Definition of Keyboard | Meaning and Concept

In its most general form, the keyboard can be defined as an instrument that has keys and allows the realization of an action by means of the pressing of two or more keys. The keyboard is present in various devices and machines. It is used in computers, telephones and others. As for the computer keyboard , it has keys with numbers, letters and symbols to transcribe it digitally so that it can be edited or corrected and later printed.


One of the oldest keyboards is the typewriter or mechanical keyboard. At present, there is the wireless keyboard that does not need any cable to operate. Another type is the keyboard for cell phone, whose function is to appear on the screen when needed ( QWERTY design ) and by not needing it simply disappears from the screen; A popular application of this virtual keyboard is the Google or Gboard keyboard.Within the diversity of keyboards is the musical keyboard, which is a device that when typed produces a sound that when played in a specific order forms melodies. The clearest example of this type of keyboard is the piano.

Parts of a keyboard

The parts or structure of a conventional computer keyboard:

Function keys

These are the keys at the top of the first row of the keyboard , from F1 to F12. In this block of keys, there is also the Pause key, the IMP PNT key that is used to directly print a document or take a screenshot, the INS key and the DELETE key.

Number keys

They are in the second row of the keyboard , they are from 1 to 0 and of course, typing one of these keys will cause the screen to see the number pressed, in addition to special keys and the CLEAR key.

Alpha keys

They are located in the center of the keyboard and have two versions of the Spanish and English QWERTY, in addition to the AZERTY. The alphabetic keys are in the third row until the fifth and along with them are the tabulation keys, accentuation, brackets, CAPSLOCK, SHIFT, two points, period, semicolon, comma and ENTER.

Special keys

They are the CTRL or control keys, Fn, home key, ALT GR, space key, the key that works as a double right click, the arrow keys (up, down and sides), start, end, pause, insert, RePag, AvPag, Scroll Lock and IMP PNT. Usually, these keys are used in combination with others of the alphabetical or numerical series.

Keyboard functions

It is the first way to transcribe information within the computer. It also allows direct actions by means of commandsfor the computer to perform actions such as pasting, copying, deleting everything, leaving and placing complex symbols. It also facilitates the use of the computer when writing a text or performing a mathematical operation.

Keyboard shortcuts

They belong to faster ways of performing a function, such as the "ESC" key to exit a program, the F3, F4 and F5 keys activated together with Fn to raise or lower volume and the F11 key with Fn to place the full screen. Shortcuts can only appear when combining different keys at the same time.