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Guide · Open source

How to use TranslationPlugin in JetBrains IDEs

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

TranslationPlugin is an open-source (MIT licensed) plugin that adds translation to JetBrains IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm and Android Studio. This guide is for developers who read code or documentation in a language they are less comfortable with. By the end you will know how to install the plugin, connect a translation engine, translate and replace text, and translate documentation.

TranslationPluginYiiGuxing/TranslationPlugin · ★ 11.9k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install the plugin. Search for Translation in Settings > Plugins > Marketplace and click Install Plugin, then restart the IDE.
  2. 2Configure an engine. If you use a service that needs an account, bind its Authentication Key under Tools > Translation > General > Translation Engine.
  3. 3Select text. Select a word or phrase in the editor, or hover over it.
  4. 4Translate. Right-click and choose Translate, or use the Translate shortcut for your OS.
  5. 5Replace with translation. Right-click and choose Replace with Translation to swap the text for its translation.
  6. 6Translate docs. Open Quick Documentation and use Translate Quick Documentation, or turn on automatic translation.

Install TranslationPlugin in your JetBrains IDE

You need a supported JetBrains IDE or Android Studio. The simplest route is the in-IDE marketplace. Open Preferences (Settings), go to Plugins, select Marketplace, search for "Translation", and click Install Plugin.

  • Manual option: download the plugin package from GitHub Releases or the JetBrains Plugin Repository.
  • Then open Preferences (Settings) > Plugins > the gear icon > Install plugin from disk..., and select the package. No need to unzip it.
  • Restart the IDE after installation.

Set up a translation engine (optional)

Many engines need an account. Services such as OpenAI, DeepL and Youdao Translate usually require you to register, obtain an Authentication Key, and bind that key in the plugin. Engines that need keys are not available offline.

  • Go to Preferences (Settings) > Tools > Translation > General > Translation Engine > Configure...
  • Supported engines listed in the README include Microsoft Translator, Google Translate, DeepL, OpenAI, Youdao, Baidu and Alibaba Translate.

Translate selected text or words

Select a word or phrase, or hover the mouse over it. Right-click and choose Translate. If you have not selected anything, the plugin extracts words automatically from a range, which you can configure in Settings.

  • Translate: Windows Ctrl+Shift+Y, macOS Control+Meta+U.
  • Translate (Inclusive) translates all words in a range and ignores manual selection. Translate (Exclusive) takes only the nearest single word. Neither has a default shortcut.
  • Show Translation Dialog opens a larger dialog: Windows Ctrl+Shift+O, macOS Control+Meta+I.

Replace code with its translation

Replace with Translation swaps the original text for its translation, which is useful for identifiers. When the target language is English, the output can be in camel case, with a word separator, or in the original format. The separator is set under Translation Settings > Replace with Translation > Separator.

  • Right-click and choose Replace with Translation, or use Windows Ctrl+Shift+X, macOS Control+Meta+O.

Translate documentation

Translate Quick Documentation with its shortcut (Windows Ctrl+Shift+Q, macOS Control+Q). In the Quick Documentation popup you can toggle between the translation and the original. To translate automatically, enable Translation Settings > Other > Automatically translate documentation.

  • Translate Inline Documentation works on the inline documentation view and is in its context menu.
  • Batch Translate Inline Documentation translates all inline documentation in the editor. It is on the editor inspections widget toolbar and in Reader mode.

Switch engines and use the word book

Click the engine widget in the status bar, or press Windows Ctrl+Shift+S or macOS Control+Meta+Y, to switch between translation and text-to-speech engines. The Word of the Day dialog and the word book help you build vocabulary over time. In the translation dialog, Save to Word Book stores entries.

  • Text-to-speech engines listed include Microsoft Edge TTS, Google TTS and OpenAI TTS.
  • Translation dialog shortcuts: Alt+S source languages, Alt+T target languages, Alt+Shift+S switch languages, Alt+P pin or unpin.

What people use it for

  • Reading a Java or Kotlin code comment written in a language you are still learning.
  • Replacing a non-English identifier with an English one while keeping a consistent naming style.
  • Translating Quick Documentation for a library whose docs are in another language.
  • Building a personal vocabulary list of programming terms with the word book.

Frequently asked questions

Is TranslationPlugin free?

The project is released under the MIT licence, which is an open-source licence. Some translation engines require an account or an Authentication Key, and the README does not list their costs, so check each provider's terms.

Which IDEs does TranslationPlugin support?

The README lists Android Studio, Aqua, AppCode, CLion, DataGrip, DataSpell, GoLand, HUAWEI DevEco Studio, IntelliJ IDEA Community and Ultimate, MPS, PhpStorm, PyCharm Community and Professional, Rider, RubyMine, RustRover and WebStorm.

Does TranslationPlugin work offline?

Not as a general rule. The README lists online translation services, and many of them require accounts or keys, so you need a connection for those engines.

How do I install TranslationPlugin?

Use the in-IDE marketplace under Settings > Plugins, or download the package from GitHub Releases or the JetBrains Plugin Repository and install it from disk. Restart the IDE afterwards.

Why does Replace with Translation change my text in camel case?

When the target language is English and the output has several words, the plugin can produce camel case, separated words, or the original format. You can change the separator in Translation Settings.

Can I use TranslationPlugin in VS Code?

No. The README says it is built only for JetBrains IDEs and Android Studio.

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Our verdict

TranslationPlugin suits developers who work in JetBrains IDEs or Android Studio and need translation for code, identifiers and documentation without leaving the editor. It is less suitable if you need offline translation or use another editor, since the README says it works only with the listed JetBrains products and many engines need online accounts.

Install options & downloads