ZMK Corne Keyboard Configuration

This repository contains my personal ZMK firmware configuration for the Corne (CRKBD) split keyboard using nice!nano v2 controllers.

Hardware

• Keyboard: Corne (CRKBD) 3x6+3 split keyboard (42 keys total)
• Controller: nice!nano v2 (both halves)
• Display: nice!view with nice-luffy-wanted module (optional, one pair)
• Firmware: ZMK v0.3 (pinned)

Features

Layouts

• Base Layer: Default QWERTY layout with home row mods
• Colemak Layer: Alternative typing layout for improved ergonomics
• Gaming Layers: Specialized layouts for gaming with arrow key clusters
• Symbol Layer: Easy access to numbers, symbols, and special characters
• Function Layer: F-keys (F1-F24), media controls, and system functions
• Navigation Layer: Arrow keys, page navigation, virtual desktop switching
• Maintenance Layer: Bluetooth profiles, output toggling, and layer management

Key Features

• Home Row Mods: GUI, Alt, Ctrl, and Shift on home row for efficient typing
• Layer-Tap Keys: Dual-function keys that act as layer toggles when held
• Combos: Key combinations for frequently used actions
• Custom Macros: Ubuntu system reboot macro included
• Bluetooth Support: 5 profile slots with easy switching
• USB/Bluetooth Toggle: Switch between wired and wireless modes

Layer Details

Base Layer (QWERTY) - Layer 0

Standard QWERTY layout with home row modifiers

• Left home row: GUI(A), Alt(S), Ctrl(D), Shift(F)
• Right home row: Shift(J), Ctrl(K), Alt(L), GUI(;)
• Layer access: Symbol(ESC), Navigation(Space/Enter), Function(Tab)

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│   `~    │    Q    │    W    │    E    │    R    │    T    │   │    Y    │    U    │    I    │    O    │    P    │   \ |   │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│ CTRL/TAB│  GUI/A  │  ALT/S  │ CTRL/D  │ SHFT/F  │    G    │   │    H    │ SHFT/J  │ CTRL/K  │  ALT/L  │ GUI/;:  │   '"    │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  SHIFT  │    Z    │    X    │    C    │    V    │    B    │   │    N    │    M    │   ,<    │   .>    │   /?    │   GUI   │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │   ALT   │ SYM/ESC │ NAV/SPC │   │ NAV/ENT │   FUN   │  BKSP   │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Colemak Layer - Layer 1

Ergonomic Colemak layout alternative with same modifier positions

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│   `~    │    Q    │    W    │    F    │    P    │    B    │   │    J    │    L    │    U    │    Y    │   ;:    │   \ |   │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│ CTRL/TAB│  GUI/A  │  ALT/R  │ CTRL/S  │ SHFT/T  │    G    │   │    M    │ SHFT/N  │ CTRL/E  │  ALT/I  │  GUI/O  │   '"    │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  SHIFT  │    Z    │    X    │    C    │    D    │    V    │   │    K    │    H    │   ,<    │   .>    │   /?    │   GUI   │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │   ALT   │ SYM/ESC │ NAV/SPC │   │ NAV/ENT │   FUN   │  BKSP   │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Symbol Layer - Layer 2

Numbers and symbols with logical positioning

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│   `~    │    1    │    2    │    3    │    4    │    5    │   │    6    │    7    │    8    │    9    │    0    │    +    │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  CTRL   │    !    │    @    │    #    │    $    │    %    │   │    ^    │    &    │    *    │    (    │    )    │    =    │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  SHIFT  │    ~    │    -    │    _    │    {    │    }    │   │    [    │    ]    │    <    │    >    │    :    │    ;    │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │         │         │  MAINT  │   │  SPACE  │   ALT   │  BKSP   │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Function Layer - Layer 3

Complete F1-F24 function key set and system controls

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│  CAPS   │   F12   │   F7    │   F8    │   F9    │  PRINT  │   │   F13   │   F14   │   F15   │   F16   │   F17   │   F18   │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  CTRL   │   F11   │   F4    │   F5    │   F6    │  SCRLK  │   │   F19   │   F20   │   F21   │   F22   │   F23   │   F24   │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  SHIFT  │   F10   │   F1    │   F2    │   F3    │  BREAK  │   │   INS   │   DEL   │         │         │         │         │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │  CTRL   │   ALT   │   DEL   │   │         │         │         │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Navigation Layer - Layer 4

Arrow keys, page navigation, and virtual desktop switching

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│   GUI   │         │         │   END   │         │ SCRN_L  │   │  HOME   │  PG_DN  │  PG_UP  │   END   │   UP    │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  CTRL   │  HOME   │         │         │  RIGHT  │ SCRN_R  │   │  LEFT   │  DOWN   │   UP    │  RIGHT  │         │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  SHIFT  │         │         │         │         │  LEFT   │   │  DOWN   │         │         │         │         │         │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │  CTRL   │   ALT   │  SHIFT  │   │  SHIFT  │   ALT   │  CTRL   │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Games Layer - Layer 5

Dedicated arrow key clusters for gaming

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│         │         │         │   UP    │         │         │   │         │         │   UP    │         │         │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  CTRL   │         │  LEFT   │  DOWN   │  RIGHT  │         │   │         │  LEFT   │  DOWN   │  RIGHT  │         │  CTRL   │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  QWERT  │         │         │         │         │         │   │         │         │         │         │         │  QWERT  │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │   ESC   │  SPACE  │  ENTER  │   │  ENTER  │  SPACE  │   ESC   │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

QWERTY Layer - Layer 6

Pure QWERTY for gaming (no home row mods)

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│   `~    │    Q    │    W    │    E    │    R    │    T    │   │    Y    │    U    │    I    │    O    │    P    │   \ |   │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│ CTRL/TAB│    A    │    S    │    D    │    F    │    G    │   │    H    │    J    │    K    │    L    │   ;:    │   '"    │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│  SHIFT  │    Z    │    X    │    C    │    V    │    B    │   │    N    │    M    │   ,<    │   .>    │   /?    │         │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │   ALT   │   ESC   │  SPACE  │   │  ENTER  │   DEL   │  BKSP   │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Maintenance Layer - Layer 7

System controls, Bluetooth profiles, and layer toggles

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│ BT_CLR  │         │         │         │  BT_3   │  BT_0   │   │  VOL+   │         │         │         │         │ BRGHT+  │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│ T_EMPTY │ T_GAMES │         │         │  BT_4   │  BT_1   │   │  VOL-   │         │         │         │         │ BRGHT-  │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│ T_COLEM │         │         │         │         │  BT_2   │   │  MUTE   │         │         │         │         │ OUT_TOG │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │         │         │         │   │         │         │         │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Empty Layer - Layer 8

Disabled layer (all keys inactive)

╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮   ╭─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────╮
│         │         │         │         │         │         │   │         │         │         │         │         │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│         │         │         │         │         │         │   │         │         │         │         │         │         │
├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤
│         │         │         │         │         │         │   │         │         │         │         │         │         │
╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┤   ├─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯
                              │         │         │         │   │         │         │         │
                              ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯   ╰─────────┴─────────┴─────────╯

Combos

• DF + GH: Escape (works on Base, QWERTY, Colemak layers)
• JK: Enter (works on most layers)
• DV: Backslash
• KH: Forward slash
• JKL: Toggle between Empty and Games layers

Custom Behaviors

• Hold-Tap (ht): Unified balanced hold-tap behavior for all home row modifiers
  • Flavor: Balanced (requires second key release while modifier held)
  • Tapping Term: 280ms
  • Quick-Tap: 175ms for rapid repeated taps
  • Prior-Idle: 150ms requirement to prevent accidental holds during fast typing
  • Hold-Trigger-on-Release: Defers hold/tap decision until after key release, fixing release-order sensitivity
  • Hold-Trigger-Key-Positions: All 42 key positions configured to enable cross-hand and same-hand operations

Home Row Mod Configuration

The configuration uses a single unified hold-tap behavior optimized for reliability:

• All modifiers (Shift, Ctrl, Alt, GUI) use the same ht behavior with 280ms tapping term
• The hold-trigger-on-release feature eliminates issues with key release order
• require-prior-idle-ms=150 prevents accidental modifier activation during fast typing
• Works with both same-hand and cross-hand key combinations (e.g., F+N for "N", J+I for "I")

Configuration Files

config/
├── corne.conf          # Hardware configuration
├── corne.keymap        # Main keymap definition
├── west.yml           # ZMK project configuration
└── include/
    ├── behaviors.dtsi  # Custom behavior definitions
    ├── combos.dtsi     # Key combination definitions
    └── macros.dtsi     # Custom macro definitions

Build Configuration

The firmware is built for two keyboard pairs:

Plain Builds (no display)

• Left half: nice_nano_v2 + corne_left
• Right half: nice_nano_v2 + corne_right

Display Builds (with nice!view)

• Left half: nice_nano_v2 + corne_left + nice_view_adapter + nice_luffy_wanted
• Right half: nice_nano_v2 + corne_right + nice_view_adapter + nice_luffy_wanted

Settings Reset

• Special build for clearing all settings: nice_nano_v2 + settings_reset

All builds are automated via GitHub Actions as defined in build.yaml using ZMK v0.3.

Customization

Enabled Features

• Enhanced Bluetooth transmission power (CONFIG_BT_CTLR_TX_PWR_PLUS_8=y)
• USB keyboard support (CONFIG_ZMK_USB=y)
• USB boot protocol support for BIOS compatibility

Display Configuration

• nice!view display support via nice-luffy-wanted module (displays battery, BT profile, custom artwork)
• Display configuration is handled by the shield overlay, not corne.conf

Disabled Features (Commented Out)

• RGB underglow support
• Built-in OLED display support (using nice!view instead)

Installation

1. Fork this repository
2. Customize the keymap in config/corne.keymap to your preferences
3. Push changes to trigger GitHub Actions build
4. Download the generated firmware files (artifacts from the build action)
5. Flash the appropriate .uf2 files to each half of your keyboard

Troubleshooting

Hardware Issues

If you're experiencing intermittent key failures, especially with Mill-Max socketed nice!nano controllers, see the Column Fix Guide for detailed troubleshooting steps.

Home Row Mods

The current configuration uses a unified hold-tap behavior that works well for most typing styles. If you experience issues:

• Adjust require-prior-idle-ms in config/include/behaviors.dtsi (currently 150ms)
• Increase tapping-term-ms if you find holds aren't triggering (currently 280ms)
• Adjust quick-tap-ms for faster repeated taps (currently 175ms)

Layer Reference

Layer	Number	Purpose
BASE	0	Default QWERTY with home row mods
COLEMAK	1	Alternative typing layout
SYMBOL	2	Numbers and symbols
FUNCTION	3	F-keys and system functions
NAVIGATION	4	Arrow keys and page navigation
GAMES	5	Gaming-optimized layout
QWERTY	6	Pure QWERTY for gaming
MAINTENANCE	7	System controls and toggles
EMPTY	8	Disabled layer

Bluetooth Profiles

• Profile 0-4: Available for different devices
• Use maintenance layer to switch profiles
• Clear all profiles option available

Contributing

Feel free to fork this configuration and adapt it to your needs. If you find improvements or fixes, pull requests are welcome!

License

This configuration is based on the ZMK firmware project and follows the same MIT license.