Zero Mouse Coding: Can You Write and Debug an Entire Program with Just the Keyboard?

I still remember the day I challenged myself to code without touching the mouse. At first, it felt unnatural, like learning to type all over again. But as I started using keyboard shortcuts, I realized how much time I had been wasting by constantly switching between the mouse and keyboard. Writing and debugging an entire program without a mouse isn’t just possible—it’s a skill that can dramatically boost efficiency.

One of the first things I had to master was navigating my code without relying on the mouse. Instead of clicking through files in the explorer, I started using Ctrl P in VS Code to quickly open any file by typing its name. Similarly, in PyCharm and IntelliJ, Shift Shift (Double Shift) helped me search for any file, class, or method instantly. This was a game-changer. No more dragging my cursor up and down the screen—I could jump to any part of my project in seconds.

Editing became another crucial aspect of my workflow. Copying and pasting code with the mouse seemed slow compared to Ctrl C and Ctrl V, but I wanted to go further. I found that in VS Code, duplicating a line with Shift Alt Down saved me from manually copying and pasting lines. In PyCharm and IntelliJ, Ctrl D did the same thing effortlessly. These small adjustments made my workflow smoother and eliminated the frustration of dragging the cursor just to duplicate a line.

As I wrote my code, I needed to move around faster within the file. Instead of scrolling endlessly, I started using Ctrl G in VS Code to jump to a specific line. PyCharm and IntelliJ had a similar shortcut: Ctrl Alt L for quickly jumping to a particular function or method. I also found that Alt Left Arrow and Alt Right Arrow allowed me to navigate back and forth between different files without reaching for the mouse.

One of the biggest challenges was debugging without clicking on breakpoints manually. I learned that in VS Code, I could toggle a breakpoint instantly with F9, while in PyCharm and IntelliJ, Ctrl F8 did the trick. Running the debugger without clicking the green play button was another hurdle, but F5 in VS Code and Shift F9 in PyCharm let me start debugging smoothly.

Refactoring code also became much faster. Instead of right-clicking and selecting ‘Rename,’ I started using F2 in VS Code and Shift F6 in PyCharm to rename variables and functions instantly. Extracting a method without a mouse also became easier with Ctrl Alt M in PyCharm and Ctrl Shift R in VS Code. These shortcuts allowed me to clean up my code structure without breaking my flow.

One of my favorite discoveries was using multiple cursors to edit several lines at once. Instead of clicking and dragging, I used Ctrl Alt Down in VS Code to add cursors to multiple lines. PyCharm and IntelliJ had a similar feature with Alt J, allowing me to select and edit multiple occurrences of a word simultaneously. This was incredibly useful when I needed to change variable names across multiple lines.

Even terminal usage became more efficient. Instead of opening the terminal with my mouse, I used Ctrl Backtick (`) in VS Code to toggle it instantly. PyCharm and IntelliJ had a similar shortcut: Alt F12. Running commands without switching to an external terminal saved me valuable time.

I was surprised by how comfortable I became with coding without a mouse. Every shortcut I mastered made me realize how much unnecessary effort I had been putting into small, repetitive tasks. By fully utilizing keyboard shortcuts, I was able to navigate, edit, and debug faster than ever before.

So, can you write and debug an entire program using just the keyboard? Absolutely. Once you get used to it, you won’t want to go back to using a mouse for coding. The speed and efficiency are unmatched, and every shortcut you learn brings you closer to mastering a workflow that lets you focus entirely on writing great code.