Coming from AutoHotkey

​

How concepts map

​

Side by side

; AutoHotkey v2
CapsLock::Escape

F1::Send("Hello{Enter}")

--[[
  rebind: min_sdk=3.0.0
  rebind: name=Basics
--]]
Bind.Remap("CapsLock", "Escape")

-- HID.Type / HID.Press sleep between keystrokes, so they must run inside a
-- coroutine. A plain Bind callback runs synchronously, so wrap it with Async().
-- (Type the text, then press Enter explicitly — a literal "\n" is not a key.)
Bind(
  "F1",
  Async(function()
    HID.Type("Hello")
    HID.Press("Enter")
  end)
)

; AutoHotkey v2
#HotIf WinActive("ahk_exe chrome.exe")
F2::Send("^t")  ; new tab
#HotIf

--[[
  rebind: min_sdk=3.0.0
  rebind: name=Browser Helper
  rebind: process=chrome.exe
--]]
Bind(
  "F2",
  Async(function()
    HID.Press("LCtrl+T") -- new tab
  end)
)

​

What’s different

• A required header. Unlike AHK, every Rebind script needs a modeline declaring the Rebind version (min_sdk) before it will run — Rebind refuses a script without it. The rest of the header (name, process= targeting) is optional. See Modeline.
• Sending input yields. HID.Type and HID.Press sleep between keystrokes, and Net.* requests block, so they must run inside a Run() / Async() coroutine — not directly in a plain Bind/OnDown callback.
• Cross-platform. The same script runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. AutoHotkey is Windows-only.
• Hardware output. In hardware mode your HID.* calls leave the Rebind Link as standard USB HID, with deterministic timing — not a software SendInput. The same script runs free in software mode first; see How it works.
• A typed language. Luau brings types, coroutines, and a real standard library. Sequences and delays use Run/Sleep instead of SetTimer/Loop.
• More reach. Beyond remaps and macros, Rebind adds an HTTP and WebSocket server, shared-memory IPC, and remote clients for TypeScript, Python, and Rust — so other programs can drive input directly. See Remote control.