Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

HydraMouse VS SharpKeys

Compare HydraMouse VS SharpKeys and see what are their differences

HydraMouse logo HydraMouse

HydraMouse assigns various actions to the buttons of your mouse, even if it has more than 5 buttons! The actions can be system-wide or application-specific, and can be combined into macros.

SharpKeys logo SharpKeys

SharpKeys is a utility that manages a Registry key that allows Windows to remap one key to any...
  • HydraMouse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-28
  • SharpKeys Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-02

HydraMouse features and specs

  • Customizable Buttons
    HydraMouse allows users to assign different functions to each button, enhancing productivity and usability for various applications.
  • Macro Creation
    The software enables the creation of macros, allowing users to automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows.
  • Profiles Management
    Users can create and manage multiple profiles, allowing quick switching between settings for different applications or games.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    HydraMouse provides a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it accessible even for users with minimal technical expertise.
  • Wide Compatibility
    It supports a wide range of mouse models, ensuring that most users can benefit from its features regardless of their hardware.

Possible disadvantages of HydraMouse

  • Windows-Only
    HydraMouse is only available for Windows operating systems, limiting its usability for those on macOS or Linux.
  • Limited Free Version
    The free version may have limited features compared to the full version, which might restrict users looking for extensive customization.
  • Learning Curve
    There can be a learning curve associated with understanding and utilizing all available features and settings effectively.
  • Potential for Bugs
    As with many software, users might encounter bugs or stability issues, especially with new releases or updates.
  • Resource Consumption
    Running HydraMouse in the background could potentially consume system resources, which may impact performance on lower-end PCs.

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 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.

HydraMouse videos

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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 HydraMouse and SharpKeys)
Note Taking
46 46%
54% 54
Automation
31 31%
69% 69
Windows Tools
27 27%
73% 73
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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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.

HydraMouse mentions (0)

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

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 / almost 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 / almost 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: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

Auto Mouse Mover - Auto Mouse Mover is a software that keeps the user’s computer awake by automatically moving on the screen.

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

X-Mouse Controls - A tool to enable or disable active window tracking, raising and also the delay in milliseconds.

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

FlashWheel - FlashWheel is a windows utility to allow the mouse wheel message to be sent to the window under the...

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