Alternatives to kanata

Create keyboard layers and advanced key behavior across desktop systems. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as kanata.

  • Karabiner-Elements

    The keyboard remapper for macOS, with rules that can differ per keyboard and go far beyond swapping two keys.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOS

    Karabiner-Elements offers per-device rules, layers and tap-versus-hold on macOS only, with a public rule collection, but installs a driver extension and uses JSON rules.

  • xremap

    Remap Linux keys with application-specific and device-specific rules.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    xremap is a free MIT licensed remapper with application-specific and device-specific rules, but it runs on Linux only rather than across all three desktop systems.

  • input-remapper

    Remap Linux input devices with combinations and macros.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    input-remapper remaps Linux input devices with combinations and macros on both X11 and Wayland, but it does not run on Windows or macOS.

  • AutoHotkey

    A Windows scripting language for hotkeys, text expansion, key remapping and automating anything on screen.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    AutoHotkey handles key remapping plus full scripting, hotkeys and text replacement, but it runs on Windows only and version 2 broke compatibility with version 1.

  • SharpKeys

    A tiny Windows utility that writes the registry key Windows uses to remap one key to another.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    SharpKeys writes simple Windows registry key mappings with nothing running in the background, but it cannot do layers, tap-versus-hold or macros and needs a reboot.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.