Why

If you do not use the Czech language often, it might make sense to you to use us layout all the time and access to Czech characters by using the modifier button, for example:

• AltGr + s = š
• AltGr + Shift + s = Š

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Why to fork

This project is a fork, original idea and implementation: https://github.com/michalkahle/czech-coder-xkb

The original project mimics the native Czech keyboard layout, but for some people (foreigners) using it may be close to impossible. Learning it might be useful to have in skillset, but for me phonetic version from Android's virtual keyboard has much more sense.

Tutorial on how to type with native layout: https://www.czechtime.cz/article/how-to-type-czech-characters-on-keyboard/

If you are brave you may open the spoiler below.

Native Czech keyboard layout

No modifier	Shift	AltGr	AltGr + Shift
`	~	;	<modifier>
2	@	ě	Ě
3	#	š	Š
4	$	č	Č
5	%	ř	Ř
6	^	ž	Ž
7	&	ý	Ý
8	*	á	Á
9	(	í	Í
0	)	é	É
=	+	<modifier>	<modifier>
e	E	e	€
[	{	ú	Ú
;	:	ů	Ů
'	"	§	"
\	|	<modifier>	'

Combinations AltGr + Shift + `, AltGt + =, AltGt + Shift = and AltGr + \ are modifiers which you need to press, release, and press the next button/combination:

Raw button	AltrGt + =,	AltrGt + =, Shift +	AltrGt + Shift + =,	AltrGt + Shift + =, Shift +
n	ń	Ń	ň	Ň
d	—	—	ď	Ď
t	—	—	ť	Ť

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Phonetic layout

This layout is phonetic which means if you want to type the character č you need to press AltGr + c.

However, some letters have three variants: e, é, and ě. If it happens you can find a third variant moved to the button above, which means to type ě you need to press AltGt + 3.

Phonetic layout

No modifier	Shift	AltGr	AltGr + Shift
`	~	;	<modifier>
3	#	ě	Ě
4	$	€	—
7	&	ů	Ů
=	+	<modifier>	<modifier>
e	E	é	É
r	R	ř	Ř
t	T	ť	Ť
y	Y	ý	Ý
u	U	ú	Ú
i	I	í	Í
o	O	ó	Ó
a	A	á	Á
s	S	š	Š
d	D	ď	Ď
'	"	§	"
\	|	<modifier>	'
z	Z	ž	Ž
c	C	č	Č
n	N	ň	Ň

You still can use modifiers as in native layout, you just don't need to.

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Installation

You need to put files from this repository /.config/xkb/ to your local directory ~/.config/kxb/,

WARNING: you may need to merge files manually if your configuration is not pristine. Best luck!

X11 Configuration

https://github.com/michalkahle/czech-coder-xkb?tab=readme-ov-file#installation

Wayland/Sway configuration

https://github.com/michalkahle/czech-coder-xkb?tab=readme-ov-file#wayland

Modify sway config file ~/.config/sway/config and set 2 layouts switchable by CapsLock:

$ cat ~/.config/sway/config

...
input "type:keyboard" {
    xkb_layout "cz(coder_phonetic),us"
    xkb_options "grp:caps_toggle,grp_led:caps"
    repeat_delay 400
    repeat_rate 60
}
...

Additional reading

If you want to understand xkb better there is no better place than An Unreliable Guide to XKB Configuration by Doug Palmer..