lightphone · k-alnuaimi · Jul 27, 2026
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ If you'd like to contribute/file issues, please read [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUT
 
 ### Layouts
 
-Currently, only English/QWERTY is supported. We want to add more languages/layouts as soon as possible. Please reach out if there are any you are particularly excited about!
+Currently supported: English (QWERTY and Colemak) and Arabic. We want to add more languages/layouts as soon as possible. Please reach out if there are any you are particularly excited about!
+
+A layout declares its own rows, long-press alternates, and text direction — see [ArStandard](ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/ArStandard.kt) for a right-to-left, caseless example — and is picked up by the app once it's added to `LayoutRegistryItem`.
 
 ## Usage
 

diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3keyboard/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3keyboard/MainActivity.kt
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package com.thelightphone.lp3keyboard
 import android.content.Intent
 import android.os.Bundle
 import android.provider.Settings
+import android.text.TextUtils
+import android.view.View
 import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
 import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
 import androidx.compose.foundation.background
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ import androidx.compose.material.RadioButton
 import androidx.compose.material.Text
 import androidx.compose.material.TextField
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.CompositionLocalProvider
 import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
 import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
@@ -29,6 +32,8 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Color
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalLayoutDirection
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.LayoutDirection
 import androidx.compose.foundation.text.KeyboardOptions
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.input.KeyboardCapitalization
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.input.TextFieldValue
@@ -56,6 +61,7 @@ fun Options() {
             .fillMaxWidth(),
     ) {
         val ctx = LocalContext.current
+        var selected by remember { mutableStateOf(LayoutPreferences.getActiveLayout(ctx)) }
         Text(text = "LP3 Keyboard")
         val (text, setValue) = remember { mutableStateOf(TextFieldValue("Try here")) }
         Spacer(modifier = Modifier.height(16.dp))
@@ -73,21 +79,30 @@ fun Options() {
         }
         Spacer(modifier = Modifier.height(16.dp))
         Text(text = "3. Choose layout")
-        LayoutPicker()
+        LayoutPicker(selected) { selected = it }
         Spacer(modifier = Modifier.height(16.dp))
-        TextField(
-            value = text,
-            onValueChange = setValue,
-            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth(),
-            keyboardOptions = KeyboardOptions(capitalization = KeyboardCapitalization.Sentences),
-        )
+        // Follow the layout's own direction so an RTL layout types into a field that behaves like
+        // a real Arabic one: right-aligned, with the caret travelling leftward.
+        val direction =
+            if (TextUtils.getLayoutDirectionFromLocale(selected.locale) == View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_RTL) {
+                LayoutDirection.Rtl
+            } else {
+                LayoutDirection.Ltr
+            }
+        CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides direction) {
+            TextField(
+                value = text,
+                onValueChange = setValue,
+                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth(),
+                keyboardOptions = KeyboardOptions(capitalization = KeyboardCapitalization.Sentences),
+            )
+        }
     }
 }
 
 @Composable
-fun LayoutPicker() {
+fun LayoutPicker(selected: LayoutRegistryItem, onSelected: (LayoutRegistryItem) -> Unit) {
     val ctx = LocalContext.current
-    var selected by remember { mutableStateOf(LayoutPreferences.getActiveLayout(ctx)) }
     Column(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth()) {
         LayoutRegistryItem.entries.forEach { item ->
             Row(
@@ -96,7 +111,7 @@ fun LayoutPicker() {
                     .selectable(
                         selected = item == selected,
                         onClick = {
-                            selected = item
+                            onSelected(item)
                             LayoutPreferences.setActiveLayout(ctx, item)
                         },
                     ),

diff --git a/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/Lp3Keyboard.kt b/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/Lp3Keyboard.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.height
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.width
 import androidx.compose.material.Icon
+import androidx.compose.material.LocalTextStyle
 import androidx.compose.material.Text
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.CompositionLocalProvider
@@ -50,13 +51,16 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.layout.boundsInRoot
 import androidx.compose.ui.layout.onGloballyPositioned
 import androidx.compose.ui.layout.positionInRoot
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalLayoutDirection
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.painterResource
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.font.FontWeight
 import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextAlign
+import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextDirection
 import androidx.compose.ui.tooling.preview.Preview
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.Dp
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.sp
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout.ArStandard
 import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout.EnQwerty
 import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout.EnShared
 import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout.Layout
@@ -249,7 +253,10 @@ fun Lp3Keyboard(
             )
     ) {
         Column(Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(top = 4.dp).align(Alignment.Center)) {
-            CompositionLocalProvider(LocalAkkuratFamily provides akkurat) {
+            CompositionLocalProvider(
+                LocalAkkuratFamily provides akkurat,
+                LocalLayoutDirection provides layout.layoutDirection
+            ) {
                 with(layout) { Render(options, callback) }
             }
         }
@@ -525,6 +532,8 @@ fun RowScope.MultiLabelKey(
             letterSpacing = 2.sp,
             fontSize = 16.sp,
             textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+            // "#+=" is all bidi-neutral, so an RTL layout would render it "=+#".
+            style = LocalTextStyle.current.copy(textDirection = TextDirection.Ltr),
             modifier = Modifier.then(
                 if (enableKeyAnimation) {
                     Modifier.graphicsLayer {
@@ -716,6 +725,30 @@ fun Lp3KeyboardDarkPreview() {
     }
 }
 
+@Preview(name = "Arabic", widthDp = (1080 / 3), heightDp = (1240 / 3))
+@Composable
+fun Lp3KeyboardArabicPreview() {
+    Lp3KeyboardTheme(DarkKeyboardColors) {
+        Column(verticalArrangement = Arrangement.Bottom, modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+            val keyboardOptions = KeyboardOptions(
+                defaultEmojis,
+                displayReturn = true,
+                displayVoice = true,
+                enableKeyAnimation = true,
+                swipeEnabled = true
+            )
+            val layoutOptions = LayoutOptions(displayCloseButton = true)
+            Lp3KeyboardWrapper(
+                ArStandard.LettersLayout,
+                keyboardOptions,
+                layoutOptions,
+                previewCallback,
+                null
+            )
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 @Preview(name = "Light", widthDp = (1080 / 3), heightDp = (1240 / 3))
 @Composable
 fun Lp3KeyboardLightPreview() {

diff --git a/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/ArShared.kt b/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/ArShared.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+package com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout
+
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.ColumnScope
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.CompositionLocalProvider
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalLayoutDirection
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.LayoutDirection
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.FinalRow
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.FirstRow
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.KeyboardOptions
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.Lp3KeyboardCallback
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.MultiLabelKey
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.SecondRow
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.SpecialKey
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.ThirdRow
+
+/**
+ * Layouts and data generally shared across Arabic keyboards.
+ *
+ * These mirror [EnShared], with Arabic punctuation (، ؛ ؟) in place of the Latin equivalents.
+ * Digits stay Western (1234567890) — they're what phone numbers, codes, and most modern Arabic
+ * text use, and Arabic-Indic digits break numeric fields in a lot of apps.
+ *
+ * Rows that must read left-to-right — digits, paired symbols, and the utility row, which stays
+ * put so it doesn't collide with the system's corner buttons — override the RTL direction.
+ */
+object ArShared {
+    /** Label for the key that returns to the letters layout, the Arabic analogue of "ABC". */
+    const val LETTERS_LABEL = "أبج"
+
+    object NumberLayout : Layout {
+        override val layoutDirection: LayoutDirection
+            get() = LayoutDirection.Rtl
+
+        @Composable
+        override fun ColumnScope.Render(
+            options: KeyboardOptions,
+            callback: Lp3KeyboardCallback
+        ) {
+            // Digits and paired symbols read left-to-right even inside Arabic text, so only the
+            // surrounding chrome mirrors.
+            CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides LayoutDirection.Ltr) {
+                FirstRow("1234567890", callback, swipeConfig, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+                SecondRow("-/:؛()\$&@\"", callback, swipeConfig, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+            }
+            ThirdRow(".،؟!'", callback, swipeConfig, options) {
+                MultiLabelKey("#+=", SpecialKey.Symbols, callback, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+            }
+            CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides LayoutDirection.Ltr) {
+                FinalRow(options, callback) {
+                    MultiLabelKey(
+                        LETTERS_LABEL,
+                        SpecialKey.Letters,
+                        callback,
+                        options.enableKeyAnimation
+                    )
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    object SymbolsLayout : Layout {
+        override val layoutDirection: LayoutDirection
+            get() = LayoutDirection.Rtl
+
+        @Composable
+        override fun ColumnScope.Render(
+            options: KeyboardOptions,
+            callback: Lp3KeyboardCallback
+        ) {
+            CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides LayoutDirection.Ltr) {
+                FirstRow("[]{}#%^*+=", callback, swipeConfig, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+                SecondRow("_\\|~<>€£¥", callback, swipeConfig, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+            }
+            ThirdRow(".،؟!'", callback, swipeConfig, options) {
+                MultiLabelKey("123", SpecialKey.Numbers, callback, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+            }
+            CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides LayoutDirection.Ltr) {
+                FinalRow(options, callback) {
+                    MultiLabelKey(
+                        LETTERS_LABEL,
+                        SpecialKey.Letters,
+                        callback,
+                        options.enableKeyAnimation
+                    )
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Long-press alternates. Everything Arabic needs that isn't one of the 28 letters lives here:
+     * the hamza forms on ا, ta marbuta on ه and ت, alef maqsura on ي.
+     */
+    val extendedCharMapping = mapOf(
+        'ا'.code to listOf(
+            listOf('أ', 'إ', 'آ', 'ء', 'ٱ'),
+        ),
+        'ه'.code to listOf(
+            listOf('ة'),
+        ),
+        'ت'.code to listOf(
+            listOf('ة'),
+        ),
+        'ي'.code to listOf(
+            listOf('ى', 'ئ'),
+        ),
+        'و'.code to listOf(
+            listOf('ؤ'),
+        ),
+    )
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/ArStandard.kt b/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/ArStandard.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout
+
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.ColumnScope
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.CompositionLocalProvider
+import androidx.compose.ui.geometry.Rect
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalLayoutDirection
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.LayoutDirection
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.FinalRow
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.FirstRow
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.KeyboardOptions
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.Lp3KeyboardCallback
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.Lp3KeyboardLayoutCapture
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.MultiLabelKey
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.SecondRow
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.SpecialKey
+import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.ThirdRow
+
+private val ArStandardSwipeConfig: SwipeConfig by lazy {
+    object : Lp3KeyboardLayoutCapture(ArStandard.ALPHABET) {
+        private val codes = letters.map { it.code }.toSet()
+
+        override fun report(code: Int, bounds: Rect) {
+            if (code !in codes) return
+            // onGloballyPositioned fires on every layout pass; skip identical
+            // writes so we don't churn the snapshot or re-fire boundsFlow.
+            if (letterBounds[code] == bounds) return
+            letterBounds[code] = bounds
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * The layout for standard Arabic.
+ *
+ * Rows are written in logical order — the first character of each string is the *rightmost* key,
+ * matching how the row reads on screen, since the layout renders right-to-left.
+ *
+ * The standard (Windows/iOS) Arabic layout needs 12/11/10 keys per row. We only have room for 10
+ * at the LP3's key width, so the first two rows are the standard rows truncated to 10, which keeps
+ * every one of those 20 keys in its usual spot, and the letters that fall off the ends (ج د ط, plus
+ * ذ from the backtick key) join ر و ز ظ on the third row. Arabic is caseless, so the shift slot is
+ * free and the third row holds 8 letters instead of 7.
+ *
+ * Hamza forms and the other non-alphabet characters — أ إ آ ء ٱ ة ى ئ ؤ — are on long-press,
+ * see [ArShared.extendedCharMapping].
+ */
+object ArStandard {
+    const val FIRST_ROW = "ضصثقفغعهخح"
+    const val SECOND_ROW = "شسيبلاتنمك"
+    const val THIRD_ROW = "روزظذطدج"
+
+    /** The 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, in alphabetical order. */
+    const val ALPHABET = "ابتثجحخدذرزسشصضطظعغفقكلمنهوي"
+
+    object LettersLayout : Layout {
+        override val isRootLayout: Boolean
+            get() = true
+
+        override val swipeConfig: SwipeConfig
+            get() = ArStandardSwipeConfig
+
+        override val layoutDirection: LayoutDirection
+            get() = LayoutDirection.Rtl
+
+        @Composable
+        override fun ColumnScope.Render(
+            options: KeyboardOptions,
+            callback: Lp3KeyboardCallback
+        ) {
+            FirstRow(FIRST_ROW, callback, swipeConfig, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+            SecondRow(SECOND_ROW, callback, swipeConfig, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+            // No shift key — the slot opposite backspace stays empty.
+            ThirdRow(THIRD_ROW, callback, swipeConfig, options) {}
+            // The utility row stays left-to-right: Android draws its own hide-keyboard chevron
+            // in the bottom-left corner and IME switcher in the bottom-right, and mirroring
+            // this row parks our mic and 123 keys right on top of them.
+            CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides LayoutDirection.Ltr) {
+                FinalRow(options, callback) {
+                    MultiLabelKey("123", SpecialKey.Numbers, callback, options.enableKeyAnimation)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/EnShared.kt b/ui/src/main/java/com/thelightphone/lp3Keyboard/ui/layout/EnShared.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.layout
 
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.ColumnScope
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.LayoutDirection
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
 import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.DefaultRow
 import com.thelightphone.lp3Keyboard.ui.FinalRow
@@ -75,8 +76,16 @@ object EnShared {
         }
     }
 
-    class ExtendedCharKeyboard(rootCode: Int) : Layout {
-        private val rows = extendedCharMapping[rootCode]
+    /**
+     * The long-press sheet of alternates for [rootCode]. [mapping] and [layoutDirection] default
+     * to English, other languages pass their own (see [ArShared.extendedCharMapping]).
+     */
+    class ExtendedCharKeyboard(
+        rootCode: Int,
+        mapping: Map<Int, List<List<Char>>> = extendedCharMapping,
+        override val layoutDirection: LayoutDirection = LayoutDirection.Ltr
+    ) : Layout {
+        private val rows = mapping[rootCode]
 
         @Composable
         override fun ColumnScope.Render(