Browser Layer

The browser layer is an application layer that uses browser shortcuts such as creating, removing and navigating through tabs and windows. For a browser, I use chrome but most other browsers have similar shortcuts.

Vimium Extension

Vimium is a browser extension that allows links to be clicked on easily without a mouse. This is done by vimuim highlighting 2 letters showing available links and then the user types the 2 letters next to the link to open in a tab or new tab.

There are also some other nice features such as being able to searching through tabs or easily going to last tab.

One think I dislike about vimuim is that it is alway active and sometimes has weird interactions with text input fields. For this reason, I like to place vimium on a layer and add to other chrome shortcuts. I do this by creating a custom key map in the Vimium extension in the vimium help section, activated by "?" by default. I unmap all shortcuts then add the ones I use. the <c-letter> stands for control + letter which I do to avoid conflicts such as youtube's hotkeys that have no modifiers and cannot be easily changed.

I then use karabiner elements to map an application layer(hyper keys), to a browser layer that only triggers when chrome is the front most application. So hyper keys remapped into the vimuim keybindings like control + a letter. At the end I show the karabiner code since its quite lengthy.

The full table showing the key mapping is below with an image of the application layer below.

Description
Original Hotkey
Updated Hotkey

Open a new window

⌘ + n

e

Open a new tab, and jump to it

⌘ + t

d

Reopen tab in new window

macro

t

Move right a tab

⌘ + Option + Right Arrow

f

Move left a tab

⌘ + Option + Left Arrow

s

reopen last closed tab

⌘ + Shift + t

t

close the current tab

⌘ + w

a

close the current window

⌘ + Shift + w

q

refresh window

⌘ + r

b

jump to address bar

⌘ + l

r

find

⌘ + f

x

find next

⌘ + g

c

find previous

⌘ + Shift + g

v

scroll up

karabiner

u

scroll down

karabiner

o

scroll left

vimium

j

scroll right

vimium

l

page up

vimium

y

page down

vimium

n

top of page

vimium

i

bot of page

vimium

k

go to first tab

vimium

h

go to last tab

vimium

;

go to last visited tab

vimium

F5

search through tabs

vimium

g

open link in current tab

vimium

m

open link in new tab

vimium

f9

copy current link to clipboard

vimium

f10

vimium help menu

vimium

p

{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome New Window",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "e",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "n",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome New Tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "d",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "t",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Move Left Tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "s",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "left_arrow",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command",
                        "option"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Move Right Tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "f",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "right_arrow",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command",
                        "option"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Bring Back Closed Tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "w",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "t",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command",
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Select URL",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "r",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "l",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.microsoft\\.VSCode"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "VS Code View Open Previous Editor",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "j",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "j",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "shift",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Close All",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "f12",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "w",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command",
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Close Current Tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "a",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "w",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Reload Page",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "b",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "r",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command",
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Search Prev",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "x",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "g",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command",
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Search",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "c",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "g",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Search Next",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "v",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "g",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Back",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "z",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "left_arrow",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Vimium scroll down",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "o",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "mouse_key": {
                        "vertical_wheel": 32
                    }
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Vimium scroll up",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "u",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "mouse_key": {
                        "vertical_wheel": -32
                    }
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Vimium search through tabs",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "g",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "g",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium scroll left",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "j",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "j",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium scroll right",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "l",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "l",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium go to first tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "h",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "h",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium go to last tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "semicolon",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "semicolon",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium open link in current tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "m",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "m",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium scroll page up,",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "y",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "y",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium scroll page down",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "n",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "n",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium show help",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "p",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "p",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium go to last visit tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "f5",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "3",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium copy current url to clipboard",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "f10",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "2",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium open link in new tab",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "f9",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "1",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium scroll to top",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "i",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "i",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium scroll to bot",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "k",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "k",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome vimium help menu",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "p",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "p",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},
{
    "manipulators": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers": [
                        "^com\\.google\\.Chrome"
                    ],
                    "type": "frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "description": "Chrome Open Tab In New Window. Macro see KM",
            "from": {
                "key_code": "t",
                "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": [
                        "shift",
                        "command",
                        "option",
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to": [
                {
                    "key_code": "l",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "left_command"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "key_code": "return_or_enter",
                    "modifiers": [
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type": "basic"
        }
    ]
},

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