# gt: General Translation CLI tool: gt save-local
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/cli/reference/commands/save-local.mdx
Docs index: https://generaltranslation.com/llms.txt
Description: Sync local translation edits back to the General Translation platform. API reference for the gt save-local command.

Sends local edits you have made to translation files back to the General Translation platform by submitting diffs. It does not enqueue any new translations — it only syncs your local changes. See [Manage translations](/docs/cli/guides/managing-translations#save-local).

Use it when you or a translator edits downloaded translation files by hand and you want those changes reflected on the platform.

*Note: Requires a `GT_API_KEY` and `GT_PROJECT_ID`.*

```bash
npx gt save-local
```

## How it works [#how-it-works]

1. Reads your configured files from `gt.config.json`.
2. Resolves the current git branch.
3. Identifies files that changed since the last download by comparing content hashes.
4. Fetches the original server content and computes a diff for each changed file.
5. Submits the diffs to the platform. Only changed files are processed.
6. When it saved at least one diff and publishing is configured or `--publish` is set, applies the configured CDN publish and unpublish rules. With no local changes, it skips publishing.

## Flags [#flags]

| Parameter | Description | Type | Optional | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--api-key <key>` | API key for General Translation. | `string` | Yes | `GT_API_KEY` |
| `--project-id <id>` | project ID. | `string` | Yes | `GT_PROJECT_ID` |
| `-c, --config <path>` | Path to the config file. | `string` | Yes | `gt.config.json` |
| `--publish` | Use CDN publishing rules after saving local diffs. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |

## Example [#example]

```bash
# Send local edits to translation files back to the platform
npx gt save-local

# Sync edits and publish the updated translations to the CDN
npx gt save-local --publish
```

## Other notes [#notes]

- The CLI tracks downloaded translations in a lock file and only processes files that changed since the last download.
- [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) and [`gt stage`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/stage) do not save local edits by default. Enable the step for one run with `--save-local`, or for every run with [`options.saveLocal`](/docs/cli/reference/config#save-local). Use `gt save-local` when you want to sync edits without starting new translation work.
- Apple `.strings` and `.stringsdict` files and Android `strings.xml` files are validated and saved as complete raw documents. For `.xcstrings`, the CLI tracks and submits each locale's slice separately even though every locale shares one file.
- Never store your API key in `gt.config.json`. The CLI reads `GT_API_KEY` from the environment automatically.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://generaltranslation.com/sitemap.md) for all pages.