diff --git a/doc/pages/changelog.asciidoc b/doc/pages/changelog.asciidoc
index ce46177f..0c8fd7d4 100644
--- a/doc/pages/changelog.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/pages/changelog.asciidoc
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 This changelog contains major and/or breaking changes to Kakoune between
 released versions.
 
+== Development version
+
+* Arrow keys and `<home>`, `<end>` are not normal mode commands
+  anymore but default key mappings.
+
 == Kakoune 2019.07.01
 
 * Re-organized bundled script files directory hierarchy.
diff --git a/doc/pages/keys.asciidoc b/doc/pages/keys.asciidoc
index d8681e99..d4bba91f 100644
--- a/doc/pages/keys.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/pages/keys.asciidoc
@@ -99,17 +99,25 @@ is a sequence of non whitespace characters. Generally, a movement on it own
 will move each selection to cover the text moved over, while holding down
 the Shift modifier and moving will extend each selection instead.
 
-*h*, *<left>*::
+*h*::
     select the character on the left of the end of each selection
+    `<left>` maps to this by default.
+    (See <<mapping#default-mappings,`:doc mapping default-mappings`>>)
 
-*j*, *<down>*::
+*j*::
     select the character below the end of each selection
+    `<down>` maps to this by default.
+    (See <<mapping#default-mappings,`:doc mapping default-mappings`>>)
 
-*k*, *<up>*::
+*k*::
     select the character above the end of each selection
+    `<up>` maps to this by default.
+    (See <<mapping#default-mappings,`:doc mapping default-mappings`>>)
 
-*l*, *<right>*::
+*l*::
     select the character on the right of the end of each selection
+    `<right>` maps to this by default.
+    (See <<mapping#default-mappings,`:doc mapping default-mappings`>>)
 
 *w*::
     select the word and following whitespaces on the right of the end of each selection
@@ -165,11 +173,15 @@ the Shift modifier and moving will extend each selection instead.
 *%*::
     select whole buffer
 
-*<a-h>*, *<home>*::
+*<a-h>*::
     select to line begin
+    `<home>` maps to this by default.
+    (See <<mapping#default-mappings,`:doc mapping default-mappings`>>)
 
-*<a-l>*, *<end>*::
+*<a-l>*::
     select to line end
+    `<end>` maps to this by default.
+    (See <<mapping#default-mappings,`:doc mapping default-mappings`>>)
 
 *pageup, <c-b>*::
     scroll one page up
diff --git a/doc/pages/mapping.asciidoc b/doc/pages/mapping.asciidoc
index 8e488c1b..5216e179 100644
--- a/doc/pages/mapping.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/pages/mapping.asciidoc
@@ -142,3 +142,19 @@ NOTE: Although Kakoune allows many key combinations to be mapped, not every
 possible combination can be triggered. For example, due to limitations in
 the way terminals handle control characters, mappings like *<c-s-a>* are
 unlikely to work in Kakoune's terminal UI.
+
+== Default mappings
+
+Some mappings exist by default in the global scope:
+
+In normal mode:
+
+  * `<left>`  maps to `h`
+  * `<right>` maps to `l`
+  * `<up>`    maps to `k`
+  * `<down>`  maps to `j`
+  * `<home>`  maps to `<a-h>`
+  * `<end>`   maps to `<a-l>`
+
+Shift version of those mappings exist as well
+(for example `<s-left>` maps to `H`).
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index d07f5a1f..bdaa4729 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -337,6 +337,25 @@ void register_registers()
     register_manager.add_register('_', std::make_unique<NullRegister>());
 }
 
+void register_keymaps()
+{
+    auto& keymaps = GlobalScope::instance().keymaps();
+    keymaps.map_key(Key::Left, KeymapMode::Normal, {'h'}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(Key::Right, KeymapMode::Normal, {'l'}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(Key::Down, KeymapMode::Normal, {'j'}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(Key::Up, KeymapMode::Normal, {'k'}, "");
+
+    keymaps.map_key(shift(Key::Left), KeymapMode::Normal, {'H'}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(shift(Key::Right), KeymapMode::Normal, {'L'}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(shift(Key::Down), KeymapMode::Normal, {'J'}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(shift(Key::Up), KeymapMode::Normal, {'K'}, "");
+
+    keymaps.map_key(Key::End, KeymapMode::Normal, {alt('l')}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(Key::Home, KeymapMode::Normal, {alt('h')}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(shift(Key::End), KeymapMode::Normal, {alt('L')}, "");
+    keymaps.map_key(shift(Key::Home), KeymapMode::Normal, {alt('H')}, "");
+}
+
 static void check_tabstop(const int& val)
 {
     if (val < 1) throw runtime_error{"tabstop should be strictly positive"};
@@ -672,6 +691,7 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView server_init,
 
     register_options();
     register_registers();
+    register_keymaps();
     register_commands();
     register_highlighters();
 
diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index ad085458..5661d6cc 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -2175,21 +2175,11 @@ static constexpr HashMap<Key, NormalCmd, MemoryDomain::Undefined, KeymapBackend>
     { {'k'}, {"move up",  move_cursor<LineCount, Backward>} },
     { {'l'}, {"move right", move_cursor<CharCount, Forward>} },
 
-    { {Key::Left}, { "move left", move_cursor<CharCount, Backward>} },
-    { {Key::Down}, { "move down", move_cursor<LineCount, Forward>} },
-    { {Key::Up}, {   "move up", move_cursor<LineCount, Backward>} },
-    { {Key::Right}, {"move right", move_cursor<CharCount, Forward>} },
-
     { {'H'}, {"extend left", move_cursor<CharCount, Backward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
     { {'J'}, {"extend down", move_cursor<LineCount, Forward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
     { {'K'}, {"extend up", move_cursor<LineCount, Backward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
     { {'L'}, {"extend right", move_cursor<CharCount, Forward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
 
-    { shift(Key::Left), {"extend left", move_cursor<CharCount, Backward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
-    { shift(Key::Down), {"extend down", move_cursor<LineCount, Forward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
-    { shift(Key::Up), {"extend up", move_cursor<LineCount, Backward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
-    { shift(Key::Right), {"extend right", move_cursor<CharCount, Forward, SelectMode::Extend>} },
-
     { {'t'}, {"select to next character", select_to_next_char<SelectFlags::None>} },
     { {'f'}, {"select to next character included", select_to_next_char<SelectFlags::Inclusive>} },
     { {'T'}, {"extend to next character", select_to_next_char<SelectFlags::Extend>} },
@@ -2266,13 +2256,9 @@ static constexpr HashMap<Key, NormalCmd, MemoryDomain::Undefined, KeymapBackend>
     { {alt('B')}, {"extend to previous WORD start", repeated<select<SelectMode::Extend, select_to_previous_word<WORD>>>} },
 
     { {alt('l')}, {"select to line end", repeated<select<SelectMode::Replace, select_to_line_end<false>>>} },
-    { {Key::End}, {"select to line end", repeated<select<SelectMode::Replace, select_to_line_end<false>>>} },
     { {alt('L')}, {"extend to line end", repeated<select<SelectMode::Extend, select_to_line_end<false>>>} },
-    { shift(Key::End), {"extend to line end", repeated<select<SelectMode::Extend, select_to_line_end<false>>>} },
     { {alt('h')}, {"select to line begin", repeated<select<SelectMode::Replace, select_to_line_begin<false>>>} },
-    { {Key::Home}, {"select to line begin", repeated<select<SelectMode::Replace, select_to_line_begin<false>>>} },
     { {alt('H')}, {"extend to line begin", repeated<select<SelectMode::Extend, select_to_line_begin<false>>>} },
-    { shift(Key::Home), {"extend to line begin", repeated<select<SelectMode::Extend, select_to_line_begin<false>>>} },
 
     { {'x'}, {"select line", repeated<select<SelectMode::Replace, select_line>>} },
     { {'X'}, {"extend line", repeated<select<SelectMode::Extend, select_line>>} },