Tablet users, I bring you a virtual keyboard to replace the one that comes with Android by default, which is characterized by being a keyboard identical to the real keyboard of any laptop or PC. Hacker's Keyboard It is designed for those who need more than just typing quick messages: programmers, system administrators, advanced SSH users, technical writers, or anyone who misses the full layout of a physical keyboard.
If you have a phone and want to install it, go ahead, but It needs to be quite large on screen So you can really take advantage of it. It can be used on smaller screens, but this app's strength is most noticeable on tablets and large phablet-type mobile phones. Download from the market here
What makes Hacker's Keyboard different from the Android keyboard?
The virtue of this keyboard It's very similar to that of a PC and we have keys for keys [], the bars / y \, the symbol I, The key Tab or common combinations such as Ctrl + C o Ctrl + VAll of this is especially useful when it comes to program code, edit configuration files or move around remote consoles.
It's also very useful if you are a fan of emoticons and symbolsHaving the entire number and punctuation bar always visible greatly speeds up the insertion of special characters. Or, if you find the Android keyboard too small, don't like it, or are simply bored and have tried everything and want new experiences, you can install it and see if it suits you.
One of the great strengths is that It does not prioritize visual embellishments. (themes, skins, or eye-catching backgrounds) but the key layout and functionalityIf you're looking for a pretty keyboard, it might not win you over at first sight, but if you value productivity and precision, it's one of the best you can install on your tablet.
Full five-row layout and advanced keys
This is a keyboard with five rows of keys which include keys Control (Ctrl), Shift o Enter, plus arrow keys to move and symbols on number keysInstead of hiding the numbers behind a long press or a screen change, you always have them visible in a separate row, just like on a computer keyboard.
The layout is based on a classic PC keyboard, so The punctuation keys are located in the same places You're used to using commas, periods, semicolons, hyphens, parentheses, etc. This greatly reduces errors when typing quickly and makes it easier to replicate shortcuts and workflows you already use on your computer.
Hacker's Keyboard It includes special keys for programming and system administration.Escape, Tab, Ctrl, and cursor keys (arrow keys) allow you to navigate through text without having to touch the screen. In text editors, shells, terminals, and SSH clients, this makes a huge difference compared to conventional mobile keyboards, where these keys are often hidden or simply nonexistent.
You can also put calculator type numeric keypadwith the function keys (F1, F2…) and a few more, which is very practical if you work with spreadsheets, remote desktop application shortcuts or interfaces that expect a full keyboard.
Based on the Android AOSP keyboard and multitouch support
Hacker's Keyboard is based on the Gingerbread (AOSP) keyboardso it's going to ask you the same permissions that uses that keyboard and also, by inheriting that base, It has multitouch capability on the modifier keysThis means that you can press, for example, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Alt + key or similar combinations naturally, as you would on a computer.
Multitouch support is designed precisely so that keyboard shortcut combinations actually work and they aren't registered as individual keystrokes. For advanced users who use editors like Vim, Emacs, or terminals with intensive keyboard shortcuts, this makes the tablet a tool much closer to a lightweight laptop.
Regarding permissions, it uses the standard ones for any AOSP-based keyboard: access to contacts to autocomplete names and emails, and option of voice input It requires audio permission if you use this feature. It doesn't add any suspicious extra permissions beyond what a modern full keyboard requires.
Languages, dictionaries, and support for international layouts
It should be noted that historically the application included just one English dictionary Integrated, a limitation noted in older versions. Over time, the project has expanded its support and many modern versions They offer more than thirty languages ​​and distribution variantsThis makes it very useful if you work in multiple languages ​​or with different alphabets. However, on devices with older versions of the app or operating system, you may find that the default dictionary is still English.
Supported languages ​​and layouts include, among others: Spanish (Spain and Latin America), English (QWERTY and Dvorak), French (AZERTY), German (QWERTZ), Italian, Portuguese, Russian (and Russian phonetics), Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Czech, Hungarian, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Tamil, Thai, Lao, Armenian, Persian and several more. This not only changes the spell checker's language, but also the actual key layout to match what you would expect on a physical keyboard of that language.
The part of autocomplete and prediction it's based on completion dictionaries using plugin packagesFrom the app itself or from the store, you can download additional dictionaries, and also It is compatible with AnySoftKeyboard dictionaries (only the dictionary part, not the keyboard layouts), which greatly expands the possibilities if you want word suggestions in your language.
The location of the layout, however, It is not perfect in all casesFor some languages ​​such as Spanish, Finnish, Lao, Romanian or ThaiThe full localized distribution is only available in the mode of four rowsIf you select these languages ​​in the version of five rowsthe keyboard may display a English QWERTY Maintaining the dictionary language is a limitation to consider if you absolutely need all five rows with the exact layout of your language.
App compatibility, recommended uses, and limitations
In the market they say, and experience confirms it, that The key layout will be very useful if you use ConnectBot for SSH through the keys Tab, Ctrl and EscapeThe same applies to other SSH clients, terminals, and emulators where these keys make a difference. For devices without a trackball, joystick, or physical D-pad, The arrow keys become essential to navigate menus, move through command history, or edit text with precision.
Hacker's Keyboard is a A very interesting keyboard for tablet users who use them for programming or for slightly less common tasks: server administration, remote work, technical writing, editing system files, etc. With the keys this keyboard provides compared to Gingerbread, you'll have greater ease of use of some applications in your daily lifeespecially those that have been designed with a full keyboard in mind.
There are also some things to keep in mind technical limitationsMany applications do not react to certain additional keys because they have not been programmed to handle them, so in some text fields the key Tab, Esc, or even some Ctrl combinations They may do nothing even though the keyboard is correctly sending the keystroke. Furthermore, on very old devices or those with limited fonts, Some languages ​​and layouts may not display correctly.And right-to-left languages ​​(such as Arabic or Hebrew) may not be fully supported by older versions of Android.
The good news is that the project continues to receive updates, fixing bugs and adding improvements, so It's worth checking out new versions If at any point a specific update gives you problems, you can even download previous versions from the developer's website if necessary.
Overall, Hacker's Keyboard remains one of the best options for those who need a full PC-style keyboard on your Android tabletwith special keys, support for many languages ​​and a layout designed for real work, not just chatting.