OverKeys

An open-source keyboard layout visualizer for Windows

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Table of Contents

1. About The Project
2. Features
3. Getting Started
4. Documentation
5. Contributing
6. Building from Source
7. License
8. Contact
9. Acknowledgments

About The Project

OverKeysDemoLayers.mp4

OverKeys is a free and open-source keyboard layout visualizer designed for users to practice alternative keyboard layouts, such as Colemak, Dvorak, Graphite, Focal, and many more. Learn and practice your layouts system-wide, personalize keyboard appearance, and improve your typing.

This project was initially developed to help with the creator's system-wide practice of the Canary layout, but has since evolved to support user-defined layouts, layer switching integration, and customization options.

Samples

OverKeys Default
Aurora (On Dark Background)	Aurora (On Light Background)
Custom (On Dark Background)	Custom (On Light Background)
Catppuccin	Red Samurai
Split Matrix Style	Matrix Style

_{Note: The themes are not provided by default and were instead manually configured. Colors were based on the MonkeyType themes of the same name.}

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Features

• Multi-layout support: The following layouts are currently natively supported.
  Layouts

  • QWERTY
  • Colemak
  • Dvorak
  • Canaria
  • Canary
  • Canary Matrix
  • Colemak DH
  • Colemak DH Matrix
  • Engram
  • Focal
  • Gallium (Col-Stag)
  • Gallium V2 (Row-Stag)
  • Graphite
  • Halmak
  • Hands Down
  • NERPS
  • Norman
  • Sturdy
  • Sturdy Angle (Staggered)
  • Workman
  • Greek
  • Arabic
  • Russian
• Customizable styles: Change colors, fonts, sizes, offsets, and key styles
• Auto-hide: The keyboard hides automatically when not in use
• Keymap styles: Supports staggered, matrix, and split matrix (5-col and 6-col) styles
• User configurations: Add and use custom keyboard layouts through configuration files
• Side-by-side layouts: Display alternative layouts alongside the default layout
• Top row/Number row: Optional row above the main keyboard for numbers or user-configured keys
• Layer switching: Switch between multiple custom keyboard layers for QMK, ZMK, or other programmable keyboard firmware using configurable triggers and toggle modes
• Layer switching (Kanata): Connect to Kanata through TCP to dynamically display the active layer
• Ignored Keys: Prevent specific keys from triggering the keyboard overlay (e.g., Print Screen, layer triggers)
• Learning Mode: Color-code keys based on proper finger positions for touch typing
• Reactive Shift Mapping: Display alternate key symbols when Shift key is pressed
• Locales: Add locale-specific keys in user configuration for key press recognition

For complete feature details, see the documentation.

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Getting Started

Installation

OverKeys can be installed through several methods:

1. Using Winget (Recommended)

   winget install AngeloConvento.OverKeys

   _{Note: Please check if winget version is updated to the latest version as in the repo. Otherwise, use the installer to have the latest version.}

2. Using the Installer

   • Download and run the latest EXE installer.

3. Portable Version

   • Download and extract the portable ZIP file

For detailed installation instructions, see the Installation Guide.

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Documentation

Complete documentation for OverKeys is available in the docs folder:

Getting Started (Docs)

• Installation Guide
• Basic Usage

User Guide

• Preferences
• Learning Mode
• Built-in Layouts

Advanced Features

• Custom Font
• Custom Layouts
• Alternative Layouts
• 6-Column Layouts
• Layer Switching
• Kanata Integration
• Shift Mappings
• Supported Keys
• Locales

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Contributing

Contributions are what make the open-source community such an amazing place to learn and collaborate. Any contributions to OverKeys are greatly appreciated. If you have suggestions for improvements, bug fixes, or new features, please feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request. For detailed contribution guidelines, see the CONTRIBUTING.md file.

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License

Distributed under the GPL-3.0 License. See LICENSE file for more information.

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Contact

Angelo Convento

GitHub: conventoangelo
Email: convento.angelo@gmail.com

Project Link: https://github.com/conventoangelo/OverKeys

Supporting

If you'd like to support the development of OverKeys, I accept contributions through Ko-fi and BuyMeACoffee. Thank you — your support helps fund development and living costs.

  

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Acknowledgments

• win32 - Enable direct Win32 API access from Dart using FFI without requiring C code
• leanflutter.dev - Provider of several essential Flutter desktop packages used in this project
• desktop_multi_window - Flutter plugin for creating and managing multiple windows in desktop applications
• flex_color_picker - Highly customizable and versatile color picker for Flutter applications
• Alaine - for creating the beautiful OverKeys logo with love and care.

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