---
name: "speedpad"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "speedpad"
version: "1.0-2"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/speedpad"
---

# speedpad(1)

ncurses tool to test, train, and increase typing speed

## NAME

speedpad - ncurses tool to test, train, and increase typing speed

## SYNOPSIS

**speedpad** \[*OPTIONS*\] \[--\] \[*FILE* \[*FILE* ...\]\]\
 **speedpad** \[...\] -c \[--\] \[*CMD* \[*ARG* ...\]\]

## DESCRIPTION

speedpad is an interactive ncurses tool to test, train, and increase typing speed on arbitrary text input:

- o

  designed for intermediate to advanced level typists

- o

  assumes that you have already learned how to touch type

- o

  no lessons, no single words, no synthetic stuff

- o

  tab expansion, auto indentation and syntax support to train on code

- o

  reference speed robot (defaults to 100 WPM)

- o

  supports CPS, CPM, WPM, PPM, and CPH/KPH metrics

- o

  shows detailed statistics about speed and typos

- o

  helps to find and eliminate frequent typos

## OPTIONS

- **--version**

  show version number and exit

- **-h, --help**

  show help message and exit

- **-c**

  use positional arguments as command line (default: False)

- **-o** *FILE*

  write stats dump to file (default: \<stdout\>)

- **--wpm**

  speed in words per minute (default: True)

- **--cpm**

  speed in chars per minute (default: False)

- **--cps**

  speed in chars per second (default: False)

- **--speed** *SPEED*

  **reference speed in matching unit (default: 100.0)**

- **--wrap** *WIDTH*

  **wrap text at specified width (default: 0)**\
   **\[\<0 = disable, 0 = auto, \>0 = fixed\]**

- **--user** *NAME*

  **set custom user name (default: \<login name\>)**

- **--tabsize** *N*

  **set custom tabsize (default: 8)**

- **--strict**

  **require manual line breaks (default: False)**

- **--indent**

  **enable auto indentation (default: False)**

- **--syntax**

  **enable syntax support (default: False)**

- **--no-strip**

  **keep excessive whitespace in text (default: False)**

- **--no-robot**

  **disable the reference speed robot (default: False)**

- **--no-color**

  **disable colors (default: False)**

- **--no-stats**

  **disable stats dump on stdout (default: False)**

- **--code**

  **equals --no-strip --indent --syntax**

**The following options should be used carefully:**

- **--input-encoding** *encoding*

  - **--output-encoding** *encoding*

  - **--filesystem-encoding** *encoding*

  **For a full list of supported encodings, see:**\
 **http://docs.python.org/library/codecs.html#standard-encodings**

## KEYBINDS

- **ENTER**

  **load next quote (if not started)**

- **CTRL-X**

  **reset counters and position, restart quote (if started)**

- **CTRL-D**

  **stop current round and show statistics (if started)**

- **CTRL-Q**

  **quit gracefully and dump stats**

- **CTRL-C**

  **quit forcefully and do not dump stats**

**UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT**

**PGUP/PGDOWN/HOME/END**

**Press** *space***,** *tab***, or any** *alphanumeric* **key to start typing.**

## EXAMPLES

**speedpad file1 file2 file3**\
 **grep ^foo words \| speedpad**\
 **speedpad -c -- fortune -s -n 500**\
 **speedpad -c -- fortune 40% startrek 60% linux**\
 **speedpad /usr/src/linux/README**\
 **speedpad --code /usr/src/linux/mm/pagewalk.c**

- **write stats to file:**

  **speedpad \>** *stats*\
   **speedpad \>\>** *stats*  **(append)**\
   **speedpad -o** *stats*  **(append)**

- **show speed for all records:**

  **gnuplot -p -e "plot '***stats***' using 15**\
                  **smooth sbezier title 'wpm'"**

- **show speed development over time:**

  **gnuplot -p -e "set xdata time; set timefmt '%s';**\
                  **plot '***stats***' using 1:15**\
                  **smooth sbezier title 'wpm'"**

- **show speed in relation to elapsed typing time:**

  **gnuplot -p -e "plot '***stats***' using 3:15**\
                  **smooth sbezier title 'wpm'"**

- **show typos in relation to speed:**

  **gnuplot -p -e "plot '***stats***' using 15:11**\
                  **smooth sbezier title 'typos'"**

## SEE ALSO

[**fortune**(6)](/fortune/6.md) [**gnuplot**(1)](/gnuplot/1.md) [**gtypist**(1)](/gtypist/1.md) **typespeed**(1)

**http://feurix.org/projects/speedpad/**

## AUTHOR

**speedpad and this man page was written by John Feuerstein.**