Configuration
Keyboard shortcuts
Find all available shortcuts by function, with platform-specific variations where applicable.
Input and cursor movement
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Submit prompt |
| Ctrl+J | Insert a newline |
| ← / → | Move cursor left / right |
| Ctrl+← / Alt+B | Move cursor one word left |
| Ctrl+→ / Alt+F | Move cursor one word right |
| Home | Move cursor to start of line |
| End | Move cursor to end of line |
| ↑ / ↓ | Navigate prompt history |
Editing
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Backspace | Delete previous character |
| Delete | Delete current character |
| Ctrl+W / Ctrl+Backspace | Delete previous word |
| Alt+D | Delete next word |
| Ctrl+U / Super+Backspace | Delete current line |
Session control
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Escape | Interrupt a streaming response |
| Ctrl+C | Exit / close dialogs / reset input field |
| ! (empty input) | Toggle shell mode |
Mode toggles
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Shift+Tab | Cycle through available modes |
| Ctrl+F (macOS) / Alt+F (Windows, Linux, WSL) | Toggle auto-approve on / off |
Message queue
When Bob is streaming a response, you can queue additional messages rather than wait.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Queue message / submit immediately when idle |
| ↑ | Move focus into the queue list |
| Enter | Edit the selected queued item |
| Tab (in queue) | Send the selected item immediately |
| Delete / Backspace | Remove the selected item from the queue |
| Shift+K / Shift+J | Reorder the selected item up / down |
Platform-specific notes
macOS users
On macOS, many shortcuts use the Option key (also called Alt or ⌥) instead of Ctrl for word-based operations:
- Use Ctrl+F to toggle auto-approve. On Windows, Linux, and WSL, use Alt+F instead to avoid a conflict with the Find in Terminal shortcut.
- Use Alt+B / Alt+F for word-left / word-right movement.
Terminal compatibility
Some shortcuts may be intercepted by your terminal emulator before reaching Bob Shell:
- If Ctrl+C does not work as expected, try pressing Ctrl+C twice.
- If Ctrl+←/→ does not work, check your terminal's keyboard settings.
How is this topic?
Configuring
You can configure Bob Shell to match your workflow preferences.
Custom rules
Custom rules influence how Bob Shell responds to your requests in the terminal environment, aligning output with your specific preferences and project requirements. You can control coding style, documentation approach, and decision-making processes.