# vue: LoadTranslations
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/vue/reference/types/load-translations.mdx
---

title: LoadTranslations
description: Load the complete translation catalog for a requested locale. API reference for LoadTranslations.

---

Provide this callback to [`createGT()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/create-gt) or [`initializeGTSPA()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/initialize-gt-spa) when target catalogs live in application files, a database, an API, or another host.

## Overview [#overview]

```ts
type LoadTranslations = (
  locale: string
) => Promise<TranslationCatalog>;
```

The plugin calls the loader only for uncached target locales. The default locale uses source text and never calls it.

## Parameters [#parameters]

| Parameter | Description | Type | Optional | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `locale` | Locale whose complete catalog should be returned. | `string` | No | — |

An ordinary [`createGT()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/create-gt) plugin passes the requested locale unchanged. An [`initializeGTSPA()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/initialize-gt-spa) plugin first resolves the locale against its configured `locales` and `customMapping`, preserving the configured spelling for file paths.

## Return value [#returns]

**Type** `Promise<`[`TranslationCatalog`](/docs/vue/reference/types/translation-catalog)`>`

Resolve with the complete hash-keyed catalog for `locale`. Resolve with `{}` when no translations are available and the application should use source content.

Do not return `null`, `undefined`, or a partial value with a different shape. The public callback type requires a catalog object.

## Loading behavior [#loading-behavior]

- A successful result is cached for the lifetime of that plugin.
- Concurrent loads for the same locale share one promise.
- `plugin.loadTranslations(locale)` preloads without changing the active locale.
- A reactive `plugin.setLocale(locale)` loads before switching.
- [`initializeGTSPA()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/initialize-gt-spa) loads the initial target locale before its promise resolves.
- Installing a [`createGT()`](/docs/vue/reference/functions/create-gt) plugin starts the initial target load in the background, allowing source content to render first.

## Failures [#failures]

When the callback rejects, `gt-vue` logs a diagnostic, rethrows the same failure, removes the in-flight entry, and leaves the result uncached. A later call can retry.

An imperative `loadTranslations()` call, a reactive locale change, or SPA initialization therefore rejects. The background load started by `app.use(createGT(...))` catches the rejection after logging so the application can continue with source content.

## Example [#example]

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

const loadTranslations: LoadTranslations = async (locale) => {
  try {
    return (await import(`./_gt/${locale}.json`)).default;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error(`No translation catalog for ${locale}`, error);
    return {};
  }
};

export default loadTranslations;
```

The loader above converts missing files into a successful empty catalog. Remove the `try`/`catch` when a missing or invalid catalog should stop initialization.