Import Your Steno Dictionary: JSON and CSV Merge Rules for Browser Lessons

Type Faster accepts English gloss plus steno keys per entry in JSON or CSV format. Each browser profile stores imports in `localStorage` with a per-device entry cap and schema validation through Zod—malformed rows fail fast with readable errors instead of silently corrupting lookup.

Your dictionary never uploads to Type Faster servers. Imports suit learners already committed to a licensed steno system they may use on hardware elsewhere; built-in TFBF and chord curriculum remain the default starter set for browser-only exploration.

Only import content you are licensed to use. The product does not ship third-party GPL dictionary files in the bundle—personal merge keeps license risk on your side while still letting outlines appear beside lessons on your machine.

Type Faster brief forms explained documents the authored TFBF layer that fills gaps when you import nothing. Read that guide first if you are browser-only—imports are optional power, not a requirement to start chords.

Machine steno practice online links the full practice surfaces where imported outlines appear beside timed fields. Keep import discipline consistent between `/learn/steno` and `/test/steno` so habits transfer.

During lessons and practice, stroke lookup resolves English to outline along a fixed precedence chain. Curriculum words taught in the current ladder unit win first—keeping lesson targets stable. Validated personal imports override TFBF when you train with a system you are licensed to use. TFBF fills remaining gaps.

That order prevents a bulk import from rewriting unit targets mid-lesson. It also means duplicate English prompts can map to different outlines depending on layer—document which outline you intend when duplicates appear during timed runs.

Lookup is reference infrastructure in Revise mode and during timed runs when you forget a brief you saw twice—not a substitute for Drill recall. Over-opening lookup in timed mode inflates scores without building memory; log lookup opens honestly during practice review.

Steno lesson ladder discover revise drill shows where brief units sit relative to chord foundations. Finish a unit on one precedence stack before merging large imports—or note which outline wins when English duplicates exist.

Steno lesson unit deep links help share specific units with classmates without exposing your entire import file—deep links reference curriculum targets, not your personal merge.

Clean imports start with normalized gloss strings—trim whitespace, pick one capitalization style for proper nouns, and remove duplicate English keys on the same outline unless you intend overrides. CSV files need consistent column headers; JSON needs stable key names the validator expects.

Split giant dictionaries by topic when you hit the entry cap. A ten-thousand-line merge that truncates mid-alphabet creates confusing partial coverage—smaller themed files merge predictably and are easier to rollback by clearing one import batch.

Validate on a copy first

Run import on a browser profile you can afford to reset while testing—school lab machines with aggressive cleanup policies may wipe `localStorage` between sessions. Steno timed run history signed in preserves attempts, but imports do not automatically follow accounts across devices today.

Steno chord practice on QWERTY belongs before heavy import timed weeks if capture still fails in Discover mode—dictionary breadth does not fix chord registration misses.

Steno NKRO chord rollover matters when imports add dense briefs but hardware drops simultaneous presses—verify rollover before blaming outline choice for missed chords.

Brief-form timed mode, chord timed mode, and readback timed mode each score differently—imports change which outlines appear but not the one-outline-one-word rule. Do not compare brief timed scores to QWERTY prose WPM on one-minute embeds; counting semantics differ.

After a large import, skip ranked readback until custom briefs feel familiar. Steno readback timed practice punishes outline recall—running it cold on fresh imports produces noisy accuracy that looks like skill loss.

Steno timed modes brief chord readback maps when each benchmark earns a weekly slot after imports stabilize. Brief timed belongs after Drill recall on new outlines—not on import day one.

What is Steno WPM is the reference for cross-mode review inside the steno pillar only. Steno WPM versus QWERTY WPM when to test keeps prose benchmarks from polluting steno progress charts.

Steno leaderboard three boards separates brief, chord, and readback ranks—import-heavy weeks may lift brief boards while chord ranks lag until hardware capture catches up.

Weekly import review fits on three lines: which lexicon layer answered most lookups, median brief timed accuracy on imported prompts, and one outline family to fix in lessons before the next timed run. That narrow closeout prevents outline chasing across the entire file without depth.

When imports and TFBF disagree on the same English prompt, document the outline you choose for class or certification alignment—ambiguous precedence is a training bug, not a feature. Consistency beats accidental outline drift across sessions.

Court reporting students browser steno discusses when authored outlines suffice versus when hardware and licensed theory take over—imports bridge browser practice to real-world systems, they do not replace accredited programs.

Browser steno without steno machine keeps expectations realistic: personal dictionaries extend vocabulary on QWERTY capture, they do not claim to ship every captioning brief ever published.

Open `/learn/steno`, import one validated file, drill five outlines untimed, then run a single brief timed baseline without rank pressure. That loop is how dictionary imports become muscle memory—not just a larger lookup table.