Windows Keybinding config for MacOS 26 using Hammerspoon

init.lua

---@diagnostic disable-next-line: lowercase-global
hs = hs

local eventtap = hs.eventtap
local eventTypes = eventtap.event.types
local keycodes = hs.keycodes.map

local mouseEvent = hs.eventtap.event
local mouseEventTypes = mouseEvent.types
local mouseEventProperties = mouseEvent.properties

print("Hammerspoon: Loading Windows Shortcuts...")

-- SKIPPED APPS
SKIPPED_BUNDLE_IDS = {
  ["org.virtualbox.app.VirtualBoxVM"] = true,
  ["com.parallels.desktop.console"] = true,
  ["org.vmware.fusion"] = true,
  ["org.gnu.emacs"] = true,
  ["org.gnu.Emacs"] = true,
  ["com.jetbrains"] = true,
  ["com.vscodium"] = true,
  ["com.sublimetext.3"] = true,
  ["net.kovidgoyal.kitty"] = true,
  ["com.ScooterSoftware"] = true,
  ["dev.zed.Zed"] = true,
  ["com.citrix.XenAppViewer"] = true,
  ["com.microsoft.rdc.macos"] = true,
  ["com.googlecode.iterm2"] = true,
  ["com.apple.Terminal"] = true,
  ["com.github.wez.wezterm"] = true,
  ["com.mitchellh.ghostty"] = true,
}

-- KEY MAPS
KEY_MAPS = {
  -- Navigation
  ["home"]               = "cmd+left",
  ["shift+home"]         = "cmd+shift+left",
  ["ctrl+home"]          = "cmd+up",
  ["ctrl+shift+home"]    = "cmd+shift+up",
  ["end"]                = "cmd+right",
  ["shift+end"]          = "cmd+shift+right",
  ["ctrl+end"]           = "cmd+down",
  ["ctrl+shift+end"]     = "cmd+shift+down",

  -- Words / Deletion
  ["ctrl+left"]          = "option+left",
  ["ctrl+shift+left"]    = "option+shift+left",
  ["ctrl+right"]         = "option+right",
  ["ctrl+shift+right"]   = "option+shift+right",
  ["ctrl+delete"]        = "option+delete",
  ["ctrl+forwarddelete"] = "option+forwarddelete",

  -- Standard Commands
  ["ctrl+a"]             = "cmd+a",
  ["ctrl+b"]             = "cmd+b",
  ["ctrl+c"]             = "cmd+c",
  ["ctrl+d"]             = "cmd+d",
  ["ctrl+e"]             = "cmd+e",
  ["ctrl+f"]             = "cmd+f",
  ["ctrl+g"]             = "cmd+g",
  ["ctrl+h"]             = "cmd+h",
  ["ctrl+i"]             = "cmd+i",
  ["ctrl+j"]             = "cmd+j",
  ["ctrl+k"]             = "cmd+k",
  ["ctrl+l"]             = "cmd+l",
  ["ctrl+m"]             = "cmd+m",
  ["ctrl+n"]             = "cmd+n",
  ["ctrl+o"]             = "cmd+o",
  ["ctrl+p"]             = "cmd+p",
  ["ctrl+q"]             = "cmd+q",
  ["ctrl+r"]             = "cmd+r",
  ["ctrl+s"]             = "cmd+s",
  ["ctrl+t"]             = "cmd+t",
  ["ctrl+u"]             = "cmd+u",
  ["ctrl+v"]             = "cmd+v",
  ["ctrl+w"]             = "cmd+w",
  ["ctrl+x"]             = "cmd+x",
  -- ["ctrl+y"] = "cmd+y", -- ignored in favor of "Redo" mapping
  ["ctrl+z"]             = "cmd+z",
  ["ctrl+,"]             = "cmd+,",
  ["ctrl+/"]             = "cmd+/",
  ["ctrl+="]             = "cmd+=",
  ["ctrl+-"]             = "cmd+-",

  -- "Redo"
  ["ctrl+y"]             = "cmd+shift+z",

  -- Command Palette / App Actions
  ["ctrl+shift+p"]       = "cmd+shift+p",

  -- App Management
  ["option+tab"]         = "cmd+tab",
  ["option+f4"]          = "cmd+w",
}

local function getHotkeyString(event)
  local code = event:getKeyCode()
  local flags = event:getFlags()
  local name = keycodes[code]
  if not name then return nil end
  local hotkey = ""
  if flags.ctrl then hotkey = hotkey .. "ctrl+" end
  if flags.cmd then hotkey = hotkey .. "cmd+" end
  if flags.alt then hotkey = hotkey .. "option+" end
  if flags.shift then hotkey = hotkey .. "shift+" end
  return hotkey .. name
end

local function eventHandler(event)
  -- Use frontmostApplication so logic works even when no windows are open
  local activeApp = hs.application.frontmostApplication()
  if not activeApp then return false end

  local bundleID = activeApp:bundleID() or ""
  local hotkey = getHotkeyString(event)
  if not hotkey then return false end

  -- GLOBALS (Works everywhere, even skipped apps)
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  -- Global Cmd+E to open a new Finder window
  if hotkey == "cmd+e" then
    hs.applescript.applescript([[
      tell application "Finder"
        make new Finder window to home
        activate
      end tell
    ]])
    return true
  end

  -- Global Ctrl+Opt+T to Open iTerm2
  if hotkey == "ctrl+option+t" then
    hs.application.launchOrFocusByBundleID("com.googlecode.iterm2")
    return true
  end

  -- Global Cmd+Opt+I to open System Settings
  if hotkey == "cmd+option+i" then
    hs.application.launchOrFocusByBundleID("com.apple.systempreferences")
    return true
  end

  -- APP-SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS (iTerm2, Finder, etc.)
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  -- iTerm2 Mappings (Exceptions)
  -- Manually bridge specific "Windows-style" system shortcuts to keep native
  -- terminal Ctrl-commands because iTerm2 is excluded from global remapping
  if bundleID == "com.googlecode.iterm2" then
    -- Map Ctrl+Q to Cmd+Q (Quit App)
    if hotkey == "ctrl+q" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "q", 0)
      return true
    end
    -- Map Ctrl+ to Cmd+ (Open iTerm2 Preferences)
    if hotkey == "ctrl+," then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, ",", 0)
      return true
    end
    -- Map Alt+F4 to Cmd+W (Close current Tab/Window)
    if hotkey == "option+f4" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "w", 0)
      return true
    end
    -- Map Ctrl+=, Ctrl+-, and Ctrl+0 (Zoom text)
    if hotkey == "ctrl+=" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd", "shift" }, "=", 0)
      return true
    end
    if hotkey == "ctrl+-" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "-", 0)
      return true
    end
    if hotkey == "ctrl+0" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "0", 0)
      return true
    end
  end

  -- Finder Mappings
  if bundleID == "com.apple.finder" then
    -- Windows 'Delete' -> Mac 'Move to Trash'
    if hotkey == "forwarddelete" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "delete", 0)
      return true
    end
    -- Windows 'Shift+Delete' -> Mac 'Delete Immediately'
    if hotkey == "shift+forwarddelete" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd", "option" }, "delete", 0)
      return true
    end
    -- Windows 'Alt+Left' -> Mac 'Go to Parent Folder'
    if hotkey == "option+left" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "up", 0)
      return true
    end
    -- Windows 'Alt+Right' -> Mac 'Open Folder/File'
    if hotkey == "option+right" then
      hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "down", 0)
      return true
    end
  end

  -- GLOBAL SKIP LIST (Blocks the generic remapping below)
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  if SKIPPED_BUNDLE_IDS[bundleID] then return false end

  -- STANDARD REMAPPING LOGIC (Windows Style)
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  local mapped_hotkey = KEY_MAPS[hotkey]
  if mapped_hotkey then
    local parts = hs.fnutils.split(mapped_hotkey, "+")
    local key = table.remove(parts)
    local mods = {}
    for _, mod in ipairs(parts) do
      if mod == "option" then mod = "alt" end
      table.insert(mods, mod)
    end
    hs.eventtap.keyStroke(mods, key, 0)
    return true
  end

  return false
end

-- Global reference to keep the tap alive
SHORTCUT_TAP = hs.eventtap.new({ eventTypes.keyDown }, eventHandler):start()

MOUSE_NAV_BUTTONS_TAP = hs.eventtap.new({ mouseEventTypes.otherMouseDown }, function(mouseDownEvent)
  local buttonNumber = mouseDownEvent:getProperty(mouseEventProperties.mouseEventButtonNumber)
  if buttonNumber == 3 then
    hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "[", 0); return true
  end
  if buttonNumber == 4 then
    hs.eventtap.keyStroke({ "cmd" }, "]", 0); return true
  end
  return false
end):start()

-- Hot-Reload config in hammerspoon when saving init.lua
local function reloadConfig(paths)
  for _, file in pairs(paths) do
    if file:sub(-4) == ".lua" then
      hs.reload()
      return
    end
  end
end
hs.pathwatcher.new(os.getenv("HOME") .. "/.hammerspoon/", reloadConfig):start()

print("Hammerspoon: Ready.")

Accompanying VScode key-mappings

[
    {
        "key": "cmd+c",
        "command": "workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence",
        "when": "terminalFocus",
        "args": {
            "text": "\u0003"
        },
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+h",
        "command": "editor.action.startFindReplaceAction",
        "when": "editorFocus || editorTextFocus",
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+alt+enter",
        "command": "editor.action.replaceAll",
        "when": "editorFocus && findWidgetVisible",
    },
    {
        "key": "ctrl+tab",
        "command": "workbench.action.nextEditor",
        "when": "editorTextFocus",
    },
    {
        "key": "ctrl+shift+tab",
        "command": "workbench.action.previousEditor",
        "when": "editorTextFocus",
    },
    {
        "key": "alt+r",
        "command": "toggleFindRegex",
        "when": "editorFocus && findWidgetVisible"
    },
    {
        "key": "ctrl+0",
        "command": "workbench.action.zoomReset"
    },
    {
        "key": "ctrl+numpad0",
        "command": "workbench.action.zoomReset"
    }
]