keyboard

keyboard

Take full control of your keyboard with this small Python library. Hook global events, register hotkeys, simulate key presses and much more.

Features

• Global event hook on all keyboards (captures keys regardless of focus).
• Listen and send keyboard events.
• Works with Windows and Linux (requires sudo), with experimental OS X support (thanks @glitchassassin!).
• Pure Python, no C modules to be compiled.
• Zero dependencies. Trivial to install and deploy, just copy the files.
• Python 2 and 3.
• Complex hotkey support (e.g. ctrl+shift+m, ctrl+space) with controllable timeout.
• Includes high level API (e.g. record and play, add_abbreviation).
• Maps keys as they actually are in your layout, with full internationalization support (e.g. Ctrl+ç).
• Events automatically captured in separate thread, doesn't block main program.
• Tested and documented.
• Doesn't break accented dead keys (I'm looking at you, pyHook).
• Mouse support available via project mouse (pip install mouse).

Usage

Install the PyPI package:

pip install keyboard

or clone the repository (no installation required, source files are sufficient):

git clone https://github.com/boppreh/keyboard

or download and extract the zip into your project folder.

Then check the API docs below to see what features are available.

Example

import keyboard

keyboard.press_and_release('shift+s, space')

keyboard.write('The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.')

keyboard.add_hotkey('ctrl+shift+a', print, args=('triggered', 'hotkey'))

# Press PAGE UP then PAGE DOWN to type "foobar".
keyboard.add_hotkey('page up, page down', lambda: keyboard.write('foobar'))

# Blocks until you press esc.
keyboard.wait('esc')

# Record events until 'esc' is pressed.
recorded = keyboard.record(until='esc')
# Then replay back at three times the speed.
keyboard.play(recorded, speed_factor=3)

# Type @@ then press space to replace with abbreviation.
keyboard.add_abbreviation('@@', '[e-mail]')

# Block forever, like `while True`.
keyboard.wait()

Known limitations:

• Events generated under Windows don't report device id (event.device == None). #21
• Media keys on Linux may appear nameless (scan-code only) or not at all. #20
• Key suppression/blocking only available on Windows. #22
• To avoid depending on X, the Linux parts reads raw device files (/dev/input/input*) but this requires root.
• Other applications, such as some games, may register hooks that swallow all key events. In this case keyboard will be unable to report events.
• This program makes no attempt to hide itself, so don't use it for keyloggers or online gaming bots. Be responsible.