https://github.com/vknabel/custom-keyboards
Keymaps and build summaries for my custom keyboards
https://github.com/vknabel/custom-keyboards
keyboard-layout qmk-config zmk-config
Last synced: 4 months ago
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Keymaps and build summaries for my custom keyboards
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/vknabel/custom-keyboards
- Owner: vknabel
- Created: 2024-11-07T17:15:37.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-05T12:21:49.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-05T13:27:50.399Z (over 1 year ago)
- Topics: keyboard-layout, qmk-config, zmk-config
- Homepage:
- Size: 4.14 MB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# Custom Keyboards
I try to keep my dotfiles for several tools open source as it comes handy if somebody asks for them.
In practice they use highly custom keybindings which often do not make sense for everybody.
This repository fits in this gap and introduces a reason why: custom keyboard layouts.
My keybindings and keyboard layouts are meant to be used in conjunction but still try be useful with my default laptop keyboard, because once in a while you don't have an external keyboard nearby.
In general I use macOS and Linux, tiling window managers (Hyprland on Linux, AeroSpace on macOS), Helix (a terminal editor) and Kitty as terminal emulator.
As far as possible I try to avoid collisions between keybindings and assign different modifiers to different purposes:
- `ctrl` is free for all applications
- `ctrl+super` is used for Kitty and the tiling window manager
> [!note]
> I try to keep my current layout in sync for all keyboards once I use them. Therefore they might diverge for a few weeks.
## General thoughts on my layout
I try to keep my layout close to US qwerty for all symbols as I recently made the switch from German qwertz. Most used modifiers are promoted to the thumb clusters.
Although I occasionally use the number row for actual numbers opposed to their special characters, I very much prefer the numpad on the left split. Some keys up there force me to leave the homerow. Also note that I do not use function keys with some exceptions every few months.
Layer toggles are currently always positioned at the thumbs.
## Overview
| **Keyboard** | Firmware | Keys |
| --------------------------- | ---------- | ---- |
| [Kyria rev3](#Kyria) | ZMK | 50 |
| [Corne](#Corne) | ZMK | 42 |
| [ZSA Voyager](#ZSA-Voyager) | QMK (Oryx) | 52 |
| [Lily58 Pro](#Lily58-Pro) | QMK | 58 |
## Kyria
| **Board** | Aurora Kyria rev3 |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Firmware** | ZMK |
| **Controller** | nice!nano |
| **Display** | nice!view |
| **Keys** | 50 |
| **Switches** | Kailh Choc Ambients Silent Twilight (linear, 35gf) |
| **Keycaps** | MBK Legend 40s grey |
| **Keymap** | [config/kyria_rev3.keymap](./config/kyria_rev3.keymap) |
The Kyria is my first wireless ZMK build. The goal was to get a silent and portable keyboard.
It has an aggressive pinky-stagger, a large thumb cluster, but no number row.
The base layer of my Kyria is pretty standard. Don't get too much distracted by the large amount of thumb keys - some are redundant and less important. I mostly use the lower 6 thumb keys which provide access to backspace, space, tab, enter, shift and access to the _lower_ and _raise_ layers.
Also note that there are multiple instances of `super+ctrl` to control Kitty and Hyprland or AeroSpace.
Next up is the **lower** layer: it mostly focuses on movement. The left side provides direct access to focusing the next monitor or specifc workspaces (one to four and special). On hold these actions move the window to the workspace or the workspace to the next monitor. Above there are keybindings to move windows and to resize them on hold.
The right side promotes vim motions, page movements and for no specific reason German umlauts. The right thumbs also got an adjustment and now open new Kitty windows and tabs.
The **raise** layer finally allows you to access numbers on the left side and all sorts of brackets on the right side. The top row resembles shifted numbers.
The last layer is the **adjust** layer and can be accessed by holding the escape key from the base layer. The left side is about Bluetooth connections. Selecting some profiles will also toggle some macOS compatability layers (swapping `super` with `ctrl` and fixing umlauts). This mode can also be toggled below.
The right side gives system access to music, volume and brightness.
Kyria Keymap
## Corne
| **Board** | Aurora Corne |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Firmware** | ZMK |
| **Controller** | nice!nano |
| **Display** | nice!view |
| **Keys** | 42 |
| **Switches** | Gazzew Bobagum Silent Clear (linear, 55gf) |
| **Keycaps** | Resin [CLP Keycaps](https://github.com/vvhg1/clp-keycaps/tree/main) |
| **Keymap** | [config/corne.keymap](./config/splitkb_aurora_corne.keymap) |
The Corne keyboard is my latest addition after I found my Kyria just has too many keys espacially in the thumb cluster. Even after months I still have no actual use for all those keys.
As I only use my Kyria or Voyager tented, the low profile of the keyboard is less an issue. Therefore I decided to give MX switches a chance here.
At the time of writing I haven't yet decided on the keycaps or bigger adjustments of the keymap. It's more or less Kyria's layout with introduced homerows.
Corne Keymap
## ZSA Voyager
| **Board** | ZSA Voyager |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Firmware** | QMK with Oryx from ZSA |
| **Keys** | 52 |
| **Switches** | Kailh Choc Sunset (tactile, 40gf) |
| **Keycaps** | International Voyager Keycaps |
| **Keymap** | on [ZSA Oryx](https://configure.zsa.io/voyager/layouts/YV79Q/latest/0) |
> **Note:** as this is outside of this git repository it might be less stable and changed more frequently. Some changes might be revoked, too.
The base layer is pretty standard with prominent locations for space, tab and shift on the left side. The right thumb cluster includes enter, backspace and alt.
The Number and Symbols layer spreads the keypad on the left side in two rows. The right side includes all sorts of brackets and German umlauts.
The Board setting and Movement layer starts with LED settings on the left side and places cursor movements on top of `hjkl` to reflect vim motions. Below are `Home`, `Page Down` etc and on top are mouse movements. All in the same ordern.
## Lily58 Pro
| **Board** | Lily58 Pro |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Firmware** | QMK |
| **Controller** | PPro Micro ATmega32u4 |
| **Keys** | 58 |
| **Switches** | Kailh Choc Brown (tactile, 50gf) |
| **Keycaps** | Choc PBT/PC Keycaps white |
| **Keymap** | [lily58/lily58-keymap.json](./config/lily58-keymap.json) |
The first split keyboard that I soldered myself. Initially I thought the sheer amount of 58 keys would help me migrate from a full keyboard and make me feel comfortable sooner, but in the end I didn't need that many keys, especially as all the extra keys compared to my Voyager and Kyria are hard to reach for me. I just can't find any comfortable way to reach them, leaving 3 total keys untouched for every split - effectively using just 52 keys where one important one is uncomfortable to reach.
> [!warning]
> This layout might be outdated as I prefer to use the other keyboards. Due to ergonomics and preference I only use the Voyager subset of all keys.
The base layer is pretty standard with prominent locations for space, tab and shift on the left side. The right thumb cluster includes enter, backspace and alt.
The Number and Symbols layer spreads the keypad on the left side in two rows. The right side includes all sorts of brackets and German umlauts.
The Board setting and Movement layer starts with LED settings on the left side and places cursor movements on top of `hjkl` to reflect vim motions. Below are `Home`, `Page Down` etc and on top are mouse movements. All in the same ordern.
