Translate Text from Shell Script - Complete Guide

Automate translations using the WhatsMate Translation REST API

Posted on February 4, 2026   Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Twitter Share on Google+

Last reviewed: March 12, 2026  

Automate Text Translation with Shell Scripts

Need to translate text programmatically from your terminal or automation scripts? This guide walks you through translating text using a simple shell script and the WhatsMate Translation REST API. Perfect for developers, system administrators, and anyone who wants to integrate automatic translations into their workflows.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  1. Basic shell scripting knowledge - Familiarity with terminal commands
  2. Language codes - Know the ISO language codes for source and target languages

Note: The trial account allows up to 10 translation API calls for learning purposes. Subscribe to a Premium plan for production use.

🎮 Try it online: Test the Translation API instantly in our API Playground — no coding required!

Video Walkthrough

Step-by-Step Implementation

Follow these steps to perform your first text translation from a shell script:

1. Copy the Script Template

Start by copying the following source code into your script file:

2. Configure the Parameters

Customize these key parameters in the script:

  • Line 8: Replace with the source language code (e.g., en for English)
  • Line 9: Replace with the target language code (e.g., id for Indonesian)
  • Line 10: Provide the text you want to translate

Looking for language codes? See the complete listing of supported language codes.

3. Make the Script Executable

Set execute permissions on your script:

chmod 755 translate-text.sh

4. Run the Translation

Execute the script to see the translated result:

./translate-text.sh

Common Use Cases

This automation approach is ideal for:

  • Multi-language notifications - Translate alerts for international teams
  • Content localization - Automate translation of user-generated content
  • Data processing pipelines - Translate text data in batch workflows
  • Customer support automation - Translate support tickets or responses
  • Integration with cron jobs - Schedule regular translation tasks

Get Started Today

Ready to automate your text translations? You’ll need an account to access the API. Sign up for a Premium plan and start translating within minutes!

Next Steps: Once you’ve mastered basic text translation, explore translating text in other programming languages through the Translation API Getting Started Guide.