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# xkbcat [](https://github.com/anko/xkbcat/actions) 
Simple X11 keylogger.
- Simple output format: One line on `stdout` per key event.
- Simple to audit: One short file of modern C.
- Simple to run: Does not need `sudo`.
## Examples
### Keypresses only
Given no options, `xkbcat` prints only keypresses, one per line. Here's the
output when I type "Hi":
Shift_L
h
i
### Keypresses and key-ups
With key-ups enabled (`xkbcat -up`), the format changes to show them:
+Shift_L
+h
-h
-Shift_L
+i
-i
Lines starting `+` are key-downs; `-` are key-ups.
## Compilation
Just `make`.
Don't have `X11/extensions/XInput2.h`? Install your distro's `libxi-devel`
package.
## Usage
Options you can pass (all optional):
- `-display <display>`: set target X display (default `:0`)
- `-up`: also prepend key-ups (default: don't)
- `-help`: print usage hints and exit
Then just use your computer as usual. Interrupt signal (`C-c`) to quit.
## Related programs
### Other keyloggers
- If you need to log keys across a whole Linux system (also in the
framebuffer—not just in X11), try [keysniffer][1]. It works via a kernel
module, and needs `sudo`.
- If you want to see what characters the user actually typed (with modifier
keys, backspace, etc resolved into text), [`xspy`][2] or [`logkeys`][3]
might be better for you.
### Programs that work well together with `xkbcat`
- If you want to add timestamps to each line for logging purposes, I recommend
piping to the [moreutils package][4]'s `ts`. [These answers][5] feature
various other tools good for the purpose.
- If you only want to see key names when you press keys in the same terminal
where `xkbcat` is running, you can temporarily disable terminal echo with
`stty -echo && xkbcat`. (`stty` is in coreutils.)
### Programs for logging other X11 events
- [xinput][6] invoked as `xinput --test-xi2 --root` logs everything
input-related; even mouse movements and clicks, and touchpad stuff. Its
output is very comprehensive, but harder to parse.
- If you need to log X11 events more generally, various protocol monitoring
programs are listed in the [X11 debugging guide][7].
## Versioning
The git-tagged version numbers follow [semver][8].
Error outputs (on stderr) are intended to be read by people. Changes to their
wording are not considered breaking changes. Don't parse them
programmatically.
## License
[ISC][9].
[1]: https://github.com/jarun/keysniffer
[2]: http://www.freshports.org/security/xspy/
[3]: http://code.google.com/p/logkeys/
[4]: http://joeyh.name/code/moreutils/
[5]: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21564/is-there-a-unix-utility-to-prepend-timestamps-to-lines-of-text
[6]: https://www.x.org/archive/current/doc/man/man1/xinput.1.xhtml
[7]: https://www.x.org/wiki/guide/debugging/
[8]: http://semver.org/
[9]: http://opensource.org/licenses/ISC
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