Bind arrow keys with JS/jQuery: Easy keyboard navigation

If you're looking to improve your website's user experience, one area you don't want to overlook is keyboard navigation. While mouse and touch screen navigation are popular, keyboard navigation can make a big difference for users with disabilities or those who prefer using a keyboard. In this article, we'll explore how to bind arrow keys with JS/jQuery for easy keyboard navigation.

Binding arrow keys with JavaScript

The first step in binding arrow keys with JavaScript is to capture the arrow key events. This can be done using the keydown event listener. Here's an example:

document.addEventListener('keydown', function(event) {
 if(event.code === 'ArrowUp') {
     // Up arrow pressed
 }
 else if(event.code === 'ArrowDown') {
     // Down arrow pressed
 }
 else if(event.code === 'ArrowLeft') {
     // Left arrow pressed
 }
 else if(event.code === 'ArrowRight') {
     // Right arrow pressed
 }
});

This code captures the arrow key events and checks which arrow key was pressed. You can then add your own custom logic for what should happen when each arrow key is pressed.

Binding arrow keys with jQuery

jQuery makes it even easier to bind arrow keys. You can use the keydown event and the which property to check which arrow key was pressed. Here's an example:

$(document).keydown(function(event) {
 if(event.which === 38) {
     // Up arrow pressed
 }
 else if(event.which === 40) {
     // Down arrow pressed
 }
 else if(event.which === 37) {
     // Left arrow pressed
 }
 else if(event.which === 39) {
     // Right arrow pressed
 }
});

Just like with the JavaScript example, you can add your own custom logic for what should happen when each arrow key is pressed.

Conclusion

By binding arrow keys with JavaScript or jQuery, you can provide easy keyboard navigation for your website users. This is especially important for users who rely on keyboard navigation due to disabilities or personal preference. Try adding arrow key navigation to your website today!