Emacs: Xah Fly Keys

2018-04-25 NEW! now supports Colemak Mod-DH layout (and Colemak). Thanks to Henkjan Gersen.

xah-fly-keys is more efficient than vim, or any keybinding set in history.

xah-fly-keys.el is a modal editing mode for emacs, like vi, but the design of key/command choice is based on command frequency statistics and ease-of-key score. Most frequently used commands have most easy keys.

If you have hand pain from using emacs, you should consider using xah-fly-keys. Never need to press Ctrl+x and never need to press Meta anymore.

Download

Download at https://github.com/xahlee/xah-fly-keys

Also on MELPA http://melpa.org/#/xah-fly-keys

MELPA Install

[see Emacs: How to Install Packages Using ELPA, MELPA]

After you installed from MELPA, put the following in your init:

(require 'xah-fly-keys)

(xah-fly-keys-set-layout "qwerty") ; required if you use qwerty

;; for other layout, use one of
;; "workman"
;; "qwertz"
;; "programer-dvorak"
;; "dvorak"
;; "colemak"
;; "colemak-mod-dh"
;; dvorak is the default

(xah-fly-keys 1)

Manual Install

Put the file xah-fly-keys.el in ~/.emacs.d/lisp/

Put the following in your emacs init:

(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/lisp/")

(require 'xah-fly-keys)

(xah-fly-keys-set-layout "qwerty") ; required if you use qwerty

;; for other layout, use one of
;; "workman"
;; "qwertz"
;; "programer-dvorak"
;; "dvorak"
;; "colemak"
;; "colemak-mod-dh"
;; dvorak is the default

(xah-fly-keys 1)

Key to Activate Command Mode

The command to activate command mode is Alt+x xah-fly-command-mode-activate.

By default, it has the following keys:

【Alt+Space】 or Home or 【F8】 or 【▤ Menu】 (the menu key is the key on Microsoft keyboards, usually the right side.)

Command Mode Visual Indicator

• When in command mode, the cursor shape is a black rectangle ▮ (won't work in some text terminal).
• When in command mode, the first character in emacs status bar (aka mode line) displays capital C.

Want Does Command Mode Do

When in command mode:

• Right hand letter keys are moving cursor, in general. For example, I J K L, are arrows. (On Dvorak, it's C H T N)
• Left hand letter keys are deleting/modifying text.

Only 36 commands, but master these few will already beat the efficiency of vim.

To find the command name of a key, switch to command mode , then Alt+x describe-key 【Ctrl+h k】, then press the key. (try it now, as you will do this frequently when learning.)

Key to Activate Insert Mode

The command to activate insert mode is Alt+x xah-fly-insert-mode-activate.

When you are in command mode, 【f】 (Dvorak 【u】) activates insertion mode.

When you are in command mode, 【Space Space】 also activates insertion mode.

Want Does Insert Mode Do

When in insert mode, keys insert characters. (or, whatever a letter key does in the current major mode. For example, in dired, m marks a file.)

Insert Mode Visual Indicator

• When in insert mode, the cursor shape is a i-beam ⌶. (won't work in some text terminal)
• When in insert mode, the first character in emacs status bar (aka mode line) displays capital I.

Leader Key for Commands

You NEVER need to press 【Ctrl+x】.

Any emacs command that has a keybinding starting with Ctrl+x, has also a key sequence binding in xah-fly-keys, or a single key while in command mode.

For example,

• 【Ctrl+x b】 (switch-to-buffer) is 【Space f】 (Dvorak 【Space u】)
• 【Ctrl+x Ctrl+f】 (find-file) is 【Space i e】 (Dvorak 【Space c .】)
• 【Ctrl+x n n】 (narrow-to-region) is 【Space l l】 (Dvorak 【Space n n】)
• 【Ctrl+x o】 (delete-other-windows) is 3 while in command mode.

The first key in a key sequence we call it the “leader key”.

In the above examples, the Space is the leader key.

When in command mode, the Space is a leader key.

Globally, the leader key is the F9 key. For example, query-replace is 【Space r】 while in command mode, but 【F9 r】 always works. (in Dvorak, 【F9 p】)

There are about 200 commands with leader key sequence. When learning xah-fly-keys, i recommend using which-key at https://github.com/justbur/emacs-which-key

With which-key on, when you press a leader key, subsequent keys and commands are displayed.

Here's the most frequently used leader key commands and their key sequence. The leader key is indicated by leader.

QWERTY	Dvorak	command name
【leader Space】	same	xah-fly-insert-mode-activate
【leader Enter】	same	execute-extended-command

QWERTY	Dvorak	command name
【leader f】	【leader u】	switch-to-buffer
【leader a】	【leader a】	mark-whole-buffer (select all)
【leader h】	【leader d】	beginning-of-buffer
【leader n】	【leader b】	end-of-buffer
【leader r】	【leader p】	query-replace
【leader k r】	【leader t p】	query-replace-regexp

Most frequently used commands have 2-key sequence (counting leader key.) Other commands have a 3-key sequence. A few commands have 4 keys sequence, but these are basically used once a month or never.

Emac's M-x

When in command mode:

• 【a】 → execute-extended-command.
• 【Space Return】 → execute-extended-command.

NEVER Need to Press Meta

Any emacs command that has a Meta keybinding also have a keybinding without Meta in xah-fly-keys.

For example:

• 【Alt+f】 (forward-word) is 【o】 (Dvorak 【r】) while in command mode.
• 【Alt+%】 (query-replace) is 【Space r】 (Dvorak 【Space p】) while in command mode.

To find the key, Alt+x describe-key, then press the meta key combination. Emacs will print all its keybinding.

Standard Control Key Shortcuts

The following standard keys are supported by default. (they can be disabled. See Emacs: Xah Fly Keys Customization)

• 【Ctrl+Tab】 → xah-next-user-buffer
• 【Ctrl+Shift+Tab】 → xah-previous-user-buffer
• 【Ctrl+v】 → Paste. yank
• 【Ctrl+w】 → xah-close-current-buffer
• 【Ctrl+z】 → undo
• 【Ctrl+n】 → xah-new-empty-buffer
• 【Ctrl+o】 → open. find-file
• 【Ctrl+s】 → save-buffer
• 【Ctrl+Shift+s】 → Save As. write-file
• 【Ctrl+Shift+t】 → xah-open-last-closed
• 【Ctrl++】 → zoom-in. text-scale-increase
• 【Ctrl+-】 → zoom-out. text-scale-decrease

It is not necessary to use these key shortcuts. These commands all have keys that do not need Ctrl.

The only time you need to press Ctrl key are:

• 【Ctrl+c】 for major mode commands.
• 【Ctrl+g】 for cancel.
• 【Ctrl+q】 for quoted-insert.
• 【Ctrl+h】 for help.

isearch

When in command mode, 【n】 (Dvorak 【b】) starts isearch-forward.

When in isearch:

• left/right arrow keys ← → do search backward/forward.
• up/down arrow keys ↑ ↓ do previous/next search item.

• Return exits isearch and leave cursor at the current location.
• Ctrl+g exits isearch and leave cursor at original location.

Dired Mode, Org Mode, Single Keys

In plain GNU Emacs, in some modes, typing a letter key does not insert letter, but runs a special command. For example, in dired, 【m】 for mark, 【u】 for unmark.

With xah-fly-keys, when in insert mode, typing letter key will do whatever of that mode's commands.

Xah Fly Keys Tutorial

Emacs: Xah Fly Keys Tutorial

Customization

Emacs: Xah Fly Keys Customization

Batman Keyboards

xah-fly-keys is designed for any keyboard. Special care has taken to make sure it works well for • normal PC keyboards, • Apple Keyboards ⌨, • Laptop Keyboards, and works well in both text terminal or graphical user interface.

If you have a batman keyboard, much merrier.

Suggested optimal configuration: Kinesis/Ergodox layout for xah-fly-keys

Suggested optimal configuration: xah-fly-keys with Truly Ergonomic Keyboard

Frequently Asked Questions

How does it compare to ergoemacs-mode?

ergoemacs-mode remaps the most frequently used emacs commands to use 【Alt+key】, with key choice based on frequency of command call.

ergoemacs-mode also supports standard {Open 【Ctrl+o】, Close 【Ctrl+w】, New 【Ctrl+n】, …} keys familiar to everyone. People who never use emacs can use it right away, without knowing any emacs keys.

ergoemacs-mode supports over 10 keyboard layouts, including: {QWERTY, Dvorak, Colemak, German, French, …}.

ergoemacs-mode is flexible. It provides many key set “themes”. You can also design your own.

ergoemacs-mode is part of FSF GNU Emacs, in ELPA repository.

If you don't like modal ways, I highly recommend ergoemacs-mode.

https://ergoemacs.github.io/ (ergoemacs-mode is lead by Matthew Fidler.)

How does it compare with evil-mode?

evil-mode lets you use vim keys in emacs. It has large number of users, and with the advantage that you'll be able to use both emacs and vim.

https://github.com/emacs-evil/evil

How long does it take to learn xah-fly-keys?

It'll take the same time when learning vi for the first time.

Probably about a month to be fluent.

Does xah-fly-keys work in terminal?

YES

Why I Created It

See Emacs: Xah Fly Keys History

see also: on vi Keybinding vs Emacs Keybinding

Xah-Fly-Keys Testimonial

yay! “Hello! Been using your fly-keys for almost two weeks now and I find them super convenient and…” — Arkady. (2018-03)

Coincidentally, I started using Xah Fly Keys a week ago and found this tutorial / reference to be super useful - thanks! —Sean O'Reilly. (2018-03-31)

Thanks for xah-fly-keys. I think I would never adhered to Emacs if it was not for that. It's one of that things that after knowing you can't live without it. — Alex O. 2017-11-08