Repolode
Submit
rime

rime/squirrel

Squirrel is the macOS front end for the Rime input method engine, a customizable Chinese input method with configurable schemas.

Open-source alternative to:Sogou PinyinMicrosoft Pinyin

View on GitHubWebsite
Stars
6,514
Forks
576
Open issues
216
Last commit
8 days ago

What is it?

Squirrel is a macOS input method built on top of librime, the Rime Input Method Engine. It lets macOS users type Chinese through a Rime-based input scheme, and it is one of the platform builds in the Rime family alongside ibus-rime and fcitx-rime for Linux and Weasel for Windows.

Users switch between input schemes with Ctrl+` or F4, and the input method is configured by editing user settings and redeploying from the menu. The project points to the online Rime documentation for customization, and the plum configuration manager for installing additional input schemes.

The project requires macOS 13.0 or later and is licensed under GPL v3.

Key features

  • 01Native Chinese input method for macOS built on the Rime engine.
  • 02Switch between input schemes with a hotkey or the menu bar icon.
  • 03Customize behavior through user settings and redeploy without restarting.
  • 04Install additional input schemes via the plum package manager.

Use cases

  • Typing Chinese on a Mac with a customizable, scheme-based input method.
  • Using the same Rime configuration across macOS, Linux and Windows.
  • Building or tuning a personal Chinese input scheme.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install Squirrel on macOS 13.0 or later

  2. 2

    Log out and back in if characters do not appear in some apps after first install

  3. 3

    Add more input schemas with the plum package manager

Things to know

  • Runs only on macOS 13.0 or later.
  • Licensed under GPL v3, a copyleft license that applies to derived works.
  • Some apps may need a logout and login before text input works after installation.

In collections

Open-source Mac apps

Topics

#input-method#chinese#macos#rime#swift#i18n

FAQ

What is squirrel?
Squirrel is the macOS front end for the Rime input method engine, a customizable Chinese input method with configurable schemas. Squirrel is a macOS input method built on top of librime, the Rime Input Method Engine. It lets macOS users type Chinese through a Rime-based input scheme, and it is one of the platform builds in the Rime family alongside ibus-rime and fcitx-rime for Linux and Weasel for Windows.
Is squirrel free to use? What license does it have?
squirrel is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is squirrel still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to squirrel was on Oct 30, 2026.
What can I use squirrel for?
Typing Chinese on a Mac with a customizable, scheme-based input method. Using the same Rime configuration across macOS, Linux and Windows. Building or tuning a personal Chinese input scheme.
How do I install squirrel?
Install Squirrel on macOS 13.0 or later Log out and back in if characters do not appear in some apps after first install Add more input schemas with the plum package manager
Where can I get squirrel?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/rime/squirrel

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

Related projects