# vue: TranslationCatalog
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/vue/reference/types/translation-catalog.mdx
---

title: TranslationCatalog
description: Represents every plain-string and rich-content translation for one locale. API reference for TranslationCatalog.

---

The CLI generates this hash-keyed object, and a [`LoadTranslations`](/docs/vue/reference/types/load-translations) callback returns it to a plugin. Application code normally reads catalogues through translation components and composables rather than inspecting them directly.

## Overview [#overview]

```ts
import type { JsxChildren } from 'generaltranslation/types';

type TranslationCatalog = Record<string, JsxChildren>;
```

| Member            | Description                                                                | Type                                                              |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`hash`](#hash)   | Stable catalogue key derived from source content and translation metadata. | `string`                                                          |
| [`value`](#value) | Plain `STRING` translation or serialised rich-content translation.         | [`JsxChildren`](/docs/platform/core/reference/types/jsx-children) |

## Members [#members]

### `hash`

**Type** `string` · **Required**

Each property key identifies an extracted source entry. Plain strings include the source string and optional `$context` in their identity. Rich content also includes its structured source and [`<T>`](/docs/vue/reference/components/t) metadata.

Treat hashes as opaque. Let the `gt` CLI generate and update them; changing source content or hash-affecting metadata creates a different key.

### `value`

**Type** [`JsxChildren`](/docs/platform/core/reference/types/jsx-children) · **Required**

A plain `STRING` entry stores a translated string. A rich [`<T>`](/docs/vue/reference/components/t) entry stores the serialised content tree consumed by the Vue renderer.

The public wire type includes the complete scalar shapes used by generated catalogues:

```ts
type JsxChildren = boolean | null | JsxChild | JsxChild[];
type JsxChild = string | JsxElement | Variable;
```

Boolean and `null` values can occur as scalar rich-content values, including nested element and branch content. Authored child arrays use the narrower `JsxChild[]` shape. Do not hand-author serialised element or variable records; their indices and metadata must match the extracted source tree.

## Lookup behaviour [#lookup-behavior]

[`useGT()`](/docs/vue/reference/composables/use-gt), [`t()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/t), and [`useMessages()`](/docs/vue/reference/composables/use-messages) accept only string catalogue values for plain-string lookups. A missing key or non-string value falls back to the source string.

[`<T>`](/docs/vue/reference/components/t) consumes rich values and falls back to its source slot when no matching translation is available. The default locale does not need a catalogue because its source content is used as the fallback.

## Example [#example]

Return a generated JSON object as a catalogue:

```ts title="src/loadTranslations.ts"
import type { LoadTranslations, TranslationCatalog } from 'gt-vue';

const loadTranslations: LoadTranslations = async (locale) => {
  const module = await import(`./_gt/${locale}.json`);
  return module.default as TranslationCatalog;
};

export default loadTranslations;
```

Return `{}` when a locale has no catalogue and the source content should be rendered instead.