# gt: General Translation CLI tool: Enqueue
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/cli/enqueue.mdx
---
title: Enqueue
description: How to enqueue translations without downloading them
---

## Usage

```bash
npx gt enqueue
```

<Callout type="info">
  **Note:** This command requires a production API key! Get one on the
  [platform](https://generaltranslation.com/dashboard).
</Callout>


## Overview

The `gt enqueue` command enqueues previously uploaded files for translation, **without waiting for or downloading the results**.

The typical workflow is:

1. [`gt upload`](/docs/cli/upload) — upload source files to the General Translation platform
2. **`gt enqueue`** — enqueue the uploaded files for translation
3. [`gt download`](/docs/cli/download) — download the completed translations

This separation is useful in CI/CD pipelines where each step happens in a different stage or job.

<Callout type="warn">
  **For Production Use Only!**

  This command is intended for production builds and **must not be used in development**.
  Remember to specify your production API key (`GT_API_KEY`) and Project ID (`GT_PROJECT_ID`) in your environment variables.
</Callout>

## How it works

1. Reads your `gt.config.json` to determine which files to translate
2. Identifies previously uploaded files by their content hashes
3. Sends them to the General Translation API for translation
4. Exits immediately — does **not** wait for translations to complete

To download the translations once they&#39;re ready, run [`gt download`](/docs/cli/download).

## Flags

The `enqueue` command accepts the same flags as [`translate`](/docs/cli/translate#flags).

| Parameter         | Description                                              | Type     | Optional | Default            |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | -------- | ------------------ |
| `--api-key`       | Specify a production API key                             | `string` | `true`   |                    |
| `--project-id`    | Specify the project ID                                   | `string` | `true`   |                    |
| `--version-id`    | Specify a version ID (by default, a hash of the content) | `string` | `true`   |                    |
| `--config <path>` | Specify a path to the GT config file                     | `string` | `true`   | `"gt.config.json"` |

| `--timeout`                     | The timeout for the request in seconds                   | `number`   | `true`   | `900`              |
| `--new, --locales <locales>`    | Locales to translate your project into                   | `[string]` | `true`   |                    |
| `--default-locale <locale>`     | The source locale for the project                        | `string`   | `true`   | `en`               |
| `--dry-run`                     | Perform a dry run of the command                         | `flag`     | `true`   | `false`            |

## Example: Split CI pipeline

```bash
# Stage 1: Upload source files
npx gt upload

# Stage 2: Enqueue translations
npx gt enqueue

# Stage 3: Download when ready
npx gt download
```