The most common way to allow for smaller keyboards would be layers. Layers are second keymaps triggered usually by holding down a key. Your keyboard may have that as a Fn key. I continue to try to tweak my layers on various keyboards, and looking to optimize my typing. But I had not really conceptualized how to use some of the other features that QMK, the most popular open source keyboard firmware, supports.

I recently turned to two other QMK features: Tap Dance and Combos.

• Tap Dance is a feature that allows you to set different keys based on tap, double tap, or hold.
• Combos allow two or more keys to produce a key output

The keyboard above is the Acai PCB in a 3d printed case. I built this from components and typed this post on it. The Acai is a 4×10 ortholinear keyboard. The bottom row is customizable with a variety of different spacebar lengths from a single key to the full width of the board.

I have spent a fair amount of time with 4×12 ortholinear boards, like the popular Planck. The extra two columns allow for modifiers along the sides, depending on how you configure the keys. Modifiers would be things like Ctrl, Enter, Shift, and so on. If you look at the Acai, there is no room to the left and right of the alphas(letters) for that. The only modifiers would have to be places on the bottom row in most configurations.

Until recently, I had solved this mostly with layers. I would press a key and that would remap the other rows. But this meant for some keys, I needed to press a key on the bottom row and one on far from it on the board, which is not always ideal configuration wise.

Scrolling through advice one day, I was reminded of combos. With them, instead of holding a layer key, two keys could produce what I wanted…so I started with their suggestions.

• P and O, occupying the space a backspace key might, when pressed together produce a backspace
• A and S generate a TAB
• Q and W an ESCape

This worked more efficiently for me and I experimented with a few more. With customizable firmware like QMK, or QMK firmware with Vial compiled in, which allows you to play with these things in real time without having to recompile, the limit is memory capacity and your imagination.

For Tap Dance, I have made holding down the T key scroll up, and B down. The challenge for tap dance is when you are typing a word with the same letter in a row, like the word letter. If you don’t retrain yourself, you’ll trigger your secondary key. I recently traded something for a Ploopy Nano, which is a tiny trackball, which has no buttons. With tap dance, I can make a key combination be my mouse, allowing for an even smaller setup.

There are many reasons to try an ortholinear keyboard, or a forty percent keyboard. However, the fact you can can carry around an even smaller keyboard when on the go is not usually one people think about. With these features and a little practice, you can have your own tiny keyboard that suits your needs.

Too Many Keyboards?

Last night, I happened across an article by Tanveer Singh over at XDA Developers. I don’t know the author personally, but XDA Developers started as a mobile development forum and did pivot into many other things, and I have followed them for some time. More recently, they have been posting a lot of mechnical keyboard themed articles.

The title of this article was, “5 Signs My Mechanical Keyboard Obsession is out of Hand.” Singh isuses a warning that is a good one for any hobby. Don’t let something you enjoy become something compulsive or obsessive.

Like him, I worry I may be acquiring too many keyboards because I also like to try things. I’ve had to make some compromises.

• I’ve tried to scale down purchases in certain categories
• I sold off some inventory to others(contact me if you want to buy anything)
• I’m trying to find unique designs, not just new versions of the same thing.
• I want to have some aluminum cases, but that is where the money is. Either I’m buying discounted metal cased boards, or I’m going with other materials. I found a keyboard layout I wanted to try…the circuit board is on sale for $33, the case is $165.
• I’ve printed my own cases(from other people’s designs) and am trying to get better at that. I’m printing one as I type.
• I’ve experimented with printing my own keycaps as well. Over $100 for keycaps when all the other parts are $50 seems wrong to me.
• I’ve turned my collection into wall art. Sitting above my work desk is an adjustable wall of keyboard in a multicolor display. I regular swap and take them off their hooks when I feel like something different.

Keyboard Construction As A Hobby

The ones I soldered together and built the cases for are akin to someone who does woodworking and keeps building bird houses. It is the activity of construction. Singh misses that aspect of it. Even if you just go for simple assembly of a hotswap keyboard(adding switches and keycaps), I have boards that turned out to be poor decisions that I have either been purging or trying to modify so they sound better. I have projects I’ve been tweaking.

When I restarted 3d printing after being turned off by my lemon of an Ender, I got the A1 Mini on the theory most of what I’d printed before was less than 180mm square. But when I started with keyboard cases a few months later, I quickly needed something larger to be able to print entire cases. I still didn’t spring for a printer that could do anything larger than a 65…maybe a 75 if I stretch it, in a single piece.

I haven’t tried designing my own case or handwiring yet. Handwiring would be designing a case and wiring it without a circuit board, instead wiring the switches directly to a controller. Credit to the keyboard community for being very supportive of my questions and encouraging me to try new things.

However, despite the fact I’ve pivoted to try to pick more interesting pieces…like collecting southpaw keyboards(southpaw is where there is a number pad on the left side as opposed to the right), there are still a lot of opportunities for diversion. I always wanted to have a crafting hobby. i’ve done many project over the years, but this is probably the most craft-like of them.

MiniLa Keyboard Layout

The MiniLa, or the Minimal Layout, is a 60% layout designed to be as minimal as possible without sacrificing functionality. The left shift is 2U and the right shift is only 1U…1U being a standard key size. The spacebar is 3U, half the size of the standard spacebar, which allows for extra keys to right and left. This allows for full arrow keys, which usually don’t fit in a 60% profile. The left Control is 1.75U…the same size as the Caps Lock key. The default layout has a split backspace, making backspace also a 1U. You can find the original MiniLa keyboard here.

HHKB Keyboard Layout

The other unique layout in the 60% form factor is the HHKB layout, or the Happy Hacker Keyboard. Control replaces the seldom used Caps Lock key, putting it in a more convenient place, The layout also drops the Backspace/Delete key to where the Backslash is, which allows it to be used in touch typing more easily. There really is no practical reason for the backslash to be a 1.5U key. It also makes this primarily a Delete key, with Backspace as a layered functioned. Since the Control Key is missing, the bottom row is reduced down to the spacebar and 2 keys on each side, as opposed to three on a standard layout.  In place of a 2u backspace, the space is occupied by the backslash key and the Backtick/Tilde key, which is normally on the left as that space is where the Escape key is. You can find the original HHKB keyboard wired here, or wireless here.

Both of the above use a standard QWERTY layout, with only the modifier keys being shifted around. But as I previously mentioned, another alternative to the Caps Lock key placement is inherent in the Colemak layout, where it provides another backspace, reducing the need to stretch one’s finger to the backspace position.

In all of these layouts, extraneous keys are removed, replacing functionality with layers…key combinations that produce the key, reducing finger travel and allowing for closer placement of the mouse next to the keyboard. Over time, people have come up with even smaller layouts than the 60% variations. The 40%, which drops the number row, and is a 4×12 layout. The QAZ, which removes a column from the left side. 30% drops the keyboard down even further to 3×10. Most people won’t go below 60 though, and some think even that is too small.

Even though most people won’t use the smaller layouts, there is a dedicated group of people who use and love them. But, even with the traditional layouts, there are ways to optimize them to your usage. As I’ve said before, ask yourself…what keys don’t you use very often? Maybe you could have a smaller keyboard, which would take up less space. But some individuals do like the choice.

Two underappreciated modifications of the standard keyboard layout are the split backspace and the split spacebar. I previously discussed disused or less used keys on the keyboard and wondered why we still need them. Now I’m starting to consider doing something about it.

The split backspace takes the 2u(size of two single keys), and replaces it with two single keys…giving you an extra. This creates one of two choices for those using an ANSI keyboard(as the ISO has the giant Enter key). You can have a 1U(single key) backspace and an extra keyNow…having that key somewhere is important…but do you use it enough to give it such a big key?

You can take a lesson from the Happy Hacker Keyboard layout and you can move the backspace down one row to where the \ | key is, and move the \ | up to a single key on the top row. On that layout, by default, the key is a delete key, although some people switch to backspace. Backspace removes characters to the left of the cursor, delete to the right.

The right size backspace and delete keys aren’t available on all keycap sets…but are certainly options if you look.

The second popular split option is the split spacebar. Spacebars are traditionally 6.25U, though you can get 7U on some keyboards. That is a lot of potentially wasted real estate. As I type this on a traditional spacebar, I’m watching my tendency to use both my left and right thumbs to hit the spacebar…that is one reason why they are so long. So…what about the split? There are a few configuration options you can get if you hunt around. The most common is just a straight split that replaces the spacebar with two half size ones. The advantage of this involves layers…the ability to use left and right spacebar in different key combinations. The second, is either having a smaller spacebar(3U for example), to get more keys on right and left. Or…having a split spacebar with a single key in the middle. Sounds interesting to try in the future. More keys, even if duplicated, leaves more flexibility in future. Also, the large stabilizer to support a full size spacebar is often the loudest key on your keyboard…so there may be sound advantages.

Split shift is a common feature on 65% and smaller keyboards. This involves shrinking the right shift key to add a 1U key to its right. This is usually used as an up arrow or a layer(FN) key depending on the configuration. ISO keys split the left shift to put an extra key to its right, which is usually the  \ | key. There are advantages of even if you don’t use it the way the ISO layout does.

Choice is important. These less popular options aren’t always less popular because they aren’t good ideas…but because the software customization to take advantage of them didn’t override the traditional keyboard layout. With QMK/VIA and other ways of configuring keyboard behavior, having these options means more choice when you customize.

If you can only find the keycaps, that is…

To recap, I covered the major sizes…

• Full-size
• Tenkeyless(TKL) – A tenkeyless is the same size as a full-size keyboard, but omits the number pad.
• 75%  – condenses the function keys
• 65% – usually retains the arrow keys while condensing the other function keys.
• 60% – removes the function and navigation keys
• 40% – the smallest keyboard

But even within those, there are not necessarily consistencies. I have several 75% keyboards I’ve tried, and some have 3 function buttons, 5 function buttons 7 function buttons…So, there is no clear definition matching above.

So, let’s talk about the why for a moment? Maybe it is because you want to carry it around, but maybe you want a keyboard for your desk that is smaller. Maybe you have a laptop and you want to use a keyboard with that, as there are few options in laptop keyboards by comparison.

What tradeoffs will you make to get that smaller size? Do you need a numpad? If so…there is an alternative to the traditional full size..the 1800 layout(96%), which cuts function keys but retains the number pad? Are you left handed? Maybe you still want the number pad, but you want a southpaw keyboard, which moves it to the left side? Or get that separate number pad I mentioned.

A good example of the hotswappable 1800 keyboard with VIA programmable support is the Epomaker EK98. There was also the Q5, that Woot recently had on sale.

Let’s get below the TKL, because the form factor there is what you want if you want the full size keyboard but don’t need the number pad. But that still leaves the 6 function keys and the arrows taking up space. What if you dumped those? Do you actually use the arrow and navigation keys(Home/End,Page Down/Page Up)? I talked previously about what keys on a keyboard you might be able to dump.

Once you get down to this size, you also start to have to think about keyboard layers…what combination of keys you want to trigger the keys you jettisoned if you need them. And if you want to invest in a QMK/VIA programmable keyboard to do that over having to install drivers on a computer.

Below TKL, the actual layout seems to be fluid. It may say 75%, or 65%…but…they all look very different. At the 75% level, if you want budget, look at the Hexgear I2 75% hotswappable keyboard. This isn’t programmable, but it has an aluminum frame and PBT keycaps for only $20. It also has all six navigation keys as well as arrow keys. By comparison, what is Keychron doing with their VIA/QMK V2 75%? A home but no end key? Are there studies showing people want to jump to the top over the bottom? Of course, being VIA/QMK…you can change out the function keys to be whatever you want. Epomaker has a sale on their wireless TH80 at $45 right now. You get a knob…then Delete, Home, and Page Up/Page Down.

65% cuts out the function keys..which is fine, I don’t use those much anyway(although I could program them to something else. As mentioned, 65% for me is the best combination for travel. Not too small, not too big. Royal Kludge has a sale on the RK68 hot swap 65% right now, but it isn’t my favorite budget 65% right now. If you can give up programmability, the Shurikey Gear 65 is a great budget hotswap 65%. I also still have my K6 with its aluminum frame. Aluminum is great for home, but not necessarily for traveling due its weight. The Shurikey at $20-25 seems to be a good keyboard you can forget somewhere…and after I left a portable monitor at a hotel in Europe and had to figure out how to get it back…

At 60%, the Skyloong GK61 is my budget pick…QMK/VIA programmable, offers PBT keycaps, wireless capability…

I’ve even warmed to the 40% layout, compiling QMK firmware for an Inland MK47, the cheapest 40% I could find and swapping keycaps and switches…I took this one on a trip and you can get used to it pretty quickly. I do miss number keys at times though.

I continue to limit my searches to Amazon of late…but there are some good deals to be had. There are always better keyboards…do you want aluminum? Gasket mount? Filled with foam? There are all sorts of options to improve the experience of typing, but with a little customization, many budget keyboards can be perfect for needs. You can even, like me, have different keyboards for different use cases…travel, the office, home, to leave at a relative’s house…