this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2025
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[–] [email protected] 4 points 35 minutes ago* (last edited 20 minutes ago)

Edit: I'm reading in the comments that FUTO is non-commercial, therefore it does not meet the OSI definition of open source (even though it does seem to provide code and allow for modification and redistribution). So keep that in mind while reading.


I've been using FUTO Keyboard and like it. It has swipe, voice annotation, undo/redo, clipboard manager, and it's fairly customizable.

It has some AI functions but I turn them off, aside from voice input, because typing becomes a bit laggy (on my old phone at least). You can import different language models for the AI and voice stuff. The voice input is pretty impressive. The swipe is okay, I think it will get better over time. They use their own non-Google dataset/library for swipe (which you can contribute to by swiping on their website keyboard).

It's still in alpha. I think it was started or funded by Louis Rossman as something to attempt a private, and offline equivalent of the Google Android keyboard.

It's impressive for being relatively new. I hope they continue to get funded and work on it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 46 minutes ago (1 children)

If you like Florisboard but miss autocorrect, try FUTO keyboard. I'm surprised it is not more popular with how feature rich it is.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 44 minutes ago

It's trying and I paid for it. But the swiping accuracy is shit still, and it has limited language support.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

I've been using heliboard for more than a year without any issues. Only think I don't like is the lack of emoji search(?)

[–] [email protected] 36 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (3 children)

I've been down this rabbit hole and here's the haul from Wonderland:

Conventional:

  • Heliboard - Has glide typing, but the available library is unstable and old. The most polished.

  • Florisboard - Currently under heavy development, but what's there is more than usable and very well done.

  • Unexpected Keyboard - I actually love this one, but as a Fold user I need some auto correct. Uses swipe motions on each key for symbols and punctuation.

Unconventional:

  • Thumbkey - A 3x3 grid using taps and swipes to type. I flip flop between this and Heliboard atm. Has circular motions to input caps or numbers. MASSIVE amount of layouts, including language, programmer, writer and more. Easy layout switch key on the fly.

  • Flickboard - Same setup as Thumbkey. This would be my go to ever since they added a landscape layout that smart switches on inner Fold screen, but there's no separate key height for it, so you have to deal with non-uniform on one screen which isn't easy to type on. Also has circular motion for caps. No numeric, but there's the option of having a small number column.

  • 8vim - The only one of it's kind since 8pen died. I'm learning this one and it's great, but wonky on inner Fold screen. Its hard to explain, but you use circular motions around on X wheel to input whole words at a time letter by letter. Start center, drag out into a quadrant, rotate to get your letter, go back to center, without lifting go to your next quadrant for the next letter. When you're done and back on center, let go to insert space, or you can move out into a quadrant then lift to end without a space. Takes a lot of getting used to.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

It should be noted that Heliboard does not "have glide typing" but rather it supports loading the proprietary Google swype library.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

U have nerfed my typing speed by 99% with thumb key. Its fun tho

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Lol I know the pain. It takes a few days to get to acceptable typing speed, but you can get pretty fast (some report 56 wpm which is pretty good for a virtual keyboard).

Just make sure you know what you want between Thumbkey or Messagease layouts. I started with Messagease layout and it was all good until I spotted some really nice Thumbkey programmer layouts and switched.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

Gonna stick with it for a bit, and check the other one out. Some words are already coming out quicker. Thanks for the tips

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Do you also know if any of them support multi language spell checking?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Heliboard has multiple dictionary support. Florisboard is still in development for this feature, from what I know. Unexpected Keyboard has none by design, being made for termux and programming.

The unconventional list also has none by design, maybe because there's less of a chance to fat thumb the keys.

Heliboard would be your winner there, for now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Thanks, I'll try it again

EDIT: It works well

[–] [email protected] 10 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Fcitx5 for Chinese, and Flickboard for English. Honestly sad that there isn't a decent open-source keyboard for Japanese though.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

There's Mozc, but it's oudated and no one maintain it anymore.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 53 minutes ago

True. It doesn't even install on Android 14.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 12 hours ago

Openboard (fdroid)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Could you specify wether these support physical keyboards? (showing only a toolbar when one is detected). I'm using the default proprietary Kika-keyboard on my device and it's not great. Microsoft Swiftkey works but is not perfect and not FLOSS.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 16 hours ago

After trying couple of keybords (mostly AnySoftKeyboard and TypeWise [proprietary]) I have settled on Unexpected Keyboard due to easy switch of keybords to get to japanese keyboard and tts button.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 18 hours ago

FlorisBoard

[–] [email protected] 84 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Heliboard which is an active fork of OpenBoard.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

I've been using Heliboard for a while. It does most that gboard does, but the predictions aren't as good of course.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, I've been using it for about a year now. It's a little frustrating that it will learn my misspellings before it suggests a proper replacement, but otherwise I have no complaints. Direct upgrade over the stock AOSP keyboard.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 hours ago

I've had the same problem with HeliBoard learning garbage. I just changed my settings though, and I think it should help:

  1. Open HeliBoard settings
  2. Open Text correction settings
  3. Scroll all the way to the bottom, and turn off "Add words to personal dictionary"

If you scroll all the way to the top again, you can manually manage the personal dictionary, including adding words you do want, and deleting any junk that was added by mistake, before switching that setting off.

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