Keyboard Layouts: QWERTY, AZERTY, Dvorak & More

Published: 15 May 2025

Keyboards may look similar at first glance, but the layout of letters and symbols can vary widely depending on the country or language.

These variations are designed to make typing easier and more efficient in different languages. Some layouts prioritize speed, while others focus on supporting specific alphabets or symbols.

In this article, we’ll explore popular layouts like QWERTY, AZERTY, Dvorak, and others, and offer comparisons to help you understand why they matter and which one might suit you best.

Table of Content

QWERTY Keyboard Layout
AZERTY Keyboard Layout
Dvorak Keyboard Layout
Colemak Keyboard Layout
QWERTZ Keyboard Layout
JCUKEN Keyboard Layout
Arabic Keyboard Layout
Japanese Keyboard Layout
Chinese Keyboard Input Methods
Other Layouts
Comparison Table of Popular Keyboard Layouts
Conclusion
FAQs

QWERTY Keyboard Layout

Origin: Introduced in the 1870s by Christopher Sholes.
Purpose: Created to prevent typewriter jams by spacing out frequently used letter pairs.
Usage: United States, UK, Canada, Australia, and much of the English-speaking world.
Strengths: Familiar, supported by most hardware and software.
Weaknesses: Not the most efficient for typing speed.

AZERTY Keyboard Layout

Origin: A French variant of QWERTY.
Usage: Primarily France and Belgium.
Features:
- Swapped keys (A/Q, Z/W).
- Direct access to accented letters like é, è, à.
Strengths: Optimized for French text input.
Weaknesses: Can be frustrating for non-French users.

Dvorak Keyboard Layout

Origin: Designed by Dr. August Dvorak in the 1930s.
Purpose: Maximize typing efficiency and reduce finger movement.
Features:
- Most common letters (e, t, a, o) on the home row.
- Balanced hand usage.
Strengths: Faster typing, less strain.
Weaknesses: Requires retraining; limited availability on public/shared systems.

Colemak Keyboard Layout

Origin: Introduced in 2006 by Shai Coleman.
Purpose: Improve on QWERTY while maintaining familiarity.
Features:
- 17 key changes from QWERTY.
- Focuses on comfort and speed.
Strengths: Easier transition from QWERTY than Dvorak.
Weaknesses: Not widely known; not standard on most systems.

QWERTZ Keyboard Layout

Origin: A variant of QWERTY for German-speaking users.
Usage: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Features:
- Y and Z are swapped.
- Includes characters like ß and umlauts (ä, ö, ü).
Strengths: Suits German orthography.
Weaknesses: Confusing for non-German typists.

JCUKEN Keyboard Layout

Usage: Russian language input.
Features:
- Based on Cyrillic script.
- Designed for Russian typing needs.
Strengths: Tailored for Russian alphabet.
Weaknesses: Incompatible with Latin-based typing.

Arabic Keyboard Layout

Usage: Arabic-speaking countries.
Features:
- Arabic letters and symbols.
- Often dual-language (Arabic + QWERTY).
Strengths: Supports right-to-left writing and Arabic script.
Weaknesses: Requires language switching for English typing.

Japanese Keyboard Layout

Features:
- Kana characters.
- Toggle between Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji.
- Extra keys for language switching.
Strengths: Accommodates complex Japanese writing systems.
Weaknesses: Can be overwhelming for beginners.

Chinese Keyboard Input Methods

Input Style: Uses phonetic (Pinyin) input.
Features:
- QWERTY base.
- Software maps Pinyin to Chinese characters.
Strengths: Allows access to thousands of characters.
Weaknesses: Depends heavily on accurate phonetic spelling.

Other Layouts

Canadian Multilingual: Supports English, French, and special characters.
Indian InScript: Designed for typing in Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil.
Turkish F Layout: Optimized for Turkish letter frequency.

Comparison Table of Popular Keyboard Layouts

Layout	Main Use Region	Language Support	Efficiency	Learning Curve	Unique Features
QWERTY	Global (English)	English	Medium	None (default)	Standard worldwide layout
AZERTY	France, Belgium	French	Medium	Medium	French accents, A/Q and Z/W swapped
Dvorak	Global (English)	English	High	High	Most used letters on home row
Colemak	Global (English)	English	High	Medium	Easy transition from QWERTY
QWERTZ	Germany, Austria	German	Medium	Medium	Y/Z swap, German characters
JCUKEN	Russia	Russian	Medium	High	Cyrillic alphabet
Arabic	Middle East, North Africa	Arabic	Medium	Medium	RTL support, dual layout
Japanese	Japan	Japanese	Medium	High	Kana/Kanji switching
Chinese	China	Chinese (via Pinyin)	Medium	High	Character conversion via software

Conclusion

The keyboard you use daily is just one of many layouts developed to serve different regions and languages. While the QWERTY layout dominates globally, layouts like AZERTY, Dvorak, Colemak, and JCUKEN show how keyboards evolve to meet unique linguistic and ergonomic needs.

Understanding these layouts not only improves typing experience across languages but also helps in global communication and localization. Whether you’re a multilingual user, a programmer, or just a curious typist, learning about keyboard layouts around the world opens up a world of functionality.

FAQs

Here are some questions related to the frequently asked keyboard layouts.

What is the purpose of different keyboard layouts?

Different layouts are designed to match language requirements, improve typing speed, or reduce finger strain.

Which keyboard layout is best for English typing?

QWERTY is standard, but Dvorak and Colemak are more efficient alternatives for faster typing.

Why do French users prefer AZERTY?

AZERTY includes accented characters and rearranges keys to suit French words better than QWERTY.

Is the Dvorak layout hard to learn?

It has a steep learning curve, but many users find it worth the switch for comfort and speed.

What makes the Colemak layout user-friendly?

Colemak only modifies 17 keys from QWERTY, making it easier to adapt than Dvorak.

Can I type both English and Arabic on one keyboard?

Yes, Arabic keyboards typically support both scripts and allow easy language switching.

How do Japanese keyboards support multiple scripts?

They include extra keys for switching between Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, and English.

What does the JCUKEN layout support?

It’s used for typing in the Russian language using the Cyrillic alphabet.

How do Chinese keyboards handle thousands of characters?

They use input software like Pinyin to convert Roman letters into Chinese characters.

Are there layouts for regional languages like Hindi or Turkish?

Yes, layouts like InScript for Indian languages and the Turkish F layout exist for regional typing needs.