# gt: General Translation CLI tool: Quickstart
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/cli/quickstart.mdx
---

title: Quickstart
description: Learn what the General Translation CLI does, when to use it, and how to translate your first project.
related:
  links:
    - /docs/cli/guides/generating-translations
    - /docs/cli/guides/configuring
    - /docs/cli/guides/managing-translations
    - /docs/cli/guides/using-auto-jsx

---

The General Translation CLI (`gt`) sets up internationalization and translates your project from the command line.

It works with [`gt-react`, `gt-next`, and `gt-react-native`](/docs/react/overview), with third-party i18n libraries like `next-intl` and `i18next`, and with standalone files such as JSON, YAML, Markdown, and MDX.

## What the CLI does [#what-it-does]

The CLI gives you direct access to:

- **Setup** for installing dependencies, wiring up your framework, and creating a `gt.config.json`.
- **Translation** for sending your source content to the General Translation API and saving the results to your codebase or the CDN.
- **CI building blocks** for uploading, enqueuing, and downloading translations across separate pipeline stages.
- **Validation** for checking your project for translation errors without calling the API.

## When to use the CLI [#when-to-use]

Use the CLI when you want to:

- Set up a new project for translation with a guided wizard.
- Translate your project as part of a build or CI pipeline.
- Translate standalone content files without adding a framework library.
- Keep translations in version control alongside your source content.

## Quickstart [#quickstart]
Install `gt`, configure your project, and run your first translation.

### 1. Install `gt`

Install the CLI as a dev dependency.

<Tabs items={['npm', 'yarn', 'bun', 'pnpm']}>
  <Tab value="npm">
    ```bash
    npm install gt --save-dev
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="yarn">
    ```bash
    yarn add --dev gt
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="bun">
    ```bash
    bun add --dev gt
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="pnpm">
    ```bash
    pnpm add --save-dev gt
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### 2. Configure your project

Run the setup wizard to detect your framework, create a `gt.config.json`, and generate credentials.

```bash
npx gt init
```

The wizard sets your default locale and target locales, chooses where translations are stored, and writes your API key and Project ID to `.env.local`. See [Configuring the CLI](/docs/cli/guides/configuring) to set this up in detail, or [`gt init`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/init) for the full command.

### 3. Add your production API key

The [`translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) command requires a production API key and Project ID. The wizard can generate these for you, or create them on the [API Keys page](https://generaltranslation.com/dashboard). Set them as environment variables so the CLI can read them.

```bash title=".env"
GT_API_KEY=your-api-key
GT_PROJECT_ID=your-project-id
```

*Note: Set your API key as an environment variable — never add it to `gt.config.json`.*

### 4. Translate your project

Run the `translate` command to translate every file configured in `gt.config.json`, along with any inline [`<T>`](/docs/react/reference/components/t) components and dictionary entries in your source code.

```bash
npx gt translate
```

Translations are saved to your codebase, ready to commit. Run this in your CI pipeline before you build for production. See [Generating translations](/docs/cli/guides/generating-translations) for the full workflow.

## Next steps

- /docs/cli/guides/generating-translations
- /docs/cli/guides/configuring
- /docs/cli/guides/managing-translations
- /docs/cli/guides/using-auto-jsx