XKB layout conversion for the Linux console

kbd manages the Linux virtual console. It does not configure keyboard layouts for X11 or Wayland sessions.

When kbd is built with XKB support, loadkeys can use XKB layout descriptions as input and convert them into Linux kernel console keymaps. This is useful when an XKB layout exists but no equivalent kbd keymap is available under the keymap data directory.

Build requirements

XKB conversion is available when kbd is built with libxkbcommon support. The configure option is:

./configure --enable-xkb

The default configure mode is auto: XKB support is enabled when libxkbcommon is found and disabled otherwise.

Basic usage

Load an XKB layout into the Linux virtual console:

loadkeys --xkb-layout us

Use a model, layout variant, or XKB options:

loadkeys --xkb-model pc105 --xkb-layout us --xkb-variant intl
loadkeys --xkb-layout us,ru --xkb-options grp:caps_toggle

Check that a layout can be converted without loading it:

loadkeys --parse --xkb-layout de

Write the converted keymap in kbd text format:

loadkeys --tkeymap --xkb-layout us --xkb-variant intl > us-intl.map

Select the locale used to look up XKB compose data:

loadkeys --xkb-layout us --xkb-variant intl --xkb-locale en_US.UTF-8

If --xkb-locale is not specified, loadkeys tries LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE, LANG, and then C.

What gets converted

The converter resolves the requested XKB model, layout, variant and options through the standard evdev XKB rules. It then converts the resulting symbols, modifier behavior, compose entries, keypad mappings and virtual console switching mappings into the kernel keymap format where the Linux console can represent them.

Not every XKB semantic has a direct Linux console equivalent. XKB is a richer input model than the kernel console keymap interface, so conversion necessarily preserves the behavior that can be expressed through the Linux virtual console.

Scope and limitations

• XKB conversion affects the Linux virtual console keymap only.
• It does not change X11, Wayland, desktop environment, or terminal emulator keyboard settings.
• Loading a console keymap changes the kernel keyboard translation table shared by all Linux virtual consoles.
• Compose data may depend on the selected locale and installed XKB data.
• A converted keymap should be tested with --parse or --tkeymap before it is loaded on systems where console input is critical.

See also loadkeys(1) and keymaps(5).