Linux Shortcut Keys

Writer: Kishwar Tahmid Razin

Post Editor: Samiul Islam

Nowadays, Windows is the most popular OS.  But Windows and MAC don’t let users or developers make changes. If you are a general user, then Windows is best for you. But for developers, Windows isn’t perfect. It’s a closed OS. On the other hand, Linux is fully free and you will get rid of trojan horses, viruses, etc. The maximum time you have to pay about a hundred dollars to use Windows. Again, all necessary applications are pre-installed in the distros of Linux. You can install other applications that you need and it’s free. So, everyone should learn Linux. Now, I am going to share some useful basic Linux shortcut keys.

General: 

Ctrl + Shift  +  P, F1

Show command palette.

 

Ctrl + P

Quick Open

 

Ctrl + Shift + N

New window/instance

 

Ctrl + W

Close window/instance

 

Basic Editing:

Ctrl + X

Cutline (empty selection)

 

Ctrl + C

Copy line (empty selection)

 

Alt +  ↓ / ↑

Move line down/up

 

Ctrl + Shift + K

Delete line

 

 Ctrl + Shift + \

Jump to matching bracket

 

Ctrl + ] / Ctrl + [

Indent/Outdent line

 

Home / End

Go to the beginning/end of line

 

Ctrl + Home / End

Go to the beginning/end of the file

 

Ctrl + ↑ / ↓

Scroll line up/down

 

Alt + PgUp / PgDown

Scroll page up/down

Ctrl + Shift + [ / ]

Fold/unfold region

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl +  [ / ]

Fold/unfold all subregions

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl + C

Add line comment

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl + U

Remove line comment

 

Ctrl + /

Toggle line comment

 

Ctrl + Shift + A

Toggle block comment

 

Alt + Z

Toggle word wrap

 

Rich Languages Editing:

 

Ctrl + Space

Trigger suggestion

 

Ctrl + Shift + Space

Trigger parameter hints

 

Tab

Emmet expand abbreviation

 

Ctrl + Shift + I

Format document

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl + F

Format selection

 

F12

Go to Definition

 

Ctrl + Shift + F10

Peek Definition

 

Ctrl + K F12

Open Definition to the side

 

Ctrl +.

Quick Fix

 

Shift + F12

Show References

 

F2

Rename Symbol

 

Ctrl + Shift +  . / ,

Replace with next/previous value

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl + X

Trim trailing whitespace

 

Ctrl + K/M

Change file language

 

Multi-Cursor and Selection:

 

Alt + Click

Insert cursor

 

Shift + Alt +  ↑ / ↓

Insert cursor above/below

 

Ctrl + U

Undo last cursor operation

 

Shift + Alt + I

Insert cursor at end of each line selected

 

Ctrl + I

Select current line

 

Ctrl + Shift + L

Select all occurrences of the current selection

 

Ctrl + F2

Select all occurrences of the current word

 

Shift + Alt  +  →

Expand selection

 

Shift + Alt  +  ←

Shrink selection

 

Shift + Alt  +

Drag mouse Column (box) selection

 

Display:

 

F11

Toggle fullscreen

 

Shift + Alt + 1

Toggle editor layout

 

Ctrl +  = / -

Zoom in/out

 

Ctrl + B

Toggle Sidebar visibility

 

Ctrl + Shift + E

Show Explorer / Toggle focus

 

Ctrl + Shift + F

Show Search

 

Ctrl + Shift + G

Show Git

 

Ctrl + Shift + D

Show Debug

 

Ctrl + Shift + X

Show Extensions

 

Ctrl + Shift + H

Replace in files

 

Ctrl + Shift + J

Toggle Search details

 

Ctrl + Shift + C

Open new command prompt/terminal

 

(Ctrl + K)/(Ctrl + H)

Show Output panel

 

Ctrl + Shift + V

Toggle Markdown preview

 

Ctrl + K/V

Open Markdown preview to the side

 

Search and Replace:

 

Ctrl + F

Find

 

Ctrl + H

Replace

 

F3 / Shift + F3

Find next/previous

 

Alt + Enter

Select all occurrences of Find match

 

Ctrl + D

Add selection to next Find match

 

(Ctrl + K)/(Ctrl + D)

Move last selection to next Find match

 

Navigation:

 

Ctrl + T

Show all Symbols

 

Ctrl + G

Go to Line

 

Ctrl + P

Go to File

 

Ctrl + Shift + O

Go to Symbol

 

Ctrl + Shift + M

Show Problems panel

 

F8

Go to the next error or warning

 

Shift + F8

Go to previous error or warning

 

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Navigate editor group history

 

Ctrl + Alt + -

Go back

 

Ctrl + Shift + -

Go forward

Ctrl + M Toggle

Tab moves focus

 

Editor Management:

 

Ctrl + W

Close editor

 

Ctrl + K/F

Close folder

 

Ctrl + \

Split editor

 

Ctrl +  1 / 2 / 3

Focus into 1st, 2nd, 3rd editor group

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl  +  ←

Focus on the previous editor group

 

Ctrl + K Ctrl  +  →

Focus on the next editor group

 

Ctrl + Shift + PgUp

Move editor left

 

Ctrl + Shift + PgDown

Move editor right

 

Ctrl + K

Left Move active editor group left/up

 

Ctrl + K

Right Move active editor group right/down

 

File Management:

 

Ctrl + N

New File

 

Ctrl + O

Open File

 

Ctrl + S

Save

 

Ctrl + Shift + S

Save As

 

Ctrl + W

Close

 

(Ctrl + K)/(Ctrl + W)

Close All

 

Ctrl + Shift + T

Reopen closed editor

 

Ctrl + K

Enter Keep Open

 

Ctrl + Tab

Open next

 

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Open previous

 

Ctrl + K/P

Copy path of an active file

 

Ctrl + K/R

Reveal active file in Explorer

 

Ctrl + K/O

Show active file in a new window/instance

 

Debug:

 

F9

Toggle breakpoint

 

F5

Start / Continue

 

F11 / Shift + F11

Step into/out

 

F10

Step over

 

Shift + F5

Stop

 

(Ctrl + K)/(Ctrl + I)

Show hover

 

Integrated Terminal:

 

Ctrl + `

Show integrated terminal

 

Ctrl + Shift + `

Create a new terminal

 

Ctrl + Shift + C

Copy selection

 

Ctrl + Shift + V

Paste into an active terminal

 

Ctrl + Shift +  ↑ / ↓

Scroll up/down

 

Shift + PgUp / PgDown

Scroll page up/down

 

Shift + Home / End

Scroll to top/bottom

 

These are the basic shortcut keys of Linux.