diff --git a/helix-term/src/keymap.rs b/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
index 4fb0f172a..7bed3ddb0 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,38 @@ macro_rules! key {
     };
 }
 
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! ctrl {
+    ($key:ident) => {
+        ::helix_view::input::KeyEvent {
+            code: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyCode::$key,
+            modifiers: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
+        }
+    };
+    ($($ch:tt)*) => {
+        ::helix_view::input::KeyEvent {
+            code: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyCode::Char($($ch)*),
+            modifiers: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! alt {
+    ($key:ident) => {
+        ::helix_view::input::KeyEvent {
+            code: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyCode::$key,
+            modifiers: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyModifiers::ALT,
+        }
+    };
+    ($($ch:tt)*) => {
+        ::helix_view::input::KeyEvent {
+            code: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyCode::Char($($ch)*),
+            modifiers: ::helix_view::keyboard::KeyModifiers::ALT,
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 /// Macro for defining the root of a `Keymap` object. Example:
 ///
 /// ```
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs
index 3c492d149..8278bd29b 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-use crate::compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult};
-use crossterm::event::{Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers};
+use crate::{
+    compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult},
+    ctrl, key,
+};
+use crossterm::event::Event;
 use tui::{buffer::Buffer as Surface, widgets::Table};
 
 pub use tui::widgets::{Cell, Row};
@@ -192,63 +195,25 @@ impl<T: Item + 'static> Component for Menu<T> {
             compositor.pop();
         })));
 
-        match event {
+        match event.into() {
             // esc or ctrl-c aborts the completion and closes the menu
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('c'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            key!(Esc) | ctrl!('c') => {
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx.editor, self.selection(), MenuEvent::Abort);
                 return close_fn;
             }
             // arrow up/ctrl-p/shift-tab prev completion choice (including updating the doc)
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::BackTab,
-                ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Up, ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('p'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('k'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            key!(BackTab) | key!(Up) | ctrl!('p') | ctrl!('k') => {
                 self.move_up();
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx.editor, self.selection(), MenuEvent::Update);
                 return EventResult::Consumed(None);
             }
-            // arrow down/ctrl-n/tab advances completion choice (including updating the doc)
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Tab,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Down,
-                ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('n'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('j'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            key!(Tab) | key!(Down) | ctrl!('n') | ctrl!('j') => {
+                // arrow down/ctrl-n/tab advances completion choice (including updating the doc)
                 self.move_down();
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx.editor, self.selection(), MenuEvent::Update);
                 return EventResult::Consumed(None);
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Enter,
-                ..
-            } => {
+            key!(Enter) => {
                 if let Some(selection) = self.selection() {
                     (self.callback_fn)(cx.editor, Some(selection), MenuEvent::Validate);
                 }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
index 291f1f856..970d3946b 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 use crate::{
     compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult},
+    ctrl, key,
     ui::EditorView,
 };
-use crossterm::event::{Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers};
+use crossterm::event::Event;
 use tui::{
     buffer::Buffer as Surface,
     widgets::{Block, BorderType, Borders},
@@ -402,81 +403,35 @@ impl<T: 'static> Component for Picker<T> {
             compositor.last_picker = compositor.pop();
         })));
 
-        match key_event {
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Up, ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::BackTab,
-                ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('k'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('p'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+        match key_event.into() {
+            key!(BackTab) | key!(Up) | ctrl!('p') | ctrl!('k') => {
                 self.move_up();
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Down,
-                ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Tab, ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('j'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('n'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            key!(Tab) | key!(Down) | ctrl!('n') | ctrl!('j') => {
                 self.move_down();
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('c'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            key!(Esc) | ctrl!('c') => {
                 return close_fn;
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Enter,
-                ..
-            } => {
+            key!(Enter) => {
                 if let Some(option) = self.selection() {
                     (self.callback_fn)(&mut cx.editor, option, Action::Replace);
                 }
                 return close_fn;
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('s'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('s') => {
                 if let Some(option) = self.selection() {
                     (self.callback_fn)(&mut cx.editor, option, Action::HorizontalSplit);
                 }
                 return close_fn;
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('v'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('v') => {
                 if let Some(option) = self.selection() {
                     (self.callback_fn)(&mut cx.editor, option, Action::VerticalSplit);
                 }
                 return close_fn;
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char(' '),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            ctrl!(' ') => {
                 self.save_filter();
             }
             _ => {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs
index 1bab1eae4..8f7921a11 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/popup.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-use crate::compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult};
-use crossterm::event::{Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers};
+use crate::{
+    compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult},
+    ctrl, key,
+};
+use crossterm::event::Event;
 use tui::buffer::Buffer as Surface;
 
 use helix_core::Position;
@@ -95,27 +98,14 @@ impl<T: Component> Component for Popup<T> {
             compositor.pop();
         })));
 
-        match key {
+        match key.into() {
             // esc or ctrl-c aborts the completion and closes the menu
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('c'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => close_fn,
-
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('d'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            key!(Esc) | ctrl!('c') => close_fn,
+            ctrl!('d') => {
                 self.scroll(self.size.1 as usize / 2, true);
                 EventResult::Consumed(None)
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('u'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('u') => {
                 self.scroll(self.size.1 as usize / 2, false);
                 EventResult::Consumed(None)
             }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
index 22e4adb8a..4bd5659f8 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use crate::compositor::{Component, Compositor, Context, EventResult};
-use crate::ui;
-use crossterm::event::{Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers};
+use crate::{alt, ctrl, key, ui};
+use crossterm::event::Event;
+use helix_view::input::KeyEvent;
+use helix_view::keyboard::{KeyCode, KeyModifiers};
 use std::{borrow::Cow, ops::RangeFrom};
 use tui::buffer::Buffer as Surface;
 
@@ -421,103 +423,29 @@ impl Component for Prompt {
             compositor.pop();
         })));
 
-        match event {
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('c'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
-            } => {
+        match event.into() {
+            ctrl!('c') | key!(Esc) => {
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Abort);
                 return close_fn;
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Left,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::ALT,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('b'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::ALT,
-            } => self.move_cursor(Movement::BackwardWord(1)),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Right,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::ALT,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('f'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::ALT,
-            } => self.move_cursor(Movement::ForwardWord(1)),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('f'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Right,
-                ..
-            } => self.move_cursor(Movement::ForwardChar(1)),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('b'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Left,
-                ..
-            } => self.move_cursor(Movement::BackwardChar(1)),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::End,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('e'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => self.move_end(),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Home,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('a'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => self.move_start(),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('w'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => self.delete_word_backwards(),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('k'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => self.kill_to_end_of_line(),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('u'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => self.kill_to_start_of_line(),
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('h'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Backspace,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
-            } => {
+            alt!('b') | alt!(Left) => self.move_cursor(Movement::BackwardWord(1)),
+            alt!('f') | alt!(Right) => self.move_cursor(Movement::ForwardWord(1)),
+            ctrl!('b') | ctrl!(Left) => self.move_cursor(Movement::BackwardChar(1)),
+            ctrl!('f') | ctrl!(Right) => self.move_cursor(Movement::ForwardChar(1)),
+            ctrl!('e') | key!(End) => self.move_end(),
+            ctrl!('a') | key!(Home) => self.move_start(),
+            ctrl!('w') => self.delete_word_backwards(),
+            ctrl!('k') => self.kill_to_end_of_line(),
+            ctrl!('u') => self.kill_to_start_of_line(),
+            ctrl!('h') | key!(Backspace) => {
                 self.delete_char_backwards();
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('d'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Delete,
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('d') | key!(Delete) => {
                 self.delete_char_forwards();
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('s'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('s') => {
                 let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
                 let text = doc.text().slice(..);
 
@@ -535,10 +463,7 @@ impl Component for Prompt {
                     (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
                 }
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Enter,
-                ..
-            } => {
+            key!(Enter) => {
                 if self.selection.is_some() && self.line.ends_with('/') {
                     self.completion = (self.completion_fn)(&self.line);
                     self.exit_selection();
@@ -553,50 +478,29 @@ impl Component for Prompt {
                     return close_fn;
                 }
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('p'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Up, ..
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('p') | key!(Up) => {
                 if let Some(register) = self.history_register {
                     let register = cx.editor.registers.get_mut(register);
                     self.change_history(register.read(), CompletionDirection::Backward);
                     (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
                 }
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('n'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            }
-            | KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Down,
-                ..
-            } => {
+            ctrl!('n') | key!(Down) => {
                 if let Some(register) = self.history_register {
                     let register = cx.editor.registers.get_mut(register);
                     self.change_history(register.read(), CompletionDirection::Forward);
                     (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
                 }
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Tab, ..
-            } => {
+            key!(Tab) => {
                 self.change_completion_selection(CompletionDirection::Forward);
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update)
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::BackTab,
-                ..
-            } => {
+            key!(BackTab) => {
                 self.change_completion_selection(CompletionDirection::Backward);
                 (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update)
             }
-            KeyEvent {
-                code: KeyCode::Char('q'),
-                modifiers: KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
-            } => self.exit_selection(),
+            ctrl!('q') => self.exit_selection(),
             // any char event that's not combined with control or mapped to any other combo
             KeyEvent {
                 code: KeyCode::Char(c),