My Personal Motivation

As a scientist, I write constantly: articles, book chapters, research proposals, emails, and project reports. Unfortunately, after losing mobility in my left index finger due to an accident (a reminder: always use a bottle opener!), typing soon caused pain throughout my hand.

Prolonged work or gaming with an unsuitable keyboard setup will eventually lead to health issues, such as repetitive strain injury (RSI), and reduced productivity. It’s essential to analyze potential risks and optimize our workspace.

After testing alternative keyboards and typing software, I discovered that the current “standard” setups are surprisingly poor—and better alternatives are available at little or no cost.

A mechanical keyboard (technically electronic but using physical spring mechanisms) with suitable switches immediately relieves hand strain. Ideally, the keyboard should also feature improved geometry, such as a compact size and an ortholinear layout. Today, keyboards can be customized to fit individual needs, including split designs for a more natural hand position and switches with soft springs for lighter keystrokes. Smaller keyboards also minimize finger and hand movements, such as reaching for the mouse.

Switching from QWERTY to Colemak makes typing more ergonomic and, after some practice, can even double your typing speed. It also supports multilingual typing and programming.

But QWERTY is just one of many outdated aspects of modern keyboards. For example, it’s absurd that we still simulate shifting a typewriter’s mechanism to capitalize letters—especially since we perform this frequent action with our weakest fingers, the pinkies, which must stretch awkwardly to reach the ‘shift’ keys on large keyboards. In contrast, programmable keyboards with auto-shift can capitalize letters when a key is held slightly longer. This guide helps readers choose the right typing strategy—whether for professional writers, gamers, programmers, accountants, or those with health issues like RSI—by exploring keyboards, layouts, and software.

I also cover building and programming custom keyboards, from selecting designs and components to configuring keymap layouts and special features like OLED displays. Additionally, I introduce stenography for ultra-fast typing and software for mouse-free workflows.

Custom keyboards don’t have to be expensive: a split mechanical keyboard can be built for $100–200, is fully repairable, and promotes ergonomic, productive, and sustainable typing.

Robert Winkler

A Quick Guide for the Impatient

You need a quick solution for an urgent problem? Here’s how to find the most relevant topics for your needs.

I haven’t separated advice by productivity or health, since the two are closely linked.

I don’t want to spend money; I just want to type faster and more ergonomically

Start by installing and learning the Colemak keyboard layout. In a few weeks you will type faster and feel more relaxed.

For even better results, consider investing in a mechanical keyboard. You won’t regret spending around 100 USD.

I don’t want to learn another keyboard layout, but I’m ready to spend some money

Buy a mechanical keyboard. Depending on your needs, a compact - such as the 40% ortholinear Planck keyboard with 4 × 12 grid layout - or a split keyboard could be especially helpful. Just make sure to choose the right switches.

That said, learning Colemak will additionally improve both your ergonomics and typing speed.

I want to type really fast!

Switching to a layout like Dvorak or Colemak can roughly double your typing speed (50–100 words per minute is realistic).

For captioning in real-time (CART) at 200+ words per minute, look into stenography. There are specialized keyboards and software (such as Plover) designed for this purpose.

I want to improve my productivity

Minimize mouse use - Constantly switching between keyboard and mouse use is a huge productivity killer. Controlling your software via keyboard is far more efficient. There are editors, browser plugins, and other tools that make keyboard-centric work seamless.

I have a serious hand injury. How can I keep working?

First, consult your doctor. Depending on the severity, dictation software and a custom split mechanical keyboard tailored to your requirements may help. The book covers a range of possibilities, from auto-shift to one-handed typing.

Feel free to reach out with questions. Good luck!

I’m a gamer/programmer and want the best keyboard on Earth!

Head to the hardware sections and explore programming your keyboard with QMK. Building and testing different keyboards can be both practical and fun!

The Hardware: Taxonomy of Keyboard Types

The keyboard is our primary tool for generating and editing text. In addition, we can use a keyboard to navigate a document and control computer functions.

Your ideal keyboard depends a lot on its use. For example, a novel writer needs different features than a gamer, accountant, or programmer.

Hack: Get a gamer keyboard with linear mechanical keys. This is the simplest and fastest way for improving your typing experience.

Functional Groups

Letters, Numbers, and Basic Symbols

For writing text, the letters of the alphabet must be available on the keyboard. As well, the numbers 1, 2 … 0, punctuation (,, ., ?, …), and basic symbols such as $ are helpful for efficient text input.

However, standard keyboard layouts are country- and language-specific. For example, German keyboards have letters such as ä and ß, whereas Spanish keyboards have letters with different diacritics (é, ñ) and additional punctuation symbols (¿, ¡). Multilingual writing is therefore challenging and requires, for example, operating-system-specific switching of keyboard layouts.

Hack: The Colemak layout is not only more ergonomic, but also adds many letters and symbols for multilingual typing out-of-the-box (see figure above).

Editing, Control, and Modifier Keys

Number (NUM)-Keys Block

Function (F)-Keys Block

Arrow Keys

Hack: Define four keys in a row as arrow keys. Ideally, your fingers do not have to change row or column for moving the cursor.

For the arrow-key row, all cursor keys are arranged in a row instead of positioning the up cursor above the down keys. This way, the fingers can remain in place, and the movements are faster and more ergonomic. The vim editor uses the letters ‘hjkl’ for moving in the text. On QWERTY keyboards, those keys are on the home row of the right hand. Of course, this is still not ideal, since the index finger has to be moved for reaching ‘h’. Besides, you should not use the QWERTY layout.

You can define a modifier key (such as ALT) plus the four keys below your left/right hand in home position as cursor keys.

Hack: Instead of moving your pinkie finger for each capital letter, you may program an autoshift function, e.g., using QMK on supported keyboards.

On typewriters, the complete mechanics needed to be shifted for having a second symbol available on each key. However, on computer keyboards, we still can find the shift keys. If you own a QMK programmable keyboard, you can define autoshift.

Hack: For most users, the CAPS-LOCK key brings more trouble than benefit. Disable, or redefine it for something useful.

Consider changing the function of CAPS-LOCK to something more useful, e.g., a Backspace for your left hand.

Common Keyboard Sizes

• Size: Most full-size (or 100%) keyboards have more than 100 keys and are far too large. An excess size is inconvenient because the fingers have to travel a lot. Thus, smaller keyboards are more ergonomic. About 50 keys are sufficient for the Latin alphabet and the most important symbols and control keys. Additional keys can be implemented using layers. Of course, smaller keyboards are also more portable.

Hack: Simply choosing a smaller keyboard can improve your typing experience (ergonomic working and speed) because your fingers and hands need to move less.

Anatomical Adaptation of Keyboards

Keyboard Shapes

Working with our hands in parallel, palm down, with a short distance, is everything but natural. However, we have them shoulder-wide and with our palms slightly facing inside in a relaxed position.

Use of Strong (Thumb) Instead of Weak (Pinkie) Fingers

• Thumb: Spacebar
• Pinkie: Enter, shift, backspace, multiple letters and symbols

Staggered Layouts

Our fingers don’t have the same lengths.

Ortholinear Layout

Tilting

Most standard keyboards come with plastic feet that allow tilting the keyboard towards the typist. Ergonomically, this is the worst option for the wrists. It is preferable to lay the keyboard flat. You can even try a slightly negative tilt in case of wrist problems.

Tenting

Our hands are not parallel to the plane but form a tent-like angle in a resting position. Some typists, therefore, prefer tenting their typically split keyboards. This is done in the simplest case with some cardboard. In addition, there are commercial and DIY keyboards with adjustable tenting. The 3D-printable Dactyl (Manuform) keyboard even tries to resemble the anatomical form and tenting of the hands as closely as possible.

Design: Diagonal movements of our fingers cause strain, which slows down our typing speed and is tiring. Therefore, modern keyboards arrange the keys in an ortholinear or matrix geometry. A better position of the wrists can be reached with split and tented keyboards.

Layout: The QWERTY keyboard layout is far from ideal since the fingers must move from their standard position for reaching frequent letters such as E, R, and T. Learning an alternative layout is not difficult. I use the Colemak layout, which is excellent for multilingual typing. Other simple hacks make typing easier, such as autoshift and home-row cursor movement. Thus, the keyboard should be programmable.

NKRO Capability: This is for real nerds now. You can multiply your typing speed by learning steno (see below). However, you need an NKRO-capable keyboard because it needs to register the synchronous pressing of several keys.

Switches and Keycaps: Ideally, you choose the switches according to your preferences. If you plan to use the keyboard for steno, you should consider low-profile switches with a low required force. You can get light springs for doing a ‘spring mod’ for some switches. For steno, flat keycaps are also highly recommendable.

Nerd Features: You may add OLED displays, encoders, and background illumination to your keyboard. However, most of these features are optional and might increase your light bill.

My daily driver is a Corne split keyboard, steno compatible. The split layout with only 21 keys on each side makes it very ergonomic and portable.

• Keyboard: LittleKeyboards Corne
• 2 x Elite C controller
• Kailh low profile red switches with 15 g spring mod
• Analyst PCB case

Keyboard Examples

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