Command Palette
A searchable list of every action, which serves novices as discovery and experts as an accelerator.
Definition
A command palette is a keyboard-invoked overlay that searches actions, navigation targets and content. It converts recall into recognition while exposing the keyboard shortcuts that teach expert use.
Craft convention. True because the industry converged on it. Breaking it costs familiarity, not correctness.
What makes one good
- Fuzzy matching, so partial and out-of-order input still finds the command.
- The keyboard shortcut displayed next to each result, which turns the palette into a teaching surface.
- Grouped results by type: actions, navigation, recent, content.
- Context awareness, so the current selection or page changes what is offered.
- Recent commands ranked first, since usage is heavily repetitive.
- Full keyboard operation with correct dialog semantics and focus trapping.
In practice
Shortcuts shown in results
Professional toolsDisplaying the shortcut beside each command is how users graduate from searching to typing the shortcut directly. Omitting it means the palette never teaches anything.
Continue from here
Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.
Applies when you are designing
Principles behind this
The reasoning this solution is an application of.
- Flexibility and Efficiency of UseHeuristic
- Recognition Over RecallHeuristic
- Power Law of PracticeLaw
- DiscoverabilityPrinciple
Depends on
Get these right first, or this one will not hold.
- Character Key ShortcutsAccessibility
- Keyboard NavigationAccessibility
Often used with
These usually appear in the same screen or the same decision.
- MenuComponent
- Modal DialogComponent
- SearchPattern
- LinearTool
Alternative approach
A different answer to the same problem, with a different cost.
- NavigationPattern
A palette serves people who know what they want. Navigation serves people who do not yet.