Keyboard Layout Customization - Revision history

Fenhl: added keyd section

2026-05-22T22:53:23Z

added keyd section

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:53, 22 May 2026
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	services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";		services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

			== Using keyd ==

			[[keyd]] is another option to customize keyboard behavior, and may be useful when a single keypress should produce multiple characters at once, e.g. a letter with a combining diacritic.

	[[Category:Desktop]]		[[Category:Desktop]]
	[[Category:Hardware]]		[[Category:Hardware]]

BloodStainedCrow: Add a note that keyboard variant require a trailing comma to compile

2026-05-18T00:56:25Z

Add a note that keyboard variant require a trailing comma to compile

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:56, 18 May 2026
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	services.xserver.xkb = {		services.xserver.xkb = {
	layout = "us,ru";		layout = "us,ru";
			# Note that the trailing comma is required: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/359830
	variant = "workman,";		variant = "workman,";
	options = "grp:win_space_toggle";		options = "grp:win_space_toggle";

Rhendric: /* Relevant other options */ Update xkb options

2024-06-06T18:35:33Z

Relevant other options: Update xkb options

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:35, 6 June 2024
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	* <code>services.xserver.exportConfiguration</code>: Makes it so the above mentioned xkb directory (and the <code>xorg.conf</code> file) gets exported to <code>/etc/X11/xkb</code>, which is useful if you have to often look stuff up in it.		* <code>services.xserver.exportConfiguration</code>: Makes it so the above mentioned xkb directory (and the <code>xorg.conf</code> file) gets exported to <code>/etc/X11/xkb</code>, which is useful if you have to often look stuff up in it.
	* <code>services.xserver.~~xkbDir~~</code>: Allows you to set a different xkb directory altogether. All the above mentioned things will use this instead of the default one in regards to xkb stuff.		* <code>services.xserver.xkb.dir</code>: Allows you to set a different xkb directory altogether. All the above mentioned things will use this instead of the default one in regards to xkb stuff.
	* <code>console.useXkbConfig</code>: Makes it so the tty console has about the same layout as the one configured in the <code>services.xserver</code> options.		* <code>console.useXkbConfig</code>: Makes it so the tty console has about the same layout as the one configured in the <code>services.xserver</code> options.

Rhendric: /* Simple */ Update xkb options

2024-06-06T18:35:16Z

Simple: Update xkb options

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:35, 6 June 2024
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	The easiest way to customize your keyboard layout on NixOS is with these options:		The easiest way to customize your keyboard layout on NixOS is with these options:

	* <code>services.xserver.layout</code>: Keyboard layout, or multiple keyboard layouts separated by commas.		* <code>services.xserver.xkb.layout</code>: Keyboard layout, or multiple keyboard layouts separated by commas.
	* <code>services.xserver.~~xkbVariant~~</code>: X keyboard variant or multiple variants separated by commas (a variant can be empty).		* <code>services.xserver.xkb.variant</code>: X keyboard variant or multiple variants separated by commas (a variant can be empty).
	* <code>services.xserver.~~xkbModel~~</code>: Keyboard model.		* <code>services.xserver.xkb.model</code>: Keyboard model.
	* <code>services.xserver.~~xkbOptions~~</code>: X keyboard options; layout switching goes here.		* <code>services.xserver.xkb.options</code>: X keyboard options; layout switching goes here.

	=====Example:=====		=====Example:=====
Line 18:		Line 18:
	For desktop:		For desktop:
	<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	services.xserver = {		services.xserver.xkb = {
	layout = "us,ru";		layout = "us,ru";
	~~xkbVariant~~ = "workman,";		variant = "workman,";
	~~xkbOptions~~ = "grp:win_space_toggle";		options = "grp:win_space_toggle";
	};		};
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

Klinger at 20:03, 24 April 2024

2024-04-24T20:03:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:03, 24 April 2024
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	services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";		services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

			[[Category:Desktop]]
			[[Category:Hardware]]

Samueldr at 01:35, 5 April 2024

2024-04-05T01:35:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:35, 5 April 2024
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	For desktop:		For desktop:
	<~~source~~ lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	services.xserver = {		services.xserver = {
	layout = "us,ru";		layout = "us,ru";
Line 23:		Line 23:
	xkbOptions = "grp:win_space_toggle";		xkbOptions = "grp:win_space_toggle";
	};		};
	</~~source~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	For console:		For console:
	<~~source~~ lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	console.keyMap = "us";		console.keyMap = "us";
	</~~source~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	You can find valid values for these options in <code>$(nix-build --no-out-link '<nixpkgs>' -A xkeyboard_config)/etc/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst</code>		You can find valid values for these options in <code>$(nix-build --no-out-link '<nixpkgs>' -A xkeyboard_config)/etc/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst</code>
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	To load this file at the start of the X session, add the following to your <code>configuration.nix</code>. The extra compilation step (<code>xkbcomp</code>) helps catching layout errors at build time.		To load this file at the start of the X session, add the following to your <code>configuration.nix</code>. The extra compilation step (<code>xkbcomp</code>) helps catching layout errors at build time.

	<~~source~~ lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	let		let
	compiledLayout = pkgs.runCommand "keyboard-layout" {} ''		compiledLayout = pkgs.runCommand "keyboard-layout" {} ''
Line 47:		Line 47:
	in		in
	services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "${pkgs.xorg.xkbcomp}/bin/xkbcomp ${compiledLayout} $DISPLAY";		services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "${pkgs.xorg.xkbcomp}/bin/xkbcomp ${compiledLayout} $DISPLAY";
	</~~source~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	If you are using home-manager, you also need to prevent home-manager from managing the keyboard by having <code>home.keyboard = null;</code> in your home-manager configuration.		If you are using home-manager, you also need to prevent home-manager from managing the keyboard by having <code>home.keyboard = null;</code> in your home-manager configuration.
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	Some users have found xmodmap to be a helpful tool although reports of successful implementation are varied.		Some users have found xmodmap to be a helpful tool although reports of successful implementation are varied.

	<~~source~~ lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">

	cat /etc/nixos/configuration.nix		cat /etc/nixos/configuration.nix
Line 84:		Line 84:
	''}"		''}"

	</~~source~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	Works after boot and after suspend/resume.		Works after boot and after suspend/resume.
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	You may need to add some delay to make xmodmap command work.		You may need to add some delay to make xmodmap command work.

	<~~source~~ lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";		services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";
	</~~source~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

imported>Heartbeast42: For the section on xmodmap: Fix heading size to match other headings, make heading clearer, reframe copy to be more general rather than being about 1 users experience.

2023-11-25T12:07:39Z

For the section on xmodmap: Fix heading size to match other headings, make heading clearer, reframe copy to be more general rather than being about 1 users experience.

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:07, 25 November 2023
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	* https://github.com/infinisil/system/blob/94852ed690fccfdda27c2e3985be84c51f1eac8e/new-modules/keylayout.nix		* https://github.com/infinisil/system/blob/94852ed690fccfdda27c2e3985be84c51f1eac8e/new-modules/keylayout.nix

	== ~~Using~~ xmodmap ==		=== Advanced configuration with xmodmap ===

	~~Since it is much simpler to use~~ xmodmap ~~and also because I couldn't get the xkbcomp way~~ to ~~work on my NixOS machine I decided to keep using xmodmap:~~		Some users have found xmodmap to be a helpful tool although reports of successful implementation are varied.

	<source lang="nix">		<source lang="nix">

imported>Heartbeast42: fixed a small typo

2023-11-25T05:22:56Z

fixed a small typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:22, 25 November 2023
Line 88:		Line 88:
	Works after boot and after suspend/resume.		Works after boot and after suspend/resume.

	You may need to add some delay to make xmodmap command ~~works~~.		You may need to add some delay to make xmodmap command work.

	<source lang="nix">		<source lang="nix">
	services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";		services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "sleep 5 && ${pkgs.xorg.xmodmap}/bin/xmodmap -e 'keycode 43 = h H Left H' &";
	</source>		</source>

imported>Vieta at 20:32, 14 September 2023

2023-09-14T20:32:33Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:32, 14 September 2023
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	* <code>services.xserver.xkbOptions</code>: X keyboard options; layout switching goes here.		* <code>services.xserver.xkbOptions</code>: X keyboard options; layout switching goes here.

	Example:		=====Example:=====

			For desktop:
	<source lang="nix">		<source lang="nix">
	services.xserver = {		services.xserver = {
Line 24:		Line 25:
	</source>		</source>

			For console:
			<source lang="nix">
			console.keyMap = "us";
			</source>

	You can find valid values for these options in <code>$(nix-build --no-out-link '<nixpkgs>' -A xkeyboard_config)/etc/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst</code>		You can find valid values for these options in <code>$(nix-build --no-out-link '<nixpkgs>' -A xkeyboard_config)/etc/X11/xkb/rules/base.lst</code>

imported>Dym-sohin: /* Configs */ fix 404

2023-08-04T14:36:23Z

Configs: fix 404

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:36, 4 August 2023
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	=== Configs ===		=== Configs ===

	* https://github.com/~~Infinisil~~/system/blob/~~master/config~~/new-modules/keylayout.nix		* https://github.com/infinisil/system/blob/94852ed690fccfdda27c2e3985be84c51f1eac8e/new-modules/keylayout.nix

	== Using xmodmap ==		== Using xmodmap ==