diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 92214de..0539f64 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -97,8 +97,11 @@ I can totally see the usefulness of such a feature, and it's definitely somethin
 **On Mac**
 
 ```
+⌥ + Shift + Enter   Add new block at the start of the buffer
+⌘ + Shift + Enter   Add new block at the end of the buffer
+⌥ + Enter           Add new block before the current block
 ⌘ + Enter           Add new block below the current block
-⌘ + Shift + Enter   Split the current block at cursor position
+⌘ + ⌥ + Enter       Split the current block at cursor position
 ⌘ + L               Change block language
 ⌘ + Down            Goto next block
 ⌘ + Up              Goto previous block
@@ -110,8 +113,11 @@ I can totally see the usefulness of such a feature, and it's definitely somethin
 **On Windows and Linux**
 
 ```
+Alt + Shift + Enter    Add new block at the start of the buffer
+Ctrl + Shift + Enter   Add new block at the end of the buffer
+Alt + Enter            Add new block before the current block
 Ctrl + Enter           Add new block below the current block
-Ctrl + Shift + Enter   Split the current block at cursor position
+Ctrl + Alt + Enter     Split the current block at cursor position
 Ctrl + L               Change block language
 Ctrl + Down            Goto next block
 Ctrl + Up              Goto previous block
diff --git a/electron/detect-platform.ts b/electron/detect-platform.ts
index 1f677e0..6d54738 100644
--- a/electron/detect-platform.ts
+++ b/electron/detect-platform.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const os = require('os');
+import os from 'os';
 
 export const isDev = !!process.env.VITE_DEV_SERVER_URL
 
diff --git a/electron/initial-content.ts b/electron/initial-content.ts
index 4c4a8d8..c20ea51 100644
--- a/electron/initial-content.ts
+++ b/electron/initial-content.ts
@@ -1,31 +1,13 @@
-import { isLinux, isMac, isWindows } from "./detect-platform.js"
-
-const modChar = isMac ? "⌘" : "Ctrl"
-const altChar = isMac ? "⌥" : "Alt"
-
-const keyHelp = [
-    [`${modChar} + Enter`, "Add new block below the current block"],
-    [`${modChar} + Shift + Enter`, "Split the current block at cursor position"],
-    [`${modChar} + L`, "Change block language"],
-    [`${modChar} + Down`, "Goto next block"],
-    [`${modChar} + Up`, "Goto previous block"],
-    [`${modChar} + A`, "Select all text in a note block. Press again to select the whole buffer"],
-    [`${modChar} + ${altChar} + Up/Down`, "Add additional cursor above/below"],
-    [`${altChar} + Shift + F`, "Format block content (works for JSON, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and Markdown)"],
-]
-if (isWindows || isLinux) {
-    keyHelp.push([altChar, "Show menu"])
-}
-
-const keyMaxLength = keyHelp.map(([key, help]) => key.length).reduce((a, b) => Math.max(a, b))
-const keyHelpStr = keyHelp.map(([key, help]) => `${key.padEnd(keyMaxLength)}   ${help}`).join("\n")
+import os from "os";
+import { keyHelpStr } from "../shared-utils/key-helper";
 
+export const eraseInitialContent = !!process.env.ERASE_INITIAL_CONTENT
 
 export const initialContent = `
-∞∞∞text
+∞∞∞markdown
 Welcome to Heynote! 👋
 
-${keyHelpStr}
+${keyHelpStr(os.platform())}
 ∞∞∞math
 This is a Math block. Here, rows are evaluated as math expressions. 
 
@@ -54,13 +36,13 @@ export const initialDevContent = initialContent + `
 def my_func():
   print("hejsan")
 
-
+∞∞∞javascript-a
 import {basicSetup} from "codemirror"
 import {EditorView, keymap} from "@codemirror/view"
 import {javascript} from "@codemirror/lang-javascript"
 import {indentWithTab, insertTab, indentLess, indentMore} from "@codemirror/commands"
 import {nord} from "./nord.mjs"
-∞∞∞javascript-a
+
 let editor = new EditorView({
   //extensions: [basicSetup, javascript()],
   extensions: [
diff --git a/electron/main/index.ts b/electron/main/index.ts
index 121126b..b764c72 100644
--- a/electron/main/index.ts
+++ b/electron/main/index.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import { app, BrowserWindow, Tray, shell, ipcMain, Menu, nativeTheme, globalShortcut, nativeImage } from 'electron'
 import { release } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
-import * as jetpack from "fs-jetpack";
 
 import { menu, getTrayMenu } from './menu'
-import { initialContent, initialDevContent } from '../initial-content'
+import { eraseInitialContent, initialContent, initialDevContent } from '../initial-content'
 import { WINDOW_CLOSE_EVENT, SETTINGS_CHANGE_EVENT } from '../constants';
 import CONFIG from "../config"
 import { onBeforeInputEvent } from "../keymap"
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ async function createWindow() {
         win.loadFile(indexHtml)
         //win.webContents.openDevTools()
     }
-    
+
     // custom keyboard shortcuts for Emacs keybindings
     win.webContents.on("before-input-event", function (event, input) {
         onBeforeInputEvent({event, input, win, currentKeymap})
@@ -139,11 +138,11 @@ async function createWindow() {
     })
 
     // Make all links open with the browser, not with the application
-    win.webContents.setWindowOpenHandler(({ url }) => {
+    win.webContents.setWindowOpenHandler(({url}) => {
         if (url.startsWith('https:') || url.startsWith('http:')) {
             shell.openExternal(url)
         }
-        return { action: 'deny' }
+        return {action: 'deny'}
     })
 
     fixElectronCors(win)
@@ -253,17 +252,17 @@ ipcMain.handle('dark-mode:get', () => nativeTheme.themeSource)
 
 
 const buffer = new Buffer({
-    filePath: getBufferFilePath(), 
+    filePath: getBufferFilePath(),
     onChange: (eventData) => {
         win?.webContents.send("buffer-content:change", eventData)
     },
 })
 
 ipcMain.handle('buffer-content:load', async () => {
-    if (buffer.exists()) {
+    if (buffer.exists() && !(eraseInitialContent && isDev)) {
         return await buffer.load()
     } else {
-        return isDev? initialDevContent : initialContent
+        return isDev ? initialDevContent : initialContent
     }
 });
 
@@ -271,7 +270,7 @@ async function save(content) {
     return await buffer.save(content)
 }
 
-ipcMain.handle('buffer-content:save', async (event, content) =>  {
+ipcMain.handle('buffer-content:save', async (event, content) => {
     return await save(content)
 });
 
@@ -281,7 +280,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('buffer-content:saveAndQuit', async (event, content) => {
     app.quit()
 })
 
-ipcMain.handle('settings:set', (event, settings) =>  {
+ipcMain.handle('settings:set', (event, settings) => {
     if (settings.keymap !== CONFIG.get("settings.keymap")) {
         currentKeymap = settings.keymap
     }
@@ -291,7 +290,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('settings:set', (event, settings) =>  {
     CONFIG.set("settings", settings)
 
     win?.webContents.send(SETTINGS_CHANGE_EVENT, settings)
-    
+
     if (globalHotkeyChanged) {
         registerGlobalHotkey()
     }
diff --git a/shared-utils/key-helper.ts b/shared-utils/key-helper.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8260ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared-utils/key-helper.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+export const keyHelpStr = (platform: string) => {
+    const modChar = platform === "darwin" ? "⌘" : "Ctrl"
+    const altChar = platform === "darwin" ? "⌥" : "Alt"
+
+    const keyHelp = [
+        [`${altChar} + Shift + Enter`, "Add new block at the start of the buffer"],
+        [`${modChar} + Shift + Enter`, "Add new block at the end of the buffer"],
+        [`${altChar} + Enter`, "Add new block before the current block"],
+        [`${modChar} + Enter`, "Add new block below the current block"],
+        [`${modChar} + ${altChar} + Enter`, "Split the current block at cursor position"],
+        [`${modChar} + L`, "Change block language"],
+        [`${modChar} + Down`, "Goto next block"],
+        [`${modChar} + Up`, "Goto previous block"],
+        [`${modChar} + A`, "Select all text in a note block. Press again to select the whole buffer"],
+        [`${modChar} + ${altChar} + Up/Down`, "Add additional cursor above/below"],
+        [`${altChar} + Shift + F`, "Format block content (works for JSON, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and Markdown)"],
+    ]
+
+    if (platform === "win32" || platform === "linux") {
+        keyHelp.push([altChar, "Show menu"])
+    }
+    const keyMaxLength = keyHelp.map(([key]) => key.length).reduce((a, b) => Math.max(a, b))
+
+    return keyHelp.map(([key, help]) => `${key.padEnd(keyMaxLength)}   ${help}`).join("\n")
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/editor/annotation.js b/src/editor/annotation.js
index e7f72f2..6b4e83c 100644
--- a/src/editor/annotation.js
+++ b/src/editor/annotation.js
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ export const heynoteEvent = Annotation.define()
 export const LANGUAGE_CHANGE = "heynote-change"
 export const CURRENCIES_LOADED = "heynote-currencies-loaded"
 export const SET_CONTENT = "heynote-set-content"
-
+export const ADD_NEW_BLOCK = "heynote-add-new-block"
diff --git a/src/editor/block/block.js b/src/editor/block/block.js
index 8e3cc07..bb86ecb 100644
--- a/src/editor/block/block.js
+++ b/src/editor/block/block.js
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ export function getActiveNoteBlock(state) {
     return state.facet(blockState).find(block => block.range.from <= range.head && block.range.to >= range.head)
 }
 
+export function getFirstNoteBlock(state) {
+    return state.facet(blockState)[0]
+}
+
+export function getLastNoteBlock(state) {
+    return state.facet(blockState)[state.facet(blockState).length - 1]
+}
+
 export function getNoteBlockFromPos(state, pos) {
     return state.facet(blockState).find(block => block.range.from <= pos && block.range.to >= pos)
 }
@@ -86,8 +94,7 @@ class NoteBlockStart extends WidgetType {
         this.isFirst = isFirst
     }
     eq(other) {
-        //return other.checked == this.checked
-        return true
+        return this.isFirst === other.isFirst
     }
     toDOM() {
         let wrap = document.createElement("div")
@@ -249,7 +256,7 @@ const preventFirstBlockFromBeingDeleted = EditorState.changeFilter.of((tr) => {
  * Transaction filter to prevent the selection from being before the first block
   */
 const preventSelectionBeforeFirstBlock = EditorState.transactionFilter.of((tr) => {
-    if (!firstBlockDelimiterSize) {
+    if (!firstBlockDelimiterSize || tr.annotations.some(a => a.type === heynoteEvent)) {
         return tr
     }
     tr?.selection?.ranges.forEach(range => {
diff --git a/src/editor/block/commands.js b/src/editor/block/commands.js
index c52d5fa..7265b37 100644
--- a/src/editor/block/commands.js
+++ b/src/editor/block/commands.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { EditorSelection } from "@codemirror/state"
-import { heynoteEvent, LANGUAGE_CHANGE, CURRENCIES_LOADED } from "../annotation.js";
-import { blockState, getActiveNoteBlock, getNoteBlockFromPos } from "./block"
+import { heynoteEvent, LANGUAGE_CHANGE, CURRENCIES_LOADED, ADD_NEW_BLOCK } from "../annotation.js";
+import { blockState, getActiveNoteBlock, getFirstNoteBlock, getLastNoteBlock, getNoteBlockFromPos } from "./block"
 import { moveLineDown, moveLineUp } from "./move-lines.js";
 import { selectAll } from "./select-all.js";
 
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export { moveLineDown, moveLineUp, selectAll }
 export const insertNewBlockAtCursor = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
     if (state.readOnly)
         return false
-    
+
     const currentBlock = getActiveNoteBlock(state)
     let delimText;
     if (currentBlock) {
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ export const insertNewBlockAtCursor = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
     } else {
         delimText = "\n∞∞∞text-a\n"
     }
-    dispatch(state.replaceSelection(delimText), 
+    dispatch(state.replaceSelection(delimText),
         {
-            scrollIntoView: true, 
+            scrollIntoView: true,
             userEvent: "input",
         }
     )
@@ -28,9 +28,32 @@ export const insertNewBlockAtCursor = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
     return true;
 }
 
+export const addNewBlockBeforeCurrent = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
+    console.log("addNewBlockBeforeCurrent")
+    if (state.readOnly)
+        return false
+
+    const block = getActiveNoteBlock(state)
+    const delimText = "\n∞∞∞text-a\n"
+
+    dispatch(state.update({
+        changes: {
+            from: block.delimiter.from,
+            insert: delimText,
+        },
+        selection: EditorSelection.cursor(block.delimiter.from + delimText.length),
+        annotations: [heynoteEvent.of(ADD_NEW_BLOCK)],
+    }, {
+        scrollIntoView: true,
+        userEvent: "input",
+    }))
+    return true;
+}
+
 export const addNewBlockAfterCurrent = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
     if (state.readOnly)
         return false
+
     const block = getActiveNoteBlock(state)
     const delimText = "\n∞∞∞text-a\n"
 
@@ -41,7 +64,47 @@ export const addNewBlockAfterCurrent = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
         },
         selection: EditorSelection.cursor(block.content.to + delimText.length)
     }, {
-        scrollIntoView: true, 
+        scrollIntoView: true,
+        userEvent: "input",
+    }))
+    return true;
+}
+
+export const addNewBlockBeforeFirst = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
+    if (state.readOnly)
+        return false
+
+    const block = getFirstNoteBlock(state)
+    const delimText = "\n∞∞∞text-a\n"
+
+    dispatch(state.update({
+        changes: {
+            from: block.delimiter.from,
+            insert: delimText,
+        },
+        selection: EditorSelection.cursor(delimText.length),
+        annotations: [heynoteEvent.of(ADD_NEW_BLOCK)],
+    }, {
+        scrollIntoView: true,
+        userEvent: "input",
+    }))
+    return true;
+}
+
+export const addNewBlockAfterLast = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
+    if (state.readOnly)
+        return false
+    const block = getLastNoteBlock(state)
+    const delimText = "\n∞∞∞text-a\n"
+
+    dispatch(state.update({
+        changes: {
+            from: block.content.to,
+            insert: delimText,
+        },
+        selection: EditorSelection.cursor(block.content.to + delimText.length)
+    }, {
+        scrollIntoView: true,
         userEvent: "input",
     }))
     return true;
@@ -50,7 +113,7 @@ export const addNewBlockAfterCurrent = ({ state, dispatch }) => {
 export function changeLanguageTo(state, dispatch, block, language, auto) {
     if (state.readOnly)
         return false
-    const delimRegex = /^\n∞∞∞[a-z]{0,16}(-a)?\n/g
+    const delimRegex = /^\n∞∞∞[a-z]+?(-a)?\n/g
     if (state.doc.sliceString(block.delimiter.from, block.delimiter.to).match(delimRegex)) {
         //console.log("changing language to", language)
         dispatch(state.update({
diff --git a/src/editor/editor.js b/src/editor/editor.js
index 2b21208..1ea0078 100644
--- a/src/editor/editor.js
+++ b/src/editor/editor.js
@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ export class HeynoteEditor {
         return this.view.state.facet(blockState)
     }
 
+    getCursorPosition() {
+        return this.view.state.selection.main.head
+    }
+
     focus() {
         this.view.focus()
     }
diff --git a/src/editor/keymap.js b/src/editor/keymap.js
index bf26410..05fc7a5 100644
--- a/src/editor/keymap.js
+++ b/src/editor/keymap.js
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ import {
 
 import { 
     insertNewBlockAtCursor, 
-    addNewBlockAfterCurrent, 
+    addNewBlockBeforeCurrent, addNewBlockAfterCurrent,
+    addNewBlockBeforeFirst, addNewBlockAfterLast,
     moveLineUp, moveLineDown, 
     selectAll, 
     gotoPreviousBlock, gotoNextBlock, 
@@ -38,8 +39,11 @@ export function heynoteKeymap(editor) {
     return keymapFromSpec([
         ["Tab", indentMore],
         ["Shift-Tab", indentLess],
+        ["Alt-Shift-Enter", addNewBlockBeforeFirst],
+        ["Mod-Shift-Enter", addNewBlockAfterLast],
+        ["Alt-Enter", addNewBlockBeforeCurrent],
         ["Mod-Enter", addNewBlockAfterCurrent],
-        ["Mod-Shift-Enter", insertNewBlockAtCursor],
+        ["Mod-Alt-Enter", insertNewBlockAtCursor],
         ["Mod-a", selectAll],
         ["Alt-ArrowUp", moveLineUp],
         ["Alt-ArrowDown", moveLineDown],
diff --git a/tests/block-creation.spec.js b/tests/block-creation.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..046ed01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/block-creation.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+import {expect, test} from "@playwright/test";
+import {HeynotePage} from "./test-utils.js";
+
+let heynotePage
+
+test.beforeEach(async ({page}) => {
+    console.log("beforeEach")
+    heynotePage = new HeynotePage(page)
+    await heynotePage.goto()
+
+    expect((await heynotePage.getBlocks()).length).toBe(1)
+    heynotePage.setContent(`
+∞∞∞text
+Block A
+∞∞∞text
+Block B
+∞∞∞text
+Block C`)
+    await page.waitForTimeout(100);
+    // check that blocks are created
+    expect((await heynotePage.getBlocks()).length).toBe(3)
+
+    // check that visual block layers are created
+    await expect(page.locator("css=.heynote-blocks-layer > div")).toHaveCount(3)
+});
+
+/* from A */
+test("create block before current (A)", async ({page}) => {
+    // select the first block
+    await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    await runTest(page, "Alt+Enter", ['D', 'A', 'B', 'C'])
+})
+
+test("create block after current (A)", async ({page}) => {
+    // select the first block
+    await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    await runTest(page, "Mod+Enter", ['A', 'D', 'B', 'C'])
+})
+
+/* from B */
+test("create block before current (B)", async ({page}) => {
+    // select the second block
+    await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    await runTest(page, "Alt+Enter", ['A', 'D', 'B', 'C'])
+})
+
+test("create block after current (B)", async ({page}) => {
+    // select the second block
+    await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    await runTest(page, "Mod+Enter", ['A', 'B', 'D', 'C'])
+})
+
+/* from C */
+test("create block before current (C)", async ({page}) => {
+    await runTest(page, "Alt+Enter", ['A', 'B', 'D', 'C'])
+})
+
+test("create block after current (C)", async ({page}) => {
+    await runTest(page, "Mod+Enter", ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D'])
+})
+
+test("create block before first", async ({page}) => {
+    await runTest(page, "Alt+Shift+Enter", ['D', 'A', 'B', 'C'])
+})
+
+test("create block after last", async ({page}) => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+        await page.locator("body").press("ArrowUp")
+    }
+    await runTest(page, "Mod+Shift+Enter", ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D'])
+})
+
+test("create block before Markdown block", async ({page}) => {
+    await heynotePage.setContent(`
+∞∞∞markdown
+# Markdown!
+`)
+    await page.locator("body").press("Alt+Enter")
+    await page.waitForTimeout(100);
+    expect(await heynotePage.getCursorPosition()).toBe(11)
+})
+
+test("create block before first Markdown block", async ({page}) => {
+    await heynotePage.setContent(`
+∞∞∞markdown
+# Markdown!
+∞∞∞text
+`)
+    for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+        await page.locator("body").press("ArrowDown")
+    }
+    await page.locator("body").press("Alt+Shift+Enter")
+    await page.waitForTimeout(100);
+    expect(await heynotePage.getCursorPosition()).toBe(11)
+})
+
+const runTest = async (page, key, expectedBlocks) => {
+    // create a new block
+    await page.locator("body").press(key.replace("Mod", heynotePage.isMac ? "Meta" : "Control"))
+    await page.waitForTimeout(100);
+    await page.locator("body").pressSequentially("Block D")
+
+    // check that blocks are created
+    expect((await heynotePage.getBlocks()).length).toBe(4)
+
+    // check that the content of each block is correct
+    for (const expectedBlock of expectedBlocks) {
+        const index = expectedBlocks.indexOf(expectedBlock);
+        expect(await heynotePage.getBlockContent(index)).toBe(`Block ${expectedBlock}`)
+    }
+
+    // check that only one block delimiter widget has the class first
+    await expect(await page.locator("css=.heynote-block-start.first")).toHaveCount(1)
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/test-utils.js b/tests/test-utils.js
index d249170..9e841c4 100644
--- a/tests/test-utils.js
+++ b/tests/test-utils.js
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ export class HeynotePage {
         await this.page.evaluate((content) => window._heynote_editor.setContent(content), content)
     }
 
+    async getCursorPosition() {
+        return await this.page.evaluate(() => window._heynote_editor.getCursorPosition())
+    }
+
     async getBlockContent(blockIndex) {
         const blocks = await this.getBlocks()
         const content = await this.getContent()
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index cbef20b..1dfdfd1 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "noEmit": true,
     "allowJs": true
   },
-  "include": ["src"],
+  "include": ["src"," shared-utils"],
   "references": [
     { "path": "./tsconfig.node.json" }
   ]
diff --git a/tsconfig.node.json b/tsconfig.node.json
index ed1b586..9d3c6d6 100644
--- a/tsconfig.node.json
+++ b/tsconfig.node.json
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@
     "resolveJsonModule": true,
     "allowSyntheticDefaultImports": true
   },
-  "include": ["vite.config.ts", "package.json", "electron"]
+  "include": ["vite.config.ts", "package.json", "electron", "shared-utils"]
 }
diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index fc1a0db..2af59d5 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -8,11 +8,35 @@ import license from 'rollup-plugin-license'
 import pkg from './package.json'
 import path from 'path'
 
+import { keyHelpStr } from "./shared-utils/key-helper";
+
 rmSync('dist-electron', { recursive: true, force: true })
 
 const isDevelopment = process.env.NODE_ENV === "development" || !!process.env.VSCODE_DEBUG
 const isProduction = process.env.NODE_ENV === "production"
 
+const updateReadmeKeybinds = async () => {
+	const fs = require('fs')
+	const path = require('path')
+	const readmePath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'README.md')
+	let readme = fs.readFileSync(readmePath, 'utf-8')
+	const keybindsRegex = /^(### What are the default keyboard shortcuts\?\s*).*?^(```\s+#)/gms
+	const shortcuts = `$1**On Mac**
+
+\`\`\`
+${keyHelpStr('darwin')}
+\`\`\`
+
+**On Windows and Linux**
+
+\`\`\`
+${keyHelpStr('win32')}
+$2`
+
+	readme = readme.replace(keybindsRegex, shortcuts)
+	fs.writeFileSync(readmePath, readme)
+}
+
 // https://vitejs.dev/config/
 export default defineConfig({
 	resolve: {
@@ -23,6 +47,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
 
 	plugins: [
 		vue(),
+		updateReadmeKeybinds(),
 		electron([
 			{
 				// Main-Process entry file of the Electron App.