Is a 60% keyboard practical for learning to program?

You don’t strictly need a larger keyboard to program, but dedicated arrow keys and function keys make common tasks much easier. A smaller keyboard isn’t a dealbreaker, though—programming on it may just involve more shortcuts and finger movement. Better hardware is mainly about comfort and convenience.

Since you’ll spend a lot of time typing code and documentation, comfort matters. At minimum, I’d choose a tenkeyless or 75% keyboard with arrow keys and easy access to symbols such as braces and brackets. A basic inexpensive model should be perfectly adequate; you don’t need an expensive ergonomic keyboard.

Another option is a small programmable macro pad. You could assign arrow keys, function keys, or other shortcuts to it and keep your existing 60% keyboard. That can add the missing functions without replacing the whole board.

A 60% keyboard can work, but if you’re constantly switching layers just to move the cursor, it may get frustrating. A reasonably priced 75% or larger keyboard gives you dedicated arrow keys and usually function keys without taking up as much space as a full-size board.