Command Palette
A command palette is a keyboard-friendly search panel. It opens actions, pages, and recent items.
A command palette is a keyboard-friendly search panel. It opens actions, pages, and recent items.
A real example
Press Command-K, type “Invite teammate,” and run that action from the list.
Main parts
- 01Current location
- 02Destination labels
- 03Focus order
- 04Responsive behavior
Use it when
Use it in a product with many commands and people who return often.
Do not use it when
Never make it the only way to reach an essential action.
Name used in code
Command-K / role="dialog" Before you ship
Before release, check the page structure, keyboard access, visible focus, contrast, and zoom. Also check loading, empty, error, success, cancel, and reduced-motion states.
Outcome: Use Command Palette to solve this user need without losing the current context. User context: Press Command-K, type “Invite teammate,” and run that action from the list. Recommended pattern: Command Palette. Why it fits: Use it in a product with many commands and people who return often. Do not use it when: Never make it the only way to reach an essential action. Product requirements: Define the default, loading, empty, error, success, and recovery states. Keep user input. Give clear feedback after every action. Accessibility and resilience: Use semantic HTML, full keyboard access, and visible focus. Make the layout work when zoomed and support reduced motion. Follow the project’s current rules. Do not add a new UI library unless the project already uses it. Acceptance criteria: The main task works with keyboard only and at 320px width. Focus and status changes are announced. Check loading, failure, retry, cancel, and reduced-motion paths. Evidence and limits (evidence boundary): No single official standard controls the whole term. Its meaning may change across teams, platforms, or frameworks. Unknowns to confirm: Product wording, data source, analytics events, supported devices and languages, and platform limits.
Check this request
Review the current use of Command Palette. Definition: A command palette is a keyboard-friendly search panel. It opens actions, pages, and recent items. Release checks: Before release, check the page structure, keyboard access, visible focus, contrast, and zoom. Also check loading, empty, error, success, cancel, and reduced-motion states. Before changing code, report the evidence you found, gaps, severity, and the smallest safe fix.