diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index 2f4d30d6..92bfebc2 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include "buffer.hh"
 #include "window.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
-#include "client.hh"
+#include "input_handler.hh"
 #include "string.hh"
 #include "highlighter_registry.hh"
 #include "filter_registry.hh"
@@ -674,13 +674,13 @@ void exec_keys(const KeyList& keys, Context& context)
     RegisterRestorer slash('/', context);
 
     BatchUI batch_ui(keys);
-    Client batch_client;
+    InputHandler batch_input_handler;
 
     scoped_edition edition(context.editor());
 
-    Context new_context(batch_client, context.editor(), batch_ui);
+    Context new_context(batch_input_handler, context.editor(), batch_ui);
     while (batch_ui.has_key_left())
-        batch_client.handle_next_input(new_context);
+        batch_input_handler.handle_next_input(new_context);
     context.change_editor(new_context.editor());
 }
 
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ void menu(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
         commands.push_back(parser[i+1]);
     }
 
-    context.client().menu(choices,
+    context.input_handler().menu(choices,
         [=](int choice, Context& context) {
             if (choice >= 0 and choice < commands.size())
               CommandManager::instance().execute(commands[choice], context);
diff --git a/src/context.hh b/src/context.hh
index ed921580..9c92bd83 100644
--- a/src/context.hh
+++ b/src/context.hh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #define context_hh_INCLUDED
 
 #include "window.hh"
-#include "client.hh"
+#include "input_handler.hh"
 #include "user_interface.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace Kakoune
 // A Context is used to access non singleton objects for various services
 // in commands.
 //
-// The Context object links a Client, an Editor (which may be a Window),
+// The Context object links an InputHandler, an Editor (which may be a Window),
 // and a UserInterface. It may represent an interactive user window, or
 // a hook execution or a macro replay.
 struct Context
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ struct Context
     explicit Context(Editor& editor)
         : m_editor(&editor) {}
 
-    Context(Client& client, Editor& editor, UserInterface& ui)
-        : m_client(&client), m_editor(&editor), m_ui(&ui) {}
+    Context(InputHandler& input_handler, Editor& editor, UserInterface& ui)
+        : m_input_handler(&input_handler), m_editor(&editor), m_ui(&ui) {}
 
     // to allow func(Context(Editor(...)))
     // make sure the context will not survive the next ';'
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ struct Context
     }
     bool has_window() const { return (bool)m_editor and dynamic_cast<Window*>(m_editor.get()); }
 
-    Client& client() const
+    InputHandler& input_handler() const
     {
-        if (not has_client())
-            throw runtime_error("no client in context");
-        return *m_client;
+        if (not has_input_handler())
+            throw runtime_error("no input handler in context");
+        return *m_input_handler;
     }
-    bool has_client() const { return (bool)m_client; }
+    bool has_input_handler() const { return (bool)m_input_handler; }
 
     UserInterface& ui() const
     {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ struct Context
     int& numeric_param() { return m_numeric_param; }
 private:
     safe_ptr<Editor>        m_editor;
-    safe_ptr<Client>        m_client;
+    safe_ptr<InputHandler>  m_input_handler;
     safe_ptr<UserInterface> m_ui;
 
     Insertion m_last_insert = {InsertMode::Insert, {}};
diff --git a/src/client.cc b/src/input_handler.cc
similarity index 90%
rename from src/client.cc
rename to src/input_handler.cc
index a40564a4..d91f30d9 100644
--- a/src/client.cc
+++ b/src/input_handler.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#include "client.hh"
+#include "input_handler.hh"
 
 #include "context.hh"
 #include "editor.hh"
@@ -12,29 +12,29 @@ namespace Kakoune
 
 extern std::unordered_map<Key, std::function<void (Context& context)>> keymap;
 
-class ClientMode
+class InputMode
 {
 public:
-    ClientMode(Client& client) : m_client(client) {}
-    virtual ~ClientMode() {}
-    ClientMode(const ClientMode&) = delete;
-    ClientMode& operator=(const ClientMode&) = delete;
+    InputMode(InputHandler& input_handler) : m_input_handler(input_handler) {}
+    virtual ~InputMode() {}
+    InputMode(const InputMode&) = delete;
+    InputMode& operator=(const InputMode&) = delete;
 
     virtual void on_key(const Key& key, Context& context) = 0;
 protected:
     void reset_normal_mode();
 private:
-    Client& m_client;
+    InputHandler& m_input_handler;
 };
 
-namespace ClientModes
+namespace InputModes
 {
 
-class Normal : public ClientMode
+class Normal : public InputMode
 {
 public:
-    Normal(Client& client)
-        : ClientMode(client)
+    Normal(InputHandler& input_handler)
+        : InputMode(input_handler)
     {
     }
 
@@ -126,12 +126,12 @@ private:
     String         m_line;
 };
 
-class Menu : public ClientMode
+class Menu : public InputMode
 {
 public:
     Menu(Context& context, const memoryview<String>& choices,
          MenuCallback callback)
-        : ClientMode(context.client()),
+        : InputMode(context.input_handler()),
           m_callback(callback), m_choices(choices.begin(), choices.end()),
           m_selected(m_choices.begin())
     {
@@ -228,12 +228,12 @@ private:
     LineEditor   m_filter_editor;
 };
 
-class Prompt : public ClientMode
+class Prompt : public InputMode
 {
 public:
     Prompt(Context& context, const String& prompt,
            Completer completer, PromptCallback callback)
-        : ClientMode(context.client()), m_prompt(prompt),
+        : InputMode(context.input_handler()), m_prompt(prompt),
           m_completer(completer), m_callback(callback)
     {
         m_history_it = ms_history[m_prompt].end();
@@ -372,11 +372,11 @@ private:
 };
 std::unordered_map<String, std::vector<String>> Prompt::ms_history;
 
-class NextKey : public ClientMode
+class NextKey : public InputMode
 {
 public:
-    NextKey(Client& client, KeyCallback callback)
-        : ClientMode(client), m_callback(callback) {}
+    NextKey(InputHandler& input_handler, KeyCallback callback)
+        : InputMode(input_handler), m_callback(callback) {}
 
     void on_key(const Key& key, Context& context) override
     {
@@ -475,11 +475,11 @@ String codepoint_to_str(Codepoint cp)
     return String(str);
 }
 
-class Insert : public ClientMode
+class Insert : public InputMode
 {
 public:
     Insert(Context& context, InsertMode mode)
-        : ClientMode(context.client()),
+        : InputMode(context.input_handler()),
           m_inserter(context.editor(), mode)
     {
         context.last_insert().first = mode;
@@ -568,30 +568,30 @@ private:
 
 }
 
-void ClientMode::reset_normal_mode()
+void InputMode::reset_normal_mode()
 {
-     m_client.m_mode.reset(new ClientModes::Normal(m_client));
+     m_input_handler.m_mode.reset(new InputModes::Normal(m_input_handler));
 }
 
 
-Client::Client()
-    : m_mode(new ClientModes::Normal(*this))
+InputHandler::InputHandler()
+    : m_mode(new InputModes::Normal(*this))
 {
 }
 
-Client::~Client()
+InputHandler::~InputHandler()
 {
 }
 
-void Client::insert(Context& context, InsertMode mode)
+void InputHandler::insert(Context& context, InsertMode mode)
 {
-    assert(&context.client() == this);
-    m_mode.reset(new ClientModes::Insert(context, mode));
+    assert(&context.input_handler() == this);
+    m_mode.reset(new InputModes::Insert(context, mode));
 }
 
-void Client::repeat_last_insert(Context& context)
+void InputHandler::repeat_last_insert(Context& context)
 {
-    assert(&context.client() == this);
+    assert(&context.input_handler() == this);
     Context::Insertion& last_insert = context.last_insert();
     if (last_insert.second.empty())
         return;
@@ -600,32 +600,32 @@ void Client::repeat_last_insert(Context& context)
     swap(keys, last_insert.second);
     // context.last_insert will be refilled by the new Insert
     // this is very inefficient.
-    m_mode.reset(new ClientModes::Insert(context, last_insert.first));
+    m_mode.reset(new InputModes::Insert(context, last_insert.first));
     for (auto& key : keys)
         m_mode->on_key(key, context);
-    assert(dynamic_cast<ClientModes::Normal*>(m_mode.get()) != nullptr);
+    assert(dynamic_cast<InputModes::Normal*>(m_mode.get()) != nullptr);
 }
 
-void Client::prompt(const String& prompt, Completer completer,
+void InputHandler::prompt(const String& prompt, Completer completer,
                     PromptCallback callback, Context& context)
 {
-    assert(&context.client() == this);
-    m_mode.reset(new ClientModes::Prompt(context, prompt, completer, callback));
+    assert(&context.input_handler() == this);
+    m_mode.reset(new InputModes::Prompt(context, prompt, completer, callback));
 }
 
-void Client::menu(const memoryview<String>& choices,
+void InputHandler::menu(const memoryview<String>& choices,
                   MenuCallback callback, Context& context)
 {
-    assert(&context.client() == this);
-    m_mode.reset(new ClientModes::Menu(context, choices, callback));
+    assert(&context.input_handler() == this);
+    m_mode.reset(new InputModes::Menu(context, choices, callback));
 }
 
-void Client::on_next_key(KeyCallback callback)
+void InputHandler::on_next_key(KeyCallback callback)
 {
-    m_mode.reset(new ClientModes::NextKey(*this, callback));
+    m_mode.reset(new InputModes::NextKey(*this, callback));
 }
 
-void Client::handle_next_input(Context& context)
+void InputHandler::handle_next_input(Context& context)
 {
     m_mode->on_key(context.ui().get_key(), context);
     context.draw_ifn();
diff --git a/src/client.hh b/src/input_handler.hh
similarity index 75%
rename from src/client.hh
rename to src/input_handler.hh
index 9601feb5..3e35de6d 100644
--- a/src/client.hh
+++ b/src/input_handler.hh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-#ifndef client_hh_INCLUDED
-#define client_hh_INCLUDED
+#ifndef input_handler_hh_INCLUDED
+#define input_handler_hh_INCLUDED
 
 #include "keys.hh"
 #include "completion.hh"
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ using MenuCallback = std::function<void (int, Context&)>;
 using PromptCallback = std::function<void (const String&, Context&)>;
 using KeyCallback = std::function<void (const Key&, Context&)>;
 
-class ClientMode;
+class InputMode;
 enum class InsertMode : unsigned;
 
-class Client : public SafeCountable
+class InputHandler : public SafeCountable
 {
 public:
-    Client();
-    ~Client();
+    InputHandler();
+    ~InputHandler();
 
     void insert(Context& context, InsertMode mode);
     void repeat_last_insert(Context& context);
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ public:
     void handle_next_input(Context& context);
 
 private:
-    friend class ClientMode;
-    std::unique_ptr<ClientMode> m_mode;
+    friend class InputMode;
+    std::unique_ptr<InputMode> m_mode;
 };
 
 struct prompt_aborted {};
 
 }
 
-#endif // client_hh_INCLUDED
+#endif // input_handler_hh_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index aabea0d8..461b8e6f 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -40,12 +40,12 @@ bool quit_requested = false;
 template<InsertMode mode>
 void do_insert(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().insert(context, mode);
+    context.input_handler().insert(context, mode);
 }
 
 void do_repeat_insert(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().repeat_last_insert(context);
+    context.input_handler().repeat_last_insert(context);
 }
 
 template<SelectMode mode>
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ void do_go(Context& context)
             context.window().center_selection();
     }
     else
-        context.client().on_next_key([](const Key& key, Context& context) {
+        context.input_handler().on_next_key([](const Key& key, Context& context) {
             if (key.modifiers != Key::Modifiers::None)
                 return;
 
@@ -93,14 +93,14 @@ void do_go(Context& context)
 
 void do_replace_with_char(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().on_next_key([](const Key& key, Context& context) {
+    context.input_handler().on_next_key([](const Key& key, Context& context) {
         context.editor().insert(String() + key.key, InsertMode::Replace);
     });
 }
 
 void do_command(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().prompt(
+    context.input_handler().prompt(
         ":", std::bind(&CommandManager::complete, &CommandManager::instance(), _1, _2, _3),
         [](const String& cmdline, Context& context) { CommandManager::instance().execute(cmdline, context); },
         context);
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ void do_command(Context& context)
 
 void do_pipe(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().prompt("|", complete_nothing,
+    context.input_handler().prompt("|", complete_nothing,
         [](const String& cmdline, Context& context)
         {
             Editor& editor = context.editor();
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void do_pipe(Context& context)
 template<SelectMode mode>
 void do_search(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().prompt("/", complete_nothing,
+    context.input_handler().prompt("/", complete_nothing,
         [](const String& str, Context& context) {
             String ex = str;
             if (ex.empty())
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ void do_paste(Context& context)
 
 void do_select_regex(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().prompt("select: ", complete_nothing,
+    context.input_handler().prompt("select: ", complete_nothing,
         [](const String& ex, Context& context)
         { context.editor().multi_select(std::bind(select_all_matches, _1, ex)); },
         context);
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void do_select_regex(Context& context)
 
 void do_split_regex(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().prompt("select: ", complete_nothing,
+    context.input_handler().prompt("select: ", complete_nothing,
         [](const String& ex, Context& context)
         { context.editor().multi_select(std::bind(split_selection, _1, ex)); },
         context);
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ void do_join(Context& context)
 template<bool inner>
 void do_select_object(Context& context)
 {
-    context.client().on_next_key(
+    context.input_handler().on_next_key(
     [](const Key& key, Context& context) {
         typedef std::function<SelectionAndCaptures (const Selection&)> Selector;
         static const std::unordered_map<Key, Selector> key_to_selector =
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ template<int flags>
 void select_to_next_char(Context& context)
 {
     int param = context.numeric_param();
-    context.client().on_next_key([param](const Key& key, Context& context) {
+    context.input_handler().on_next_key([param](const Key& key, Context& context) {
         context.editor().select(
             std::bind(flags & SelectFlags::Reverse ? select_to_reverse : select_to,
                       _1, key.key, param, flags & SelectFlags::Inclusive),
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
     try
     {
-        Client client;
+        InputHandler input_handler;
         NCursesUI ui;
 
         try
@@ -530,11 +530,11 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         else
             buffer = new Buffer("*scratch*", Buffer::Type::Scratch);
 
-        Context context(client, *buffer->get_or_create_window(), ui);
+        Context context(input_handler, *buffer->get_or_create_window(), ui);
         event_manager.watch(0, [&](int) {
             try
             {
-                client.handle_next_input(context);
+                input_handler.handle_next_input(context);
             }
             catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
             {