Alts, Rolls, and Redirects

The standard method for analyzing the rhythm of a given layout is by analyzing the hand usage patterns in trigrams.

Alternation

A trigram counts as an alternation if it matches the hand pattern LRL or RLR.

The alternation ratio ALT% is defined as:

$\text{ALT}\% = \frac{\text{\# of alternation trigrams}}{\text{\# of trigrams}}$

Highest ALT% Layouts

Rank	Layout	ALT%
1	Nordrassil Abyssal (2024)	45.56%
2	Nordrassil Vanilla (2024)	43.49%
3	Hands Down™ Neu Precious Metals Gold (2022)	43.16%
4	Hands Down™ Neu ANSI (2022)	42.54%
5	Hands Down™ Alt ANSI (2021)	41.77%
6	Hands Down™ Neu Hardened Metals Titanium (2022)	41.70%
7	Hands Down™ Neu Hardened Metals Vibranium p (2022)	41.70%
8	Dvorak Simplified (1982)	41.68%
9	Dvorak Classic (1936)	41.68%
10	Balance Twelve (2014)	41.61%

Roll (2-Roll)

A trigram counts as a roll if it matches the hand pattern LLR, LRR, RRL, or RLL, excluding trigrams involving thumbs or containing SFBs.

The roll ratio ROL% is defined as:

$\text{ROL}\% = \frac{\text{\# of roll trigrams}}{\text{\# of trigrams}}$

Rolls are mutually exclusive with redirects and 3-rolls.

Highest ROL% Layouts

Rank	Layout	ROL%
1	Canary Angle Mod (2022)	26.83%
2	Canary Standard (2022)	26.83%
3	Sturdy (2021)	26.71%
4	Pine v2.5 (2021)	26.59%
5	ISRT Standard (2021)	26.21%
6	ISRT Angle Mod (2021)	26.21%
7	Arensito (2001)	26.20%
8	RSTHD ANSI (2022)	25.98%
9	Recurva (2023)	25.68%
10	APT v1 (2021)	25.67%

Roll Direction

Rolls can be further classified by direction:

In-Roll

An in-roll is a roll where the same-hand bigram moves toward the center columns (index finger direction).

Left hand: pinky → ring → middle → index
Right hand: index → middle → ring → pinky

Out-Roll

An out-roll is a roll where the same-hand bigram moves toward the outer edges (pinky direction).

Left hand: index → middle → ring → pinky
Right hand: pinky → ring → middle → index

3-Roll

A 3-roll, or one-hand, is a same-hand trigram where all three keys are pressed by the same hand without containing SFBs or direction changes, excluding trigrams involving thumbs.

The 3-roll/one-hand ratio 3RO% is defined as:

$\text{3RO}\% = \frac{\text{\# of 3-roll trigrams}}{\text{\# of trigrams}}$

3-rolls are mutually exclusive with rolls and redirects.

Highest 3RO% Layouts

Rank	Layout	3RO%
1	seht-drai Traditional Rowstag (2022)	4.64%
2	seht-drai Ortho (2022)	4.64%
3	seht-drai Angle Mod (2022)	4.63%
4	Capewell 0.9.2 (2005)	3.31%
5	Capewell 0.9.1 (2005)	3.31%
6	PLUM (2003)	2.67%
7	Capewell “Close Keys” 0.9.3 (2005)	2.58%
8	Arensito (2001)	2.16%
9	Maltron (1977)	1.63%
10	Workman (2010)	1.59%

3-Roll Direction

Like 2-rolls, 3-rolls can be classified by direction:

In-3-Roll

An in-3-roll is a 3-roll where all movement is toward the center columns (index finger direction).

Out-3-Roll

An out-3-roll is a 3-roll where all movement is toward the outer edges (pinky direction).

Thumb Roll

A thumb roll is a roll (pattern LLR, LRR, RRL, or RLL) that involves at least one thumb press, excluding trigrams containing SFBs.

Thumb rolls are tracked separately from main roll statistics due to the thumbs’ significantly greater muscle independence compared to the other eight fingers.

Thumb 3-Roll

A thumb 3-roll is a same-hand trigram involving at least one thumb press, without containing SFBs or direction changes.

Thumb 3-rolls can also be classified by direction (in-thumb-3-roll or out-thumb-3-roll) using the same directional principles as regular 3-rolls.

Redirect

A redirect trigram is a same-hand trigram that changes direction and does not involve the thumb.

Redirects are mutually exclusive with rolls and 3-rolls.

The redirect ratio Red% is defined as:

$\text{Red}\% = \frac{\text{\# of redirect trigrams}}{\text{\# of trigrams}}$

Lowest Red% Layouts

Rank	Layout	Red%
1	Nordrassil Abyssal (2024)	0.74%
2	Hands Down™ Neu Dash (2022)	0.79%
3	Hands Down™ Neu Precious Metals Silver (2022)	1.01%
4	Hands Down™ Neu Hardened Metals Vibranium b (2022)	1.04%
5	CTGAP 3.0 (2021)	1.04%
6	Hands Down™ Neu Precious Metals Gold (2022)	1.04%
7	Hands Down™ Neu Precious Metals Platinum (2022)	1.09%
8	Nordrassil Vanilla (2024)	1.09%
9	Hands Down™ Neu Hardened Metals Titanium (2022)	1.16%
10	Hands Down™ Neu Precious Metals Bronze (2022)	1.19%

Weak Redirect

A weak redirect trigram is a same-hand trigram that changes direction and does not involve the index finger or thumb.

The weak redirect ratio WRed% is defined as:

$\text{WRed}\% = \frac{\text{\# of weak redirect trigrams}}{\text{\# of trigrams}}$

Weak redirects are a subset of redirects.

Lowest WRed% Layouts

Rank	Layout	WRed%
1	Night (2024)	0.06%
2	Hands Down™ Alt ex (2021)	0.06%
3	XPeRT Express (2002)	0.07%
4	Hands Down™ Neu Dash (2022)	0.07%
5	Hands Down™ Alt tx (2021)	0.07%
6	Hands Down™ Reference (2020)	0.08%
7	Magic Sturdy (2023)	0.09%
8	Focal (2024)	0.10%
9	Canary Angle Mod (2022)	0.10%
10	Canary Standard (2022)	0.10%

Thumb Redirect

A thumb redirect trigram is a same-hand trigram involving at least one thumb press that changes direction.

Thumb redirects are tracked separately from main redirect statistics due to the thumbs’ significantly greater muscle independence compared to the other eight fingers.

The thumb redirect ratio TRed% is defined as:

$\text{TRed}\% = \frac{\text{\# of thumb redirect trigrams}}{\text{\# of trigrams}}$

Lowest TRed% Layouts

Rank	Layout	TRed%
1	Pine v4 (2021)	4.24%
2	QWERF QWERF 2007 (2007)	4.35%
3	Dvorak Classic (1936)	4.38%
4	Dvorak Simplified (1982)	4.40%
5	QWERF Original (2005)	4.43%
6	Poqtea Original (2021)	4.44%
7	Poqtea QWERTY Punctuation (2021)	4.44%
8	Hands Down™ Alt ANSI (2021)	4.49%
9	QWERF QWERF 2006 (2006)	4.50%
10	QWERTY (1874)	4.50%

Sources

“Inward rotation layouts,” Keyboard Layouts Doc (3rd edition)

“High roll-mid redirect layouts,” Keyboard Layouts Doc (3rd edition)

“3rolls,” Keyboard Layouts Doc (3rd edition)

“High alternation layouts,” Keyboard Layouts Doc (3rd edition)