Question 1

What’s a custom keyboard?

Accepted Answer

A custom keyboard is one you put together from parts. That usually means a PCB, switches, keycaps, a case and open-source firmware.

You can choose the size, layout and feel instead of taking whatever comes in a normal keyboard. Mine tend to be small, split and built around the way I type.

Question 2

What is keyboard firmware?

Accepted Answer

Firmware is the software running on the keyboard. It decides what every key does and how layers, key combinations and other features behave.

I use QMK on most wired boards. It supports layers, tap and hold keys, combos, macros, displays and just about anything else I have wanted to configure.

I use ZMK for wireless boards. It works well with controllers such as the nice!nano and is designed to use very little battery.

Question 3

Why change from QWERTY?

Accepted Answer

You do not have to stop using QWERTY to build a custom keyboard. I changed because I wanted less finger movement, not because the keyboard required it.

I use Colemak DH. It keeps more common letters close to the home row and feels comfortable to me on a split keyboard.

Small boards use layers for the keys that do not fit. I also put modifiers on the home row and use the thumb keys for Space, Enter and layer switching.

Question 4

Why use a split keyboard?

Accepted Answer

With a split keyboard I can put each half where my hands naturally rest. My wrists stay straighter and I do not have to pull my shoulders inward.

Some boards can also be tilted inward. The thumb clusters give useful jobs to the thumbs instead of making the little fingers do most of the work.

There are wired and wireless split boards, with both low-profile and normal MX switches. I use several versions depending on where I am working.

Question 5

How long does a new layout take to learn?

Accepted Answer

Changing layouts made me very slow for a while. There is no clever shortcut around practising it.

It took me about a month to learn to touch type properly on QWERTY, and another three months to reach an acceptable 70 words per minute on Colemak DH.

Accuracy mattered more than speed while I was learning. Short daily sessions worked better for me than trying to force it for hours at a time.

Home-row modifiers and layers also take time to learn. I changed the timing settings a few times until they stopped getting in the way.

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