A minimal 4x10 keyboard layout focused on text editing and programming

What is TypeBeastXD+ Home Edition?

TypeBeastXD+ Home Edition (or TypeBeastXD+ for short) is a 4x10/38 key layout that pulls inspiration from the OLKB Planck layout as well as the Miryoku layout. It's generally well suited for casual keyboard use as well as programming, and is catered towards ortholinear boards. It focuses more on general "productivity" and an easier learning curve moreso than ergonomics. I consider it to be a smaller Planck layout that pulls some tricks from Miryoku rather than a Miryoku layout with more keys.

Since keyboard layouts at this size require some degree of customization and personalization, this layout is by no means a presciptive one size fits all solution, but rather a basis for users to start out and play around with. It's also an artifact to convince people that 4x10 ortholinear boards are very much viable¹ for actual office work and use (minus anything that needs a dedicated keypad).

General Principles

• Should strive to be relatively easy to learn
  • As such, the layout should pull cues from the Planck layout, which generally has symbols in a logical spot coming from a 60%+ keyboard
• Should not be prone to destructive/disruptive mispresses
  • No home row mod keys², and keys that can send message like Enter should be a fair distance away from the thumb keys
• Should never require hotkey changes in the software/OS that you use
  • I don't like the idea of unnecessarily changing settings on your computer to accomodate your keyboard, since said settings won't apply to other computers
• Should strive for general ortholinear keyboard "ergonomics" when possible

Features

• Use QWERTY (Optional)
  • No additional time required to learn a new typing scheme
  • Makes it easier to use shortcuts like Ctrl+{Z,X,C,V,F,...}
    • QMK shortcuts like Copy, Paste, Etc. exist, but do not cover ALL possible shortcuts
• Put Arrow Keys on H,J,K, and L on the Raise layer
  • Nicely matches VIM navigation
  • Pretty comfortable
  • Only requires one hand (so the other can drink coffee and scratch chin whilst contemplating)
• Have layer/Shift/Control keys spanning only 4 keys
  • Having 6 layer keys like Miryoku isn't super comfortable on an ortholinear, as I found that I had to really strech my thumbs in to hit the outer most thumb keys
• Use ModTap on thumb keys only
  • very hard to misfire/mistime accidental mods
• Have Enter and Escape key on the far corners of the layout
  • prevents these keys from getting hit by any thumb mispresses

Add-on Features/Variants

While optional, there are other keys that may be useful depending on your situation -GUI/CTRL swap

• I like having a key that can swap and unswap GUI/CTRL. This is mostly since I bounce between a Mac and a Windows Machine, and I always want ⌘ or CTRL within my thumb's reach, since they are the keys in charge or copying/cutting/pasting/finding/etc. -36 key variant
• This layout could likely be reduced down to 36 keys if the blank/user keys were removed and the Alt and Gui keys were modtap modifiers for Esc and Enter respectively

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1. The irony of describing the layout as "viable" rather than "optimal" or "better" is not lost out on me :)
2. There's nothing wrong with home row mods per se. It's just when I was learning with it, I was accidentally firing off modifiers which would alter my UI/Close programs/Send messages that weren't ready to be sent/etc. I could learn to press lighter on the keys or adjust timing values, but I was pretty frustrated at that point, and don't like the idea that there could always be a slim chance that I could misfire one them off. If it's your cup of tea, kudos