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Add to SafariWhen comparing Colemak vs Programmer Dvorak, the Slant community recommends Colemak for most people. In the question“What are the best keyboard layouts for programming?” Colemak is ranked 1st while Programmer Dvorak is ranked 2nd.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Much more comfortable than QWERTY when touch typing
Pro Highly ergonomic
Pro You can type faster
Because the home row contains more high used frequency characters.
Pro AZXCV don't move compared to QWERTY
If you rely on the Control-A/X/C/V shortcuts (select all, cut, copy, paste), these keys don't move from their QWERTY locations.
Pro Relatively quick to learn
If coming from QWERTY, only a couple of keys move between hands.
Pro Optimized for quick two-letter bigrams
Not only are the most common English letters on home row under your fingers, but many common two-letter combinations are placed next to each other as well allowing for a fluid "inward roll" motion of letter combos (a-r, r-s, s-t, n-e, e-i, and i-o combos). The inward roll motion is debatably speedier than optimizing finger alternation like Dvorak offers.
Pro Backspace is closer
While the uncommonly used caps lock is further away. May be problematic if you previously developed muscle memory of using caps lock as some other key.
Pro Possibly faster
Most people like the common home row and believes it improves speed in comparison to QWERTY.
Pro Multilingual support
Although it‘s optimized for English, the support for a wide range of special characters enables occasional use of other languages. Still, the Carpalx research shows that a significant improvement is also present in Dutch compared to Qwerty. http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?de_correspondent
Pro Vim keybindings still make sense
J and K are where C and V are on QWERTY. H is still left of L.
Pro Made for programming
This keyboard took a stand and optimized the Dvorak standard for programming.
Pro Easy to learn if you're already used to Dvorak
The letter keys are the same, so it's not nearly the same mental jump as Qwerty to Dvorak.
Pro Keyboards are designed for human comfort
Pro Programmer punctuation without shifting on the top row
The top row is hardest to reach, and shifting doesn't make this easier. Programmers uses punctuation far more than numerals, so it makes sense to shift for the numerals instead of the punctuation.
Pro Preinstalled on Linux
You can enable it systemwide when you're installing Ubuntu.
Pro Open source
The keyboard layout is open source and available for edition.
Pro Typing feels more comfortable
Completely subjective of course.
Pro Easily switch between Standard Dvorak and Programmer's one
Dvorak Simplified Layout is more general and available on all OS, if we need to type on other's computer, we can still use the Dvorak Simplified Layout for typing.
Pro Better number arrangement
The smallest numerals are the most frequently used, so why should they be on the weak fingers of the left hand? The order still makes sense too. Odd numbers on the left, even numbers on the right, ascending from the inside out (with the least used numeral '9' in the middle).
Pro Don't need to buy another keyboard or move keycaps around
Having the original QWERTY labels is useful for other people using your computer or if you ever need QWERTY. Not having keycaps labeled in Dvorak forces you to learn to touch type. All QWERTY keyboards can be remapped to Dvorak in your operating system settings, so you don't need a physical Dvorak keyboards.
Pro Number arrangement is the same as the original Dvorak keyboards
Pro More use means more usage
If an individual uses this and tells other people or they try it, the layout will be more popular, and those people will tell people and the world will change.
Pro Other people can't use your computer unless you switch it to QWERTY for them
Cons
Con Bad for Vim users
Vim was designed on QWERTY. The HJKL "arrow" keys still work in Dvorak, but their positions make less sense in Colemak.
Con Overrated
People think Colemak is great because it is easier to learn, but in reality they are deluding themselves thinking that it is better than more advanced alternative layouts.
Con Designed for English
Like Dvorak, this layout privileges English letter frequency, and lacks accented letters.
Since the topic is about programming, the argument is weak as most code is written in English, yet you don't want to learn a layout to type code, and another to type in your native language...
But the problem isn't specific to Colemak, it is tied to all "ergonomic" layouts, and might have no solution.
Con The "HE" bigram is awkward
For all of Colemak's focus on optimizing English bigrams, the second-most used English bigram, "HE", is still kind of awkward due to same-hand lateral motion. This bigram is much easier in both QWERTY and Dvorak. If your concern is RSI, Colemak isn't good enough.
Con AZXCV don't move compared to QWERTY
This will allow one to intuitively access popular shortcuts, but the truth is that the placement of these keys is a compromise in terms of actual typing ergonomics.
Con Other people can't use your computer unless you switch it to QWERTY for them
Con Keyboard controls for video games and other applications are all made for QWERTY
If you want to game, the WASD keys are completely unusable. You either need to switch to QWERTY (and then switch to Dvorak every time you want to use in game chat) or spend time remaping every key, because games don't come with Dvorak keymaps. Sufficiently popular games might have Dvorak mods.
Con It takes a couple weeks before you're back to a usable speed when switching from QWERTY
Achieving your old QWERTY speed can take a month or more.
Con Dvorak users usually still use QWERTY on their smartphones
Dvorak is made for ten fingers. Its main ideas, such as maximizing the number of "finger rolls" and alternating hands, don't make much sense when you're typing with your thumbs.
Con SHORTCUTS nightmare
Shortcuts, Shortcuts, Shortcuts, it is a total nightmare for users even used it for years.
Con Typing numbers is hard
Numbers are arranged for their characters, not in ascending order. You also have to shift.
Con It probably won't make you type much faster, if at all
Con Punctuation moved, not just letters
Punctuation moved in addition to letters, meaning that the learning curve is that much harder coming from QWERTY because nearly every key is in a different place.
