miryoku VS qmk_firmware

I've seen https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku but it doesn't appear to be easily modified.

A 75% keyboard still require quite a lot of wrist movement, which is not ideal in your situation. It's better to learn to use layers, you could still have all the function keys and such with a 36 or 34 keys. With with such a small keyboard you don't need to move your wrist while typing. A Corne or even a Ferris Sweep can do the job with a proper keymap, like Miryoku.

If you prefer to have semicolon on Base you'd substitute custom Base, Nav, and Sym layers, swapping semicolon and slash, with https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku/discussions/85.

The Miryoku layout [1] has a dedicated number layer which turns the left half into a number pad. Practical (once you get used to it) and portable.

[1] https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku

It's understandable if some people would prefer a larger layout. I wouldn't argue people should be using smaller keyboards.

It's "I don't mind moving my hand to hit the key" vs "I don't mind holding down some Fn key to hit the key". (Or with F1-F12 on Macbooks, you need to both hold down a Fn key and move your hand).

For an example of "36 keys ... how", I think the popular miryoku layout is fascinating. https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku/tree/master/docs/re... -- Often, mnemonics for particular keys aren't all that complicated.

Except for those who use Miryoku, which is not optimized for software development, probably every single person here will have its own custom keymap.

The keyboard on the other desk is a wireless Corne low profile kit I built up a while back using a couple nice!nano controllers and their low power display too. For general typing I don't have much of a problem going back and forth between the two, but the Corne is only 34 keys and I use a complex layout called Miryoku to get access to most symbols and functions I have by default on my 360.

Callum's README

For sub-40% keyboards, home row mods like in Miryoku or a modifiers on layers like in Callum in combination with layers, combos etc. are necessary to fit all of the keys needed.

I'm pretty sure, that every sub 40% user has been there once. It's just so wild when you're new to it. Here's my overly long and boring take on the subject. My journey was building a handwired monoblock split I designed for having 6x4 halves with 3 additional keys in the middle - think preonic, but slightly angled halves with pinky columns staggered and 3 keys in the space between the halves. At first my layout was mimicking the regular 60%. I only used layers for numbers, symbols, f-keys and nav cluster. Pretty much like a 60% with a few thumb keys instead of big f***n' useless spacebar. I thought there's no way to comfortably use my keyboard without it. I used to press Control with the inside of my palm instead of contorting my pinky. It was... amazing! Compared to row staggered layout, the ergonomics we're f***ng stellar, man! Little did I know how much can be improved. I was using this layout for about 6 months before I decided to make any big changes. First thing was removing the keys I pressed with my palm. Once I moved heavily used mods to my thumbs, I felt like a superhuman. A bit of muscle memory fighting, but it felt really great not to move my hands towards the lower corners of the keyboard. Once my head started going on and on about the layout, about two weeks later went the number row. I put the numbers on the home row and still keep it that way. It was a huge leap, because it meant now I'm using layers so much more and we're getting into the so-called "minimal" territories. The last step for me was removing the outer pinky columns. I really didn't want to give up tab, backspace and shift on the left side, and I was really opposed to the idea of tap-dancing, combos and other stuff that turns my keyboard into an arcade game. I didn't want to perform an MK Fatality combo every time I need to close a tab in my browser, but what spoke to me was callum layout. No combos, no timing, no double-tapping. Just simple momentary toggle layers turned out to be just what I needed. I have a couple of additional keys, so I use one for mod layers. That way with 4-key thumb cluster I have all I need and so far I am happy. ...until the optimisation mania comes back.

Have a look at Callum style layers https://github.com/callum-oakley/qmk_firmware/tree/master/users/callum

one shot mods – ex. callum, seniply

Not without building it from source yourself. See https://github.com/callum-oakley/qmk_firmware/tree/master/users/callum for a fully baked implementation of what you want. Look at the "swapper" documentation and code.

If not HRMs, how about Callum-style mods? Callum Oakley's keymap works with exactly 34 keys as it turns out.

This feature is called Swapper and you can find a simple implementation here.

Miryoku relies on mod-tap, which some people aren't a fan of. The most common alternative approach are those systems that use sticky (OSM) keys, such as Callum or my own system, Seniply.