# samhocevar/wincompose

🔣 Compose Key for Windows

Repository: https://github.com/samhocevar/wincompose
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/wincompose
Homepage: http://wincompose.info/
Language: C#
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Last push: 2026-05-18T12:11:35+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 60/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 83, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4887, "days_push": 107, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2933, forks 105 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:30.711663+00:00)

## What it is
WinCompose is a free, open-source Windows utility that brings the classic X11 compose key to Windows, letting users type special characters and emoji via short, intuitive key sequences. It runs in the system tray, supports customizable sequences via .XCompose files, and defaults to Right Alt as the compose key.

## Use cases
- type accented characters like é or ü on a US keyboard
- insert symbols like © ± ♥ with simple key combos
- type emoji using mnemonic sequences
- customize compose sequences in a .XCompose file
- use a compose key on Windows like on Linux

## When to choose
- you frequently type special characters or accented letters on Windows
- you miss the Linux/X11 compose key workflow
- you want a portable, lightweight keyboard utility

## When to avoid
- you need an on-screen symbol picker or full IME
- you are not on Windows
- you need digitally signed software for corporate policy

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: maintenance
- function: internationalization, developer-tools
- domain: developer-tools, windows
- platform: windows
- tags: compose-key, special-characters, emoji-input, keyboard-utility, system-tray, localization

## Member repositories
- samhocevar/wincompose (main) score 60

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:30.711663+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T07:33:22.922232+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/samhocevar/wincompose (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:30.711663+00:00, sha b28a113c5196)
  - homepage: http://wincompose.info/ (fetched 2026-08-29T09:48:37.239130+00:00, sha 437f8a3d0141)
  - site_page: https://wincompose.info/doc (fetched 2026-08-29T09:48:37.248432+00:00, sha ae660a1b2540)
  - site_page: https://wincompose.info/doc/faq (fetched 2026-08-29T09:48:37.250084+00:00, sha 22c9d346e11a)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.