Let’s be real: Buying a custom keycap set is a trap. You buy a 150-key kit for your 65% board, and suddenly you’re staring at 60+ orphaned pieces of plastic.
As developers, we hate waste—whether it’s redundant code or unused hardware. Instead of letting those premium PBT caps gather dust, I’ve started treating them as modular UI components for my physical workspace.
If you’ve got a drawer full of "spare plastic," here’s how to turn them into something functional.
1. The "Dev-Ops" Macropad: Beyond Just Typing
The most obvious use for 60 keys is building a dedicated Macropad. But don’t just map them to Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V.
Think about your deployment pipeline or debugging workflow. Use those extra keys to trigger:
- A "Commit & Push" sequence.
- Toggling Docker containers.
- Opening your specific "Focus Mode" (VS Code + Spotify + Noise-canceling on).
Pro Tip: Use the iconography of the spare caps to your advantage. An "Arrow" cap for navigation macros, or a "Function" cap for launching terminals. It’s physical UI design at its best.
2. The "Status Indicator" Fridge Magnets
We spend all day looking at virtual dashboards. Why not have a physical one?
I’ve taken my extra legend caps (like "On", "Off", "Lock", or "Esc") and glued neodymium magnets into the stems.
- The Workflow: I keep these on a metal board next to my desk.
- The Use Case: It sounds low-tech, but having a physical "DO NOT DISTURB" cap that I can move to the top of my board helps my family (or roommates) understand my deep-work state better than any Slack status ever could.
3. Keycap "Fidget" Testers for Debugging Stress
We’ve all been there—staring at a screen for two hours trying to find a missing semicolon.
Instead of buying a generic fidget spinner, I used a few spare switches and my favorite-feeling caps (shoutout to ASA profile for the ergonomics) to build a 3-key desk clicker.
- It’s a tactile way to keep your hands busy while your brain is compiling.
- Plus, it’s a great way to test different switch weights ( vs ) before committing to a full board build.
4. Give Away "Start Kits" to Junior Devs
If you’re a senior dev with a mountain of spare parts, use them to onboard others into the hobby.
Whenever I see a teammate struggling with a mushy membrane keyboard, I give them a small bag of my high-quality spare caps and a single mechanical switch. It’s the "gateway drug" to better ergonomics.
- EEAT Note: Mentorship and community sharing are core to the dev culture. Sharing resources—even just keycaps—builds a better team culture.
Final Thoughts for the Dev.to Community
The "perfect" setup isn't something you buy; it's something you iterate on. Those 60 extra caps are just unassigned variables in your workspace.
What’s the most "over-engineered" thing you’ve done with your spare keyboard parts? Drop a photo or a mapping script in the comments—I’m looking for new ideas for my remaining 20 caps!
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