Semimak

Semimak is notable for being the first layout to minimize same-finger skipgrams. As a result, it has lower SFSs than all layouts before it.

Versions

base

shift

Finger	1	2	3	4	5	7	8	9	10
Usage	6.24% (P68)	7.96% (P71)	10.53% (P36)	10.76% (P22)	17.5%	9.25% (P14)	12.84% (P66)	13.24% (P98)	7.61% (P62)

	Same Finger	Full Scissor	Half Scissor	Lat. Stretch
Bigram	0.78% (P39)	0.27% (P94)	1.25% (P51)	3.02% (P51)
Skipgram	3.69% (P12)	0.37% (P69)	3.48% (P97)	3.67% (P22)

base

shift

Finger	1	2	3	4	5	7	8	9	10
Usage	6.24% (P69)	7.44% (P46)	10.54% (P37)	10.70% (P15)	17.5%	9.83% (P23)	12.84% (P69)	13.24% (P99)	7.61% (P63)

	Same Finger	Full Scissor	Half Scissor	Lat. Stretch
Bigram	0.71% (P30)	0.27% (P95)	1.13% (P41)	3.00% (P50)
Skipgram	3.67% (P10)	0.38% (P72)	3.65% (P99)	3.87% (P26)

Kanata is a keyboard remapper that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Install Kanata by following “Step 1: Set Up Kanata” in Nova’s Kanata setup guide:

Step 1: Set Up Kanata (Kanata Guide for Alt Layouts)
Download the Kanata config file for the desired version of Semimak:

Semimak (Original)

Semimak (JQ)
Make sure you know how to type your computer password using Semimak.

Skipping this step will lock you out of your computer. If you forget how to type your password using Semimak, look up Semimak on another device, such as a phone, when unlocking the computer.
Run Kanata with the downloaded config file and make sure the layout works as you expect:
```
kanata --cfg path/to/config.kbd
```
To have Semimak activate whenever your computer starts up, follow the instructions to “Automatically start Kanata”:

Automatically start Kanata (Kanata Guide for Alt Layouts)

There are two downloads available for macOS:

Method	Admin Required	Notes
Native	Optional	Does not require 3rd party key remapping software. Admin is required to install for all users and use on first login.
Karabiner-Elements	Yes	Requires 3rd party key remapping software, including the installation of a Driver Extension. Allows for remapping of only specific keyboards.

Download the .keylayout file for the desired version of Semimak:

Semimak (Original)

Semimak (JQ)
Install the .keylayout file:
- Single User
- All Users
Copy the downloaded .keylayout file to ~/Library/Keyboard Layouts. Create the folder if it does not exist.

Copy the downloaded .keylayout file to /Library/Keyboard Layouts.
By default, macOS hides the “Library” folder. To navigate to it in Finder, open the Go to Folder dialog (Go → Go to Folder… in the menubar, or Command-Shift-G) and type in the path shown above.
Restart macOS.
Open System Settings.
Go to Keyboard → Text Input → Input Sources → Edit… and add your new Semimak layout.
Press the “+” button at the bottom left.
Search for “Semimak,” select your new layout, and press Add.