrl + K Ctrl + J |
Command + K Command + J |
Unfold All |
![Folding capabilities Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/vknspu5cpyhd92qy6uo5.gif)
Format document/section
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Shift + Alt + F |
Shift + Option + F |
Format Document |
Ctrl + K Ctrl + F |
Command + K Command + F |
Format Section |
![Format document via Shift + Alt + F Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ca8ssi3k0rd8vsdfh1rg.gif)
Go to matching bracket
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + Shift + \ |
Command + Shift + \ |
Go To Bracket |
![Jump to matching bracket via Ctrl + Shift + \ Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/v2xfjhzue4doatbeuvnm.gif)
Move line up/down
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Alt + Up |
Option + Up |
Move line up |
Alt + Down |
Option + Down |
Move line down |
![Move lines up and down Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/a72btwgh7tj5pmf01hl9.gif)
Rename symbol globally
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
F2 |
F2 |
Rename symbol |
![Rename symbol via F2 Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/c2drk6e7rzvbzzbpcv8n.gif)
Toggle terminal
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
| Ctrl +
| Control +
| Toggle Integrated Terminal |
![Toggle terminal via Ctrl +
` Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/6g8rata10cm4fwcn7bec.gif)
Split terminal and switching between terminals (updated)
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + Shift + 5 |
Command + \ |
Split Terminal |
Alt + Up |
Option + Command + Up |
Focus Previous Pane |
Alt + Left |
Option + Command + Left |
Focus Previous Pane |
Alt + Down |
Option + Command + Down |
Focus Next Pane |
Alt + Right |
Option + Command + Right |
Focus Next Pane |
Thanks to fernandomaia and einav7 I've got shortcuts for the Mac!
![Split terminal and switching between two terminals Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/y6yokh0xudk8wnpw3c4y.gif)
Create a new terminal
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
| Ctrl + Shift + | Control + Shift +
|Create New Integrated Terminal |
![Create new terminal via Ctrl + Shift + `
Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/9djtuetwy1q56rgo7n20.gif)
Split/move editor
Shortcut Windows |
Shortcut Mac |
Effect |
Ctrl + \ |
Command + \ |
Split Editor |
Shift + Alt + 0 |
Option + Command + 0 |
Toggle Vertical/Horizontal Editor Layout |
Ctrl + Alt + Left |
Command + K Shift + Command + Left |
Move Editor Into Previous Group |
Ctrl + Alt + Right |
Command + K Shift + Command + Right |
Move Editor Into Next Group |
![Split/move editor Alt Text](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/q4ulfdhn6ca9cl3978qm.gif)
Conclusion
I hope that these shortcuts will help to boost your productivity as they are helping me.
All examples are given for the Windows-compatible keyboard, but they will also work on Mac. Simply replace Alt with Option and Ctrl with Control.
If you know some other helpful shortcuts, please, feel free to share them in the comments!
Want to know how I've drawn the cover image? Check this article.
This post is also available on DEV.