Semicolon key code — keyCode 186
Punctuation
Semicolon has keyCode 186 and key ";", at location 0.
This is where keyCode values part ways between browsers.
Firefox reports 59 for this key. Punctuation keyCodes differ between browsers.
- code (position)
- Semicolon
- key (US layout)
- ";"
- With Shift
- ":"
- keyCode (deprecated)
- 186
- Hexadecimal
- 0xBA
- location
- 0 · Standard
- Types a character
- Yes
- Shares keyCode with
- None
In code
Comparing against code keeps working when the layout changes.
window.addEventListener('keydown', e => {
if (e.code === 'Semicolon') {
// ;
}
});code versus key
code is the physical position, the same on a Korean or French keyboard. key is what gets typed and changes — the same spot gives a, A or ㅁ. Use code to ask which spot was pressed, key to ask what was entered.
keyCode has been dropped from the standard. Write new code against code or key; the numbers here are for reading old code.
Keys of the same kind
How to read this
- code is the position, key is the character typed. Match on code for shortcuts.
- keyCode is deprecated; use it only to read old code.
- Left and right Shift share a keyCode and are told apart by location.
- The 1 on the number row and the 1 on the numpad are different keys — 49 and 97.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is the keyCode for Semicolon?
186, or 0xBA in hexadecimal.
Q. How do I match Semicolon in code?
Compare with e.code === 'Semicolon'. Matching on keyCode wobbles between browsers and layouts.
Q. What is this key's location?
0.
Q. Does this key type a character?
Yes — key is ";", and ":" with Shift held.