Quick Facts
- Author
- Shai Coleman
- Year
- 2006
- Finger Map
- Traditional
Colemak
~`
!1
@2
#3
$4
%5
^6
&7
*8
(9
)0
_-
+=
Q
W
F
P
G
J
L
U
Y
:;
{[
}]
|\
A
R
S
T
D
H
N
E
I
O
"'
Z
X
C
V
B
K
M
<,
>.
?/
Colemak is the third most popular English language keyboard layout. It has a large user community (by alt keyboard layout standards) and extensive learning resources.
Colemak questioned Dvorak’s preference for hand alternation, preferring rolls instead. It also made concessions to QWERTY to improve ease of transition and compatibility with existing software:
- As in Capewell-Dvorak and CarpalX, the letters
ZXCVare unchanged from their QWERTY positions, and - Unlike Dvorak, punctuation largely stays put—except for
;, which in its QWERTY position wastes a home key space.
Colemak is the most recent English alt keyboard layout to be included by default on all major operating systems.