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wtf is keyboard?

hfo4/keyboard — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2019-04-05

★ 1LuaAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantSetup · moderate

TL;DR

A macOS keyboard customization setup that adds home-row shortcuts and custom 'modes' so you can move windows, navigate, and format text without touching the mouse.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Remaps Mac keyboard
      Adds custom key modes
      Keeps hands on home row
    Tech stack
      Lua
      Karabiner-Elements
      Hammerspoon
      macOS
    Use cases
      Snap windows with keys
      Navigate cursor without mouse
      Format text in Markdown mode
      Launch favorite apps fast
    Audience
      Developers
      Writers
    Setup
      Install Karabiner-Elements
      Grant accessibility permissions
      Config files, no app

Code map

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Snap application windows to half the screen using a keyboard shortcut instead of the mouse.

REASON 2

Navigate the cursor with H, J, K, L style keys without leaving the home row.

REASON 3

Wrap selected text in Markdown formatting like asterisks or backticks with a quick key combo.

REASON 4

Customize the config to launch your own frequently used apps from a keyboard mode.

What's in the stack?

LuaKarabiner-ElementsHammerspoonmacOS

How it stacks up

hfo4/keyboarddrakeee/altv-lua-examplesalerque/silex.sile
Stars11—
LanguageLuaLuaLua
Last pushed2019-04-052020-08-202025-04-17
MaintenanceDormantDormantStale
Setup difficultymoderatemoderatemoderate
Complexity3/52/53/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

macOS-only, requires installing Karabiner-Elements and granting accessibility permissions.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
Help me set up Karabiner-Elements and Hammerspoon to use this keyboard mode config on my Mac.
Prompt 2
Show me how to add a new custom mode to this Hammerspoon Lua configuration.
Prompt 3
Explain how Super Duper Mode remaps H, J, K, L to arrow keys in this setup.
Prompt 4
Help me customize this config to launch my own favorite apps with a key combo.
Prompt 5
Walk me through granting the accessibility permissions this project needs on macOS.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is keyboard?

A macOS keyboard customization setup that adds home-row shortcuts and custom 'modes' so you can move windows, navigate, and format text without touching the mouse.

What language is keyboard written in?

Mainly Lua. The stack also includes Lua, Karabiner-Elements, Hammerspoon.

Is keyboard actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2019-04-05).

How hard is keyboard to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is keyboard for?

Mainly developer.

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