Best keyboard for programming

The work of a programmer does not depend on gadgets. A good specialist will write excellent code even on a cheap Chinese keyboard. And vice versa: if a person does not know how to work, then the best keyboard for programming in the world will not help him.

Therefore, you can take any serviceable model. If you are completely satisfied with it, close this article and do not waste time. If you are a beginner and are just about to buy a computer, take one that has enough money for it. The keyboard is just a tool. For the sake of it, you should not go crazy trying to find the perfect solution.

Another thing is if your keyboard is broken and you need to find a comfortable replacement for adequate money. In the article I will share my experience and tell you about a few parameters that you should pay attention to. Go through each section, and by the end of the article you will have a rough set of criteria needed for a purchase.

There will be no advertising or anti-advertising in this article. We just suggest what to look for. Make the choice yourself, taking into account the budget and your own preferences.

Our guide is not for geeks who solder keyboards by hand or assemble custom models to order. We are talking only about those options that you can easily buy in any online store.

We will also not dig into the jungle and talk about minor details. For example, keyboard lovers argue a lot about the shape of the keys: some prefer round ones, others prefer square ones. It is unlikely that there is an unambiguous answer to such questions. So buy what you like best.

Author's experience: how I chose keyboards and screwed up

At the beginning of my career, I did not pay attention to the varieties of keyboards and typed on a budget hi-Rali wired keyboard. She worked for a couple of months, and then she switched off for no reason. All keys failed at once.

Next, I wanted to experiment with formats and chose the Rapoo compact wireless keyboard. This is an amazing model: individually, the keys are pressed almost silently, but when typing quickly, they crackle so that every printed sentence is heard throughout the house. In order not to feel like a neighbor pianist, the keyboard had to be abandoned.

After Rapoo, I wanted something quiet, and my attention was drawn to the Active wired silicone keyboard. This model is not afraid of moisture and folds into a tube. Due to the form factor, the keyboard is absolutely not designed for typing, since every time you press the keys you will feel the surface of the table and you can only type a couple of words per minute.

After previous failures, I got tired of experiments and wanted something reliable. So I chose a compact bluetooth keyboard from Apple. The keyboard is well-assembled, is located at a slight slope, has a fairly quiet and pleasant keystroke. At the same time, it has two drawbacks: there is no backlight and when printing fast, it often bounces even on a rubber surface. To work comfortably, you need to put something soft like a felt cover for a MacBook.

I put up with the lack of backlighting, but not with the rug. It was very annoying that without it the keyboard turned into a jumper. So I decided to take Apple's full-size wired keyboard and consider it the best typing gadget - it's a solid piece of aluminum with incredible key travel.

Unfortunately, Apple does not put moisture protection on keyboards and contact with a cup of coffee means death for most keys. I still remember this horror.

I flooded my Apple keyboard at the time of the deadline of some project, and I had to urgently go to the nearest store for a replacement. There were few options, and from the entire range I liked the Havit gaming keyboard - a heavy and stable model with a fairly pleasant key travel and three backlight modes. If the bright backlight interferes, it is easy to turn it off with one button.

My problem with the Havit keyboard may seem far-fetched, but after a few hours of use, my fingers just fell off. The keyboard has an acceptable key travel, but it is so tight that it becomes uncomfortable.

After struggling with Havit, I wanted to buy a new wired keyboard from Apple, but I accidentally noticed a commercial from Logitech. It shows how to use one keyboard to control three devices: tablet, phone and computer. I liked the idea and I decided to try it.

Surprisingly, the ad did not disappoint: the keyboard switched between devices in a second, had several programmable buttons, was quite heavy and had a pleasantly quiet keystroke. The stand did not tip over the keyboard and withstood the iPad with a smartphone without any problems.

The problem is that the stand places gadgets below eye level and you need to constantly tilt your neck to work. This is inconvenient and harmful to the spine, so I used the keyboard only in conjunction with one computer - I overpaid for features that were not needed.