diff --git a/src/Kaleidoscope.cpp b/src/Kaleidoscope.cpp
index 4e8e5b98..830ea571 100644
--- a/src/Kaleidoscope.cpp
+++ b/src/Kaleidoscope.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Kaleidoscope_::setup(void) {
   handleKeyswitchEvent(Key_NoKey, 255, 255, 0);
 
   // Update the keymap cache, so we start with a non-empty state.
-  Layer.updateKeymapCache();
+  Layer.updateActiveLayers();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/key_events.cpp b/src/key_events.cpp
index 782e301b..1004d855 100644
--- a/src/key_events.cpp
+++ b/src/key_events.cpp
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@ static bool handleKeyswitchEventDefault(Key mappedKey, byte row, byte col, uint8
 }
 
 void handleKeyswitchEvent(Key mappedKey, byte row, byte col, uint8_t keyState) {
-  /* If a key had an on or off event, we update the effective keymap cache. See
+  /* If a key had an on or off event, we update the live composite keymap. See
    * layers.h for an explanation about the different caches we have. */
   if (keyToggledOn(keyState) || keyToggledOff(keyState))
-    Layer.updateEffectiveKeymapCache(row, col);
+    Layer.updateLiveCompositeKeymap(row, col);
 
   /* If the key we are dealing with is masked, ignore it until it is released.
    * When releasing it, clear the mask, so future key events can be handled
diff --git a/src/layers.cpp b/src/layers.cpp
index ea20e201..765615e1 100644
--- a/src/layers.cpp
+++ b/src/layers.cpp
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ static uint8_t DefaultLayer;
 static uint32_t LayerState;
 
 uint8_t Layer_::highestLayer;
-Key Layer_::effectiveKeymapCache[ROWS][COLS];
-uint8_t Layer_::keymapCache[ROWS][COLS];
+Key Layer_::liveCompositeKeymap[ROWS][COLS];
+uint8_t Layer_::activeLayers[ROWS][COLS];
 Key(*Layer_::getKey)(uint8_t layer, byte row, byte col) = Layer.getKeyFromPROGMEM;
 
 static void handleKeymapKeyswitchEvent(Key keymapEntry, uint8_t keyState) {
@@ -63,14 +63,14 @@ Layer_::getKeyFromPROGMEM(uint8_t layer, byte row, byte col) {
 }
 
 void
-Layer_::updateEffectiveKeymapCache(byte row, byte col) {
-  int8_t layer = keymapCache[row][col];
-  effectiveKeymapCache[row][col] = (*getKey)(layer, row, col);
+Layer_::updateLiveCompositeKeymap(byte row, byte col) {
+  int8_t layer = activeLayers[row][col];
+  liveCompositeKeymap[row][col] = (*getKey)(layer, row, col);
 }
 
 void
-Layer_::updateKeymapCache(void) {
-  memset(keymapCache, DefaultLayer, ROWS * COLS);
+Layer_::updateActiveLayers(void) {
+  memset(activeLayers, DefaultLayer, ROWS * COLS);
   for (byte row = 0; row < ROWS; row++) {
     for (byte col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
       int8_t layer = highestLayer;
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ Layer_::updateKeymapCache(void) {
           Key mappedKey = (*getKey)(layer, row, col);
 
           if (mappedKey != Key_Transparent) {
-            keymapCache[row][col] = layer;
+            activeLayers[row][col] = layer;
             break;
           }
         }
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ void Layer_::on(uint8_t layer) {
   /* If the layer did turn on, update the keymap cache. See layers.h for an
    * explanation about the caches we have. */
   if (!wasOn)
-    updateKeymapCache();
+    updateActiveLayers();
 }
 
 void Layer_::off(uint8_t layer) {
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ void Layer_::off(uint8_t layer) {
   /* If the layer did turn off, update the keymap cache. See layers.h for an
    * explanation about the caches we have. */
   if (wasOn)
-    updateKeymapCache();
+    updateActiveLayers();
 }
 
 boolean Layer_::isOn(uint8_t layer) {
diff --git a/src/layers.h b/src/layers.h
index 8990c6e1..0e503666 100644
--- a/src/layers.h
+++ b/src/layers.h
@@ -15,20 +15,22 @@ class Layer_ {
    * First of all, we use caches because looking up a key through all the layers
    * is costy, and the cost increases dramatically the more layers we have.
    *
-   * Then, we have the `effectiveKeymapCache`, because to have layer behaviours
+   * Then, we have the `liveCompositeKeymap`, because to have layer behaviours
    * we want, that is, if you hold a key on a layer, release the layer key but
    * continue holding the other, we want for the layered keycode to continue
-   * repeating. At the same time, we want other keys to not be affected by the
+   * repeating. 
+   *
+   * At the same time, we want other keys to not be affected by the
    * now-turned-off layer. So we update the keycode in the cache on-demand, when
    * the key is pressed or released. (see the top of `handleKeyswitchEvent`).
    *
    * On the other hand, we also have plugins that scan the whole keymap, and do
    * things based on that information, such as highlighting keys that changed
    * between layers. These need to be able to look at a state of where the
-   * keymap *should* be, not necessarily where it is. The `effectiveKeymapCache`
-   * is not useful here. So we use a `keymapCache` which we update whenever
+   * keymap *should* be, not necessarily where it is. The `liveCompositeKeymap`
+   * is not useful here. So we use `activeLayers` which we update whenever
    * layers change (see `Layer.on` and `Layer.off`), and it updates the cache to
-   * show how the keymap should look, without the `effectiveKeymapCache`-induced
+   * show how the keymap should look, without the `liveCompositeKeymap`-induced
    * behaviour.
    *
    * Thus, if we are curious about what a given key will do, use `lookup`. If we
@@ -36,10 +38,10 @@ class Layer_ {
    * `lookupUncached`.
    */
   static Key lookup(byte row, byte col) {
-    return effectiveKeymapCache[row][col];
+    return liveCompositeKeymap[row][col];
   }
   static Key lookupUncached(byte row, byte col) {
-    uint8_t layer = keymapCache[row][col];
+    uint8_t layer = activeLayers[row][col];
     return (*getKey)(layer, row, col);
   }
 
@@ -64,13 +66,13 @@ class Layer_ {
 
   static Key getKeyFromPROGMEM(uint8_t layer, byte row, byte col);
 
-  static void updateEffectiveKeymapCache(byte row, byte col);
-  static void updateKeymapCache(void);
+  static void updateLiveCompositeKeymap(byte row, byte col);
+  static void updateActiveLayers(void);
 
  private:
   static uint8_t highestLayer;
-  static Key effectiveKeymapCache[ROWS][COLS];
-  static uint8_t keymapCache[ROWS][COLS];
+  static Key liveCompositeKeymap[ROWS][COLS];
+  static uint8_t activeLayers[ROWS][COLS];
 };
 
 Key layer_getKey(uint8_t layer, uint8_t r, uint8_t c);