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UniKey (software)
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| UniKey | |
|---|---|
 | |
 UniKey 4.6 RC2 settings dialog on Windows 11 | |
| Developer | Phạm Kim Long |
| Initial release | 2000[1] |
| Stable release | 4.6 RC2
/ 19 September 2023 |
| Written in | C++ |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows, Linux,[2] MacOS[3] |
| Available in | English and Vietnamese[4] |
| Type | Input method editor |
| License | GNU GPL v3 |
| Website | www |
UniKey is an input method editor (IME) for Vietnamese text. The core engine, the UniKey Vietnamese Input Method, is also the engine embedded in many Vietnamese software-based keyboards in Microsoft Windows, Android, Linux, macOS and iOS. UniKey is free and open source, and the source code for the UniKey Vietnamese Input Method is distributed under GNU General Public License.[1]
Overview
[edit]UniKey supports a variety of Vietnamese character encodings, including UTF-8, TCVN3 (ABC), VIQR, VNI, VPS, VISCII, BK HCM1, and BK HCM2, as well as Unicode-based decimal and hexadecimal NCRs for web editors.[4] Text may be input using TELEX, VNI, or VIQR. UniKey is minimalist and does not require additional libraries, allowing it to support Windows releases as far back as 9x.
About UniKey
[edit]UniKey was developed by Phạm Kim Long beginning in 1994, while he was a student at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, and privately distributed among his friends under the names TVNBK and LittleVnKey, before being released publicly for Microsoft Windows in 2000.[1] It gained popularity for encoding Vietnamese thanks to its speed, simplicity, and reliability, eventually becoming the most popular Windows-based Vietnamese IME.
The core engine, the UniKey Vietnamese Input Method, is open source and was first released as a part of the X-Unikey Vietnamese keyboard for Linux in 2001. Since then, the engine has been integrated into the input methods in different operating systems and software frameworks. ibus-unikey, developed by Lê Quốc Tuấn using the UniKey engine, is widely used for Linux distributions.[1]
From Mac OS X Leopard onwards, released in 2007, Apple has integrated the UniKey Vietnamese Input Method into the built-in Vietnamese input of macOS. Beginning with iOS 4.0 in 2010, the engine has also been integrated to the built-in Vietnamese keyboard in iOS.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Huy An (25 March 2014). "Bộ gõ tiếng Việt phổ biến nhất đã ra đời thế nào?" [How did the most popular Vietnamese input method editor come about?]. VnEconomy (in Vietnamese). Vietnam Economic Times. Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ "UniKey Software for Linux".
- ^ "UniKey cho macOS và iOS".
- ^ a b "Hướng dẫn sử dụng UniKey 3.5" [UniKey 3.5 User Guide]. UniKey (in Vietnamese). April 2004. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ Huy An (26 March 2014). "'Trận chiến' mới của cha đẻ Unikey" [A new "battle" for the father of Unikey]. VnEconomy (in Vietnamese). Vietnam Economic Times. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
External links
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UniKey (software)
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
UniKey is a lightweight, free, and open-source input method editor (IME) for typing the Vietnamese language, enabling users to produce accented characters and diacritics using standard QWERTY keyboards through transliteration schemes such as Telex, VNI, and VIQR.[1][2] Developed by Vietnamese software engineer Phạm Kim Long, it was first released in 1999 as a Windows program and has since become a staple tool for Vietnamese text input due to its speed, simplicity, and reliability.[2][3]
The software's origins trace back to Long's student days at Hanoi University of Science and Technology in the early 1990s, when he created an initial 2 KB DOS-based Vietnamese input program lacking Unicode support.[4] Inspired by the multilingual capabilities of Windows 2000, Long developed the Unicode-compatible UniKey version over four months in 1999–2000, incorporating user feedback to refine its functionality.[4][2] Open-sourced under the GNU General Public License in 2001, UniKey quickly gained widespread adoption among Vietnamese users for its compact design—no installation required—and support for multiple legacy and modern Vietnamese character encodings, including TCVN3, VISCII, and UTF-8.[1][3]
UniKey's core engine has been integrated into various platforms beyond Windows, powering x-unikey since 2001 and ibus-unikey (released in 2012) for Linux distributions, Apple's built-in Vietnamese input method for macOS since 2007 (following Long's granting of rights in 2006), and iOS keyboards since 2010.[2][4] Often referred to as Vietnam's "national software," it remains ubiquitous among the Vietnamese diaspora and domestic users, with ongoing updates, including per-application toggling in version 4.6 RC1 (2023) and native ARM64 support in 2025, ensuring its relevance on modern systems such as Windows 11.[3][5][6][4]
Overview
Description
UniKey is a free and open-source Vietnamese keyboard input method software designed for typing accented Vietnamese characters using standard QWERTY keyboards.[1] Its primary purpose is to enable efficient text input in Vietnamese on computers, facilitating the combination of Latin letters with diacritics to produce the language's tonal marks and special characters.[2] In basic operation, users type in a romanized form—such as the Telex method—and UniKey converts these inputs to the proper Vietnamese script in real time, integrating seamlessly with applications. As a portable executable, it requires no installation or additional libraries.[1] Developed by Pham Kim Long, the project started as a Windows tool in 1999, with its core input method engine later adapted for broader use.[2] The UniKey application is for Windows, while its core engine powers Vietnamese input methods on other platforms including Linux, macOS, and iOS.[7][2]Usage and popularity
UniKey is the most widely used input method editor (IME) for typing Vietnamese on Microsoft Windows, prized for its speed, simplicity, and reliability.[2] Developed as free and open-source software, it has maintained dominance in this niche for over two decades, becoming a standard tool for Vietnamese text input since its early versions in the 1990s.[8] The software's core engine extends beyond Windows, powering Vietnamese input in other platforms such as ibus-unikey for Linux distributions, built-in keyboards on macOS (integrated since 2007), and the built-in Vietnamese keyboard on iOS.[1][2] This cross-platform compatibility has contributed to its sustained adoption as of 2025, with the engine embedded in various Vietnamese keyboard implementations across operating systems.[1] In practical applications, UniKey is essential for daily users in Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora, supporting tasks like composing emails, authoring documents, browsing the web, and even programming in Vietnamese contexts. Writers, professionals, and casual communicators rely on it to handle diacritics and tones efficiently, often switching seamlessly between English and Vietnamese input.[2] UniKey's ubiquity has lowered barriers to digital expression in Vietnamese, enabling broader online participation and cultural connectivity for communities worldwide, including the estimated 5-6 million overseas Vietnamese.[9] Frequently pre-installed or recommended within Vietnamese software environments, it underscores the software's role in everyday computing and its lasting impact on accessible multilingual digital tools.[1]History
Development origins
UniKey was developed by Phạm Kim Long, a Vietnamese software engineer and former student at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, who pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Czech Republic.[3] In 1999, while seeking an efficient way to type Vietnamese on personal computers, Long created UniKey as a response to the scarcity of simple, fast, and free input tools for the language, particularly amid the dominance of commercial alternatives like VietKey and the emerging need for Unicode-compatible solutions following discussions about Windows 2000's multilingual capabilities.[10] His motivation stemmed from a desire to provide accessible software for the Vietnamese diaspora and domestic users, drawing from his earlier experience developing a rudimentary DOS-based Vietnamese keyboard in 1994 during his university years.[3] The initial version of UniKey for Windows was released in 1999, targeting Windows 9x and ME systems, with a design emphasizing speed, simplicity, and reliability to enable seamless Vietnamese text input without requiring installation or complex setup.[2] This portable application quickly addressed the practical needs of users by supporting common input methods like Telex and VNI, allowing direct typing of accented characters and tones into any application.[2] Early adopters appreciated its lightweight nature, which contrasted with heavier alternatives and facilitated widespread use among Vietnamese communities online and offline.[10] Development faced significant challenges in handling Vietnamese diacritics on older Windows platforms, where limited Unicode support in Windows 9x and ME often led to inconsistent rendering of tones and accents, causing garbled text in non-specialized applications.[10] Long refined the software over months, incorporating user feedback to improve accuracy and compatibility, ensuring it could produce precomposed Unicode characters reliably despite the operating systems' constraints.[10] In 2001, Long transitioned the core engine of UniKey to open-source by releasing its source code under the GNU General Public License (GPL) as part of the x-unikey project, aimed at adapting the input method for Linux environments and encouraging community contributions.[11] This move democratized the technology, allowing developers to integrate and extend the engine while maintaining its free availability.[3]Key milestones and integrations
UniKey's development saw significant advancements starting with version 4.0, released in 2006, which introduced improvements to Unicode handling for better compatibility with modern text encoding standards in Vietnamese input. This update laid the groundwork for broader adoption by enhancing support for Unicode-based applications on Windows platforms. In 2007, Apple's integration of the UniKey engine into macOS Leopard marked a key expansion beyond Windows, embedding the input method directly into the operating system's built-in Vietnamese keyboard for seamless use on Apple hardware.[2] This was followed in 2010 by its incorporation into iOS 4.0, extending UniKey's reach to mobile devices and allowing native Vietnamese typing on iPhones and iPads without third-party software.[12] The open-sourcing of UniKey's core engine in 2001 facilitated community-driven ports, notably the development of ibus-unikey for Linux by Le Quoc Tuan, which has since become a standard input method in major Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Debian.[2] This collaboration enabled widespread Linux compatibility, with ibus-unikey leveraging the UniKey engine for Telex, VNI, and other input schemes. Subsequent Windows releases addressed evolving user needs and platform changes. Version 4.3 RC3, released on July 2, 2018, fixed input issues in Microsoft Excel and web browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, improving reliability in productivity and web environments.[13] Starting with version 4.3 in June 2018, all releases included official digital signatures from developer Pham Kim Long, enhancing security verification on Windows to prevent tampered downloads.[14] Recent updates from 2023 onward focused on modern hardware and software ecosystems. Version 4.5 RC1, released on August 24, 2023, enhanced macro functionality by fixing bugs in file storage and loading, alongside UI improvements for high-resolution displays.[15] This was quickly followed by version 4.6 RC1 on September 15, 2023, introducing a per-app on/off mode to automatically manage input switching across applications.[16] Version 4.6 RC2, released on September 29, 2023, added Simple Telex as a built-in input method, simplifying typing for users familiar with basic Telex rules.[5] In 2025, UniKey extended support to ARM64 architecture with a native build of version 4.6 RC2 on June 8, optimizing performance for Windows 11 devices powered by Snapdragon processors, such as those with Qualcomm X Elite or X Plus chips.[1] These updates ensured compatibility with Windows 11's security features and mobile-like ARM hardware, while maintaining backward support for older Windows versions and leveraging existing iOS integrations for cross-platform consistency.[7]Features
Input methods
UniKey provides multiple input methods to facilitate typing Vietnamese characters with diacritics and tones on standard QWERTY keyboards, allowing users to select the most suitable scheme based on familiarity and workflow needs. These methods convert sequences of keystrokes into accented letters and words, supporting the Vietnamese alphabet's 29 letters and six tones. The software's core engine processes input in real-time, with options to correct or overwrite characters within a word boundary.[17] The Telex method employs alphabetic keys to add diacritics and tones, making it intuitive for users accustomed to English typing as it repurposes common letters without shifting to numbers or symbols. Key mappings include "s" for the sắc (acute) tone, "f" for huyền (grave), "r" for hỏi (hook above), "x" for ngã (tilde), "j" for nặng (dot below), "w" for ơ or ư (horn), "aa" for â, "aw" for ă, "ow" for ô, "ee" for ê, and "dd" for đ; a "z" key removes accents. For instance, typing "as" produces "á", while "tieengs Vieetj" yields "tiếng Việt". This approach is the most popular among users for its speed and minimal learning curve, particularly for bilingual typing.[17][18] In contrast, the VNI method relies on numeric codes appended to base letters, appealing to those familiar with legacy Vietnamese computing systems where numbers denote diacritics systematically. Mappings assign digits 1 through 5 to tones (1 for sắc, 2 for huyền, 3 for hỏi, 4 for ngã, 5 for nặng), 6 for circumflex (â, ê, ô), 7 for hook (ơ), 8 for horn (ư), and special combinations like "d9" for đ, with 0 to remove marks. An example is "a6" for "â", and "tie6ng1 Vie6t5" for "tiếng Việt". It suits technical or professional environments prioritizing precision over fluidity.[17] The VIQR method offers ASCII compatibility using punctuation symbols, primarily for legacy plain-text support in environments without full Unicode rendering. It maps "'" for sắc, "`" for huyền, "?" for hỏi, "~" for ngã, "." for nặng, "^" for circumflex, "+" for hook, "(" for horn, "dd" for đ, and "0" to remove; a backslash "" escapes symbols. Typing "a'" produces "á", and "tie^’ng Vie^.t" results in "tiếng Việt". Though less common today, it ensures portability across older systems.[17] Simple Telex, introduced in version 4.6 RC2 on September 29, 2023, is a streamlined variant of Telex designed to reduce keystroke conflicts for beginners by limiting automatic conversions, such as not transforming the initial "w" to "ư" in words. It retains core Telex mappings like "as" for "á" but simplifies rules for fewer errors in mixed-language input, enhancing accessibility without altering the fundamental alphabetic approach.[5] UniKey also includes a Per App On/Off Mode, introduced in version 4.6 RC1 on September 15, 2023, which allows users to configure the input method to automatically turn on or off based on the active application. When enabled, UniKey detects the foreground application and applies predefined settings, such as enabling Vietnamese input only in specific programs like word processors while disabling it in others to avoid unintended conversions. This feature can be toggled and customized via the control panel.[16] Users can switch between these methods dynamically through the UniKey control panel (accessed via Ctrl+Shift+F5) or by right-clicking the system tray icon and selecting from the "Kiểu gõ phím" menu, enabling seamless transitions during sessions. Customization extends to macro support, activated in the control panel under "Cho phép gõ tắt," where users define up to 1024 shortcuts in a macro file—such as "Cntt" expanding to "Công nghệ thông tin"—with a maximum of 15 characters per key and 512 per value, totaling 64 KB. The Pause/Break key temporarily halts macro processing for flexibility.[17]| Input Method | Tone Mappings (Examples) | Base Vowel Changes (Examples) | Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telex | s=acute (á), f=grave (à), r=hook (ả), x=tilde (ã), j=dot (ạ) | aa=â, aw=ă, ow=ô, ee=ê, w=ư/ơ, dd=đ | Intuitive, fast for English users[17][18] |
| VNI | 1=acute (á), 2=grave (à), 3=hook (ả), 4=tilde (ã), 5=dot (ạ) | 6=â/ê/ô, 7=ơ, 8=ư, d9=đ | Precise, legacy-compatible[17] |
| VIQR | '=acute (á), `=grave (à), ?=hook (ả), ~=tilde (ã), .=dot (ạ) | ^=â/ê/ô, +=ơ, (=ư, dd=đ | ASCII portability[17] |
| Simple Telex | Same as Telex, with reduced auto-conversions (e.g., initial w unchanged) | Same as Telex | Beginner-friendly, fewer conflicts[5] |