CAT tools

Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools help translators and linguists increase their productivity. The software organizes translatable text into smaller segments, which can be recalled later during the process to maximize re-use, thereby increasing consistency and efficiency. Originally desktop-only, recent CAT tools have been deployed via the cloud. The most modern take a hybrid approach that enables translators and translation project managers to work seamlessly online or offline, using desktop tools or browsers, or even work on the go using mobile apps. 

A typical CAT Tool provides the following capabilities: 

  • Translation memory 
  • Terminology management 
  • Machine translation access 
  • Custom dictionaries


Use case

CAT tools have many use cases, including: 

  • Standardizing translation work 
  • Managing linguistic assets and data 
  • Repurposing previous translation effort

Key benefits

  • Translate more content 
  • Manage projects easily 
  • Increase consistency and quality

Related terms