CBT — Cursor Backward Tabulation (CSI Z)

Byte forms

Every common string-literal form so you can paste-and-search either direction.

Description

Cursor Backward Tabulation. Final byte `Z` (0x5a) moves the cursor backward to the previous tab stop, repeated N times (default 1 if the parameter is omitted). It is the mirror of CHT (`CSI Ps I`) and the moral opposite of pressing the Tab key (HT, 0x09). If the cursor is already at column 1 or before the first remaining tab stop, it stays put. Default tab stops live every 8 columns unless the application has cleared or shifted them with TBC (`\x1b[Ng`) and HTS (`\x1bH`). CBT is rarely emitted by humans, but matters for terminfo capability `cbt` and for any TUI replaying recorded keystrokes (Shift-Tab in form fields, etc.).

Spec citation: ECMA-48 §8.3.7 (CBT)

Examples

printf 'a\tb\tc\033[2Z|'   # cursor jumps back 2 tab stops, then writes |

import sys; sys.stdout.write('\x1b[2Z')

fmt.Print("\x1b[2Z")

process.stdout.write('\x1b[2Z')

printf("\x1b[2Z");

Terminal support

xterm

yes

Linux console (fbcon)

yes

macOS Terminal.app

yes

iTerm2

yes

Windows Terminal

yes

cmd.exe / ConPTY

partial

kitty

yes

alacritty

yes

WezTerm

yes

Ghostty

yes

GNOME Terminal

yes

Konsole

yes

tmux

no

GNU screen

no

Related sequences

• TBC — Tab Clear (CSI g)
• CHA — Cursor horizontal absolute (column)
• C0 controls — BS, HT, LF, CR, BEL (single-byte codes)