Keystrokes
Learn Hive's Ctrl+B prefix, everyday shortcuts, and how to find the complete active keymap.
Hive works with the mouse and keyboard. Click a pane to focus it, drag its border to resize it, or select text to copy. Keyboard shortcuts let you move between panes and tabs without leaving the keyboard.
How the prefix works
Hive reserves a prefix so its shortcuts do not take over keys used by your shell or agent. The default prefix is Ctrl+B. Press and release it, then press the action key. For example, Ctrl+B, then c creates a tab.
When you are not entering a Hive shortcut, keystrokes go to the focused pane as usual. Press Ctrl+B, then ? at any time to open the list of active bindings.
Start with these
| Action | Keystrokes |
|---|---|
| Create a tab | Ctrl+B, then c |
| Split right / down | Ctrl+B, then % / “ |
| Move to another pane | Ctrl+B, then an arrow key or h j k l |
| Move between tabs | Ctrl+B, then n / p |
| Find an agent or pane | Ctrl+B, then w |
| Detach and leave agents running | Ctrl+B, then d |
Pane and tab controls
| Action | Keystrokes |
|---|---|
| Zoom / unzoom the focused pane | Ctrl+B, then z |
| Close the focused pane | Ctrl+B, then x |
| Enter resize mode | Ctrl+B, then r |
| Create a tab | Ctrl+B, then c |
| Jump to tab 1–9 | Ctrl+B, then the tab number |
| Next / previous tab | Ctrl+B, then n / p |
| Open the overview | Ctrl+B, then O |
In resize mode, use h, j, k, and l to adjust the focused pane. Space enters sticky navigation mode for moving between panes. Press Ctrl+B, then ? for the bindings available in your running version.
Copy from pane history
Press Ctrl+B, then [ to enter copy mode. Use the vim-style movement keys to navigate the pane history, / to search, v to start selecting, and y to copy. Mouse drag-selection is also available without entering copy mode.
Copy-mode navigation and selection work on the focused pane’s history without stopping the process. The ? keymap inside Hive shows the exact bindings for your version.
Change the bindings
Hive reads optional settings from ~/.config/hive/config.toml. Keybindings can be customized there; see Configuration for the config file and available options. The in-app list (Ctrl+B, then ?) reflects the bindings active in your version and configuration.
Where next
- Quick Start — launch a demo and practice in a live workspace.
- Core Concepts — see how the client, daemon, and agent processes fit together.
- Configuration — customize Hive for your workflow.