Projects BibleWeb Navigation UX Keyboard shortcut hints in palette
Planned

Keyboard shortcut hints in palette

Area: Navigation UX

Context

Problem: Users don't discover keyboard shortcuts easily. The command palette lists commands but doesn't show their keyboard shortcuts, so users keep using the palette instead of learning faster direct shortcuts.

Solution: Show keyboard shortcuts right-aligned in each command palette row (e.g., "Ctrl+K" next to "Open Search"). This teaches users shortcuts passively as they use the palette.

Not included: A dedicated keyboard shortcuts reference page or customizable shortcuts.

Functional

Expected user flow:

  1. User opens command palette
  2. Each command row shows: icon + label (left) and shortcut hint (right, muted)
  3. User sees "← →" next to "Previous/Next Chapter" and learns the shortcut
  4. Over time, users bypass the palette and use shortcuts directly

Edge cases:

  • Not all commands have shortcuts — only show hints for those that do
  • Shortcut format: use symbols (⌘ for Mac, Ctrl for Windows/Linux)

UX & Design

Shortcut hints: Right-aligned in each row, muted/secondary text color, monospace font. Example: Ctrl+K or ← →.

Reference: Data already exists in CommandRegistry.

Technical

Implementation:

  • Add shortcut field to command objects in CommandPalette.svelte
  • Render right-aligned <span> with shortcut text when present
  • Detect Mac vs non-Mac for ⌘ vs Ctrl display

Files:

  • apps/web/src/lib/components/layout/CommandPalette.svelte (modify)

Status

Current: PLANNED Milestone: Foundation Priority: Low — discoverability improvement

Dependencies:

  • Requires: command palette (DONE)