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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

Other

keyd

Remap your Linux keyboard with layers and tap-or-hold keys.

Visit keyd4.5

  • Rating

    4.5 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Advanced

  • Works on

    Linux

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What is keyd?

keyd is a key remapping daemon for Linux. Its README says it works below the display server using evdev and uinput, so it applies in a virtual terminal as well as X11 and Wayland. It supports layers, key overloading for tap versus hold, one-shot modifiers and per-keyboard configuration.

Third-party open-source projects. We are not affiliated with their authors; repositories are provided as-is by their maintainers. Review each project's license, code and security before installing. See our Disclaimer.

Pros: what keyd does well

  • Turn one key into several with taps and holds
  • Works under both X11 and Wayland
  • Per-keyboard settings

Cons: where it falls short

  • Linux only
  • Configuration is done in text files

Who keyd is for

Linux users who want faster, more comfortable typing shortcuts.

Who can skip it

People on Windows or macOS.

keyd alternatives

Not sold on keyd? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Personal Productivity resources

Karabiner-Elements

Focus: keyboard remapping, hyper key and macos. Shares shortcuts and open source with keyd. Adds macOS. Rated 4.7 (keyd: 4.5).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.7Visit

Kando

Focus: pie menu and launcher. Shares shortcuts and open source with keyd. Adds Windows, macOS and Offline. Rated 4.6 (keyd: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.6Visit

Kanata

Focus: keyboard remapping and ergonomics. Shares shortcuts and open source with keyd. Adds macOS, Windows and Offline. Same 4.5 rating.

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit

AutoKey

Focus: text expansion and automation. Shares shortcuts and linux with keyd. Rated 4.4 (keyd: 4.5).

Automation ToolFreeLinux
4.4Visit

RaycastEditor's pick, verified

Focus: launcher. Shares shortcuts and keyboard with keyd. Freemium (keyd: Free). Adds macOS, Windows and iOS. Rated 4.9 (keyd: 4.5).

Desktop AppFree planmacOS, Windows
4.9Visit

Coolify

Focus: self-hosting, deployment and hosting. Shares open source and github with keyd. Adds Web. Rated 4.7 (keyd: 4.5).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.7Visit

Free alternatives to keyd

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

iTerm2

Focus: terminal, mac and command line. Shares open source and github with keyd. Adds macOS. Rated 4.7 (keyd: 4.5).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.7Visit

fish shell

Focus: terminal, shell and command line. Shares open source and github with keyd. Adds macOS. Rated 4.6 (keyd: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.6Visit

Hammerspoon

Focus: mac automation, window management and lua scripting. Shares open source and github with keyd. Adds macOS and Offline. Rated 4.6 (keyd: 4.5).

Mac AppFreemacOS, Offline
4.6Visit

Nushell

Focus: shell, command line and data pipelines. Shares open source and github with keyd. Adds macOS, Windows and Offline. Rated 4.6 (keyd: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit

Task

Focus: task runner, automation and build tool. Shares open source and github with keyd. Adds macOS and Windows. Rated 4.6 (keyd: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit
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