TRmnl
Terminal translation bridge for AI-powered command lines.
TRmnl lets you write in your native language while working inside CLI tools like Claude Code, Warp, or any terminal that takes over your input. Press Ctrl+T, and the English text on your clipboard becomes Chinese — ready to paste.
The Problem
AI command-line tools (Claude Code, GitHub Copilot CLI, Aider) take exclusive control of terminal input. This blocks system-level input methods (IME) that non-English speakers depend on for typing Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other languages.
You can think in Chinese, but you cannot type in Chinese while the terminal is focused.
The Solution
TRmnl runs entirely in the background as a VS Code extension. The workflow:
- Copy your English text to the clipboard.
- Press
Ctrl+T while the terminal is focused.
- TRmnl translates to Chinese via DeepL and replaces your clipboard.
- Paste (
Cmd+V / Ctrl+V) the Chinese text wherever you need it.
No windows. No popups. No context switch. Sub-second round trip.
Setup
1. Get a DeepL API Key
- Go to deepl.com/your-account/keys.
- Sign up for the free plan (500,000 characters/month).
- Copy the API key (looks like
459ba905-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx:fx).
2. Install TRmnl
Open VS Code and install TRmnl from the Extensions Marketplace, or run:
ext install vauugnn.trmnl
3. First Run
- Open the integrated terminal in VS Code.
- Press
Ctrl+T.
- A secure input box will ask for your DeepL API key — paste it and press Enter.
- Your key is stored in VS Code's encrypted secret storage. You will not be asked again.
From now on, copy English text and press Ctrl+T to translate.
Usage
| Step |
Action |
| 1 |
Select and copy English text (Cmd+C / Ctrl+C) |
| 2 |
Press Ctrl+T with terminal focused |
| 3 |
Wait for the status bar confirmation |
| 4 |
Paste the Chinese translation (Cmd+V / Ctrl+V) |
Status Bar Messages
TRmnl: Translating... — request in progress.TRmnl: Chinese copied — translation on your clipboard, ready to paste.TRmnl: Copy English text first — your clipboard was empty.
Requirements
- VS Code 1.80+
- A DeepL API key (free tier works)
- Internet connection for API calls
How It Works
TRmnl consists of two parts:
- extension.js — Registers the
Ctrl+T keybinding, reads/writes the clipboard via the VS Code API, and manages your API key in encrypted secret storage.
- trmnl_engine.js — A Node.js script that calls the DeepL API using
deepl-node. It receives English text as an argument and outputs Chinese to stdout.
The extension spawns the engine as a child process with the API key passed through an environment variable — never written to disk.
License
MIT
