---
title: Keyboard-Layouts
---

# My Keyboard-Layout

Since around 2006 i basically write only using the
[NEO2](https://neo-layout.org)-Layout. There are many advantages that are not obvious to
an onlooker right away.

Don't get me wrong. I still can type QWERTZ - just because you learn an
additional layout does not mean that you forget everything from before.

The secret sauce lies in the deeper layers. Especially layer 3 having all the
"hard to reach" things like brackets, braces, etc. right on the home row.
And the 4th layer is *magic* for text-navigation. Left hand has the full
navigation, right hand has the complete Numpad - even on laptop-keyboards that
are lacking those.

For me as a person having the usual German Keyboard with AltGr this just means:

- Putting the thumb down on AltGr - it is above there anyway.
- Use left hand as normal arrow-keys (that work EVERYWHERE because they are just
  arrow keys)
- Also use Home/End/PgUp/PgDown/...

Before i always had to switch over or hope that a thing had support for
vi-style "hjkl".

Thats why i also prefer [[Opinions/Editors|Neovim]] as my primary editor - just not having to
touch your mouse at any time for anything is such a godsend :smile:

Best thing: If you don't want to switch, there is also a "Neo-QWERTZ"-variant ..
where you can just try the deeper layers while not leaving your QWERTZ-layout
behind. But i have just seen and never tried it. Your experience may be sub-par.