Emacs: Xah Fly Keys

By Xah Lee. Date: 2013-09-30. Last updated: 2018-10-14.

2018-10-09 new. subreddit discussion forum. https://www.reddit.com/r/xahflykeys/

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, consider using xah-fly-keys. Never need to press Ctrl+x and never need to press Meta anymore.

xah fly keys kinesis 2017 09 60363 — Xah Fly Keys and Kinesis keyboard, from a friend

Video Intro

If you like to watch a video intro, here it is.

intro to xah fly keys

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

;; possible layout values:
;; "qwerty"
;; "qwerty-abnt"
;; "qwertz"
;; "dvorak"
;; "programer-dvorak"
;; "colemak"
;; "colemak-mod-dh"
;; "workman"

;; 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

;; possible layout values:
;; "qwerty"
;; "qwerty-abnt"
;; "qwertz"
;; "dvorak"
;; "programer-dvorak"
;; "colemak"
;; "colemak-mod-dh"
;; "workman"

;; dvorak is the default

(xah-fly-keys 1)

What Does Command Mode Do?

xah fly keys layout qwerty — xah-fly-keys command mode layout

xah fly keys layout dvorak — xah-fly-keys command mode layout

When in command mode:

Right hand letter keys are moving cursor, in general. For example, i j k l , are arrows.
Left hand letter keys are deleting/modifying text.

Key to Activate Command Mode

The command to activate command mode is Alt+x xah-fly-command-mode-activate and Alt+x xah-fly-command-mode-activate-no-hook.

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.

xah fly keys command mode 2018 01 30 — xah-fly-keys in command mode

Insert Mode

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.)

Key to Activate Insert Mode

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

When in command mode, 【f】 activates insertion mode.

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

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.

xah fly keys insert mode 2018 01 30 — xah-fly-keys in insert mode

Leader Key for Commands

You NEVER need to press 【Ctrl+x】.

For example,

【Ctrl+x b】 (switch-to-buffer) is 【Space f】
【Ctrl+x Ctrl+f】 (find-file) is 【Space i e】
【Ctrl+x 1】 (delete-other-windows) is 3 while in command mode.

The first key in a key sequence we call it the “leader key”. For example, the Space is the leader key in 【Space f】.

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

Globally, the leader key is the F9 key. For example, 【F9 f】 is switch-to-buffer. No need to switch to command mode first.

Here's example of frequently used ones.

【Space Space】 → xah-fly-insert-mode-activate
【Space Enter】 → execute-extended-command
【Space f】 → switch-to-buffer
【Space a】 → mark-whole-buffer (select all)
【Space h】 → beginning-of-buffer
【Space n】 → end-of-buffer
【Space r】 → query-replace
【Space k r】 → query-replace-regexp

There are about 200 commands with leader key sequence.
Most frequently used commands have 2-key sequence (counting the leader key.)
Other commands have 3-key sequence. Some rarely used have 4.

Use Which-Key-mode to Help Learn Leader 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.

emacs which key mode — emacs which-key-mode.

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】 while in command mode.
【Alt+%】 (query-replace) is 【Space r】 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】 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. (but you should probably download the version from MELPA, because it's usually more up-to-date.)

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

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

ergoemacs layout us — ergoemacs mode. Use Alt as the primary key for emacs commands.

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.

If you practice 2 hours per day, probably about a month to be fluent.

Does xah-fly-keys work in terminal?

YES

xah-fly-keys chat Forum

https://www.reddit.com/r/xahflykeys/

created the subreddit on 2018-10-07. Post your questions, answers, experiences, wishlist, comparisions, criticisms, or your blogs about it there.

Why I Created It

See Emacs: Xah Fly Keys History

Xah-Fly-Keys Testimonial

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

Then I found xah-fly-keys. This is a modal set of keybindings for Emacs, that is, the keybindings consist of pressing keys in succession rather than holding down modifier keys. It's quite good, quite good.

… I'm pretty settled on xah-fly-keys now, …

[Writing to think 2: Write harder, the editor caper 2017-09-13 By Jaredj. At http://j.agrue.info/the-editor-caper.html ]

[Writing to think 2: Write harder, the keyboard caper 2017-11-04 By Jaredj. At http://j.agrue.info/the-keyboard-caper.html ]

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)

xah-fly-keys praise 2018-08-20 88070 — 2018-08-20

Emacs Pinky

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If you have a question, put $5 at patreon and message me.