Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

clink VS SharpKeys

Compare clink VS SharpKeys and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

clink logo clink

Clink enhances your productivity in Microsoft Windows' "cmd.exe".

SharpKeys logo SharpKeys

SharpKeys is a utility that manages a Registry key that allows Windows to remap one key to any...
  • clink Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-03-19
  • SharpKeys Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-02

clink features and specs

  • Enhanced Command Line Experience
    Clink provides improved command line editing and navigation with features such as autocompletion and persistent history.
  • Integration with Cmd.exe
    Clink seamlessly integrates with Cmd.exe, allowing users to access powerful features without replacing their existing command line interface.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize Clink's behavior and appearance with Lua scripts, offering flexibility to tailor the tool to individual preferences.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Clink allows users to contribute to its development and review its code for security and reliability.
  • Compatibility
    Clink is designed to be compatible with existing Windows command line tools and scripts, reducing potential disruption.

Possible disadvantages of clink

  • Limited to Windows
    Clink is primarily designed for Windows, so users on other operating systems cannot take advantage of its features.
  • Dependency on Cmd.exe
    As Clink enhances the existing Cmd.exe, it inherits the limitations of the Windows command shell environment.
  • Learning Curve
    Users may need time to learn and configure Clink optimally, particularly when using custom scripts or advanced features.
  • Potential for Bugs
    As with many software tools, users might encounter bugs or compatibility issues, especially with new updates or custom scripts.
  • Community Support
    Although Clink has a user community, it might not be as extensive as more prominent tools, possibly limiting support and resources.

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.

clink videos

The Clink Room Massive Unboxing Review

More videos:

  • Review - EP37 - Hat Club x Clink Room

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 clink and SharpKeys)
SSH
100 100%
0% 0
Automation
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Windows Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using clink and SharpKeys. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SharpKeys seems to be a lot more popular than clink. While we know about 52 links to SharpKeys, we've tracked only 5 mentions of clink. 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.

clink mentions (5)

  • PowerShell history
    Hi all Does anybody knows if exist as simple as useful solution for permanent PowerShell / VMware PowerCLI / Exchange Management Shell / Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 PowerShell etc etc history as for CMD exist? (instead of for example manually cumulated commands in one file in PowerShell ISE) Here is solution for CMD: Clink (mridgers.github.io) Cheers Artur. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Do you think that Windows 11 will be finished by 5th October?
    It's meh, but this extension for CMD is the shit. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Windows Terminal Quake Mode
    Https://mridgers.github.io/clink/ gives you readline editing in cmd.exe. - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • Windows Terminal Quake Mode
    Clink [https://mridgers.github.io/clink/] adds this functionality and much more to good old fashioned command prompt (which I prefer to powershell because it's much faster and simpler). - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • Windows Terminal Quake Mode
    Ah, then we're talking about different things. What you're describing is incremental history search, and you can get that even for cmd.exe with Clink[1]. [1]: https://mridgers.github.io/clink/. - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago

SharpKeys mentions (52)

  • Shortcut for rotating canvas by 15° 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: over 1 year 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 couldn’t, but that I tried and it worked. Long time since I last used Windows though. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Total Commander
    > Total commander isn’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 can’t do vertical taskbars. True. Easily fixed with Explorer Patcher, though. Which, ironically, is FOSS. > And... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year 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 / over 1 year 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: almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

PowerShell - Download WMF. Windows Management Framework contains the latest versions of PowerShell, DSC, WMI, and WinRM for older versions of Windows. PowerShell Module Browser. Search for PowerShell modules and cmdlets.

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

win-bash - win-bash is a Windows port of the famous GNU bash (see GNU Bash homepage).

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

fish shell - The friendly interactive shell.

X-Mouse Button Control - XMouse Button Control (XMBC) allows you to create application and window specific profiles.