Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AutoIt VS SharpKeys

Compare AutoIt VS SharpKeys and see what are their differences

AutoIt logo AutoIt

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SharpKeys logo SharpKeys

SharpKeys is a utility that manages a Registry key that allows Windows to remap one key to any...
  • AutoIt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-24

We recommend LibHunt AutoIt for discovery and comparisons of trending AutoIt projects.

  • SharpKeys Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-02

AutoIt features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    AutoIt has a simple syntax and is relatively easy to learn, which makes it accessible for beginners and allows for quick scripting.
  • Automation Capabilities
    AutoIt excels in automating GUI tasks and user actions, making it useful for repetitive tasks such as software installation, UI testing, and form filling.
  • Free and Lightweight
    AutoIt is free to use and has a small footprint, which means it can be easily included in various projects without significant overhead.
  • Comprehensive Library Support
    AutoIt provides a wide range of built-in functions and libraries, including support for file operations, network communications, and registry manipulation.
  • Community Support
    There is an active community around AutoIt, providing forums, tutorials, and user-contributed scripts which can be very helpful for troubleshooting and learning.

Possible disadvantages of AutoIt

  • Windows Only
    AutoIt is designed specifically for Windows, which limits its use across different operating systems and restricts multi-platform support.
  • Limited Debugging Tools
    The debugging tools available in AutoIt are more limited compared to more robust programming languages and IDEs, which can make error tracking and fixing more difficult.
  • Performance Limitations
    For more resource-intensive operations, AutoIt may not be as fast as compiled languages like C++ or C#, which can be a constraint for certain types of projects.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Complex Scripts
    While basic scripts are fairly easy to write, more advanced scripting and automation tasks require a deeper understanding of the language, which can be challenging.
  • Security Concerns
    Since AutoIt can easily manipulate system processes and files, thereโ€™s a potential for misuse if scripts are not used or distributed with caution.

SharpKeys features and specs

  • Open Source
    SharpKeys is available on GitHub, which means it is open source. This allows users to inspect the code, contribute to development, or customize it for their needs.
  • Free of Cost
    SharpKeys is entirely free to use, making it accessible to anyone without the need for a commercial license.
  • Simple User Interface
    The interface is straightforward and easy to use, which makes the process of remapping keys simple even for non-technical users.
  • Registry-Based Remapping
    SharpKeys makes changes directly to the Windows registry, ensuring that the remapped keys work across all applications without the need for additional software running in the background.
  • Minimal Resource Usage
    Because SharpKeys modifies the registry rather than running a constant background process, it uses minimal system resources.
  • Portability
    Once the registry changes are made, SharpKeys does not need to remain installed on the system, making it a lightweight, one-time-use tool.

Possible disadvantages of SharpKeys

  • Windows Only
    SharpKeys is designed to work exclusively on Windows operating systems, which limits its usability for users on macOS, Linux, or other platforms.
  • Limited to Registry
    The tool operates by modifying the Windows registry, so it cannot handle complex remapping scenarios that need real-time processing, such as conditional key mappings.
  • No Advanced Features
    SharpKeys lacks advanced features found in more sophisticated key remapping software, such as macro recording, multi-key remapping, or application-specific profiles.
  • Requires Admin Rights
    Since changes are made to the Windows registry, administrative privileges are required, which might be restrictive in some organizational environments.
  • Potential for Errors
    Incorrect registry changes could potentially lead to system instability or errors, especially for users who are not familiar with the Windows registry.
  • Reboot Required
    For registry changes to take effect, a system reboot is necessary, which can be inconvenient for users needing immediate results.

Analysis of AutoIt

Overall verdict

  • AutoIt is a good choice for those looking to automate simple tasks on Windows systems without delving into more complex programming languages. Its ease of use, robust documentation, and community support make it a valuable tool for task automation. However, for more complex or cross-platform automation needs, other languages or tools might be more suitable.

Why this product is good

  • AutoIt is particularly favored for its simplicity and ease of use, especially in automating tasks on the Windows operating system. Its scripting language is designed to mimic keystrokes and mouse movements, which makes it straightforward for beginners to create automation scripts without extensive programming knowledge. Moreover, AutoIt comes with a rich set of libraries and a comprehensive help file, making it effective for automating repetitive tasks in both personal and professional environments.

Recommended for

  • Beginners looking to automate repetitive Windows tasks with minimal programming experience.
  • IT professionals seeking a straightforward scripting tool for creating simple automation scripts.
  • Individuals or teams aiming to automate GUI interactions, such as clicking buttons or filling out forms.
  • Users in need of a quick solution for process automation without investing time in learning complex languages.

Analysis of SharpKeys

Overall verdict

  • SharpKeys is generally considered a good tool for users who need an easy and effective way to remap keys on Windows. It has a straightforward interface and does not require advanced technical skills to use, making it accessible to a wide range of users. It is also open-source and has a supportive community on GitHub, which contributes to its reliability and improvement over time.

Why this product is good

  • SharpKeys is a utility that allows users to remap keys on their Windows keyboards. It modifies the Windows Registry to achieve this, which is particularly useful for users who want to change the function of a specific key, disable a key, or swap keys to better match their personal typing preferences or overcome keyboard limitations.

Recommended for

    SharpKeys is recommended for Windows users who need to customize their keyboard layout, such as programmers, writers, or anyone who frequently uses specific key combinations. It is also suitable for users who want to disable keys that are accidentally pressed often, such as Caps Lock or Insert, as well as those who want to swap keys for ergonomic reasons or due to a damaged key on their keyboard.

AutoIt videos

Hak5 - Hak5 How To Use AutoIt to Make a Keylogger 1020.1

More videos:

  • Review - [AutoIT] Review and Release Q-Tool v1.0 #CoderDuc
  • Review - [AutoIT] Review Thread Options v1.0 by CoderDuc

SharpKeys videos

[Windows] Changing Modifier Keys Using SharpKeys | Reassigning Modifier Keys & SharpKeys Tutorial

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Map Keys with SharpKeys

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AutoIt and SharpKeys)
Automation
78 78%
22% 22
Windows Tools
80 80%
20% 20
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Scripts
86 86%
14% 14

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AutoIt and SharpKeys

AutoIt Reviews

Microsoft Power Automate
AutoIt is a solution for automating Windows GUI and general scripting. It is a freeware software that uses scripting language for automation. The software is a dynamic combination of keystrokes, mouse navigation, and window manipulation for automation purposes. Important AutoIt features include:
9 Best AutoHotkey Alternative Apps
The setup of AutoIt is very compact and accessible. It runs effortlessly on all the versions of Windows OS and takes no time to get ready for running.
Autohotkey Alternatives and Similar Free Software
This is one of the best automation alternatives to AutoHotkey. AutoIT reads the particular script and allows that to do some functions, like, automating keystrokes, executing programs, mouse clicks, manipulating functions of Windows, and much more. This software is also capable of more advanced options, as it automates clipboard functions and simple texts. The best thing...
6 Autohotkey Alternatives
The AutoHotkey alternatives jotted down below are actually automation software that let you create shortcuts for a keyboard, a mouse or a joystick. The program in question comes in extremely handy for creating macros or apps and helps you type faster as it can be customized to expand abbreviations. This utility makes it possible to remap keys and convert scripts in to EXE...

SharpKeys Reviews

We have no reviews of SharpKeys yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SharpKeys seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 52 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AutoIt mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of AutoIt yet. Tracking of AutoIt recommendations started around Mar 2021.

SharpKeys mentions (52)

  • Shortcut for rotating canvas by 15ยฐ left or right without a mouse
    I don't like using my mouse while drawing and I couldn't find how to do this anywhere, but luckily when I was about to give up I achieved it! So, for this you'll need a program called SharpKeys. You can download it here: https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Caps Lock Behaviour Disabled in Gnome
    Sharpkeys can swap keys, the readme says as much: > Things that SharpKeys will do: > ... > Allow you to swap two keys with each other - e.g. You can swap Left Windows with Left Control and vice versa I do have a vague recollection of Sharpkeys previously saying that it couldnโ€™t, but that I tried and it worked. Long time since I last used Windows though. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Total Commander
    > Total commander isnโ€™t FOSS. I'm aware of that. There are lots of FOSS equivalents, though. Including, I believe, on Windows. Wikipedia lists 23 of which I think -- haven't checked -- the majority are FOSS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_manager#Orthodox_file_managers > Ironically windows 11 canโ€™t do vertical taskbars. True. Easily fixed with Explorer Patcher, though. Which, ironically, is FOSS. > And... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Learn AutoHotKey by stealing my scripts
    Remapping Capslock to Control: Windows: https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys Ubuntu Linux (don't know about other Linuxes): /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/pc
        key  { [ Caps_Lock  ] };
    . - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Setup Media Key shortcuts
    SharpKeys: available in the Microsoft Store. Or you can get it here: https://www.randyrants.com/category/sharpkeys/ or here: https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing AutoIt and SharpKeys, you can also consider the following products

AutoHotkey - The ultimate automation scripting language for Windows.

Karabiner - Karabiner, previously called KeyRemap4MacBook, is a very powerful keyboard remapper for Mac OS X.

Puloverโ€™s Macro Creator - Puloverโ€™s Macro Creator is a Free Automation Tool and Script Generator.

Key Manager - ATNSOFT Key Manager, Key Remapper, Text Paster

AutoKey - A Python 3 port of AutoKey, the desktop automation utility for Linux and X11.

Microsoft keyboard layout creator - Edit the windows keyboard layout.