Keyboard navigation

data/Application.css

@@ -172,3 +172,9 @@ backgrounditem .close-button {
 .running-indicator:disabled {
     color: @fg_color;
 }
+
+dock-button:focus-visible {
+    background: alpha(@accent_color, 0.5);
+    border-radius: 6px;
+    outline: 1px solid alpha(@accent_color, 0.8);
+}

src/AppSystem/Background/BackgroundItem.vala

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class Dock.BackgroundItem : BaseIconGroup {
             }
         });
 
-        gesture_click.released.connect (popover_menu.popup);
+        button.clicked.connect (popover_menu.popup);
     }
 
     private Gtk.Widget create_widget_func (Object obj) {

src/AppSystem/Launcher.vala

@@ -126,10 +126,14 @@ public class Dock.Launcher : BaseItem {
             transition_type = CROSSFADE
         };
 
-        overlay.child = image;
+        var overlay = new Gtk.Overlay () {
+            child = image
+        };
         overlay.add_overlay (badge_container);
         overlay.add_overlay (progress_revealer);
 
+        button.child = overlay;
+
         var running_indicator = new Gtk.Image.from_icon_name ("pager-checked-symbolic");
         running_indicator.add_css_class ("running-indicator");
 
@@ -240,8 +244,8 @@ public class Dock.Launcher : BaseItem {
             easing = EASE_IN_OUT_QUAD
         };
 
-        gesture_click.button = 0;
-        gesture_click.released.connect (on_click_released);
+        button.mouse_button = 0;
+        button.clicked.connect (on_clicked);
 
         var long_press = new Gtk.GestureLongPress () {
             touch_only = true
@@ -320,12 +324,12 @@ public class Dock.Launcher : BaseItem {
         remove_dnd_cycle ();
     }
 
-    private void on_click_released (int n_press, double x, double y) {
-        var event_display = gesture_click.get_current_event ().get_display ();
-        var context = event_display.get_app_launch_context ();
-        context.set_timestamp (gesture_click.get_current_event_time ());
+    private void on_clicked (uint button, uint32 timestamp) {
+        unowned var display = Gdk.Display.get_default ();
+        var context = display.get_app_launch_context ();
+        context.set_timestamp (timestamp);
 
-        switch (gesture_click.get_current_button ()) {
+        switch (button) {
             case Gdk.BUTTON_PRIMARY:
                 app.launch (context);
                 break;
@@ -334,7 +338,7 @@ public class Dock.Launcher : BaseItem {
                     animate_launch ();
                 } else {
                     animate_shake ();
-                    event_display.beep ();
+                    display.beep ();
                 }
                 break;
             case Gdk.BUTTON_SECONDARY:
@@ -349,7 +353,7 @@ public class Dock.Launcher : BaseItem {
             return;
         }
 
-        bounce_up.value_to = -0.5 * overlay.get_height ();
+        bounce_up.value_to = -0.5 * button.get_height ();
         bounce_down.value_from = bounce_up.value_to;
 
         bounce_up.play ();
@@ -360,7 +364,7 @@ public class Dock.Launcher : BaseItem {
             return;
         }
 
-        shake.value_to = -0.1 * overlay.get_width ();
+        shake.value_to = -0.1 * button.get_width ();
         shake.play ();
 
         int repeat_count = 0;

src/BaseIconGroup.vala

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public abstract class Dock.BaseIconGroup : ContainerItem {
             selection_mode = NONE,
             halign = CENTER,
             valign = CENTER,
+            can_focus = false,
         };
         flow_box.bind_model (slice, create_flow_box_child);
 

src/BaseItem.vala

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class Dock.BaseItem : Gtk.Box {
                 bin.height_request = -1;
             }
 
-            overlay.visible = !value;
+            button.visible = !value;
         }
     }
 
@@ -70,8 +70,7 @@ public class Dock.BaseItem : Gtk.Box {
      * It's needed because top margin messes with dnd offsets and gsk transform.
      */
     protected Gtk.Box actionable_box;
-    protected Gtk.Overlay overlay;
-    protected Gtk.GestureClick gesture_click;
+    protected Button button;
 
     protected Granite.Bin bin { get; private set; }
 
@@ -92,11 +91,11 @@ public class Dock.BaseItem : Gtk.Box {
     construct {
         orientation = VERTICAL;
 
-        overlay = new Gtk.Overlay ();
+        button = new Button ();
 
-        // We need the bin because we need the animation to run even if the overlay is not visible
+        // We need the bin because we need the animation to run even if the button is not visible
         bin = new Granite.Bin () {
-            child = overlay
+            child = button
         };
 
         actionable_box = new Gtk.Box (VERTICAL, 0);
@@ -185,9 +184,6 @@ public class Dock.BaseItem : Gtk.Box {
 
         add_controller (motion_controller);
 
-        gesture_click = new Gtk.GestureClick ();
-        add_controller (gesture_click);
-
         if (group == NONE) {
             return;
         }
@@ -214,6 +210,10 @@ public class Dock.BaseItem : Gtk.Box {
         popover_tooltip.dispose ();
     }
 
+    public override bool grab_focus () {
+        return button.grab_focus ();
+    }
+
     public void set_revealed (bool revealed) {
         fade.skip ();
         reveal.skip ();
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ public class Dock.BaseItem : Gtk.Box {
     }
 
     private void on_drag_begin (Gtk.DragSource drag_source, Gdk.Drag drag) {
-        var paintable = new Gtk.WidgetPaintable (overlay);
+        var paintable = new Gtk.WidgetPaintable (button);
         drag_source.set_icon (paintable.get_current_image (), drag_offset_x, drag_offset_y);
 
         moving = true;

src/Button.vala

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 elementary, Inc. (https://elementary.io)
+ */
+
+public class Dock.Button : Granite.Bin {
+    public signal void clicked (uint button, uint32 timestamp);
+
+    public uint mouse_button { get; set; default = 1; }
+
+    class construct {
+        set_accessible_role (BUTTON);
+        set_css_name ("dock-button");
+    }
+
+    construct {
+        focusable = true;
+
+        var gesture_click = new Gtk.GestureClick ();
+        bind_property ("mouse-button", gesture_click, "button", SYNC_CREATE);
+        gesture_click.released.connect (on_released);
+        add_controller (gesture_click);
+
+        var key_controller = new Gtk.EventControllerKey ();
+        key_controller.key_pressed.connect (on_key_pressed);
+        add_controller (key_controller);
+    }
+
+    private void on_released (Gtk.GestureClick gesture_click, int n_press, double x, double y) {
+        clicked (gesture_click.get_current_button (), gesture_click.get_current_event_time ());
+    }
+
+    private bool on_key_pressed (
+        Gtk.EventControllerKey key_controller,
+        uint keyval,
+        uint keycode,
+        Gdk.ModifierType state
+    ) {
+        if (keyval == Gdk.Key.space || keyval == Gdk.Key.Return || keyval == Gdk.Key.KP_Enter) {
+            clicked (Gdk.BUTTON_PRIMARY, key_controller.get_current_event_time ());
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+}

src/ContainerItem.vala

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public abstract class Dock.ContainerItem : BaseItem {
         bind_property ("icon-size", container, "width-request", SYNC_CREATE);
         bind_property ("icon-size", container, "height-request", SYNC_CREATE);
 
-        overlay.child = container;
+        button.child = container;
 
         notify["state"].connect (() => {
             if ((state != HIDDEN) && !moving) {

src/ItemGroup.vala

@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@
         }
     }
 
+    public BaseItem? get_first_item () {
+        return (BaseItem?) current_children.get_item (0);
+    }
+
     public uint get_index_for_item (BaseItem item) {
         uint index;
         if (current_children.find (item, out index)) {

src/ItemManager.vala

@@ -8,20 +8,24 @@
 
     public Launcher? added_launcher { get; set; default = null; }
 
+    private ItemGroup app_group;
+    private ItemGroup background_group;
 #if WORKSPACE_SWITCHER
     private Gtk.Separator separator;
+    private ItemGroup workspaces_group;
     private DynamicWorkspaceIcon dynamic_workspace_item;
 #endif
+    private bool focus_was_moved = false;
 
     static construct {
         settings = new Settings ("io.elementary.dock");
     }
 
     construct {
-        var app_group = new ItemGroup (AppSystem.get_default ().apps, (obj) => new Launcher ((App) obj));
+        app_group = new ItemGroup (AppSystem.get_default ().apps, (obj) => new Launcher ((App) obj));
 
         var background_item = new BackgroundItem ();
-        var background_group = new ItemGroup (background_item.group_model, (obj) => (BackgroundItem) obj);
+        background_group = new ItemGroup (background_item.group_model, (obj) => (BackgroundItem) obj);
 
 #if WORKSPACE_SWITCHER
         separator = new Gtk.Separator (VERTICAL) {
@@ -33,18 +37,24 @@
         separator_box.append (new TopMargin ());
         separator_box.append (separator);
 
+        workspaces_group = new ItemGroup (WorkspaceSystem.get_default ().workspaces, (obj) => new WorkspaceIconGroup ((Workspace) obj));
+
         dynamic_workspace_item = new DynamicWorkspaceIcon ();
 #endif
 
         append (app_group);
         append (background_group);
 #if WORKSPACE_SWITCHER
         append (separator_box);
-        append (new ItemGroup (WorkspaceSystem.get_default ().workspaces, (obj) => new WorkspaceIconGroup ((Workspace) obj)));
+        append (workspaces_group);
         append (dynamic_workspace_item);
 #endif
         overflow = VISIBLE;
 
+        app_group.items.items_changed.connect (on_group_items_changed);
+        background_group.items.items_changed.connect (on_group_items_changed);
+        workspaces_group.items.items_changed.connect (on_group_items_changed);
+
         var drop_target_file = new Gtk.DropTarget (typeof (File), COPY) {
             preload = true
         };
@@ -151,6 +161,27 @@
         });
     }
 
+    private void on_group_items_changed () {
+        if (focus_was_moved) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var item_to_focus = (BaseItem) (
+            app_group.get_first_item () ??
+            background_group.get_first_item () ??
+            workspaces_group.get_first_item () ??
+            dynamic_workspace_item
+        );
+
+        item_to_focus.grab_focus ();
+    }
+
+    public override bool focus (Gtk.DirectionType direction) {
+        focus_was_moved = true;
+
+        return base.focus (direction);
+    }
+
     public void move_launcher_after (BaseItem source, int target_index) {
         if (source is Launcher) {
             AppSystem.get_default ().reorder_app (source.app, target_index);

src/WorkspaceSystem/DynamicWorkspaceItem.vala

@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ public class Dock.DynamicWorkspaceIcon : ContainerItem, WorkspaceItem {
             null, null
         );
 
-        gesture_click.button = Gdk.BUTTON_PRIMARY;
-        gesture_click.released.connect (switch_to_new_workspace);
+        button.mouse_button = Gdk.BUTTON_PRIMARY;
+        button.clicked.connect (switch_to_new_workspace);
     }
 
     private void update_active_state () {

src/WorkspaceSystem/WorkspaceIconGroup.vala

@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ public class Dock.WorkspaceIconGroup : BaseIconGroup, WorkspaceItem {
             return true;
         });
 
-        gesture_click.button = Gdk.BUTTON_PRIMARY;
-        gesture_click.released.connect (workspace.activate);
+        button.mouse_button = Gdk.BUTTON_PRIMARY;
+        button.clicked.connect (workspace.activate);
     }
 
     public void window_entered (Window window) {

src/meson.build

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ sources = [
     'BaseIconGroup.vala',
     'BaseItem.vala',
     'BottomMargin.vala',
+    'Button.vala',
     'ContainerItem.vala',
     'ItemGroup.vala',
     'ItemManager.vala',