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Application keypad (DECKPAM)

Category: modes · Baseline: modern · Tags: DEC Private Modes, VT100 · Specification ↗

ESC =
DECKPAM switches the numeric keypad to application mode, where numpad keys send escape sequences instead of numeric characters. Enable with ESC =, disable with ESC >. This allows applications to distinguish numpad keys from the main keyboard number row.
How this is testedautomated
Send \x1b= (DECKPAM), verify applicationKeypad is active. Then send \x1b> (DECKPNM), verify it is off.

The same probe runs against headless backends (via Termless) and real terminal apps (via a daemon launched in each terminal). This lets us distinguish parser correctness from rendering correctness.

Analysis2026-04-06

Supported by all 12 tested terminals — universal adoption. Part of the Modern TUI baseline.

Supported by 11 of 14 backends (79%)

Terminal Applications

TerminalVersionSupportNotes
iTerm23.6.9✓ yes
Ghostty1.3.1✓ yes
VS Code✓ yes
Warp✓ yes
Cursor✓ yes
Terminal.app✓ yes

Headless Backends

Parser correctness only — a means the parser accepts the sequence.

BackendVersionSupportNotes
Alacritty0.26.0✓ yes
vt100.js0.2.1✓ yes
xterm.js5.5.0✓ yes
Kitty0.40.0~ partialNot exposed via Python batch bridge
vterm0.2.0~ partialApplication keypad mode parsed but not exposed via getMode()
WezTerm0.1.0-fork.5~ partialNot exposed via wezterm-term API