9.1.4 @key{key-name}

Use the @key command for the conventional name for a key on a keyboard, as in:

@key{RET}

You can use the @key command within the argument of an @kbd command when the sequence of characters to be typed includes one or more keys that are described by name.

For example, to produce C-x <ESC> and M-<TAB> you would type:

@kbd{C-x @key{ESC}}
@kbd{M-@key{TAB}}

Here is a list of the recommended names for keys:

SPC

Space

RET

Return

LFD

Linefeed (however, since most keyboards nowadays do not have a Linefeed key, it might be better to call this character C-j)

TAB

Tab

BS

Backspace

ESC

Escape

DELETE

Delete

SHIFT

Shift

CTRL

Control

META

Meta

There are subtleties to handling words like `meta' or `ctrl' that are names of modifier keys. When mentioning a character in which the modifier key is used, such as Meta-a, use the @kbd command alone; do not use the @key command; but when you are referring to the modifier key in isolation, use the @key command. For example, write ‘@kbd{Meta-a}’ to produce Meta-a and ‘@key{META}’ to produce <META>.

As a convention in GNU manuals, @key should not be used in index entries.