path: root/readme.md

# Quantum Mechanical Keyboard Firmware

[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware)

This is a keyboard firmware based on the [tmk_keyboard firmware](http://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard) with some useful features for Atmel AVR controllers, and more specifically, the [OLKB product line](http://olkb.com), the [ErgoDox EZ](http://www.ergodox-ez.com) keyboard, and the [Clueboard product line](http://clueboard.co/).

## Official website

For an easy-to-read version of this document and the repository, check out [http://qmk.fm](http://qmk.fm). Nicely formatted keyboard and keymap listings are also available there, along with the ability to download .hex files instead of having to setup a build environment and compile them.

## Included Keyboards

* [Planck](/keyboards/planck/)
* [Preonic](/keyboards/preonic/)
* [Atomic](/keyboards/atomic/)
* [ErgoDox EZ](/keyboards/ergodox/)
* [Clueboard](/keyboards/clueboard/)
* [Cluepad](/keyboards/cluepad/)

The project also includes community support for [lots of other keyboards](/keyboards/).

## Maintainers

QMK is developed and maintained by Jack Humbert of OLKB with contributions from the community, and of course, [Hasu](https://github.com/tmk). This repo used to be a fork of [TMK](https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard), and we are incredibly grateful for his founding contributions to the firmware. We've had to break the fork due to purely technical reasons - it simply became too different over time, and we've had to start refactoring some of the basic bits and pieces. We are huge fans of TMK and Hasu :)

This documentation is edited and maintained by Erez Zukerman of ErgoDox EZ. If you spot any typos or inaccuracies, please [open an issue](https://github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware/issues/new).

The OLKB product firmwares are maintained by [Jack Humbert](https://github.com/jackhumbert), the Ergodox EZ by [Erez Zukerman](https://github.com/ezuk), and the Clueboard by [Zach White](https://github.com/skullydazed).

## Documentation roadmap

This is not a tiny project. While this is the main readme, there are many other files you might want to consult. Here are some points of interest:

* The readme for your own keyboard: This is found under `keyboards/<your keyboards's name>/`. So for the ErgoDox EZ, it's [here](keyboards/ergodox/ez/); for the Planck, it's [here](keyboards/planck/) and so on.
* The list of possible keycodes you can use in your keymap is actually spread out in a few different places:
  * [doc/keycode.txt](doc/keycode.txt) - an explanation of those same keycodes.
  * [quantum/keymap.h](quantum/keymap.h) - this is where the QMK-specific aliases are all set up. Things like the Hyper and Meh key, the Leader key, and all of the other QMK innovations. These are also explained and documented below, but `keymap.h` is where they're actually defined.
* The [TMK documentation](doc/TMK_README.md). QMK is based on TMK, and this explains how it works internally.

# Getting started

Before you are able to compile, you'll need to install an environment for AVR development. You'll find the instructions for any OS below. If you find another/better way to set things up from scratch, please consider [making a pull request](https://github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware/pulls) with your changes!

## Build Environment Setup

### Windows 10

Due to some issues with the "Windows (Vista and later)" instructions below, we now recommend following these instructions if you use Windows, which will allow you to use the Windows Subsystem for Linux to compile the firmware. If you are not using Windows 10 with the Anniversary Update installed (which came out in July 2016), you will need to use one of the other methods, such as Docker, Vagrant, or the instructions for Vista and later. 

If you use this method, you will need to use a standalone tool to flash the firmware to the keyboard after you compile it. We recommend the official [QMK Firmware Flasher](https://github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware_flasher/releases). This is because the Windows 10 Subsystem for Linux lacks [libUSB support](https://wpdev.uservoice.com/forums/266908-command-prompt-console-bash-on-ubuntu-on-windo/suggestions/13355724-unable-to-access-usb-devices-from-bash), so it can't access the keyboard's microcontroller. Please add your vote for Microsoft to fix this issue using the link!

Here are the steps

1. Install the Windows 10 subsystem for Linux, following [these instructions](http://www.howtogeek.com/249966/how-to-install-and-use-the-linux-bash-shell-on-windows-10/).
2. If you have  cloned the repository using git before August 20, 2016, clean up the line endings from wherever you currently access git:
   1. Make sure that you have no changes you haven't committed by running `git status`. ANY UNCOMMITTED CHANGES WILL BE PERMANENTLY LOST.
   2. Run `git rm --cached -r .`
   3. Run `git reset --hard`
3. Open "Bash On Ubuntu On Windows" from the start menu
4. With the bash window open, navigate to your copy of the [qmk_firmware repository](https://github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware) using the `cd` command. The harddisks can be accessed from `/mnt/<driveletter>`. For example, your main hard drive (C:) can be accessed by executiing the command `cd /mnt/c`. If your username is John and the qmk_firmware folder is in your Downloads folder, you can move to it with the command `cd /mnt/c/Users/John/Downloads/qmk_firmware`. You can use the Tab key as you go to help you autocomplete the folder names.
5. Run `sudo util/install_dependencies.sh`.
6. After a while the installation will finish, and you are good to go

**Note** From time to time, the dependencies might change, so just run `install_dependencies.sh` again if things are not working.

**Warning:** If you edit Makefiles or shell scripts, make sure you are using an editor that saves the files with Unix line endings. Otherwise the compilation might not work.


### Windows (Vista and later)
1. If you have ever installed WinAVR, uninstall it.
2. Install [MHV AVR Tools](https://infernoembedded.com/sites/default/files/project/MHV_AVR_Tools_20131101.exe). Disable smatch, but **be sure to leave the option to add the tools to the PATH checked**.
3. If you are going to flash Infinity based keyboards you will need to install dfu-util, refer to the instructions by [Input Club](https://github.com/kiibohd/controller/wiki/Loading-DFU-Firmware).
4. Install [MinGW](https://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/files/Installer/mingw-get-setup.exe/download). During installation, uncheck the option to install a graphical user interface. **DO NOT change the default installation folder.** The scripts depend on the default location.
5. Clone this repository. [This link will download it as a zip file, which you'll need to extract.](https://github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware/archive/master