# gt: General Translation CLI tool: PO / POT
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/cli/reference/formats/po-pot-files.mdx
---

title: PO / POT
description: Translate PO and POT gettext files with the General Translation CLI. API reference for the PO and POT file format.

---

The CLI translates [PO (Portable Object)](https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/PO-Files.html) and POT (PO Template) files used by [GNU gettext](https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/). POT files hold the source strings extracted from your code, and PO files hold the translations for each locale. Translations preserve the original PO/POT syntax.

## Configuration [#config]

Add a `pot` entry under `files`. Because POT files are source templates, set `transformationFormat` to `PO` so translated output is written as `.po` files.

```json title="gt.config.json"
{
  "defaultLocale": "en",
  "locales": ["zh", "es", "ja"],
  "files": {
    "pot": {
      "include": ["locales/[locale]/*.pot"],
      "transformationFormat": "PO"
    }
  }
}
```

Either `pot` or `POT` is accepted as the config key. See the [configuration reference](/docs/cli/reference/config#files) for all file keys.