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The Hot Key trigger is perhaps the most basic of all triggers. When you press the configured key, the system swallows the keystroke, and Keyboard Maestro executes the macro.
You can also configure the hot key trigger to execute the macro when the key is released, or repeatedly while the key is held down.
The keystroke may include zero or more of the normal modifiers (Command, Option, Shift, Control), together with another key (such as a letter, number, function key or other keys).
The Number Pad keys are distinct from the numeric keys on the main keyboard.
The Fn key is not a modifier and cannot be used as such. It retains its normal purpose in toggling the function keys role, and so it might be part of a hot key, but only if you the function keys normally have their hardware (eg brightness up) role and then Fn key makes them into a function key.
Modifiers alone (eg just Control) cannot be used as a hot key (you can use the USB_Device_Key trigger to detect modifier key presses as well as other button presses like the mouse buttons or keys on non-standard keyboards like the XK-24.
