The keyboard is all thing to work with CLI(Command Line Tool) so the use of keys like ALT, CTRL, Esc is necessary thing. Termux touch keyboards in this case Android Soft Keyboard doesn’t include these keys. So that Termux uses Volume UP and Down keys as Special and CTRL keys. Let’s check what are termux keyboard shortcut keys Termux offers?
How to use Volume keys as CTRL and ALT keys?
Volume Up key is act as Special key.
Volume Down key is Act as CTRL key.
To use them press volume key and hold + Combination key.
Meanwhile you can emulate these keys from extra-keys. Look at the image.
termux extra-keys.
Or use Hackers Keyboard from Google Play Store.
Use of Volume Keys as Special and CTRL keys.
To use CTRL + A press Volume Down key and hold + A.
The result of using CTRL in combination with a key depends on which program is used, but for many command line tools the following shortcuts works:
For example CTRL + K is working differently on Terminal and in nano program.
CTRL + K key cuts text from right side of cursor on Terminal.
Same CTRL + K key cuts whole line in nano text editor.
List of Termux keyboard Shortcut Keys.
CTrl + A → Move cursor to the beginning of line
CTRL + C → Abort (send SIGINT to) the current process
CTRl + D → Logout of a terminal session
CTRl +E → Move cursor to the end of line
CTRl +K→Cuts text from right side of cursor.
CTRL + U →Cuts text from left side of cursor.
CTRL + Y →Paste text that is cut by CTRL +K/U.
CTRL + L → Clear the terminal
CTRL + Z → Suspend (send SIGTSTP to) current process
CTRL + W → Clear prompt before word (a word is a set of characters after a space)
CTRL + ALT + C → Open new session (only works in Hacker’s Keyboard)
ALT key has no more functions on Terminal. But Other programs such as nano text editor has has.
The Volume up key also serves as a special key to produce certain input:
Volume Up + E → Escape key
Volume Up + T → Tab key
Volume Up + 1 → F1 (and Volume Up+2 → F2, etc)
Volume Up + 0 → F10
Volume Up + B → Alt+B, back a word when using readline
Volume Up + F → Alt+F, forward a word when using readline
Volume Up + X → Alt+X
Volume Up + W → Up arrow key
Volume Up + A → Left arrow key
Volume Up + S → Down arrow key
Volume Up + D → Right arrow key
Volume Up + L → Insert | (the pipe character) at the cursor position.
Volume Up + H → Insert ~ (the tilde character) at the cursor position.
Volume Up + U → Insert _ (underscore) at the cursor position.
