A mechanical keyboard is a typing device that uses mechanical switches to register key presses. You may have used one in decades past and remember it as a loud clicky keyboard, or more recently on popular gaming keyboards.

The days of standard keyboards are long behind us, with the mechanical keyboard community introducing and producing a wide spectrum of form factors to fit our every personal need.

Keycaps are the face of any keyboard and are one of the more impactful factors on sound, feel, look, and the overall experience of the board. These little rectangles pack in a tremendous amount of choice and consideration, so it’s important to understand the various factors before choosing how to outfit any build.

Switches put the ‘mechanical’ in ‘mechanical keyboards’ and make up the backbone of this entire passion. These little mechanisms have just as much character as keycaps and cases, despite being largely unseen, and understanding what goes into them is important to understanding how keyboards work.

Stabilizers (often called 'stabs') are keyboard parts that prevent larger keys from wobbling when pressed, and helps bind the keycap to the switch. They sit next to the keyboard switch to stabilize the keycap when you press it.

Buying keyboards works differently compared to most products because of the nature of limited production runs—we call these Group Buys. For those coming into the mechanical keyboard hobby for the first time, it may be daunting to learn the ins and outs of getting your keyboard together and going from finding what you want to getting all the parts in your hands. In this course, we’ll be explaining what exactly a Group Buy is and how to participate in the process.

The Mechanical Keyboards community is a diverse and global one, with many existing tools and forums to help you learn about the space, get you involved with new products, and even launch your own initiative. With so much to explore, we’ll be breaking down the key platforms.