metakey

MetaKey, in computing, refers to a boolean indicator associated with keyboard or pointer events that signals whether the Meta key was pressed during the event. In web browsers, the KeyboardEvent interface exposes a property named metaKey, which becomes true when the user held the Meta key at the moment the event occurred.

Across platforms, the Meta key maps to different physical keys. On macOS, it corresponds to the Command key (⌘). On Windows and Linux, it often maps to the Windows key (often labeled with the Windows logo) or the Super key on some keyboards. The exact mapping can vary by platform, keyboard layout, and browser, so the behavior of metaKey may differ in edge cases.

Usage typically involves checking metaKey in combination with other modifier properties such as ctrlKey, altKey, and shiftKey to implement keyboard shortcuts. For example: document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e) { if (e.metaKey) { /* handle Meta-key shortcut */ } });

MetaKey is widely supported in modern browsers and is part of the standard DOM KeyboardEvent interface. It returns a boolean value indicating whether the Meta key was active during the event, with true meaning pressed and false meaning not pressed. In non-browser environments or in frameworks with their own event models, equivalent concepts may exist under different names.

See also: key, code, ctrlKey, altKey, shiftKey, keyboard shortcuts.