xmodmap
Modify X11 key and pointer mappings
TLDR
Swap left-click and right-click on the pointer
$ xmodmap -e 'pointer = 3 2 1'
Reassign a key on the keyboard to another key$ xmodmap -e 'keycode [keycode] = [keyname]'
Disable a key on the keyboard$ xmodmap -e 'keycode [keycode] ='
Execute all expressions in a file$ xmodmap [path/to/file]
SYNOPSIS
xmodmap [options] [filename]
DESCRIPTION
xmodmap modifies keymaps and pointer button mappings in X Window System. It can remap keys, swap modifier keys, and change mouse button behavior.Common uses include swapping Caps Lock and Control, remapping special keys, or configuring multi-button mice. Changes are stored in memory and persist until the X session ends.
PARAMETERS
-e _expression_
Execute the given expression-pm
Print current modifier map-pk
Print current keymap table-pp
Print current pointer map-grammar
Print expression grammar-verbose
Verbose output-n
Show what would be done without applying
INSTALL
sudo apt install x11-xserver-utils
sudo dnf install xmodmap
sudo apk add xmodmap
sudo zypper install xmodmap
brew install xmodmap
nix profile install nixpkgs#xmodmap
CAVEATS
Changes are not persistent across X server restarts. For permanent changes, add xmodmap commands to ~/.xinitrc or ~/.xprofile. Use xev to find keycodes. Modern systems may prefer setxkbmap for keyboard configuration.