Linux Keyboard in a Console

Overall context.

To switch to a console: Ctrl+Alt+F1…F6. To switch back: Ctrl+Alt+F7.

The rest is about manipulating keymap, e.g. to swap CapsLock with Ctrl.

To manipulate the keyboard layout in a virtual console use dumpkeys, showkey and loadkeys. Man for keymap file.

More info

Save the Keymap

sudo dumpkeys > backup.kmap

Check the keycodes

Use sudo showkey to learn the keycodes:

• Left Ctrl - 29, denoted Control
• CapsLock - 58, denoted CtrlL_Lock

Create a new keymap

Create file swap-capslock-ctrl.kmap:

keymaps 0-127
keycode  29 = CtrlL_Lock
keycode  58 = Control

Load the keymap

sudo loadkeys swap-capslock-ctrl.kmap