# node: initializeGT
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/node/api/initialize-gt.mdx
---
title: initializeGT
description: API reference for the initializeGT setup function
---

## Overview

The `initializeGT` function configures General Translation for use in a Node.js runtime.
It must be called once before any translation functions are used.

```js
import { initializeGT } from 'gt-node';

initializeGT({
  defaultLocale: 'en-US',
  locales: ['en-US', 'es', 'fr'],
  projectId: 'your-project-id',
});
```

<Callout>
  **Required Setup:**
  `initializeGT` must be called before using `withGT`, `getGT`, `getMessages`, or any other translation function.
  Call it once during your server's initialization (e.g., at the top of your entry file).
</Callout>

## Reference

### Parameters

<TypeTable
  type={{
    "defaultLocale?": {
      type: 'string',
      optional: true,
      default: "'en-US'",
    },
    "locales?": {
      type: 'string[]',
      optional: true,
    },
    "projectId?": {
      type: 'string',
      optional: true,
    },
    "devApiKey?": {
      type: 'string',
      optional: true,
    },
    "cacheUrl?": {
      type: 'string | null',
      optional: true,
    },
    "runtimeUrl?": {
      type: 'string | null',
      optional: true,
    },
    "loadTranslations?": {
      type: 'TranslationsLoader',
      optional: true,
    },
  }}
/>

### Description

| Prop | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| `defaultLocale` | The default locale for your application. Defaults to `'en-US'`. |
| `locales` | An array of locale codes your application supports. |
| `projectId` | Your General Translation project ID, required for cloud translation services. |
| `devApiKey` | API key for development environment on-demand translations. |
| `cacheUrl` | URL of the GT cache service. Set to `null` to disable. |
| `runtimeUrl` | URL of the GT runtime translation service. Set to `null` to disable. |
| `loadTranslations` | A custom function to load translations from your own source. |

### Returns

`void`

---

## Examples

### Basic setup

```js title="server.js"
import { initializeGT } from 'gt-node';

initializeGT({
  defaultLocale: 'en-US',
  locales: ['en-US', 'es', 'fr', 'ja'],
  projectId: process.env.GT_PROJECT_ID,
});
```

### With a custom translation loader

```js title="server.js"
import { initializeGT } from 'gt-node';

initializeGT({
  defaultLocale: 'en-US',
  locales: ['en-US', 'es'],
  loadTranslations: async (locale) => {
    const res = await fetch(`https://my-api.com/translations/${locale}`);
    return res.json();
  },
});
```

---

## Notes

- `initializeGT` must be called **once** before any translation functions are used.
- If using GT cloud services, provide `projectId`. For development, also provide `devApiKey`.
- The `loadTranslations` option lets you bring your own translation source instead of using GT's CDN.

## Next steps

- See [`withGT`](/docs/node/api/with-gt) to provide locale context for each request.
- See [`getGT`](/docs/node/api/get-gt) and [`getMessages`](/docs/node/api/get-messages) for translating strings.