Glossary

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene — a smoother, often thinner keycap plastic capable of vivid colors and crisp doubleshot legends, but prone to developing shine with use.

See also: PBT, Doubleshot, Shine

A small group of differently colored keycaps (often Esc, modifiers, or the arrow cluster) used to contrast against the base colorway.

See also: Base kit, Sublegends

Sets resold after their original group buy ends, often at a markup. The main way to obtain a sold-out colorway, with authenticity risk on rare sets.

See also: Group buy, In-stock

The core keycap set covering a standard ANSI layout. Coverage of non-standard layouts (40s, ISO, split spacebars, stepped Caps) often requires extra kits.

See also: Novelties, Kitting

The row of modifiers and spacebar whose key widths vary most between keyboards. The most common source of keycap incompatibility.

See also: Compatibility (fitment), Kitting

A short, sculpted keycap profile with row-specific shapes and a gently dished, slightly textured top. The de facto enthusiast standard — low, comfortable, and widely available.

See also: OEM profile, SA profile, Sculpted

Whether a keycap set covers your keyboard's exact layout — bottom-row widths, modifier sizes, and special keys. MX-stem fit is necessary but not sufficient; kitting decides true coverage.

See also: Kitting, MX stem, Bottom row

A keycap top dished as a cylinder section, curving in one axis. Standard on Cherry and OEM profiles.

See also: Spherical top, Cherry profile

A two-plastic molding method where the legend is a separate piece fused into the cap, so it never wears off. Common on quality ABS and increasingly on PBT.

See also: Dye-sublimation (dye-sub), ABS, PBT

A low, uniform, spherical-top profile — every row is the same height and shape. Popular for ortholinear boards and clean minimalist sets.

See also: XDA profile, Uniform, Spherical top

A legend method that infuses dye into PBT with heat, producing durable, slightly soft-edged legends. Can't print lighter legends on darker caps.

See also: Doubleshot, PBT, Reverse dye-sub

A pre-order model where a set is manufactured only after enough orders are collected, typically with months of lead time and no guarantee of restock.

See also: In-stock, Aftermarket

Keycaps available to buy and ship immediately, no group-buy wait. Usually a narrower selection than the group-buy market.

See also: Group buy, Aftermarket

A uniform profile that is taller than XDA with a larger, slightly spherical top. Aims for SA-like presence without full sculpting complexity.

See also: XDA profile, Uniform, SA profile

How a keycap set splits keys across its base kit and add-on kits, and which non-standard sizes it includes. Poor kitting means a set physically fits MX but lacks the right modifier widths for your board.

See also: Compatibility (fitment), Base kit, Bottom row

The cross-shaped (+) mount on the underside of a keycap that fits Cherry MX-style switches and their clones. The dominant compatibility standard.

See also: Compatibility (fitment), Kitting

Decorative or themed keycaps (often artisan-style or specially printed) that replace standard keys for visual flair, sold within or alongside a set.

See also: Base kit, Accents

A taller, sculpted profile that ships on most prebuilt keyboards. Familiar to nearly everyone; slightly higher and rounder than Cherry.

See also: Cherry profile, Sculpted

Surface-printed legends applied with an ink pad. Cheap and flexible but the least durable method — legends wear off without a protective coat.

See also: Doubleshot, Dye-sublimation (dye-sub)

Polybutylene terephthalate — a dense, durable keycap plastic with a faintly grainy surface that resists the shine ABS develops. Generally preferred for longevity.

See also: ABS, Dye-sublimation (dye-sub), Shine

Dyeing the entire cap dark and leaving the legend as the original lighter plastic. A workaround for dye-sub's inability to print light-on-dark directly.

See also: Dye-sublimation (dye-sub)

A tall, spherical-top sculpted profile with a retro typewriter feel and sound. Distinctive and divisive — great for aesthetics, an adjustment for typists used to low caps.

See also: Cherry profile, Spherical top, Sculpted

A keycap set where each row has a different height and angle to match finger reach (e.g., Cherry, OEM, SA). Contrast with uniform profiles.

See also: Uniform, Cherry profile

The glossy, polished look keycaps develop where fingers repeatedly contact them. Faster and more visible on ABS than on textured PBT.

See also: ABS, PBT

A keycap top dished as a section of a sphere, cupping the fingertip from all sides. Used by SA, DSA, and KAM. Contrast with cylindrical (Cherry/OEM).

See also: Cylindrical top, SA profile, DSA profile

Secondary legends printed on the front face or as smaller marks (function-layer symbols, shifted characters) rather than the top of the cap.

See also: Accents, Doubleshot

A set where every row shares one height and shape (e.g., DSA, XDA, KAM). Allows free key rearrangement at the cost of the ergonomic shaping sculpted sets provide.

See also: Sculpted, DSA profile, XDA profile

A low, uniform profile with a wide, flat-ish top and large legend area. Comfortable and beginner-friendly; favored for colorful, legend-heavy sets.

See also: DSA profile, Uniform