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Command Palette

Trek v0.62.1

The command palette is Trek's primary discoverability surface. It lists every action available in the current context, lets you filter by name, and executes your selection — all without leaving the keyboard.

Tip: If you can't remember a keybinding, : is always the answer.

Opening the Palette

Press : from anywhere in Trek. The palette opens as an overlay within the current pane and does not disturb your layout.

The ? key opens a read-only help overlay instead. Use : when you want to act; use ? when you want to browse.

Using the Palette

Input Effect
Type any text Filter actions by name (case-insensitive substring match)
j / ↓ Move selection down
k / ↑ Move selection up
Enter or l Execute the selected action
Esc or : Close without executing

Filtering is live — the list narrows with each character you type. You do not need to type the full action name. For example, typing git will surface the git log and git diff preview actions.

What the Palette Shows

Each entry in the palette displays:

  • The action name
  • The keybinding that triggers it directly (when one exists)
  • A brief description of what the action does

Actions that are not applicable in the current context (for example, "Compare files" when fewer than two entries are selected) are either hidden or shown as disabled, depending on the context.

Why Use the Palette

The command palette exists to make Trek usable without prior knowledge of its keybindings. If you are new to Trek or encounter an unfamiliar file type or situation, the palette surfaces what you can do right now.

As you use Trek regularly, the keybindings shown next to each action serve as passive reinforcement — you learn the shortcuts at your own pace rather than having to study them upfront.

The palette is also useful for infrequently-used actions (such as "Toggle hex dump preview" or "Open clipboard inspector") where memorizing a dedicated key is not worth the effort.

See Also