Here is a breakdown of the situation regarding Nova Launcher and soft keys, and the best ways to achieve the navigation setup you want.

These gestures can replace the need for soft keys like Recents or Home.

If your primary goal in searching for "soft keys" is to to gain more screen real estate, the best solution is actually a native Android feature that Nova Launcher fully supports: Gesture Navigation.

While Nova Launcher does not have a specific "Soft Keys" menu, the best way to manage your navigation experience is: