Add Colemak-DH to the available keyboard layouts under Windows. The layout is installed at the OS-level and should work in all applications and even before signing in. No 3rd party apps are required to use the layout.
The precompiled binaries install Colemak-DH for standard ANSI keyboards using a EN-US language profile. Other language profiles and ISO variants can be installed with minor modifications of the source file (see the "building from source" section below).
Download the binaries folder and run setup.exe. This will add Colemak to the list of
available keyboards. It can be selected from the language bar (Ctrl + Shift) or set as
system default in the language settings.
Download the source file and load it to the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator (MSKLC) to build the binaries.
Note: While some customization can be done in MSKLC itself, it is recommended to directly edit the source file instead when making changes. Editing keys in MSKLC will only remap their output but won't change the underlying key event, creating inconsistencies when using modifiers.
Because installing the keyboard layout at the OS-level is more robust. I wanted a
solution that works across applications and also works at the login screen. (I still use
AHK and kmonad to implement additional goodies on top of this configuration such as
home row mods, dual-function
space/shift key, z on left shift, backspace on right alt, esc/ctrl on
capslock, and others.)