HP Dev One | The Modern Developer Keyboard
Sign in

The Evolution of the Developer Keyboard: What's Optimal Today?

the-evolved-developer-keyboard

It is a rare developer who has no firm opinion on their favorite keyboard for work. Afterall, you use your keyboard more than almost any other tool in or outside of your work setting. You need your keyboard to feel comfortable, but also versatile enough for the varying work tasks and projects you develop.

What's more, the right keyboard not only decreases the risk of conditions like carpal tunnel, it also works to enhance your productivity.

But not all keyboards are created equally, and you may be losing capability based on unfounded loyalty, or out of habit. Learn about the evolution of the developer keyboard, and what is optimal for developer keyboards today.

Early Programming and the Keyboard

In the early days of programming, the first coders were mathematicians who were hired to support war efforts in World War II. These first programmers, mostly women, used a form of switches, wires, and mental computations to provide trajectory instructions for weapons.They used what was known as "keypunch" technology. As a result of this work, engineers developed the ENIAC machine in the 1940s, which was one of the first programmable computers.

At the same time, the typewriter evolved from basic typing and printing usage to technology used for the telegraph. Typewriters also appeared in early calculators, and this technology became the basis of early computers.

The first computer keyboards were hard to use, and binary-based. Entering a new application could take hours and weeks by this process, and in the beginning, only one computer was used for one application.

Developed in the late 1940s, the BINAC computer (Binary Automatic Calculator) is considered one of the first electronic, digital computers. It included a keyboard for data-entry. This small keyboard was based on the octal number-system, and the electronic keyboard had only nine numbers for data entry, from zero to eight.

evolution-of-the-programmable-keyboard

Computer Keyboards for Modern Programming

From the early 1960s on to today, the keyboard you use has changed significantly, largely in part with the invention and addition of a visual display. These early keyboards were electronic, mechanical keyboards, customized for programmers and engineers. Unlike your keyboard today, they were clunky, heavy, and not comfortable for long periods of use.

With the advent of the PC, personal computers led to advancements in keyboard technology and aesthetics, to help evolve your keyboard to what it is today.

Keyboards also played a critical role in advancing the programming language you use today.In the early years of programming, without the benefit of electronic keyboards, early programmers invented and adapted FORTRAN (FORMula TRANslation), and COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) as the first programming languages in the early 20th century.

But as computers and electronic keyboards became more ubiquitous commercially and personally, programming languages evolved to meet more complex applications: PASCAL, and C programming language could not have been developed without the advancements in the electric keyboard.

Mechanical to Membrane Keyboards (and Back Again)

Mechanical keyboards predate membrane keyboards. They are spring-based with separate keys that activate a switch. Membrane keyboards were invented in the 1970s. They are made with a rubber shell overlay, and activated by an electrical contact. By the 1980s, you'd find these on calculators and on appliances, and they became a leading keyboard component in the 1990s.

Many developers today prefer mechanical keyboards, and there are many reasons for this, which include:

  • Durability
  • Accuracy
  • Easy of use
  • Stability
  • Responsiveness

However, mixing-up a long day of coding with both a mechanical and membrane keyboard helps your hands and fingers stay faster, and remain stronger.

Keyboard Functionality is Key

For developers, speed, accuracy, and responsiveness are critical to your workflows. Even more importantly, keyboard functionality must align with the development work you perform.

Apart from mechanical and membrane keyboards, there are several other types of keyboards to consider. Multifunctional keyboards include special characters, a QWERTY layout, and alphanumeric characters. Gaming keyboards are smaller, and designed for quicker strokes and faster play. Some developers favor split keyboards, as an ergonomic solution for long sessions of coding and work.

programming-keyboard-functionality

Selecting the Best Keyboard

For coding and other developer workflows, selecting the best keyboard includes finding an intersection between your personal preferences and a wider breadth of functionality that support your work.

You spend hours everyday on your keyboard. Like any tool you use often, it can take time to research the best one for you. It's not uncommon to get caught up with information overload. Instead, apply a few universal guidelines to help you choose the right keyboard for your work:

  • N-key rollover
  • Configurable
  • Keyboard size
  • Key switch feel
  • Key shape

When searching for an upgrade, starting with these specs is a smart way to begin. Key rollover makes your work faster and more precise. Additionally, a well-designed configuration application enables you to customize and save your keymap, for greater portability.

Whether you prefer a backlit keyboard, RGB or LED-colored keyboard is up to preference.To some degree, the key shape and key switch feel are also not as critical as configuration, firmware, and key swapping capability.

Conclusion

HP Dev One comes with a dual-point keyboard to adapt to your navigating preferences. The backlit, spill-resistant keyboard is also designed to take with you to your favorite coffee shop or cafe.

In addition, HP Dev One for developers can be paired with the System76 Launch Configurable Keyboard. The Launch keyboard is an open-source peripheral with multilayer functionality, to personalize shortcuts for faster and more comfortable workflows. Multi-colored key swapping comes in varying sizes, and contours to swap keys easily for better customization.

High-speed video porting enables you to transfer up to 1TB of video in 15 minutes, with optimal potential data-transfer speed.

Learn how the HP Dev One is designed for developers, as the first-of-its-kind system to support the work you do, and the work you want to do.

Connect With HP
Connect With POP!_OS
RecallsProduct RecyclingAccessibilityCA Supplies Chain ActPrivacyUse of CookiesPersonal Data RightsTerms of UseLimited Warranty Statement Terms & Conditions of Sales and ServiceGeneral WarrantyBattery WarrantyRegulatory Notice
© Copyright 2022 HP Development Company, L.P.

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Pop!_OS is a registered trademark of System76, Inc.

Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries. AMD is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. DisplayPort™ and the DisplayPort™ logo are trademarks owned by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) in the United States and other countries. USB Type-C® and USB-C® are trademarks of USB Implementers Forum.