qmk_firmware/layouts/community/ortho_4x12/neo2marin

TheAmarin's Neo2-based Layout

This layout is based on Neo2, an ergonomic keyboard layout optimized for coding and German language. neo2marin tries to squeeze Neo2 onto the Planck keyboard.

Neo2 already uses several layers with multiple modifiers, so we don't have to invent new layers. A major difficulty is the missing 'hashtag' key which is usually left to the 'return' key on German QWERTZ keyboards.

Another astonishing thing might be that return/enter needs a modifier (MOD4+P).

This layout makes heavy use of the split space key, as its left part becomes the quite important MOD4 modifier.

The Neo2 Main Layer

|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|TAB | X  | V  | L  | C  | W  |    | K  | H  | G  | F  | Q  | SS   |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|MOD3| U  | I  | A  | E  | O  |    | S  | N  | R  | T  | D  |Y/MOD3|
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|LSFT| Ü  | Ö  | Ä  | P  | Z  |    | B  | M  | ,  | .  | J  |RSFT  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|LCTL|LGUI|LALT|SWAP|MOD5|MOD4|    |SPC |SWAP|MOD5|APP |RALT|RCTL  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|

Unfortunately, y and MOD3 (switch to layer 3) need to share a single key. This works for me most of the time but I am happy to learn about your solution!

The QWERTZ fallback layer

I nearly never use this layer, so there may be room for optimization.

|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|TAB | Q  | W  | E  | R  | T  |    | Z  | U  | I  | O  | P  | Ü    |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|CAPS| A  | S  | D  | F  | G  |    | H  | J  | K  | L  | Ö  |Ä/MOD3|
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|LSFT| Y  | X  | C  | V  | B  |    | N  | M  | ,  | .  | SS |RSFT  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|
|LCTL|LGUI|LALT|SWAP|MOD5|MOD4|    |SPC |SWAP|RALT|APP |RALT|RCTL  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+------|

The German ß has moved right to the . key, and we have to reuse Ä for MOD3 again.

MOD3: The Coding Layer

This is definitively the coolest part of Neo2, having most of the coding-related symbols right on your home row! Of course, this is the only way to do it on Planck.

|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|'   | €  | _  | [  | ]  | ^  |    | !  | <  | >  | =  | &  | `  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|MOD3, \  | /  | {  | }  | *  |    | ?  | (  | )  | -  | :  | @  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|LSFT, #  | $  | |  | ~  | '  |    | +  | %  | "  | '  | ;  |RSFT|
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|LCTL|LGUI|LALT|SWAP|MOD5|MOD4|    |SPC |SWAP|MOD5|APP |RALT|RCTL|
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|

Because y and MOD3 have to share a key, we need two variants of the MOD3 layer (as can be seen in the keymap).

MOD4: The Movements Layer

|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |PGUP|BSPC| UP |DEL |PGDN|    |    | 7  | 8  | 9  | +  | -  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |HOME|LEFT|DOWN|RGHT|END |    |    | 4  | 5  | 6  | ,  | .  |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |ESC |TAB |INS |ENTR|    |    | 0  | 1  | 2  | 3  | ;  |    |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 0  |    |    |    |    |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|

MOD5: The Fun(ctions) Layer

|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |AUD1|VOLD|MAXM|VOLU|    |    |M1R | F7 | F8 | F9 |F12 |PSCR|
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |MSTP|MPRV|MPLY|MNXT|NEO2|    |M1S | F4 | F5 | F6 |F11 |BRK |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |AUD0|TAB |INS |ENTR|QWERTZ   |M1P | F1 | F2 | F3 |F10 |    |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|
|    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|----+----+----+----+----+----|    |----+----+----+----+----+----|

Have fun!

Your feedback is appreciated!