First Translation

Translate a React, Next.js, Django or static HTML project (Vue and React Native in beta) from your terminal in minutes. The dashboard workflow below does the same thing — pick whichever you prefer.

Prerequisites

A Babelize account (sign up here)
Node.js 22 or later
A React, Next.js, Django or static HTML project — Vue and React Native work in beta (on GitHub, or available as a ZIP)

The fastest path: one command

In your project's folder, run:

npx babelize

It walks you through it:

Checks the folder is a git repository (and offers to run git init and make a first commit if it isn't), so you can review every change
Detects your framework and the language your app is written in
Opens your browser to sign in (or sign up)
Asks which languages you want
Translates with your account's credits, then writes the locale files and the i18n setup into your project

The summary shows what changed and how many credits were used (Credits N used). Review the changes with git diff. Then add a language switcher so people can pick a language: grab a ready-made one at elements.babelize.co, or build your own. See Babelize CLI for details. npx @babelize/cli runs the same thing.

The paths below translate in the cloud instead and open a pull request on GitHub.

The CLI path (pull request)

Step 1: Install and log in

npm install -g @babelize/cli
babelize auth login

Step 2: Initialize your project

cd your-app
babelize init

init prompts for a project name, repository URL, and target languages, creates the project on Babelize, and writes .babelize/config.json in your repo (the CLI reads the project ID and languages from it afterwards). Add --name, --repo-url, and --languages to skip the prompts.

To create a ZIP project instead of a GitHub one, run babelize init --source zip. It zips the current directory, leaving out gitignored files, node_modules, build output and secrets such as .env files and private keys. Then it uploads the archive (50 MB max) the same way the dashboard's Upload ZIP does.

Step 3: Run the translation

babelize run start

The engine clones your repository, detects the framework, extracts strings via AST analysis, translates them, and injects the locale files back into the project. Watch it live with:

babelize run status <babel-id> --watch

Step 4: Raise the PR

When the run completes the CLI raises a pull request automatically (skip it with --no-pr). You can also raise one yourself:

babelize pr raise <project-uuid>

Open the PR on GitHub, review the translated resource files, and merge. Your app is now multilingual.

The dashboard path

Import — click New Project. Connect GitHub the first time (one connection, through the Babelize GitHub App), then pick an account or organization, search for the repository and click Import. You can also paste a public repo URL or upload a ZIP (50 MB max).
Configure — Babelize shows the framework, i18n library and existing languages it found. Check the branch and the language your app is written in, and pick the languages to translate into (the ones you already ship are pre-selected).
Review — check the cost line and click Create project. On the Growth and Studio plans, Keep translating when I push is on by default: Babelize then translates every push to that branch (see Auto-localize). Then click Babelize on the project page to start the first babel.
Review — when the babel finishes, open its results to check the translations and code changes. Editors can fix wording in place.
Open the pull request (GitHub projects) — click Open pull request, or run babelize pr raise <project-uuid>. For ZIP projects, click Download project instead.
Merge — the PR lists every language, how to try it, and what to check before you merge.

You can Save as draft on any step and continue later from New Project.

Babels use your Babelize credits. To use your own provider key (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Groq, OpenRouter), add it under Settings → API keys and pick it in the project's Configure → Advanced. See Bring Your Own Key.