Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

xmodmap VS SharpKeys

Compare xmodmap VS SharpKeys and see what are their differences

xmodmap logo xmodmap

The xmodmap program is used to edit and display the keyboard modifier map and keymap table that are...

SharpKeys logo SharpKeys

SharpKeys is a utility that manages a Registry key that allows Windows to remap one key to any...
  • xmodmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
  • SharpKeys Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-02

xmodmap features and specs

  • Flexibility
    xmodmap allows users to remap keys and buttons according to their preferences, providing high customization flexibility.
  • Simplicity
    The utility is straightforward and simple to use for basic key remapping tasks, making it accessible to users with varying technical skills.
  • Compatibility
    xmodmap is compatible with many UNIX-like operating systems and can be used in various desktop environments.

Possible disadvantages of xmodmap

  • Limited Features
    xmodmap lacks some advanced features and functionalities found in more modern key remapping tools.
  • Volatility
    Changes made with xmodmap are not persistent across sessions and need to be reapplied each time the user logs in.
  • Deprecated
    xmodmap is considered deprecated in favor of other tools like setxkbmap and can have compatibility issues with newer systems.

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.

xmodmap videos

Remap keys via xmodmap no longer works

More videos:

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 xmodmap and SharpKeys)
OS & Utilities
100 100%
0% 0
Automation
28 28%
72% 72
Note Taking
41 41%
59% 59
Windows Tools
31 31%
69% 69

User comments

Share your experience with using xmodmap 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 xmodmap. While we know about 52 links to SharpKeys, we've tracked only 1 mention of xmodmap. 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.

xmodmap mentions (1)

  • Unicode Character “𝕏” (U+1D54F)
    The character is used by another famous piece of software for what, 40 years? https://x.org/wiki/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 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 xmodmap and SharpKeys, you can also consider the following products

Microsoft keyboard layout creator - Edit the windows keyboard layout.

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

Mir - The purpose of Mir is to enable the development of user interfaces shells.

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

Stick Shift - Stick Shift saves you time by removing repetitive changes to hand position when programming.

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