Echo helps you improve expression in your target language while communicating with Claude Code and Codex CLI. Submit a coding prompt as usual: your coding assistant starts working immediately, while the coach checks your wording in the background.
- Correct grammar and suggest natural wording in your target language.
- Translate prompts written in another language.
- Offer an alternative phrasing and short explanations.
- Optionally back-translate the improved prompt to verify its meaning.
The original prompt reaches your coding assistant unchanged. Coaching results stay in the UI and are not inserted into the coding conversation.
Without an external API key, the Claude Code adapter uses Haiku and the Codex adapter uses a separate temporary session with the current Codex model. Both adapters support OpenAI-compatible providers.
| Client | Feedback | Configuration | Without an external API key |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Summary above the input and a /coach pane |
Plugin settings | Haiku through the current session |
| Codex CLI | Background text feedback in the UI | Environment variables | Current Codex model in a separate temporary session |
Use Claude Code 2.1.295 or later (the version used for validation and automated tests). Mods require at least 2.1.287; older versions are not supported by this project.
For Codex, use Codex CLI 0.162.0+ and Node.js 22.13+ on 22.x, or 24+. See the Codex guide for configuration and behavior differences.
For Claude Code, the terminal and Desktop Code tab can show the summary and feedback pane. Other interactive clients use UI log output as a fallback. Non-interactive claude -p / Agent SDK runs do not automatically request coaching.
The plugin and marketplace identifiers remain language-coach; the display name is Echo.
In Claude Code:
/plugin marketplace add jiang1997/Echo
/plugin install language-coach@language-coach
If you previously installed language-coach-statusline, uninstall it and remove only its statusLine entry from ~/.claude/settings.json. The marketplace now contains one plugin; both old implementations have been removed.
codex plugin marketplace add jiang1997/Echo
codex plugin add language-coach@language-coachStart a Codex session, open /hooks, and review and trust the Echo hooks. The Codex version uses background text feedback and environment-variable configuration. Full instructions: Codex CLI guide.
Submit a prompt. A short summary appears above the input while Claude continues its task. Click View feedback or run /coach to see the original prompt, improved wording, an alternative, optional back-translation, and notes. Esc closes the pane.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
/coach |
Open the latest feedback |
/coach off |
Pause coaching for this session |
/coach on |
Resume coaching for this session |
/coach clear |
Clear feedback and ignore any pending result |
Open /plugin and select the installed Echo plugin to configure languages or an optional OpenAI-compatible provider:
| Option | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
target_language |
English |
Language to translate into or improve |
source_language |
empty | Optional back-translation language, e.g. 简体中文 |
api_key |
empty | Optional provider key; leave empty to use Haiku; marked as sensitive |
base_url |
https://api.openai.com/v1 |
Provider API base URL or full Chat Completions URL |
model |
gpt-4o-mini |
External provider model; used only when an API key is set |
enabled |
true |
Enable automatic coaching |
For example, set base_url to https://your-provider.example/v1, api_key to your provider's key, and model to a model that provider supports. Include the API prefix your provider requires, such as /v1. The coach appends /chat/completions unless the URL already ends with it; query parameters are preserved. HTTP endpoints are supported for local services too.
When api_key is empty, the coach calls $.model.complete with model: "haiku", using your current session's credentials and Claude quota. Setting only a URL or external model does not enable the external provider. Clear the key to return to Haiku.
When an API key is set, the coach calls your provider via $.http.fetch, with a Bearer API key and a non-streaming Chat Completions request, using your provider's quota. Provider failures are displayed as errors rather than retried through Haiku. Both modes send the tutor instructions and current submitted prompt, without the coding conversation's history. Requests have a 30-second wait limit; an external HTTP request may still finish later. Reload the plugin or start a new session after changing its options. The former coach_model option is replaced by model, which applies only to external requests.
Empty prompts, slash commands, complete fenced code blocks, and prompts longer than 4,000 characters are skipped. Automatic notifications and scheduled turns are not reviewed. Only the latest submitted prompt's feedback is displayed; late results are ignored. Feedback is kept in session memory and cleared on session end, /clear, or /resume. An already-started API request can still consume provider quota after its feedback is cleared.