Herdr keys cheatsheet

Keyboard

Introduction

Herdr is mouse-native; keyboard control is optional. This reference covers the prefix, default bindings, navigate and copy modes, and custom keybindings.

Keyboard (herdr.dev)
Configuration (herdr.dev)

Prefix

[keys]
prefix = "ctrl+a"   # or "ctrl+s"

Herdr reserves one key instead of dozens. Press it (default ctrl+b), release, then press an action key: prefix+c is ctrl+b, then c. prefix+? lists every active binding; / filters that list.

Herdr cheatsheet

Learn these first

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+c`	New tab
`prefix+v` / `prefix+minus`	Split right / down
`prefix+h/j/k/l`	Move between panes
`prefix+w`	Workspace navigation
`prefix+q`	Detach; everything keeps running

Default bindings

Panes

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+v`	Split pane right
`prefix+minus`	Split pane down
`prefix+h/j/k/l`	Focus pane left/down/up/right
`prefix+tab` / `prefix+shift+tab`	Cycle panes
`prefix+z`	Zoom the focused pane
`prefix+shift+h/j/k/l`	Swap panes
`prefix+x`	Close pane
`prefix+r`	Enter resize mode
`prefix+shift+p`	Rename pane
`prefix+e`	Edit scrollback in `$EDITOR`
`prefix+[`	Enter copy mode

Tabs

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+c`	New tab
`prefix+n` / `prefix+p`	Next / previous tab
`prefix+1..9`	Switch to tab 1–9
`prefix+shift+t`	Rename tab
`prefix+shift+x`	Close tab

Workspaces and session

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+shift+n`	New workspace
`prefix+w`	Navigate workspaces
`prefix+g`	Goto picker (session navigator)
`prefix+b`	Toggle sidebar
`prefix+shift+w`	Rename workspace
`prefix+shift+d`	Close workspace
`prefix+shift+g`	New git worktree
`prefix+q`	Detach; server and agents keep running

Other

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+?`	Keybinding help
`prefix+s`	Settings
`prefix+shift+r`	Reload config
`prefix+o`	Open the notification target

Herdr agents cheatsheet

Navigate mode

Activate

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+w`	Open the navigation surface

Press prefix+w before pressing the keys in the next sections.

Movement

Key	Action
`up` / `down`	Move the workspace selection
`h` / `j` / `k` / `l`	Focus pane left / down / up / right
`left` / `right`	Always focus the pane left / right

Actions

Key	Action
`tab` / `shift+tab`	Cycle panes
`1..9`	Switch workspace
`enter`	Open the selected workspace
`esc`	Leave navigate mode

Its keys win while it is open, independent of focus_pane_*. esc, enter, tab/shift+tab, left/right, and 1..9 stay reserved; navigate_* config fields take other plain keys.

Copy mode

Activate

Shortcut	Action
`prefix+[`	Enter copy mode for the focused pane

The pane keeps running while copy mode is open.

Movement

Key	Action
`h/j/k/l`	Move the cursor
`w` / `b` / `e`	Next word / previous word / word end
`W` / `B` / `E`	The same, for big words
`{` / `}`	Previous / next paragraph
`PageUp` / `PageDown`	Page up / down
`ctrl+b` / `ctrl+f`	Page up / down
`ctrl+u` / `ctrl+d`	Half page up / down

With the default prefix, ctrl+b enters prefix mode instead of paging up.

Search

Key	Action
`/` / `?`	Search forward / backward
`n` / `N`	Repeat search / reverse direction

Search is case-insensitive unless the query has an uppercase letter.

Selection

Key	Action
`v` / `Space`	Select characters (`V` selects lines)
`y` / `Enter`	Copy the selection and exit
`q` / `Esc`	Leave copy mode

Editing text fields

Movement

Key	Action
`left` / `right`, `ctrl+b` / `ctrl+f`	Move one character
`home` / `end`, `ctrl+a` / `ctrl+e`	Move to start/end
`alt+b` / `alt+f`	Move by word

Delete

Key	Action
`Backspace`, `ctrl+h`	Delete prev char
`Delete`, `ctrl+d`	Delete next char

Cut and paste

Key	Action
`ctrl+u` / `ctrl+k`	Cut to start/end
`ctrl+w`, `alt+Backspace`, `ctrl+Backspace`	Cut previous word
`alt+d`	Cut next word
`ctrl+y`	Insert last cut

These keys apply to Herdr-owned fields (dialogs, filters, copy-mode search), not the shell or agent in a pane. Cut text stays in the field; Alt shortcuts need a terminal that reports Alt/Meta.

Custom bindings

Binding syntax

[keys]
prefix = "ctrl+a"                        # or ["ctrl+space", "ctrl+s"]
next_tab = ["prefix+n", "ctrl+alt+]"]    # no prefix needed
new_tab = ["prefix+c", "ctrl+alt+c"]
split_vertical = ["prefix+v", "ctrl+alt+d"]
split_horizontal = ["prefix+minus", "ctrl+alt+shift+d"]
zoom = ["prefix+z", "ctrl+alt+z"]

Every binding is configurable, including the prefix; an action can carry several shortcuts. Direct chords skip the prefix, and ctrl+alt is the safest family to look at.