The same alphabet is arranged on very different keyboards around the world. A German typist and a French typist can write the same letters while looking at different places on the keyboard. Turkish has its own pair of layouts as well. Turkish Q and Turkish F look similar at first glance, but the small differences change how your hands move. This article compares the most common layouts, explains where each one is used and why it appeared. We do not give a single “best” layout, because the right choice depends on the language you write, the keyboard you already know and what you want to achieve.
If you want to compare the layouts yourself, picture a sentence in your own language and imagine typing it on each one. Notice which letters you would have to hunt for and which ones your hands already know. That exercise takes two minutes and tells you more than a general description.
QWERTY: the most common layout
The name QWERTY comes from the first six letters of the top row. It is the most widespread layout in countries that use the Latin alphabet, and most keyboards you buy with an English setup use it. We wrote a separate article about where this layout came from and what its name means: Where did QWERTY come from?. The short version is that many guides, shortcuts and courses assume QWERTY, so knowing it well makes everyday learning easier.
Switching layouts changes every habit you have built, including the shortcuts you use daily. That is why it is worth deciding to change layouts because you have a clear reason, not just out of curiosity.
QWERTZ and AZERTY: two European examples
QWERTZ is common in German-speaking countries. Compared with QWERTY, the Y and Z keys are swapped. Someone who moves from QWERTY to QWERTZ therefore has only two letters to relearn, and the change is fairly small. AZERTY, used mainly in France and Belgium, changes more. The A and Q keys trade places, the Z and W keys trade places, and the M key moves to the right of L. Those changes affect the left side of the keyboard quite strongly.
AZERTY has another quirk that catches people out. The digits on the top row need Shift, so even typing a number takes an extra key press. That is worth practising if you work with numbers often. The German QWERTZ layout, on the other hand, gives Ö, Ü and Ä their own keys, so those letters need no extra motion.
Both layouts keep the general logic of QWERTY, with letters spread across three main rows. The difference is that some letters now sit under different fingers, and that disrupts the habits you have built. If you decide to try one of them, expect the first few days to feel slow.
Changing a layout in small daily steps, starting with a few words, is usually easier to sustain than switching all at once.
Dvorak and Colemak: alternative layouts
In the Dvorak layout, the vowels A, O, E, U and I sit together on the left side of the home row, and many of the frequently used consonants are placed on the right. The goal of its design was to reduce how far the fingers have to travel. Colemak is closer to QWERTY. It keeps the letters Z, X, C and V in their original places, so shortcuts such as Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V still work in the same position. That makes the switch gentler for many people.
Some people say these layouts are faster. It is hard to prove that this holds for everyone, so treat that claim with caution. If you want to try one, prepare for a learning curve. Your speed may drop for several weeks, which is normal. Write down your reason for trying the new layout before you start, so you can judge the result honestly later.
Keep in mind that you will not always type on your own machine. A friend’s computer, a shared workspace or a public terminal will use whatever layout it was set up with. Using a new layout only on your own device is a practical compromise.
Turkish Q and Turkish F
On the Turkish Q layout, the top row runs q, w, e, r, t, y, u, ı, o, p, ğ, ü. The home row runs a, s, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, ş, i. The bottom row runs < z, x, c, v, b, n, m, ö, ç and the period key. On the Turkish F layout, the top row runs f, g, ğ, ı, o, d, r, n, h, p, q, w. The home row runs u, i, e, a, ü, t, k, m, l, y, ş, x. The bottom row runs < j, ö, v, c, ç, z, s, b and the period key.
On Turkish F, the left hand rests on u, i, e and a, and the right hand rests on k, m, l and y. The bump keys on the home row are a and k. The position of the dotless ı is a good place to notice the difference. On Turkish Q, ı sits on the top row under the right middle finger. On Turkish F, it sits on the top row under the left index finger. The letter i also moves. On Turkish Q it is on the home row, just right of ş, under the right pinky. On Turkish F it is on the home row under the left ring finger.
To feel the difference, type the same short line on both layouts:
ılık iki çiğ ağaç şekerSymbols move too. On Turkish F, the plus sign sits on the key left of 1, and Shift turns it into an asterisk. The double quote is Shift with 2, and the question mark is Shift with the slash key. On Turkish Q, the question mark is Shift with the asterisk key. When you read a symbol guide, check which layout it assumes.
Which layout should you choose?
If you write in Turkish, you will need to choose between Q and F. On many devices, the Q layout is the one that appears by default, so it is often the easiest place to start. The F layout has its own logic and its own community of users. If you want to improve your typing through a new finger arrangement, not just by changing a setting, F may be worth exploring.
Before deciding, ask yourself a few questions. Do I mostly write Turkish, mostly code, or a mix of both? Will I share my keyboard with other people? Am I ready to relearn shortcuts and habits? A layout is more than a list of letter positions. It shapes the whole way you work with a keyboard, so the choice deserves some thought.
If you do switch, plan for a short period of slower typing and accept it. Measure your speed once a week rather than every day, so the small changes do not discourage you.
Next step
To compare layouts side by side and study finger maps, open the keyboard layouts page. If you are considering the F layout, the F keyboard course walks you through the switch one lesson at a time. If you are not sure whether a new layout is worth the effort, measure your current speed first with the typing test, so you have a baseline to compare against later.