When working in VS Code, every keystroke counts. Whether you're writing in SQL, wrangling JSON, or building modular pipelines, mastering these shortcuts will help you move faster, edit smarter, and stay in flow.
Word-Level Navigation
- Alt + ← / → (Windows/Linux) or Option + ← / → (Mac)
Jump to the beginning or end of a word. Perfect for hopping through long variable names or SQL clauses.
Line-Level Movement
- Home / End (Windows/Linux) or Command + ← / → (Mac)
Instantly move to the start or end of a line. Great for editing SELECT statements or long function calls.
Smart Selection
- Shift + Arrow Keys
Select text character by character. Combine with Ctrl/Alt/Option to select entire words or lines. - Ctrl + Shift + ← / → (Windows/Linux) or Option + Shift + ← / → (Mac)
Select whole words while navigating—ideal for refactoring or bulk editing.
Undo/Redo Like a Pro
- Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y (Windows/Linux) or Command + Z / Command + Shift + Z (Mac)
Undo and redo actions instantly. No need to panic over accidental deletions.
Delete Smarter
- Ctrl + Backspace (Windows/Linux) or Option + Backspace (Mac)
Delete entire words. Clean up messy code or remove redundant parameters in a flash.
Multi-Line Editing Magic
- Alt + Click (Windows/Linux) or Option + Click (Mac)
Place multiple cursors across different lines. Perfect for editing repeated column names, updating aliases, or formatting JSON keys. - Ctrl + Alt + ↓ / ↑ (Windows/Linux) or Option + Command + ↓ / ↑ (Mac)
Add cursors to adjacent lines. Great for batch editing across rows in SQL or config files