Expected Cross-browser behavior of the Cursor in Reaction to Keystrokes
For usability, it’s very important that the common navigation keys
(up/down/enter/backspace) should behave as a the user expects. This means that
whenever possible, any cross-browser behavioral differences should be
corrected.
General Guidelines
- The Enter and Backspace keys should be compliments with regards to
navigation. Doing one and then the other should return to the same state.
- The Up and Down keys should be compliments.
- The Up and Down keys should not create new blocks. Only move the cursor
between them.
- When navigating to “blue space” (areas without blocks) via the nav keys or
the mouse, a paragraph block should be created on first content keystroke.
- Backspace at the start of a block joins the contents of the current block
with the contents of the previous.
- Enter when in a block creates a new block after the current, with the content
after the cursor in the new block.
- Tables, Images, Blockquotes and Pre areas are “special”.
Guide
The | character represents the cursor.
Paragraph at Start
Up
No Change
Down
No Change
Enter
backspace
No Change