Tactile vs tinykeys

tinykeys is the best minimal shortcut library: modern (event.key/event.code, no keyCode), sequences included, ~700 bytes. If your needs stop at “bind some shortcuts,” use tinykeys and don’t look back — this page exists for when your needs don’t stop there.

At a glance

	tinykeys	Tactile
Size	~0.7 kB — 8× smaller	~5.5 kB
Key model	modern (key, code via $mod, explicit)	modern, hybrid policy per token
Cross-platform modifier	$mod	mod
Sequences	✅ "g i"	✅ 'g i'
Context / scopes	✗ — gate in your handlers	when expressions
Conflicts	✗ — both handlers fire	detected; one winner by priority
Help-dialog introspection	✗	getKeymap() with labels
User rebinding	✗	recording built in

The honest framing

Both libraries got the key model right. The difference is what happens as an app grows:

• Context. With tinykeys, “only in the editor, not read-only, no modal” is if statements in every handler. With Tactile it’s when: "scope == 'editor' && !readOnly && !modalOpen" — and the help dialog automatically shows only what’s active.
• Conflicts. In tinykeys, two subscriptions to $mod+K both fire. Tactile resolves one winner and can tell you about the conflict at registration time.
• Product features. Keymap introspection and shortcut recording are the primitives behind “keyboard shortcuts” settings pages — you’d build them by hand on tinykeys.

Side by side

// tinykeys
import { tinykeys } from 'tinykeys';

const unsubscribe = tinykeys(window, {
  '$mod+K': openPalette,
  'g i': goToInbox,
});

// Tactile
import { createKeybindingEngine } from '@tactile-js/core';
const kb = createKeybindingEngine();

const off1 = kb.add({ id: 'palette', keys: 'mod+k', handler: openPalette });
const off2 = kb.add({ id: 'inbox', keys: 'g i', handler: goToInbox });

Next steps

• Installation · Quick start
• All libraries compared