Dev UtilitiesLesson 143Free preview

JavaScript Key Code Info

This lesson is part of Web Developer Tools · All levels

Summary

This page displays information about the keyboard keys you press, such as event.key, event.code, keyCode, and which. With this data, you can choose the right values when creating shortcuts, game controls, or accessibility-friendly navigation. The keyCode property is outdated, so the new code should use the key or code.

Key points

Event.key labels a character or function, e.g. a or ArrowLeft
Event.code refers to the physical position of the button, e.g. KeyA
KeyCode and which is an old API that's been deprecated
Listeners mounted on event keydown or keyup
Provide an alternative so that the shortcut doesn't depend on a single keyboard layout

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