What is a Keyboard?

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Computers have two types of devices – Input and Output devices. Input devices are those
devices which take commands from user and convey it to the computers in the form of digital
signals. Whereas, output devices are those which display or present the result to the user
according to the commands given by them. Now, Keyboard comes under the category of
input devices.
What is a Keyboard?
As stated earlier, the Keyboard is a major input device used with computers and other
electronic devices. It takes input from the user in the form of text, numbers, and several other
commands. If we look at the structure of a keyboard, it consists of various buttons. These
buttons are called keys and every keyboard has a variety of keys with unique functions. We
will understand about these special keys later in the article.

History of Keyboards
The story of keyboards begins in 1860s with the invention of mechanical typewriters, form
which the modern layout of keyboard is inherited. A major development was the invention of
teletype machine which was used for the sending and receiving of telegraphs. Early
computers, like ENIAC and BINAC used keypunch and electric typewriter technology in
their keyboards. In 1984, the IBM Model M keyboard was introduced which had improved
keys and inspired modern keyboard’s designing. Gradually there was an increased demand of
personal computers which led to the popularization of QWERTY keyboards. Till date there
have been various updates made to the design of keyboards by making it customizable,
wireless, etc. However, keyboards still remain an important and fundamental input device.
Uses of a Keyboard
 The keyboard may be used by users to type letters and numbers. Furthermore, by
using the keyboard you can issue certain specific instructions and data which can only
be entered using the keyboard.
 The majority of tasks can be completed with just a keyboard and no mouse. Control
and function keys are used to perform certain mouse actions. Thus, making a
keyboard even more functional.
 The use of certain shortcut keys in the keyboard makes the whole procedure of using
a computer way more convenient and efficient.
Typing on A Keyboard
Typing is the process of writing or inputting text by pressing keys on a typewriter,
computer keyboard, mobile phone, or calculator. It can be distinguished from other
means of text input, such as handwriting and speech recognition. Text can be in the
form of letters, numbers and other symbols.
Keyboard Shortcut Keys
Using shortcut keys in computer applications can help you navigate and carry out tasks more
quickly and easily. Some very efficient and commonly used keyboard shortcuts include the
following:
 CTRL+C: used to copy any given text or image.
 CTRL+V: used to paste any copied text or image.
 CTRL+Z: undo any task.
 CTRL+A: select all text on the given screen.
 ALT+F4: close the currently active programme.
 F1: view help information
 ALT+TAB: switch between open programmes.
 F2: rename a selected file.

Types of Keyboards
There are some type of keyboard explained below.
• QWERTY Keyboard
This is the most common and classic keyboard structure. It is named so because of its first 6
keys of the keyboard (QWERTY). Its design was inspired from the early typewriters. The
keys were designed in such an order so that the letters which are frequently used, are spaced
out to prevent any jamming of keys. The design was made in early 1870's by Christopher
Latham Sholes and is used till date. It consists a variety of keys like alphanumeric keys,
special keys, function and modifier keys, etc.
• Dvorak Keyboard
It is an alternative to the QWERTY keyboard. In QWERTY keyboards, the typing process
was slow because of the arrangement of letters. On the other hand, Dvorak keyboards are
designed in a way that the user can type without much movement of fingers, hence resulting
in fast and easy typing. However, this layout failed to gain popularity as users found it
difficult to adapt with this layout.
• Ergonomic Keyboards
The term Ergonomic means designing in such a manner that it provides users an efficient
working environment. That is exactly what Ergonomic keyboards provide. These keyboards
are designed in a way that they help in reducing strain and any discomfort faced by user
while typing for a long time. This is achieved by design which allows user to rest their hand
in natural position in a comfortable way and arranging keys in the order which causes least
finger movements. A keyboard which is split in two halves to provide better typing
experience, comes under this category.
• Mechanical Keyboards
Mechanical keyboards are highly durable keyboards. They have individual mechanical
switches or springs attached under each key. This makes them not only more durable but also
easy to repair. They are popular for their, unique keypress sound, and responsiveness.
However, they are expensive than standard keyboards.
• Gaming Keyboards
Gaming keyboards are purposely made for gaming purposes. It has features like lesser keys
which are arranged in a way that it provides quick access to the gamers. It also has other
features like RGB lighting, longer durability and customizable design. The most important
quality of gaming keyboards is that the keys have a faster response time.
There are some keyboards with special features like– Wireless keyboard, Foldable keyboard
and Backlit Keyboard.
Types of Keys on Keyboard
As stated earlier, the structure of a keyboard consists of various buttons. These buttons are
called keys and every keyboard has a variety of keys with unique functions. All input to a
keyboard is given through these keys. The variety of keys present in a keyboard are listed
below:
1. Text and Numbers
 These keys are called alphanumeric keys and are used to enter textual and numeric data.
They consist of letters A-Z and numbers 0-9.
 The number keys also contain some special characters (like !, @, #,$,&,*) .

Alphanumeric key
2. Navigation and Managing Input
 Keys like Arrow Keys, Page up and Page down help in navigating and moving cursor
around.
 Editing is also possible through Delete key which removes unwanted characters from the
right of the cursor.
 Some other keys help in controlling the input entered by the user like - Caps lock
(switches between uppercase and lowercase letters), Num lock (activates and deactivates
number keypad) and Scroll lock (controls scrolling).

Navigation and managing input keys

3. Special Function Keys
 A traditional keyboard has 12 Function Keys, from F1 to F12 where each key has a
unique function related to the software or application.
 Whenever a single key has two characters on it, a Shift key is used to access the upper
character. It also enables typing in uppercase.
 Control (Ctrl) and Alternate (Alt) keys are used with combination of other keys for
various shortcuts.

Special function keys

4. Other Important Keys
 Enter Key: It basically confirms any selection or is used for submitting purposes.
 Backspace Key: It removes unwanted characters to the left of the cursor.
 Spacebar: It inserts a space between characters.
 Escape (Esc) Key: It is used to exit a currently running operation or dialog box.
 Other important keys
Conclusion
Keyboard has always been the most essential input device required in a computer. They
provide users a medium through which they can communicate or enter their commands in a
computer. A user-friendly layout and various other features makes keyboard a significant
input device for computers and other electronic devices.