It has programmable layouts/layers but if you just stick with the defaults it's no more context-switching than modal editing. QWERTY is the base layer, next layer up does symbols, arrow keys, page up/down, and a numpad. Then on the third layer you have function keys and a few extras (e.g. insert, volume up/down). Took me a week or two to get comfortable with the first two layers, another few weeks before I felt confident with the third, and maybe 6 months in now I can't imagine ever going back to a regular keyboard.
Typing `*{@` is as easy as typing `prw` with one (thumb operated) modifier held down.
I have a Planck on order and will be the first keyboard I will be building, but wanted to buy something without having to think about which Cherry switches or keycap profile was perfect for me.
The use of layers is great, and I encourage anyone to try it. I saw someone on a youtube somewhere explain the idea succinctly and I think it's worth paraphrasing here: "Bring the keys to your fingers and not your fingers to the keys"
Losing speed isn't a given. I recognise that my situation is completely different from someone who has learned to type by looking, but as a blind person I've only ever touch-typed and very rarely dip below 100 WPM while working with text. Writing code is different, naturally. But this is an area of life I've never felt at a disadvantage. Quite the opposite given how most people seem to type.
No, but I would love to! Thanks for your comments. After thinking about it, I'd be willing to lose some speed (if at all) if I never had to look down to type ()=>{};
I'm a bit hesitant to use programmable layouts/layers. I already sometimes type 'jj' in MS Word because of Vim. I'm slow in context switching.