Translate Content

Translate English source content into target locale. Preserve technical accuracy and structural integrity.

When Use

• Localizing skill, agent, team, or guide into supported language
• Updating translation that has become stale after source changes
• Batch-translating multiple items within domain or content type
• Creating initial translations for new locale

Inputs

• Required: Content type — skills, agents, teams, or guides
• Required: Item ID — name/identifier of content (e.g., create-r-package)
• Required: Target locale — IETF BCP 47 code (e.g., de, zh-CN, ja, es)
• Optional: Batch list — multiple IDs to translate in sequence

Steps

Step 1: Read English source

1.1. Determine source file path:

• Skills: skills/<id>/SKILL.md
• Agents: agents/<id>.md
• Teams: teams/<id>.md
• Guides: guides/<id>.md

1.2. Read the entire source file to understand context, structure, and content.

1.3. Identify sections that must stay in English:

• All code blocks (fenced with triple backticks)
• Inline code (backtick-wrapped)
• YAML frontmatter field names and technical values (name, tools, model, priority, skills list entries, allowed-tools, tags, domain, language)
• File paths, URLs, command examples
• <!-- CONFIG:START --> / <!-- CONFIG:END --> blocks in teams

Got: Full understanding of source content with clear mental separation of translatable prose vs preserved technical content.

If fail: Source file not found? Verify ID exists in registry. Check for typos in content type or ID.

Step 2: Scaffold translation file

2.1. Run the scaffolding script:

npm run translate:scaffold -- <content-type> <id> <locale>

2.2. If the file already exists, read it to check whether it needs updating (stale) or is already current.

2.3. Verify the scaffolded file has translation frontmatter fields:

• locale — matches target locale
• source_locale — en
• source_commit — current git short hash
• translator — attribution string
• translation_date — today's date

Got: Scaffolded file at i18n/<locale>/<content-type>/<id>/SKILL.md (or .md for other types) with correct frontmatter.

If fail: Scaffold script fails? Create directory manual with mkdir -p, copy source file. Add frontmatter fields manual.

Step 3: Translate description

3.1. Translate the description field in the YAML frontmatter into the target locale.

3.2. For skills, the description is inside the top-level frontmatter. For agents/teams/guides, it is also in the top-level frontmatter.

3.3. Keep the translation concise — match the length and style of the original.

Got: Description field contains idiomatic translation that accurate conveys original meaning.

If fail: Description ambiguous? Keep closer to literal translation rather than risk misinterpretation.

Step 4: Translate prose sections

4.1. Translate all prose content section by section:

• Section headings (e.g., "## When to Use" → "## Wann verwenden" in German)
• Paragraph text
• List item text (but not list item code/paths)
• Table cell text (but not table cell code/values)

4.2. Preserve these elements exactly as-is:

• Code blocks (``` fenced and indented)
• Inline code (backtick-wrapped)
• File paths and URLs
• Skill/agent/team IDs in cross-references
• YAML/JSON configuration examples
• Command-line examples
• **Expected:** and **On failure:** markers (translate the label, keep the structure)

4.3. For skills, translate the standardized section names:

• "When to Use" → locale equivalent
• "Inputs" → locale equivalent
• "Procedure" → locale equivalent
• "Validation" → locale equivalent
• "Common Pitfalls" → locale equivalent
• "Related Skills" → locale equivalent

4.4. For agents, translate:

• Purpose, Capabilities, Available Skills (section name only — skill IDs stay English), Usage Scenarios, Best Practices, Examples, Limitations, See Also

4.5. For teams, translate:

• Purpose, Team Composition (prose only — IDs stay English), Coordination Pattern, Task Decomposition, Usage Scenarios, Limitations

4.6. For guides, translate:

• All prose sections, troubleshooting text, table descriptions
• Keep command examples, code blocks, and configuration snippets in English

Got: All prose sections translated idiomatic. Code blocks identical to English source. Cross-references use English IDs.

If fail: Uncertain about technical term? Keep English term with parenthetical translation. Example: "Staging-Bereich (Staging Area)" in German.

Step 5: Verify structural integrity

5.1. Confirm the translated file has the same number of sections as the source.

5.2. For skills, verify all required sections are present:

• YAML frontmatter with name, description, allowed-tools, metadata
• When to Use, Inputs, Procedure, Validation, Common Pitfalls, Related Skills

5.3. Verify code blocks are identical to the English source (diff the fenced blocks).

5.4. Check line count: skills must be ≤ 500 lines.

5.5. Verify name field matches the English source exactly (it is the ID, never translated).

Got: Structural valid translated file passes validation.

If fail: Compare section-by-section with English source. Restore any missing sections.

Step 5.5: Verify prose is translated

5.5.1. Sample 3 prose paragraphs from the body of the translated file. Choose paragraphs from different sections — not headings, not code blocks, not frontmatter.

5.5.2. Confirm each sampled paragraph is written in the target language, not English.

5.5.3. If any sampled paragraph is still in English, the translation is incomplete. Return to Step 4 and translate the remaining English prose before proceeding.

Got: All 3 sampled prose paragraphs in target language, confirming body text has been translated — not just headings and frontmatter.

If fail: Identify which sections still contain English prose. Translate before continuing to Step 6.

Step 6: Write translated file

6.1. Write the complete translated content to the target path using the Write or Edit tool.

6.2. Verify the file exists at the expected path:

• Skills: i18n/<locale>/skills/<id>/SKILL.md
• Agents: i18n/<locale>/agents/<id>.md
• Teams: i18n/<locale>/teams/<id>.md
• Guides: i18n/<locale>/guides/<id>.md

Got: Translated file written to disk at correct path.

If fail: Check directory exists. Create with mkdir -p if needed.

Checks

• Translated file exists at i18n/<locale>/<type>/<id>
• name field matches English source exact
• locale field matches target locale
• source_commit field set to valid git short hash
• All code blocks identical to English source
• All cross-referenced IDs (skills, agents, teams) in English
• File under 500 lines (for skills)
• npm run validate:translations reports no issues for this file
• Prose reads idiomatic in target language

Pitfalls

• Translate code blocks: Code, commands, configuration must stay in English. Only translate surrounding prose.
• Translate name field: name field is canonical ID. Never translate it.
• Translate tag values: Tags in metadata.tags stay in English for cross-locale consistency.
• Inconsistent terminology: Use same translation for technical term throughout file and across files in same locale.
• Literal translation of idioms: Translate meaning, not words. "Common Pitfalls" should become locale's natural equivalent, not word-for-word translation.
• Missing source_commit: Without this field, freshness tracking breaks. Always include it.
• Batch throughput over quality: Scaffolding-only output — where headings translated but body text remains in English — not valid translation. Prefer fewer complete translations over many partial ones.
• Exceed 500 lines: Translations may expand ~10-20% vs English. Near limit? Tighten prose rather than removing content.

See Also

• create-skill — understand SKILL.md structure being translated
• review-skill-format — validate translated skill structure
• evolve-skill — update skills that have changed since translation