# gt: General Translation CLI tool: gt stage
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/cli/reference/commands/stage.mdx
---

title: gt stage
description: Submit a project for asynchronous translation and later download. API reference for the gt stage command.

---

Submits your project for asynchronous translation without downloading or publishing the results in the same run. Use it when your project has human review enabled or when a format such as Lottie cannot finish in a single [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) run. For both workflows, see [Manage translations](/docs/cli/guides/managing-translations).

Running `stage` sets `stageTranslations: true` in your `gt.config.json`. Once enabled, running [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) without first staging a given version causes the CLI to exit with an error. When translations are ready—and approved when review is required—run [`gt download`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/download). [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) can also download a previously staged version.

*Note: For production use only. Requires a production `GT_API_KEY` and `GT_PROJECT_ID`.*

```bash
npx gt stage
```

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

1. Reads `gt.config.json`, scans your source code for inline content in framework projects, and collects files — the same way [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) does.
2. Sends the content to the General Translation API without downloading or publishing results in the same run. Review-gated Projects hold completed translations for approval.
3. Sets `stageTranslations: true` in your `gt.config.json` so future runs require staging.

Once `stageTranslations` is enabled, running [`translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) without first staging that version causes the CLI to exit with an error. Download completed translations with [`gt download`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/download), or use [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) for any previously staged version.

## Flags [#flags]

`stage` accepts the same flags as [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate#flags), including the source-scanning flags for framework projects. The most commonly used flags are below; the linked reference above lists the full set.

| Parameter                   | Description                                                 | Type       | Optional | Default          |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | -------- | ---------------- |
| `--api-key <key>`           | Production API key.                                         | `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` |
| `--locales <locales...>`    | Extra target locales, appended to the config locales.       | `string[]` | Yes      | —                |
| `--default-locale <locale>` | Source locale for the project.                              | `string`   | Yes      | `en`             |
| `--dry-run`                 | Parse and validate without calling the API.                 | `boolean`  | Yes      | `false`          |
| `--tag [value]`             | Tag the run; auto-resolves from git when no value is given. | `string`   | Yes      | —                |
| `-m, --message <message>`   | Message attached to the translation tag.                    | `string`   | Yes      | —                |

## Example [#example]

```bash
# Stage translations for human review
npx gt stage

# Stage and tag the run for tracking in the dashboard
npx gt stage --tag v2.1.0 -m "Q3 release"

# When translations are ready, download them
npx gt download
```

## Other notes [#notes]

* Use `stage` when human review is enabled or when translating asynchronous formats such as [Lottie](/docs/cli/reference/formats/lottie-files).

- Staging sets the [`stageTranslations`](/docs/cli/reference/config#stage) config key. See [Stage translations for review](/docs/cli/guides/managing-translations#review).