Editing Keyboard layouts (section)

==Physical layout==
{{main|Physical keyboard layout}}

The physical layout of keyboard is the size, shape and position of all the keys on a keyboard. Historically, there was no standard way to lay out a terminal or computer keyboards, neither by manufacturer nor by product. Beyond the position of the letter keys (in QWERTY layout), and typically the number keys in a row above, key arrangement was specific to each piece of equipment or model of keyboard.

Following the creation of the clone market based around the [[IBM Personal Computer]], the keyboard layouts used on IBM PCs were adopted by other manufacturers and became de-facto standards. Modern keyboards are based on the physical layout of the [[IBM Enhanced Keyboard]], commonly known as the "IBM Model M" (it is part of the [[IBM Model M]] family). IBM and DEC terminal keyboard layouts also became de-facto standards.

The basic arrangement of keys depends primarily on country. In Japan, the requirements for text input led to keyboards with a total of four more keys than standard US keyboards, while keyboards in most European countries have one more key.

By necessity laptop keyboards have fewer keys, and the reduction in size of the layout is not standardised. Desktop computer keyboards also see variation in layout.