Hello GNOME community,
I would like to raise an issue regarding the Sindhi language keyboard layout currently available in GNOME.
The existing Sindhi layout in GNOME does not fully match the official and widely used Sindhi keyboard standard provided by the Sindhi Language Authority (SLA). The official online keyboard is available here:
This keyboard is actively used by Sindhi writers, students, journalists, and educational institutions, and it reflects the correct Unicode-based Sindhi character mapping.
Issues observed
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Some Sindhi-specific letters are placed differently from the official SLA standard
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Shift and symbol mappings do not align with common Sindhi typing practices
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The layout differs from what users already use on the web and in education
Why this matters
Sindhi is spoken by millions of users, especially in Pakistan. Inconsistent keyboard layouts create difficulties for:
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New Linux users
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Students and teachers
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Writers switching from web-based, Windows and Google Gboard Sindhi keyboards to GNOME
Reference material
I have attached screenshots of the official Sindhi Language Authority keyboard layout for comparison and clarity.
Request
I would like to ask:
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Is there an existing issue or proposal for updating the Sindhi keyboard layout?
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What would be the best process to propose an updated layout aligned with the SLA standard?
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Should this be filed directly in
xkeyboard-config, or discussed further here first?
Thank you for your time and for maintaining excellent international language support in GNOME.
Best regards,
Naeem Ur Rahman Pechuho
Sindhi language user & Linux community member
Pakistan