Emacs: Xah Fly Keys

What is Xah Fly Keys

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.

Video Intro to Xah Fly Keys

more videos of Xah Fly Keys:

• Xah Talk Show 2022-09-29 the Most Efficient Emacs Workflow, more efficient than vim

Download

• https://github.com/xahlee/xah-fly-keys

Archived Old Versions

• xah-fly-keys_old_2024-04-22.el • version using alist for laytous, before using text diagram for layout.
• xah-fly-keys_old_emacs_27_2023-09-21.el • Requires Emacs 27 (Released 2020-08)
• xah-fly-keys_old_2020-04-18.el • Requires Emacs 24 (Released 2012-06)

Install from NonGNU ELPA

Alt+x package-install RET xah-fly-keys RET

http://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/xah-fly-keys.html

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)

;; specify a layout. optional
(xah-fly-keys-set-layout "qwerty")
;; (xah-fly-keys-set-layout "dvorak")

;; possible values

;; adnw (German)
;; azerty
;; azerty-be
;; bepo (French)
;; colemak
;; colemak-dh
;; dvorak
;; engrammer
;; halmak
;; koy (German)
;; minimak
;; neo2 (German)
;; norman
;; programer-dvorak
;; pt-nativo (Brazil)
;; qfmlwy
;; qwerty
;; qwerty-abnt (Brazil)
;; qwerty-no (Norwegian)
;; qwertz
;; qwpr
;; russian
;; workman

(xah-fly-keys 1)

What 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.
• Left hand letter keys are deleting/modifying text.

Activate Command Mode

Alt+x xah-fly-command-mode-activate

Activates command mode.

By default, it has the following keys:

• Alt+Space
• Ctrl+Space
• Home
• F8
• Escape (only when emacs running in graphical user interface, not in terminal)
• ▤ Menu (Keyboard Menu Key)

Visual Indicator for Command Mode

When in command mode, the cursor shape is a black rectangle ▮ (Does not work in some text terminal), and the first character in emacs status bar (aka mode line) displays lowercase c.

How to Find Out What a Key Do in Command Mode

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.)

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.)

Alt+x xah-fly-insert-mode-activate

Activate insert mode.

When in command mode, f activates insertion mode.

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

Visual Indicator for Insertion Mode

When in insert mode, the cursor shape is a I-beam ⌶ (does not work in some text terminal) and the first character in emacs status bar (aka mode line) displays i.

Leader Key Sequence 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.

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 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 keys (counting the leader key). Other commands have 3 keys. Some rarely used have 4.

List All Leader Key Sequence

To list all leader key sequence and their commands, switch to command mode, then press Space Ctrl+h

Emacs 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 (Alt) 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.

If you are familiar with a emacs key, such as Alt+f, to find the new key in xah fly keys, Alt+x describe-key, then press the meta key combination you know. Emacs will print the key of xah fly keys if it is on.

Standard Control Key Shortcuts

The following standard keys are supported by default. (they can be disabled.)

• 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 canceling command or key.
• Ctrl+q for quoted-insert.
• Ctrl+h for help.

isearch

When in command mode, n starts isearch-forward.

When in isearch:

• Ctrl+y → paste.
• ← → → search backward/forward.
• ↑ ↓ → previous/next search history.
• Return → exit isearch and leave cursor at the current location.
• Ctrl+g exit 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.

Tutorial

Emacs: Xah Fly Keys Tutorial

Customization

• Emacs: Xah Fly Keys Customization
• Emacs: Xah Fly Keys Mode Status Indicator

Batman Keyboards

• Batman Keyboard Layouts for Xah Fly Keys

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 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 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 fluent in 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 amount of time if learning vi for the first time.

If you practice one hour per day, about a month to be fluent.

Does Xah Fly Keys work in terminal?

YES. Extra effort went to make sure, it works in text terminal, and 100%.

How to setup Xah Fly Keys in doom emacs

2023-01-29 info here may be outdated.

Download Xah Fly Keys, and place it at

~/.emacs.d/.local/straight/repos/xah-fly-keys/xah-fly-keys.el

in the file .doom.d/init.el, comment this out:

(evil +everywhere)

in the file .doom.d/config.el , add the following (change it suitably):

(require 'xah-fly-keys)
(xah-fly-keys-set-layout "qwerty")
(xah-fly-keys 1)

(setq doom-leader-key "<f1>")

Are the keys hard to remember?

Keybinding Design: Muscle Memory vs Mnemonics

History

• Emacs: Xah Fly Keys History

See also: on vi Keybinding vs Emacs Keybinding

Testimonial

• Xah Fly Keys Testimonial