read-keyboard

name	read-keyboard
description	Read keyboard keys and face buttons in update(). Use for keyboard movement, jumping, menus, typed text, or remapping keys, including raw key codes like 'KeyW' and the arrow-keys-to-D-pad mapping.

Read the keyboard

Read keys and face buttons in update(). Arrow keys and Space already map to the D-pad and BTN_A.

When to use

Use for keyboard movement, jumping, menus, typed text, or remapping keys.

Face buttons (work on keyboard and gamepad)

update() {
    if (BT.isDown(BT.BTN_RIGHT, 0)) this.x += 2; // held: movement
    if (BT.isPressed(BT.BTN_A, 0)) this.jump(); // one frame: jump/fire/confirm
    if (BT.isReleased(BT.BTN_A, 0)) this.release();
}

Player number is 0 for a one-player game. Directions: BT.BTN_LEFT/RIGHT/UP/DOWN; actions: BT.BTN_A/B/X/Y.

Raw keys by name

Use the browser key code ('KeyW', 'Space', 'ArrowUp', 'Enter'):

if (BT.isKeyDown('KeyW')) this.y -= 2; // held
if (BT.isKeyPressed('Enter')) this.start(); // one frame
if (BT.isKeyPressed('ArrowUp', 10)) this.menuUp(); // repeats every 10 ticks while held

Typed text

this.name += BT.inputString; // characters typed this frame (a getter)

Remap a face button

BT.inputMap(0, BT.BTN_A, 'KeyZ', 'Space'); // player, button, one or more key codes
BT.inputMapReset(); // back to defaults

Key calls

• BT.isKeyDown(code) / BT.isKeyPressed(code, repeat?) / BT.isKeyReleased(code) – methods.
• BT.isDown(button, player) / BT.isPressed(...) / BT.isReleased(...) – methods (face buttons).
• BT.inputString – getter (typed characters).
• BT.inputMap(player, button, ...keys) / BT.inputMapReset() – methods (players 0–1 only).

Notes

• Read input in update(), not render() – presses, releases, and typed text are one-frame events that already reset by the time render() runs, so checking them there can silently drop taps under fast input.
• "Down" means held every frame; "Pressed" / "Released" is the single edge frame.

See docs/input.md.