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using a search dropdown just adds those operators automatically, so manual typing should work exactly the same

Which is the best way to learn those operators. The shortcut "/" to get to the search box is probably what I use the most, and writing "from:john to:mailing-list" is such a great time saver, if you compare to other mail clients.

What I use the most is [j]/[k] to move between email from the inbox while using [x] to select some messages which i [shift]+[i] to mark them as read and the [e] to archive. I think I easily do that with half of my emails for which reading the subject (and sometimes also the little preview) is enough to know that I don't have to read them.

This is what makes Gmail very powerful for me.

I totally agree, except that I tend to use [y] to archive, since it also does the "right thing" from views other than the Inbox (e.g. removing label "Todo" from selected emails when viewing all emails with label "Todo").

I also use [ and ] a lot. From message view, they archive the current message and immediately move to the previous/next message in the current list.

I use J/K to browse so much that I sometimes forget it's not built into all websites. "What do you mean I can't hit the letter "O" to open that link??"

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