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Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Complete guide to keyboard shortcuts in Instancepedia's TUI mode.

Press ? in the TUI to view this help screen anytime.

Quick Reference

Key Action
? Show help modal with all shortcuts
Q or Esc Quit application / Close modal / Cancel

Navigation

Tree Navigation (Standard)

Key Action
↑ / k Move up one item
↓ / j Move down one item
← / h Collapse current category
→ / l Expand current category
Home Jump to first item
End Jump to last item
Page Up Scroll up one page
Page Down Scroll down one page
Space Expand/collapse current node
Enter View instance details (if instance selected)

Note: hjkl Vim-style navigation is available when vim_keys = true in config.

Detail View Navigation

Key Action
↑ / k Scroll up
↓ / j Scroll down
Page Up Scroll up one page
Page Down Scroll down one page
Home Scroll to top
End Scroll to bottom
Q / Esc Return to instance list

Search and Filter

Search

Key Action
/ Activate search mode
Esc Clear search and return to normal mode
Enter (In search) Jump to first result

When search is active:

  • Type to search across instance types and attributes
  • Results filter in real-time as you type
  • Tree shows only matching instances

Filter Modal

Key Action
F Open filter modal
Tab Move to next filter field
Shift+Tab Move to previous filter field
Space Toggle checkbox
Enter Apply filters and close modal
Esc / Q Cancel and close modal

Filter Modal Controls:

  • Apply: Apply filters and close (or press Enter)
  • Save Preset: Save current filters as a custom preset
  • Reset All: Clear all filters
  • Cancel: Close without applying (or press Esc)

Filter Preset Loading

In the filter modal:

  • Preset Dropdown: Select a preset from the dropdown at the top
  • Loads both built-in and custom presets
  • Automatically populates all filter fields

Sorting

Key Action
S Cycle through sort options (forward)
Shift+S Cycle through sort options (backward)

Sort Options (cycles in this order):

  1. Name (A-Z)
  2. Name (Z-A)
  3. vCPU (Low-High)
  4. vCPU (High-Low)
  5. Memory (Low-High)
  6. Memory (High-Low)
  7. Price (Low-High)
  8. Price (High-Low)

Current sort order is displayed in the status bar at the bottom.

Instance Actions

Key Action
Enter View detailed specifications for selected instance
C Mark/unmark instance for comparison (max 2)
V Compare marked instances (requires exactly 2 marked)
P View spot price history (30 days) for selected instance
O View cost optimization recommendations for selected instance
R Compare pricing across all regions for selected instance
E Export current view to JSON and CSV

Instance Detail View

When viewing instance details (after pressing Enter):

Key Action
P View spot price history for this instance
O View cost optimization recommendations for this instance
R Compare pricing across regions for this instance
Q / Esc Return to instance list
↑ / ↓ Scroll detail view

Comparison View

After marking 2 instances and pressing C:

Key Action
↑ / k Scroll up
↓ / j Scroll down
Page Up Scroll up one page
Page Down Scroll down one page
Q / Esc Return to instance list

Comparison Display:

  • Side-by-side specifications
  • Price differences highlighted
  • Feature differences shown
  • Cost savings calculations

Pricing Modals

Spot Price History (P)

Key Action
↑ / k Scroll up
↓ / j Scroll down
Q / Esc Close modal

Displays:

  • 30-day price chart (visual)
  • Current spot price
  • Average, min, max prices
  • Standard deviation (volatility)
  • Percentage of on-demand price

Cost Optimization (O)

Key Action
↑ / k Scroll up
↓ / j Scroll down
Q / Esc Close modal

Displays:

  • Spot instance savings potential
  • Reserved Instance options (1-year, 3-year)
  • Savings Plans options
  • Right-sizing suggestions
  • Usage pattern recommendations

Region Comparison (R)

Key Action
↑ / k Scroll up
↓ / j Scroll down
Q / Esc Close modal

Displays:

  • All AWS regions
  • On-demand and spot pricing for each region
  • Sorted by price (cheapest first)
  • Cost savings by region

Export

Key Action
E Export current view to JSON and CSV

Export Behavior:

  • Exports all instances currently visible (respects filters and search)
  • Creates two files: instancepedia_export.json and instancepedia_export.csv
  • Includes all specifications and pricing data
  • Files saved to current working directory

Export Confirmation Modal:

  • Shows export location
  • Press Enter or Space to confirm
  • Press Esc or Q to cancel

Status Bar

The status bar at the bottom shows:

  • Left Side:

    • Active filters indicator (if any)
    • Current search term (if searching)
    • Marked instances count (if any marked)

  • Right Side:

    • Current sort order
    • Total instances shown / Total instances available

Example: Filters: 3 active | Marked: 2 | Sort: Price (Low-High) | Showing: 45/823

Help Modal

Key Action
? Show help modal (this reference)
↑ / ↓ Scroll help text
Page Up / Page Down Scroll by page
Q / Esc / Space / Enter Close help modal

Vim-Style Navigation

Enable with vim_keys = true in ~/.instancepedia/config.toml.

When enabled:

Standard Vim Action
↑ k Move up
↓ j Move down
← h Collapse / Move left
→ l Expand / Move right

Note: Arrow keys still work when Vim keys are enabled.

Global Actions

Available from any screen:

Key Action
? Show help
Q Quit (or go back one level)
Esc Cancel / Go back
Ctrl+C Force quit

Tips

Efficient Workflow

  1. Quick Search: Press / and start typing immediately
  2. Filter First: Press F, set filters, then browse refined results
  3. Mark and Compare: Mark 2 similar instances with C, press V to compare side-by-side
  4. Check Spot History: Before using spot, press P to check price stability
  5. Optimize: Press O to get automated recommendations

Power User Shortcuts

  • Fast Navigation: Use Home / End to jump to top/bottom
  • Page Scrolling: Page Up / Page Down for quick browsing
  • Sort Cycling: Tap S repeatedly to find best sort order
  • Preset Workflow: Create custom presets with F → Set Filters → Save Preset

Keyboard-Only Operation

Instancepedia is fully keyboard-driven:

  • No mouse required
  • All features accessible via keyboard
  • Efficient for terminal-focused workflows
  • Works great over SSH

Context-Sensitive Keys

Some keys have different meanings depending on context:

  • Enter:

    • In instance list: View details
    • In filter modal: Apply filters
    • In help modal: Close help

  • Q / Esc:

    • In main list: Quit application
    • In detail view: Return to list
    • In modal: Close modal
    • In filter modal: Cancel without applying

  • Space:

    • In tree view: Expand/collapse node
    • In filter modal checkbox: Toggle checkbox
    • In export modal: Confirm export

Accessibility

Screen Reader Support

  • All UI elements have descriptive labels
  • Status updates announced
  • Modal titles and content clearly structured

High Contrast

Instancepedia uses terminal color scheme:

  • Respects terminal's color settings
  • Works in light and dark themes
  • Clear visual hierarchy

Keyboard-Only

  • 100% keyboard navigable
  • No mouse required
  • Clear focus indicators
  • Logical tab order

Configuration

Customize keyboard behavior in ~/.instancepedia/config.toml:

# Enable Vim-style hjkl navigation
vim_keys = true

# (More configuration options in CONFIGURATION.md)

Troubleshooting

Keys not responding?

  • Ensure TUI has focus (click terminal if needed)
  • Check if terminal emulator captures the key (some intercept function keys)
  • Try alternative keys (e.g., Q vs Esc)

Vim keys not working?

  • Check vim_keys = true in ~/.instancepedia/config.toml
  • Restart instancepedia after changing config

Help modal not showing?

  • Press Shift+/ (question mark) clearly
  • Try pressing ? multiple times
  • Check terminal keyboard layout

See Also