qmk_firmware/docs/reference_info_json.md
George Mao 9e9b604234
Mark 'key_count' as optional within info.json docs (#10513)
* Update reference_info_json.md

key_count is now an optional field because it is better to get the keycount by counting the elements in the layout array.

* Updated Japanese documentation as well
2020-10-03 00:42:11 +01:00

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# `info.json`
This file is used by the [QMK API](https://github.com/qmk/qmk_api). It contains the information [QMK Configurator](https://config.qmk.fm/) needs to display a representation of your keyboard. You can also set metadata here.
You can create `info.json` files at every level under `qmk_firmware/keyboards/<name>` to specify this metadata. These files are combined, with more specific files overriding keys in less specific files. This means you do not need to duplicate your metadata information. For example, `qmk_firmware/keyboards/clueboard/info.json` specifies `manufacturer` and `maintainer`, while `qmk_firmware/keyboards/clueboard/66/info.json` specifies more specific information about Clueboard 66%.
## `info.json` Format
The `info.json` file is a JSON formatted dictionary with the following keys available to be set. You do not have to set all of them, merely the keys that apply to your keyboard.
* `keyboard_name`
* A free-form text string describing the keyboard.
* Example: `Clueboard 66%`
* `url`
* A URL to the keyboard's product page, [QMK.fm/keyboards](https://qmk.fm/keyboards) page, or other page describing information about the keyboard.
* `maintainer`
* GitHub username of the maintainer, or `qmk` for community maintained boards
* `width`
* Width of the board in Key Units
* `height`
* Height of the board in Key Units
* `layouts`
* Physical Layout representations. See the next section for more detail.
### Layout Format
Within our `info.json` file the `layouts` portion of the dictionary contains several nested dictionaries. The outer layer consists of QMK layout macros, for example `LAYOUT_ansi` or `LAYOUT_iso`. Within each layout macro are keys for `width`, `height`, and `key_count`, each of which should be self-explanatory.
* `width`
* Optional: The width of the layout in Key Units
* `height`
* Optional: The height of the layout in Key Units
* `key_count`
* Optional: The number of keys in this layout
* `layout`
* A list of Key Dictionaries describing the physical layout. See the next section for more details.
### Key Dictionary Format
Each Key Dictionary in a layout describes the physical properties of a key. If you are familiar with the Raw Code for <http://keyboard-layout-editor.com> you will find many of the concepts the same. We re-use the same key names and layout choices wherever possible, but unlike keyboard-layout-editor each key is stateless, inheriting no properties from the keys that came before it.
All key positions and rotations are specified in relation to the top-left corner of the keyboard, and the top-left corner of each key.
* `x`
* **Required**: The absolute position of the key in the horizontal axis, in Key Units.
* `y`
* **Required**: The absolute position of the key in the vertical axis, in Key Units.
* `w`
* The width of the key, in Key Units. Ignored if `ks` is provided. Default: `1`
* `h`
* The height of the key, in Key Units. Ignored if `ks` is provided. Default: `1`
* `r`
* How many degrees clockwise to rotate the key.
* `rx`
* The absolute position of the point to rotate the key around in the horizontal axis. Default: `x`
* `ry`
* The absolute position of the point to rotate the key around in the vertical axis. Default: `y`
* `ks`
* Key Shape: define a polygon by providing a list of points, in Key Units.
* **Important**: These are relative to the top-left of the key, not absolute.
* Example ISO Enter: `[ [0,0], [1.5,0], [1.5,2], [0.25,2], [0.25,1], [0,1], [0,0] ]`
* `label`
* What to name this position in the matrix.
* This should usually be the same name as what is silkscreened on the PCB at this location.
## How is the Metadata Exposed?
This metadata is primarily used in two ways:
* To allow web-based configurators to dynamically generate UI
* To support the new `make keyboard:keymap:qmk` target, which bundles this metadata up with the firmware to allow QMK Toolbox to be smarter.
Configurator authors can see the [QMK Compiler](https://docs.api.qmk.fm/using-the-api) docs for more information on using the JSON API.