HACKER Q&A
📣 schemescape

Universal command palette for Linux terminal?


Is anyone aware of a "universal command palette" for the Linux terminal?

I've seen terminal multiplexers (e.g. screen, tmux, Zellij), and I've seen keyboard macro tools (e.g. AutoKey), but what I'm looking for is something like this:

You run the program and it provides a terminal. Then, say, you open w3m (terminal web browser). Now you want to open a URL, but you forgot the keystroke. Instead of having to open the man page or remember the in-app help key (which differs from app to app), I'd like to be able to type e.g. Ctrl+Shift+P, and have a VS Code-like command palette, where I type in "back" and it filters down to a list of relevant key bindings, and when I select one, it injects the correct key(s) into the terminal program.

Does anything like this exist? Does it seem technically feasible (e.g. is it possible to detect the app that's open)? I suspect it would have to integrate with a terminal multiplexer to make it work there, as well.

My biggest issue with the console is that the key bindings are inconsistent between programs, and I can't be bothered to remember them unless I use the app often.

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks!