keypresses

A keypress refers to the act of pressing a key on a keyboard and the resulting signals that are delivered to software. The exact events generated depend on the programming environment, the operating system, and the input method in use.

In many systems, keyboard input is exposed as a sequence of events such as keydown, keyup, and, historically, keypress. Keydown occurs when the physical key is pressed, and keyup when it is released. Keypress was traditionally fired when the key produced a character, and it could repeat when the key was held down, but its use is now inconsistent and many platforms have deprecated it.

Web browsers illustrate this distinction: keydown and keyup are widely supported; keypress is deprecated in modern standards and may not fire for non-character keys. The event object typically exposes properties such as key (the character or action), code (the physical key), and modifiers like ctrlKey, altKey, and shiftKey. Some legacy code relies on keyCode or which.

Common uses include text entry, keyboard shortcuts, and game controls. Handling key events requires attention to locale and input methods, as mapping from keys to characters can vary. Developers may need to manage repeat behavior, prevent default actions, and combine keys (for example, Ctrl+C).

From hardware to software, the sequence begins with a key switch and a keyboard controller that translates the press into a code the operating system forwards to applications. Accessibility and localization concerns require that applications do not assume a fixed key mapping and provide alternatives or clear focus management.