Why do some switches have two vertical slits and others have a cross shape?

[winteralfs]

Is there a way I can search only for the keycaps that fit on the two vertical slit style switches? What is the term for the different styles?

The blue switch image is from the Keychron K1, version 4. I also noticed the Havit KB395L has similar style keycap mounts.

It can be confusing as both the cross style mount and the vertical slit mount are considered cherry MX compatible.  Yet, obviously, buying after market key caps described as cherry MX would not fit the vertical style mounts.

[jamster]

You might be talking about MX vs Alps caps, but it would help a lot with clarity if you posted images in addition to text.

Almost everything aftermarket will be MX.

Picture, thousand words, and all that.

[winteralfs]

Thanks, edited the original post with images. Great advice.

[jamster]

Uh, that blue switch looks like it's a laptop chicklet keyboard? It'll be using some kind of rubber domes, won't be compatible with anything aftermarket. 

Laptop keyboards are not 'mechanical keyboards' which is what most of this site is about.

Edit: on second thoughts, that's a discrete switch. It might be a "low profile" switch. Try googling for that.

[winteralfs]

Yes, it's from the Keychron K1, version 4. I also noticed the Havit KB395L has similar style keycap mounts. I just wondered if there was a name for that.  Thanks for answering, I was just curious.

[Findecanor]

The blue switch in the image is a low-profile mechanical switch from "WM Company". Keychron K1 version 4 is supposed to have low-profile mechanical switches from Gateron which look different but I dunno if Keychron was very consistent with that or if some v4 have WM switches anyway. Clicky WM switches on Keychron K1 version 3 (and later?) are also supposed to be yellow.
The Havit keyboard has low-profile mechanical "Kailh Choc" switches made by Kailh.

I don't know if the keycap mounts have any offiicial name, or if both WM/Gateron and Kailh Choc switches' mounts are compatible.
The term "Cherry MX mount" is just colloquial within the keyboard community. Each manufacturer may have their own term for it.

BTW. There is a much older low-profile switch called Cherry ML, and some keycaps for it do fit Kailh Choc ...
It may therefore be that the low-profile mount originated from this switch.
One weird thing about Cherry ML though is that the slider/mount is not centred in the switch. Some keycaps have the mount slightly offset (to make the switch be centred) whereas some keyboards' keycaps have the mount in the center. All Kailh Choc switches and keycaps use centred mounts.