Glossary

The words these docs use, in alphabetical order. Each entry links to the page that covers the term in full.

Action. One thing Neru does once, without entering a mode, such as left_click, scroll_down or move_mouse. Written as action <name> in a binding, or neru action <name> in a shell. See action names.

App identity. How Neru names an app in app_configs and excluded_apps: the bundle ID on macOS, WM_CLASS or app_id on Linux, and the executable path on Windows. Written as bundle_id on every platform. See App identity.

Binding. A hotkey and the steps it runs, written as one line in a hotkey table, such as "Primary+Shift+Space" = "hints". See How bindings work.

Capture scope. The region a mode works in: the focused window, or the whole screen. Set with capture_scope or --capture-scope.

Daemon. The background process neru launch starts. It registers the hotkeys and draws the overlays. Every other neru command sends it a request, so most commands fail with a connection error when it is not running.

Focused app. The app your keystrokes go to. Neru applies its app_configs entry, if one matches its app identity.

Hint. A short label Neru draws on a clickable element in hints mode. Type it to move the cursor there.

Hotkey. A key combination Neru registers, such as Primary+Shift+Space. Global hotkeys work from anywhere, and a mode’s hotkeys work while that mode is open. Also called a chord when it has modifiers. See hotkey syntax.

Idle. No mode is open. Escape returns to idle, and so does the step idle.

Indicator. A small label that follows the cursor and shows state, such as the current mode or which sticky modifiers are held. See [mode_indicator].

Macro. A named sequence you define under [macros] and run with macro <name>, optionally with arguments. See [macros].

Mode. A state where Neru captures the keyboard and draws an overlay, such as hints, grid, recursive grid, bisect, scroll or monitor select. You can also declare your own under [modes]. See Using Neru.

Mode flag. An option on a mode command, such as --action in hints --action left_click. It means the same in a binding, in a shell and over IPC. See the mode flag reference.

Overlay. The transparent layer Neru draws hints, grids and indicators on. Clicks pass through it.

Override file. The file neru config set writes, next to your config and named after it, such as config.override.toml. Its values win over your config. See How the layers combine.

Primary. The main modifier of each platform: Cmd on macOS, Ctrl on Linux and Windows. Write Primary in a hotkey to share one config across platforms.

Selection. The point a mode has picked, such as a typed hint or a grid cell. Clicks and other actions aimed at a point run at the selection while a mode has one, and at the cursor otherwise. See Targeting.

Sequence. Several steps run in order as one unit. A binding with an array value, a macro, a mode’s --on-exit steps and neru run are all sequences. See Sequences.

Step. One unit of work in a binding: a mode command, an action, a macro, a config command, or exec with a shell command. See What a step can be.

Sticky modifier. A modifier you tap on its own inside a mode, which then stays held for the following clicks and scrolls. See Using Neru.

Strategy. How hints mode finds elements: axtree reads the accessibility tree, vision reads the screen with OCR, and contour finds shapes in the screen image. See [hints].