skhd is a simple hotkey daemon for macOS that focuses on responsiveness and performance. Hotkeys are defined in a text file through a simple DSL. skhd is able to hotload its config file, meaning that hotkeys can be edited and updated live while skhd is running.
skhd uses a pid-file to make sure that only one instance is running at any moment in time. This also allows for the ability to trigger
a manual reload of the config file by invoking skhd --reload at any time while an instance of skhd is running. The pid-file is saved
as /tmp/skhd_$USER.pid and so the user that is running skhd must have write permission to said path.
When running as a service (through launchd) log files can be found at /tmp/skhd_$USER.out.log and /tmp/skhd_$USER.err.log.
list of features
| feature | skhd |
|---|---|
| hotload config file | [x] |
| hotkey passthrough | [x] |
| modal hotkey-system | [x] |
| application specific hotkey | [x] |
| blacklist applications | [x] |
| use media-keys as hotkey | [x] |
| synthesize a key-press | [x] |
The first time skhd is ran, it will request access to the accessibility API.
After access has been granted, the application must be restarted.
Secure Keyboard Entry must be disabled for skhd to receive key-events.
Homebrew:
Requires xcode-8 command-line tools.
brew install koekeishiya/formulae/skhd
skhd --start-service
Source:
Requires xcode-8 command-line tools.
git clone https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd
make install # release version
make # debug version
--install-service: Install launchd service file into ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.koekeishiya.skhd.plist
skhd --install-service
--uninstall-service: Remove launchd service file ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.koekeishiya.skhd.plist
skhd --uninstall-service
--start-service: Run skhd as a service through launchd
skhd --start-service
--restart-service: Restart skhd service
skhd --restart-service
--stop-service: Stop skhd service from running
skhd --stop-service
-V | --verbose: Output debug information
skhd -V
-P | --profile: Output profiling information
skhd -P
-v | --version: Print version number to stdout
skhd -v
-c | --config: Specify location of config file
skhd -c ~/.skhdrc
-o | --observe: Output keycode and modifiers of event. Ctrl+C to quit
skhd -o
-r | --reload: Signal a running instance of skhd to reload its config file
skhd -r
-h | --no-hotload: Disable system for hotloading config file
skhd -h
-k | --key: Synthesize a keypress (same syntax as when defining a hotkey)
skhd -k "shift + alt - 7"
-t | --text: Synthesize a line of text
skhd -t "hello, worldシ"
The default configuration file is located at one of the following places (in order):
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/skhd/skhdrc$HOME/.config/skhd/skhdrc$HOME/.skhdrc
A different location can be specified with the --config | -c argument.
A sample config is available here
A list of all built-in modifier and literal keywords can be found here
A hotkey is written according to the following rules:
hotkey = <mode> '<' <action> | <action>
mode = 'name of mode' | <mode> ',' <mode>
action = <keysym> '[' <proc_map_lst> ']' | <keysym> '->' '[' <proc_map_lst> ']'
<keysym> ':' <command> | <keysym> '->' ':' <command>
<keysym> ';' <mode> | <keysym> '->' ';' <mode>
keysym = <mod> '-' <key> | <key>
mod = 'modifier keyword' | <mod> '+' <mod>
key = <literal> | <keycode>
literal = 'single letter or built-in keyword'
keycode = 'apple keyboard kVK_<Key> values (0x3C)'
proc_map_lst = * <proc_map>
proc_map = <string> ':' <command> | <string> '~' |
'*' ':' <command> | '*' '~'
string = '"' 'sequence of characters' '"'
command = command is executed through '$SHELL -c' and
follows valid shell syntax. if the $SHELL environment
variable is not set, it will default to '/bin/bash'.
when bash is used, the ';' delimeter can be specified
to chain commands.
to allow a command to extend into multiple lines,
prepend '\' at the end of the previous line.
an EOL character signifies the end of the bind.
-> = keypress is not consumed by skhd
* = matches every application not specified in <proc_map_lst>
~ = application is unbound and keypress is forwarded per usual, when specified in a <proc_map>
A mode is declared according to the following rules:
mode_decl = '::' <name> '@' ':' <command> | '::' <name> ':' <command> |
'::' <name> '@' | '::' <name>
name = desired name for this mode,
@ = capture keypresses regardless of being bound to an action
command = command is executed through '$SHELL -c' and
follows valid shell syntax. if the $SHELL environment
variable is not set, it will default to '/bin/bash'.
when bash is used, the ';' delimeter can be specified
to chain commands.
to allow a command to extend into multiple lines,
prepend '\' at the end of the previous line.
an EOL character signifies the end of the bind.
General options that configure the behaviour of skhd:
# specify a file that should be included as an additional config-file.
# treated as an absolutepath if the filename begins with '/' otherwise
# the file is relative to the path of the config-file it was loaded from.
.load "/Users/Koe/.config/partial_skhdrc"
.load "partial_skhdrc"
# prevents skhd from monitoring events for listed processes.
.blacklist [
"terminal"
"qutebrowser"
"kitty"
"google chrome"
]