# gt: General Translation CLI tool: Generating translations
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/cli/guides/generating-translations.mdx
---

title: Generating translations
description: "How to translate your project with the General Translation CLI: this guide covers generating translations and saving them to your codebase or the CDN."
related:
  links:
    - /docs/cli/guides/managing-translations
    - /docs/cli/guides/branching
    - /docs/cli/guides/configuring
    - /docs/cli/guides/using-autoderive

---

The [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) command is the primary way to translate your project. It reads `gt.config.json` to find your files, scans your source code for inline content, and generates translations through the General Translation API.

*Note: Run [`translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) in your CI pipeline before you build for production. It is not intended for development, where you use a development API key for on-demand translation instead.*

## Before you start [#before]

* Configure your project with a `gt.config.json`. See [Configuring the CLI](/docs/cli/guides/configuring).
* Set a production `GT_API_KEY` and `GT_PROJECT_ID` as environment variables.
* Check out the branch you build production from.

## Translate your project [#translate]

Run the command from your project root.

```bash
npx gt translate
```

The CLI translates every file matched in `gt.config.json`. If you use `gt-next`, `gt-react`, or `gt-react-native`, it also scans your source code for inline content — such as [`<T>`](/docs/react/reference/components/t) components and [`useGT`](/docs/react/reference/hooks/use-gt) calls — and includes your dictionary file. Translations are saved to your codebase, ready to commit.

If you use `next-intl`, `react-i18next`, or `next-i18next`, the CLI detects the library from your `package.json` and translates your files while preserving that library&#39;s string syntax.

## Add it to your build [#build]

Run `translate` before your build command so production always ships with up-to-date translations.

```json title="package.json"
{
  "scripts": {
    "translate": "npx gt translate",
    "build": "npm run translate && <your build command>"
  }
}
```

## Control which content is translated [#content]

By default, the CLI searches `src`, `app`, `pages`, and `components` for inline content. Override this with the `src` field in `gt.config.json` or the `--src` flag.

```bash
npx gt translate --src "lib/**/*.{ts,tsx}"
```

To translate into additional locales for a single run without editing your config, pass `--locales`. These are appended to the locales in `gt.config.json`.

```bash
npx gt translate --locales de it
```

## Validate without translating [#validate]

Pass `--dry-run` to parse and validate your project without calling the API. This is useful for catching errors in CI before a real run.

```bash
npx gt translate --dry-run
```

## Re-translate existing content [#retranslate]

By default, the CLI only translates content whose source has changed, and it preserves local edits. To change that behaviour:

* `--force` re-translates all content and overwrites existing translations. Local changes are lost and you are charged for the new translations.
* `--force-download` re-downloads translations and overwrites local changes without re-translating.

```bash
npx gt translate --force
```

## Tag a translation run [#tagging]

Use `--tag` and `-m` to label a run with a human-readable identifier, making versions easier to track in the Dashboard.

```bash
npx gt translate --tag v2.1.0 -m "Added checkout page translations"
```

Pass `--tag` with no value to use the current Git commit hash as the tag and the commit message as the message. Tagging is non-blocking — if it fails, the translation run continues.

## Publish to the CDN [#publish]

By default, translations are saved locally. Add `--publish` to also publish them to the General Translation CDN for runtime loading.

```bash
npx gt translate --publish
```

*Note: Enable the CDN in your Project settings first. Without it, the run completes successfully, but the publish step fails with a warning.*
## Next steps

- /docs/cli/guides/managing-translations
- /docs/cli/guides/branching
- /docs/cli/guides/configuring
- /docs/cli/guides/using-autoderive