Links and Resources: Key Terminology

1800: A physical layout that includes most of the keys in a 100% layout (typically 96 keys instead of 101-106) but is more compact. This layout often removes blockers between the alphanumeric keys and the arrow cluster, navigation cluster, and numpad, and occasionally omits the F row. It also occasionally places the numpad, arrow cluster, and/or navigation cluster on the left-hand side (“southpaw” or “SP”).
ABS: A plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) commonly used to make keycaps. ABS keycaps can be doubleshot or pad-printed, and they have a smooth, sometimes glossy texture and high-pitched, “clacky” sound signature. ABS allows for more vibrant color reproduction, and doubleshot keycaps are typically ABS.
Alphanumeric keys (abbrev. “Alphas”): The letter and number keys in a keyset/layout.
ANSI: Short for “ANSI INCITS 154-1988 (R1999),” which is the United States standard physical keyboard layout. It contains 105 keys.
BoB: Black on black. Typically used in reference to keycaps.
BoW: Black on white. Typically used in reference to keycaps.
Cherry: Refers to a medium-height cylindrical keycap profile produced by German company Cherry AG. GMK uses the original Cherry tooling for its CYL profile, so when people refer to “Cherry,” they’re often referring to CYL. Sometimes “Cherry” is used to refer to medium-height cylindrical profiles in general.
Contacts: The metal pieces inside of a keyboard switch that complete the circuit when the keycap is pressed.
CYL: Refers to GMK’s medium-height cylindrical keycap profile based on the tooling made by German company Cherry AG. When people refer to “Cherry,” they’re often referring to CYL.
EC: Short for “electrocapacitive.” A type of switch that uses electrical capacitance, rather than metal contacts or optical triggers, to register keypresses. EC switches require EC-compatible PCBs and are not compatible with MX-compatible PCBs. Most commonly seen in Topre-style boards.
F Row: A line of keys located above the alphas/mods in 75% or larger keyboards. It typically contains the F1–F12, Esc, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause keys.
FR4: A fiberglass-reinforced epoxy laminate used for plates and PCBs. It consists of woven fiberglass cloth that is embedded in an epoxy resin binder. FR4 plates typically have moderate flex, and dampened, deep sound.
Full-size: A keyboard that includes alphanumeric keys, modifiers, F-row keys, navigation cluster, and a numeric pad (“numpad”).
Gasket mount: A type of mounting system where the PCB and plate is suspended within the case using soft, compressible material–usually poron or silicone–instead of being screwed directly into the case. This leads to greater flex, dampened sound, and a more cushioned typing feel.
Group buy: Pre-order system in which multiple people pool funds to buy a product in advance. Products bought as part of a group buy are sold at a discounted group buy rates as compared to in-stock products, but they will not reach the customer for several months (or years) after the group buy ends. Typically, the designer will run an interest check (“IC”) in which it gathers feedback on the product (color, layout, etc.), then the group buy will run for 1-4 weeks. After the group buy ends, the manufacturer is paid and product manufacture begins. Manufacture typically takes 6-12 months, then the finished product ships to customers.
HHKB: Short for “Happy Hacking Keyboard.” A keyboard layout developed by PFU Limites that uses only 60 keys. Typically places the Control key where the typical ANSI layout places the Caps Lock; places the Delete key right above the Enter key; replaces the 2u Backspace key in the top-right corner with a 1u slash/backslash key and a 1u tilde/back quote key; and uses Fn + Delete to type backspace.
Housings: The two most visually predominant parts of keyboard switches. Each switch has a bottom housing and a top housing, and the top and bottom housings fit together and contain the switch’s other parts (stem, spring, contacts).
Interest check (“IC”): The first step of a groupbuy, during which the designer gathers feedback on the product.
ISO: Short for “ISO/IEC 9995,” which is a physical keyboard layout commonly used in Europe. It contains 105 keys.
JIS: Short for “JIS X 6002,” which is a physical keyboard layout commonly used in Japan. It contains 109 keys.
Keycap: The plastic part of the key that you press. It connects to the stem of the switch. See Links and Resources: Keycaps.
Keymap: The custom mapping of physical keys to functions, typically achieved with software like VIA or QMK. Keymaps are most commonly saved as .JSON files.
Logical Layout: Standardized mapping of keys to characters or functions (i.e. what happens when you press a key), regardless of where that key is physically located. Examples are ANSI, ISO, and JIS. Compare with “Keymap” and “Physical Layout.”
Macro keys: Customizable keys on a keyboard that perform a sequence of actions or commands with a single keystroke (a “macro”). Commonly used in contexts where complex or multi-key combinations are common (e.g. design, gaming). “Macro” can refer to the sequence of actions or commands that the key triggers or to the key itself.
Modifiers (abbrev. “Mods”): Keycaps that surround the alphanumeric keys, including Shift (x2), Ctrl (x2), Alt (x2), Windows (x1), Menu (x1), abd Caps Lock.
Navigation Cluster (abbrev. “Nav Cluster”): A cluster of keys that typically appears between the alphas/mods and the numpad in full-size keyboards. It usually contains Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down buttons.
MX: A mechanical switch design that was introduced by Cherry Corporation in the 1980s. “MX” refers to the cross-shaped stem (“mechanical crosspoint”). The most commonly used switch design (compare with “EC”). See “Switch.”
Novelties: Keycaps of varying size that typically have pictures or symbols on them rather than letters, numbers, or punctuation. The novelties usually add to and/or emphasize the keyset’s theme(s).
Numeric keypad (abbrev. “Numpad“): The cluster of keys on full-size or 1800 boards that contain the 0–9, ., Enter, +, -, *, /, and Num Lock keys. It can be part of a larger board or standalone, and it can appear on the right (default) or left (southpaw) side of the board.
O-ring mount: A keyboard mounting system in which the PCB and plate rest on or are sandwiched between a rubber o-ring. The o-ring isolates the PCB/plate from the case (like a shock absorber) and holds it in place using tension instead of screws, leading to a softer, quieter typing experience.
Ortholinear (abbrev. “Ortho”): Atype of keyboard where the keys are arranged in a grid pattern rather than the staggered layout found on traditional keyboards.
PBT: A plastic (polybutylene terephthalate) commonly used for keycaps. PBT keycaps can be dye-sub or– less commonly–doubleshot, and they have a matte, slightly textured finish and low-pitched, softer sound profile. PBT tends to be longer lasting than ABS, but its color vibrancy tends to be lower, and doubleshot PBT keys are less common than ABS doubleshot keys.
PCB: Printed circuit board that is the “brain” of the keyboard. It houses the circuitry, switch sockets, and controller components that register keystrokes and send signals to the computer. PCBs can be hotswap or solder-only, some allow for RGB lighting, and some have flex cuts for added flexibility.
Physical layout: The physical arrangement and size of keys on a keyboard, regardless of what the keys are labeled or programmed to do. Compare with “Keymap” and “Logical Layout.”
Plate: A flat piece of metal, carbon fiber, or plastic that sits between the switches and the PCB. Plates help stabilize and secure the switches, and they affect the board’s sound and typing feel. Generally, plates made of steel or brass are the most rigid, leading to a more rigid feel. Plates made of carbon fiber, aluminum, and FR4 are less rigid than those made of steel and brass, and plates made of plastic (e.g. PP or POM) are the least rigid. Some builds do not use plates (“plateless” builds).
Plateless: A mounting style in which the PCB is mounted directly without a plate. This provides a flexible typing feel and unique acoustics. Plateless builds typically require soldering switches to the PCB.
POK: A plastic (polyketone) that is being utilized more frequently for switch housings. It is smoother than any other switch material besides LY and more shock resistant than nylon and POM.
POM: A plastic (polyoxymethylene) commonly used for plates and switch components. POM plates offer a soft, bouncy typing feel and a deep, muted, and marbly sound profile. Switches using POM have a deeper sound signature that is more muted than nylon or polycarbonate.
Profile: The shape, height, and angle of keycaps. Although there are many different profiles on the market, they fall into two categories: uniform (in which all keys are the same height regardless of which row they’re on) and sculpted (in which the keys’ shape and height vary depending on the row).
QMK: Online tool for customizing, testing, and designing keymaps.
Sculpted profile: Used to describe keycap profiles in which the keys’ shape and height vary depend on which row they’re on (e.g. Cherry, SA, KAT, OEM).
Shine: Used to describe the visible loss of texture on a keycap due to use
Southpaw (abbrev. “SP”): A physical layout with the numpad, navigation cluster, and/or arrow cluster on the board’s left side.
Springs: The internal part of a keyboard switch that determines how “heavy” (hard-to-push) or “light” (easy-to-push) the switch is.
Stabilizers (abbrev. “Stab”): Components that keep larger keys (>2u, including spacebars, Enter, full-size Backspace, and Shift) balanced and steady when you press them.
Stem: The part of the keyboard switch that attaches to the keycap. It is visible externally, but it is the less visually predominant part of the switch (the most predominant being the housings).
Switch: The component underneath each keycap that registers each keypress, provides resistance, and returns the keycap to its starting position after being pressed. They connect the keycap to the PCB (and plate, if you have one), control how the keycap feels when pressed. The most common switch design is MX (when we use “switch” on this website, we are usually referring to MX switches) but others, including EC, exist. MX switches generally fall into three categories– linear, tactile, and clicky– and have five parts — top housing, bottom housing, stem, spring, and contacts.
Top Mount: A mounting style in which the plate is screwed to the top of the case. Provides a firm typing feel.
Tray Mount: A mounting style in which the PCB is screwed into the bottom tray. Provides a stiff, sometimes uneven, typing feel.
Uniform Profile: Used to describe keycap profiles in which all the keys are the same height and shape regardless of which row they’re on (e.g. DSA, KAM, PBS, XDA).
Unit (abbrev. “u”): “Unit” is used to describe the width of keycaps. 1 unit (“1u”) is the standard width of a typical letter or number key,
VIA: Online tool for customizing, testing, and designing keymaps.
WoB: White on black. Typically used for keycaps.

Links and Resources: Key Terminology

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I’m Snacks

Links and Resources: Key Terminology

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