Become a Keyboard Ninja

Tech Tip Tuesday Series

This post is part of a new weekly series, where I will be sharing one technology-related tip in two minutes or less. Read previous post here.

SUBJECT
Displaying Keyboard Shortcuts When Invoked

WHAT
If you have ever experienced pair programming, then you know that it is as much about shared learning as it is about ensuring code quality. By working side-by-side with another software engineer you are able to learn with and from them in real-time…all the time. In addition to learning coding practices, you will be able to experience new IDE settings, terminal tricks, and keyboard shortcuts.

As far as productivity goes, few things provide as much bang for your buck as learning a new keyboard shortcut. And while you could ask your partner to verbalize their keyboard shortcuts as they use them, there is actually a more seamless and automated approach. A plugin called “Presentation Assistant” will display keyboard shortcuts as they are invoked. This means that the next time your partner uses a shortcut, it will appear at the bottom of the screen. Over time, you will begin to absorb these shortcuts and start using them when you write code.

HOW
If you use a JetBrains-based IDE (IntelliJ, WebStorm, Android Studio, etc…), you can enable the “Presentation Assistant” plugin in the settings. Once it is enabled, just type a shortcut and watch the bottom of the screen.

If you use Visual Studio, you can enable this functionality via an extension of the ReSharper plugin. In Visual Studio, use the “Extension Manager” to download the extension. Then, just open the ReSharper menu and enable “Presentation Assistant”

CONCLUSION
While simply displaying shortcuts may not seem like much, it can have a profound impact over time. By enabling a simple plugin you will be able to harness the power of osmosis to improve your speed and proficiency as a software engineer. Through repeated exposure and practice, you will be well on your way to becoming a keyboard ninja!