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Keyboard Shortcuts

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Complete keyboard shortcut reference for the NetStacks Terminal, including mapped keys for device commands, the command palette, and custom shortcut configuration.

Overview

The NetStacks Terminal provides a comprehensive keyboard shortcut system designed to keep your hands on the keyboard during network operations. Shortcuts are organized into several categories: application shortcuts for navigation and window management, terminal shortcuts for session control, and mapped keys that send device commands directly to the active session.

Shortcut Categories

  • Terminal — New tab, close tab, reconnect, toggle Multi-Send.
  • Navigation — Command palette, sidebar toggle, tab switching, Quick Connect, find in terminal.
  • AI — Open AI chat, generate script.
  • View — Settings, Quick Look panels (notes, templates, outputs).
  • Sessions — Connect selected sessions, start troubleshooting.
  • Scripts — Run the active script.
  • Mapped Keys — User-defined keyboard shortcuts that send commands directly to the connected device.

Command Palette

The command palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) provides a searchable list of every available action in the application. Each entry shows its keyboard shortcut, so you can learn bindings as you use them. Type to filter, use arrow keys to select, and press Enter to execute.

Customization

All keyboard shortcuts can be customized in Settings → Keyboard. The Terminal detects conflicts and prompts you to resolve them. Custom bindings are stored locally and can be synced to the backend in enterprise mode.

How It Works

The Terminal uses a layered shortcut resolution system. When you press a key combination, the system evaluates it in the following order:

Shortcut Resolution Order

  1. Custom Bindings — Any shortcuts you have customized in Settings → Keyboard take highest priority.
  2. Mapped Keys — User-defined key-to-command mappings (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+I sends show ip interface brief to the device). These are defined in Settings → Mapped Keys and apply to all terminal sessions.
  3. Application Shortcuts — Default keyboard actions for navigation, tabs, panes, AI features, and session management.
  4. Terminal Passthrough — If no shortcut matches, the keypress is sent directly to the terminal session (and thus to the remote device).

Mapped Keys Architecture

Mapped keys are stored on the local agent sidecar (standalone) or on the Controller (enterprise). Each mapped key consists of a key combination, the command text to send, and an optional description. When you press a mapped key in a terminal session, the command text is sent to the device as if you typed it, followed by a newline.

Platform Differences

On macOS, the Cmd key is used as the primary modifier. On Windows and Linux, Ctrl is used instead. The Terminal detects your platform and displays the correct modifier in all UI elements. When customizing shortcuts, you set bindings per-platform.

Note

On Windows and Linux, Ctrl+C sends an interrupt signal (SIGINT) to the terminal. Use Ctrl+Shift+C to copy selected text. On macOS, Cmd+C copies text and does not interfere with terminal signals.

Step-by-Step Guide

Using the Command Palette

  1. Press Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) to open the command palette.
  2. Start typing to filter actions. For example, type "multi" to find "Toggle Multi-Send."
  3. Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight an action.
  4. Press Enter to execute the selected action.
  5. Press Escape to close the palette without executing anything.
Tip

The command palette shows the keyboard shortcut next to each action. Use it as a learning tool — search for what you want to do, note the shortcut, and use the shortcut directly next time.

Setting Up Mapped Keys

  1. Open Settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,).
  2. Navigate to Mapped Keys.
  3. Click Add Mapped Key.
  4. Click the key capture field and press your desired key combination (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+I).
  5. Enter the command to send: show ip interface brief
  6. Optionally add a description: "Show interface summary."
  7. Click Save. The mapped key is now active in all terminal sessions.
Warning

Avoid mapping keys that conflict with existing application shortcuts. The Terminal will warn you if a conflict is detected, but mapped keys take precedence over default application shortcuts.

Customizing Application Shortcuts

  1. Open Settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,).
  2. Navigate to Keyboard.
  3. Find the action you want to change (actions are grouped by category: Terminal, Navigation, AI, Scripts, View, Sessions).
  4. Click the current shortcut binding.
  5. Press the new key combination you want to assign.
  6. If a conflict is detected, choose to replace the existing binding, keep both, or cancel.
  7. Click Save. To undo all customizations, click Reset All at the bottom of the Keyboard settings page.

Code Examples

General Shortcuts

General & Terminal shortcutstext
General:
  Settings               Cmd+, / Ctrl+,
  Quick Connect          Cmd+Shift+Q / Ctrl+Shift+Q
  Command Palette        Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P
  Toggle Sidebar         Cmd+B / Ctrl+B
  Save Document          Cmd+S / Ctrl+S

Terminal:
  New Tab (Local Shell)  Cmd+T / Ctrl+T
  Close Tab              Cmd+W / Ctrl+W
  Reconnect Session      Cmd+Shift+R / Ctrl+Shift+R
  Toggle Multi-Send      Cmd+Shift+M / Ctrl+Shift+M
  Find in Terminal       Cmd+F / Ctrl+F

Navigation Shortcuts

Navigation shortcutstext
Tab Navigation:
  Next Tab               Cmd+Shift+] / Ctrl+Shift+]
  Previous Tab           Cmd+Shift+[ / Ctrl+Shift+[
  Go to Tab 1-9          Cmd+1-9 / Ctrl+1-9
  Move Tab Left          Cmd+Shift+← / Ctrl+Shift+←
  Move Tab Right         Cmd+Shift+→ / Ctrl+Shift+→

Pane Navigation:
  Split Horizontal       Cmd+D / Ctrl+D
  Split Vertical         Cmd+Shift+D / Ctrl+Shift+D
  Close Pane             Cmd+Shift+W / Ctrl+Shift+W
  Next Pane              Cmd+] / Ctrl+]
  Previous Pane          Cmd+[ / Ctrl+[
  Focus Directional      Cmd+Alt+Arrow / Ctrl+Alt+Arrow
  Maximize/Restore Pane  Cmd+Shift+Enter / Ctrl+Shift+Enter

AI and Script Shortcuts

AI, script, and session shortcutstext
AI Features:
  AI Chat                Cmd+I / Ctrl+I
  AI Generate Script     Cmd+Shift+G / Ctrl+Shift+G

Scripts:
  Run Script             Cmd+Enter / Ctrl+Enter

Sessions:
  Connect Selected       Cmd+Shift+Enter / Ctrl+Shift+Enter
  Start Troubleshooting  Cmd+Shift+K / Ctrl+Shift+K

Quick Look Panels:
  Quick Look: Notes      Cmd+Shift+N / Ctrl+Shift+N
  Quick Look: Templates  Cmd+Shift+T / Ctrl+Shift+T
  Quick Look: Outputs    Cmd+Shift+O / Ctrl+Shift+O

Editing and Selection

Editing shortcutstext
Copy/Paste (macOS):
  Copy                   Cmd+C
  Paste                  Cmd+V
  Select All             Cmd+A

Copy/Paste (Windows/Linux):
  Copy                   Ctrl+Shift+C
  Paste                  Ctrl+Shift+V
  Select All             Ctrl+Shift+A

Selection:
  Select Word            Double-click
  Select Line            Triple-click
  Select Block           Alt+Drag
  Open URL               Cmd+Click / Ctrl+Click

Mapped Keys for Network Devices

Mapped key examplestext
# Example mapped keys for Cisco IOS:
Ctrl+Shift+I  →  show ip interface brief
Ctrl+Shift+R  →  show ip route
Ctrl+Shift+B  →  show ip bgp summary
Ctrl+Shift+O  →  show ip ospf neighbor
Ctrl+Shift+L  →  show logging | tail 50
Ctrl+Shift+V  →  show version

# Example mapped keys for Juniper Junos:
Ctrl+Shift+I  →  show interfaces terse
Ctrl+Shift+R  →  show route summary
Ctrl+Shift+B  →  show bgp summary
Ctrl+Shift+O  →  show ospf neighbor
Ctrl+Shift+L  →  show log messages | last 50
Ctrl+Shift+V  →  show version

# Example mapped keys for Arista EOS:
Ctrl+Shift+I  →  show ip interface brief
Ctrl+Shift+R  →  show ip route summary
Ctrl+Shift+B  →  show ip bgp summary
Ctrl+Shift+O  →  show ip ospf neighbor
Ctrl+Shift+L  →  show logging last 50
Ctrl+Shift+V  →  show version
Note

Mapped keys are global — they apply to all terminal sessions. If you work with multiple vendor platforms, consider using descriptions to remember which platform each mapped key targets, or create separate mapped key sets that you swap based on the device you are working with.

Terminal Scrolling and Search

Scrolling & search shortcutstext
Scrolling:
  Scroll Up (Page)       Cmd+↑ / Shift+Page Up
  Scroll Down (Page)     Cmd+↓ / Shift+Page Down
  Scroll to Top          Cmd+Home / Ctrl+Home
  Scroll to Bottom       Cmd+End / Ctrl+End

Search:
  Find in Terminal       Cmd+F / Ctrl+F
  Find Next              Cmd+G / F3
  Find Previous          Cmd+Shift+G / Shift+F3

Questions & Answers

Q: How do I find all available shortcuts?
A: Open the command palette with Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P to see every action and its shortcut. For the complete shortcut reference, go to Settings → Keyboard, which lists all actions organized by category.
Q: Can I customize keyboard shortcuts?
A: Yes. Go to Settings → Keyboard, click the binding for any action, and press a new key combination. The Terminal detects conflicts and lets you choose how to resolve them. Click Reset All to restore default bindings.
Q: What are mapped keys?
A: Mapped keys are user-defined keyboard shortcuts that send a specific command to the active terminal session. For example, you can map Ctrl+Shift+I to send show ip interface brief to a Cisco device. Mapped keys are configured in Settings → Mapped Keys and apply globally to all sessions.
Q: How does the command palette work?
A: The command palette is a searchable overlay that lists every action in the application. Press Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P to open it, type to filter, use arrow keys to navigate, and press Enter to execute. It shows the shortcut for each command so you can learn bindings over time.
Q: Do shortcuts work in split pane mode?
A: Yes. Application shortcuts (tab switching, pane navigation, command palette) work regardless of which pane is focused. Terminal shortcuts and mapped keys act on the currently focused pane. Use Cmd+] / Ctrl+] or directional arrows to change pane focus.
Q: How do I send Ctrl+C to a device without triggering a copy shortcut?
A: On macOS, Ctrl+C always sends an interrupt to the terminal because copy uses Cmd+C. On Windows and Linux, Ctrl+C sends an interrupt signal by default. Copy uses Ctrl+Shift+C to avoid conflict. If no text is selected, Ctrl+C on Windows/Linux will send the interrupt signal to the device.
Q: Can I import shortcuts from SecureCRT or other tools?
A: The Terminal does not directly import shortcut configurations from other tools. However, you can recreate your preferred bindings in Settings → Keyboard. Mapped keys provide similar functionality to SecureCRT's button bar by letting you bind key combinations to device commands.

Troubleshooting

Shortcut Not Working

Symptom: Pressing a keyboard shortcut does nothing.

Cause: The shortcut may be intercepted by the operating system, a browser extension (if running in a web context), or another application. It may also have been reassigned.

Solution: Check Settings → Keyboard to confirm the current binding. Verify that no OS-level shortcut (e.g., macOS Mission Control) intercepts the key combination. Try using the command palette as an alternative.

Conflict with OS Shortcuts

Symptom: A shortcut triggers an OS action instead of the Terminal action (e.g., Ctrl+Space opens Spotlight on macOS).

Cause: The OS intercepts the key combination before the Terminal receives it.

Solution: Reassign the Terminal shortcut to a non-conflicting key combination in Settings → Keyboard. Alternatively, disable the OS shortcut in System Settings.

Mapped Keys Sending Wrong Commands

Symptom: Pressing a mapped key sends an unexpected command or garbled text to the device.

Cause: The command text in the mapped key configuration contains extra characters or the wrong command.

Solution: Open Settings → Mapped Keys and verify the command text for the mapped key. Remove any trailing spaces or newlines. Test the command by typing it manually first.

Command Palette Not Appearing

Symptom: Pressing Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P does not open the command palette.

Cause: Another application or browser extension may be intercepting the shortcut. The command palette shortcut may have been reassigned.

Solution: Check Settings → Keyboard for the current Command Palette binding. If it was reassigned, reset it or use the new binding. Close conflicting applications.