# gt: General Translation CLI tool: gt generate
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/cli/reference/commands/generate.mdx
Docs index: https://generaltranslation.com/llms.txt
Description: Generate source templates for manual translation. API reference for the gt generate command.

Generates local template files for your default and target locales. Use it when you handle translations yourself rather than through the General Translation API.

*Note: Available when the CLI detects `gt-next`, `gt-react`, `gt-react-native`, `gt-tanstack-start`, `gt-node`, `gt-vue`, `gt-flask`, or `gt-fastapi`. It is not registered for projects without one of these libraries. If you use the General Translation API, use [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) instead.*

## Overview [#overview]

Configure the project first, then generate the templates:

```bash
npx gt configure
npx gt generate
```

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

1. Reads `gt.config.json` to determine the default and target locales, source paths, dictionary, and `files.gt.output` path.
2. Uses the detected library's parser to scan inline content and the configured dictionary, the same way [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate) collects content.
3. Replaces the default-locale template with the current source entries.
4. Merges those entries into each target-locale file. Existing target values are preserved, new entries use the source text, and stale entries are removed.

The command does not call the General Translation API. If `files.gt.output` is not configured, it scans the project but exits without writing a template.

## Flags [#flags]

### Template generation flags

| Parameter | Description | Type | Optional | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `-c, --config <path>` | Path to `gt.config.json`. | `string` | Yes | Detected `gt.config.json` |
| `--default-language, --default-locale <locale>` | Default locale used for the source template. | `string` | Yes | Configured default locale |
| `--new, --locales <locales...>` | Target locales whose template files are merged. | `string[]` | Yes | Configured locales |
| `--src <paths...>` | Glob patterns for source files. | `string[]` | Yes | `src`, `app`, `pages`, and `components` globs |
| `--dictionary <path>` | Path to the dictionary file. | `string` | Yes | — |
| `--tsconfig, --jsconfig <path>` | Path to a TypeScript or JavaScript config file used to resolve source imports. | `string` | Yes | Detected config, or `./tsconfig.json` |
| `--inline` | Include inline content supported by the detected library. | `boolean` | Yes | `true` |
| `--ignore-errors` | Ignore errors found while scanning inline content. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |

### Accepted compatibility flags

The command shares its parser with [`gt translate`](/docs/cli/reference/commands/translate), so its help output accepts the flags below. They do not affect local template generation. In particular, `--dry-run` does not suppress file writes.

| Parameter | Description | Type | Optional | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--api-key <key>` | Accepted but unused. | `string` | Yes | — |
| `--project-id <id>` | Accepted but unused. | `string` | Yes | — |
| `--version-id <id>` | Accepted but unused. | `string` | Yes | — |
| `--dry-run` | Accepted but does not prevent template writes. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--timeout <seconds>` | Accepted but unused. | `number` | Yes | `900` |
| `--save-local`, `--no-save-local` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | Configured value or `false` |
| `--publish` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--experimental-localize-static-urls` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--experimental-hide-default-locale` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--experimental-flatten-json-files` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--experimental-localize-static-imports` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--experimental-localize-relative-assets` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--force` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--force-download` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--omit-config-ids` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--experimental-clear-locale-dirs` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--branch <branch>` | Accepted but unused. | `string` | Yes | — |
| `--disable-branch-detection` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--enable-branching` | Accepted but unused. | `boolean` | Yes | `false` |
| `--remote-name <name>` | Accepted but unused. | `string` | Yes | `origin` |
| `--tag [value]` | Accepted but unused. | `string \| boolean` | Yes | — |
| `-m, --message <message>` | Accepted but unused. | `string` | Yes | — |

## Example [#example]

```bash
# Generate templates for the configured locales
npx gt generate

# Generate from a custom source locale, ignoring scan errors
npx gt generate --default-locale en-US --ignore-errors
```

## Other notes [#notes]

After generating the template files, translate the target values and serve them with [local translations](/docs/react/guides/storing-translations). Re-run `generate` whenever the source content changes; review the target files because entries removed from the source are removed there too.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://generaltranslation.com/sitemap.md) for all pages.