# Preface

On my laptop, I perform all this mapping using keyd. Its easy to use, lightweight, and functional on both Wayland and X11. On my desktop, I use my keyboard's dedicated software.

# tab -> esc

You wouldn't believe how much easier it is to use Vim with esc on tab. Rather than needing to take my ring/middle finger off the homerow to press esc (which I do very often), I can just use my pinky. If you're going to take home one keybind I present, make it this one.

# capslock -> ctrl

ctrl is one of my most used keys, as such, it should be one of the easiest to press. Having it in the corner makes it uncomfortable to and straining on the pinky. Thankfully, capslock is mostly useless and is also taking up prime space on the homerow, so, I put ctrl there.

# alt -> super, super -> alt

Similarly to ctrl, super is one of my most used keys. I use it for window navigation, placement, resizing, opening, closing, and everything in between. But, because of my big ass hands, pressing super with my thumb can be uncomfortable. So, I just swapped alt and super. I rarely use alt but still sometimes need it, so, its a fine compromise.

# backspace -> , \ -> backspace

I somehow forgot about this (despite literally using it while writing the article) so I'm writing about it 3 days later. With backspace here, I can press it with my pinky finger while keeping it in its bent neutral position. All I have to do is rotate my wrist slightly, and now its in position to press. With the original placement, I need to either move my wrist up a bit or stretch my pinky an uncomfortable amount.

# ctrl -> tab

Since esc is on tab, I need to put tab somewhere else. Initially, I put it on esc, but that proved cumbersome because I also frequently use tab. After I came up with the idea of putting ctrl on capslock, I knew where I could put tab. Having it there is less convenient than where it was originally, but, putting esc there is far better for my fingers.

# esc -> capslock

I'm not sure why this isn't where capslock is on every keyboard. Its genuinely such a worthless key, I don't understand why it gets such a prominent position on the keyboard. Its far too easy to misactuate, and it doesn't do anything. Having it on esc means I'll never misactuate it and frees it up for a key of actual value.