explaingit

punshofficial/x-translator

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

1JavaScriptAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

TLDR

A Chromium browser extension that automatically translates X posts into Russian in place, using Bing's free web translator, with a one click button to see the original text.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Translates X posts inline
      Auto detects source language
      Reverts to original text
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      Chrome Extension
      Bing Translator web UI
    Use cases
      Read foreign posts on X
      Toggle translations
      Manual unpacked install
    Audience
      Russian speaking X users

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Read X in Russian automatically without manually copying posts into a separate translator

USE CASE 2

Toggle a single post back to its original language when a translation looks off

USE CASE 3

Follow accounts posting in languages you do not read by having every post translated as you scroll

USE CASE 4

Install it privately by loading the unpacked extension instead of using the Chrome Web Store listing

What is it built with?

JavaScriptChrome ExtensionManifest V3

How does it compare?

punshofficial/x-translator0xmukesh/docusaurus-tutorial1tsmejp/palworld-docker-wine
Stars111
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2021-12-27
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasymoderate
Complexity2/52/54/5
Audiencegeneraldeveloperops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Relies on Bing Translator's unofficial web interface, so translation can break temporarily if Bing changes it.

The README does not state a license.

In plain English

X Translator is a browser extension for Chromium based browsers that automatically translates posts on X into Russian. It works across the main feed, replies, and quoted posts, without changing the rest of the site's interface or touching usernames. The translation replaces the original post text directly in place, and a single button lets you switch back to see the original wording. Links, mentions, hashtags, emoji, and line breaks in the original post are all kept as they were. The extension detects the source language automatically, so it is not limited to translating from English, it works with posts written in any language it can detect. The easiest way to install it is through the Chrome Web Store listing. For anyone who wants to install it manually instead, the README explains downloading the zip file from the latest GitHub release, unzipping it, turning on developer mode on the browser's extensions page, and loading the unpacked folder, then refreshing an open X tab. Under the hood, the extension uses Bing Translator's public web interface rather than an official, paid translation API, and does not require an API key to work. The README is upfront that this is not officially supported: if Bing changes that web interface or starts limiting how many requests it accepts, translation could stop working for a while until the extension is updated. Only the text of each post is sent to Bing for translation. Everything else, including any local cache of translations, your settings, and usage statistics, stays stored inside your own browser and is not sent anywhere else. The project includes simple commands for checking and packaging the extension for anyone who wants to build it themselves.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Help me build the unpacked X Translator extension from source using npm run package
Prompt 2
Explain what data X Translator sends to Bing versus what stays in my browser
Prompt 3
Why did X Translator stop translating posts, could Bing have changed its interface
Prompt 4
Add a keyboard shortcut to X Translator's Chrome extension for toggling the original text

Frequently asked questions

What is x-translator?

A Chromium browser extension that automatically translates X posts into Russian in place, using Bing's free web translator, with a one click button to see the original text.

What language is x-translator written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, Chrome Extension, Manifest V3.

What license does x-translator use?

The README does not state a license.

How hard is x-translator to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is x-translator for?

Mainly general.

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