The latest articles on DEV Community by Quasabe (@quasabe). https://dev.to/quasabe https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3901814%2F57f0301c-1e30-499e-a8cf-0e2ebf911456.png https://dev.to/quasabe en Quasabe Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:30:39 +0000 https://dev.to/quasabe/keyboard-shortcuts-847-combinations-to-memorize-mouse-gestures-just-wiggle-1o68 https://dev.to/quasabe/keyboard-shortcuts-847-combinations-to-memorize-mouse-gestures-just-wiggle-1o68 <p>Keyboard shortcuts: 847 combinations to memorize. Mouse gestures: just wiggle.</p> <p>Hold right-click, draw a direction, done. Navigate backward, comment code, close tabs — no cheat sheet required.</p> <p>Your mouse called. It wants more responsibility.</p> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fudtmi4kvyjmagq0q33sp.gif" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fudtmi4kvyjmagq0q33sp.gif" alt="comment code" width="720" height="428"></a></p> <h2> The Problem </h2> <p>We all know the drill. You're deep in the zone, reading through code, and you want to navigate back. Do you reach for <strong>Alt+Left</strong>? Or was it <strong>Ctrl+-</strong>? Or maybe it's buried in some menu you haven't opened in months?</p> <p>I kept losing my flow state just to remember which shortcut does what. So I built something different.</p> <h2> What I Built </h2> <p><strong>Mouse Gestures for Visual Studio</strong> lets you execute any VS command by holding the right mouse button and drawing a simple pattern.</p> <ul> <li>Hold right mouse button</li> <li>Draw a gesture (←, →, ↑, ↓, or combinations)</li> <li>Release — command fires instantly</li> </ul> <p>No memorizing. No menus. Your hand is already on the mouse anyway.</p> <h2> Default Gestures Out of the Box </h2> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Gesture</th> <th>Action</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>← Left</td> <td>Navigate Backward</td> </tr> <tr> <td>→ Right</td> <td>Navigate Forward</td> </tr> <tr> <td>↑ Up</td> <td>Uncomment Selection</td> </tr> <tr> <td>↓ Down</td> <td>Comment Selection</td> </tr> <tr> <td>↓→ Down-Right</td> <td>Close Document</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <h2> Fully Customizable </h2> <p>Don't like the defaults? Open <strong>Tools → Mouse Gesture Settings</strong> and:</p> <ul> <li>Record any pattern you want</li> <li>Map it to any of hundreds of Visual Studio commands</li> <li>Enable/disable gestures individually</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fzqww2x39ldy0ab3axjsz.gif" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fzqww2x39ldy0ab3axjsz.gif" alt="go to def gesture" width="560" height="321"></a></p> <h2> Why Not Just Learn the Shortcuts? </h2> <p>Shortcuts are great — I still use them. But mouse gestures have one advantage: <strong>they're spatial and directional</strong>, which makes them stick in muscle memory differently. "Swipe left to go back" just <em>makes sense</em> in a way that Alt+Left doesn't.</p> <p>Also — during presentations and pair programming, it looks pretty cool. </p> <h2> Try It </h2> <p>🔗 <a href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=PeterJanak.mouse-gestures" rel="noopener noreferrer">Visual Studio Marketplace</a><br> 🐙 <a href="https://github.com/Quasabe/MouseGestures" rel="noopener noreferrer">GitHub</a></p> <p>Would love to hear what gestures you'd map — drop a comment below!</p> visualstudio dotnet csharp productivity