translate-content
About
This skill translates technical documentation (skills, agents, teams, guides) into a target language while preserving critical elements like code blocks, IDs, and frontmatter structure. Use it for localizing new content, updating stale translations after source changes, or batch-translating an entire domain. It handles the full process including scaffolding, prose translation, and freshness tracking.
Quick Install
Claude Code
Recommendednpx skills add pjt222/agent-almanac -a claude-code/plugin add https://github.com/pjt222/agent-almanacgit clone https://github.com/pjt222/agent-almanac.git ~/.claude/skills/translate-contentCopy and paste this command in Claude Code to install this skill
Documentation
Inhalte uebersetzen
Translate English source content into a target locale, preserving technical accuracy and structural integrity.
Wann verwenden
- Localizing a skill, agent, team, or guide into a supported language
- Updating a translation that has become stale nach source changes
- Batch-translating multiple items innerhalb a domain or content type
- Creating initial translations for a new locale
Eingaben
- Erforderlich: Content type —
skills,agents,teams, orguides - Erforderlich: Item ID — the name/identifier of the content (e.g.,
create-r-package) - Erforderlich: Target locale — IETF BCP 47 code (e.g.,
de,zh-CN,ja,es) - Optional: Batch list — multiple IDs to translate in sequence
Vorgehensweise
Schritt 1: Lesen the English source
1.1. Bestimmen die Quelle Dateipfad:
- Skills:
skills/<id>/SKILL.md - Agents:
agents/<id>.md - Teams:
teams/<id>.md - Guides:
guides/<id>.md
1.2. Lesen the entire Quelldatei to understand context, structure, and content.
1.3. Identifizieren 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,skillslist entries,allowed-tools,tags,domain,language) - File paths, URLs, command examples
<!-- CONFIG:START -->/<!-- CONFIG:END -->blocks in teams
Erwartet: Full understanding of source content with clear mental separation of translatable prose vs preserved technical content.
Bei Fehler: If Quelldatei ist nicht found, verify the ID exists in the registry. Pruefen auf typos in the content type or ID.
Schritt 2: Scaffold the translation file
2.1. Ausfuehren the scaffolding script:
npm run translate:scaffold -- <content-type> <id> <locale>
2.2. If die Datei already exists, read it to check whether it needs updating (stale) or is already current.
2.3. Verifizieren the scaffolded file has translation frontmatter fields:
locale— matches target localesource_locale—ensource_commit— current git short hashtranslator— attribution stringtranslation_date— today's date
Erwartet: Scaffolded file at i18n/<locale>/<content-type>/<id>/SKILL.md (or .md for other types) with correct frontmatter.
Bei Fehler: If the scaffold script fails, create das Verzeichnis manuell with mkdir -p and copy die Quelle file. Hinzufuegen frontmatter fields manuell.
Schritt 3: Translate the description
3.1. Translate the description field in the YAML frontmatter into das Ziel 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.
Erwartet: Description field contains an idiomatic translation that accurately conveys the original meaning.
Bei Fehler: If the description is ambiguous, keep it closer to literal translation anstatt risk misinterpretation.
Schritt 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
- Auflisten 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
Erwartet: All prose sections translated idiomatically. Code blocks identical to English source. Cross-references use English IDs.
Bei Fehler: If uncertain about a technical term, keep the English term with a parenthetical translation. Example: "Staging-Bereich (Staging Area)" in German.
Schritt 5: Verifizieren structural integrity
5.1. Bestaetigen the translated file has the same number of sections as die Quelle.
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. Verifizieren code blocks are identical to the English source (diff the fenced blocks).
5.4. Check line count: skills muss ≤ 500 lines.
5.5. Verifizieren name field matches the English source exactly (it is the ID, never translated).
Erwartet: Structurally valid translated file that passes validation.
Bei Fehler: Vergleichen section-by-section with the English source. Wiederherstellen any missing sections.
Schritt 5.5: Ueberpruefe ob Prosa uebersetzt ist
5.5.1. Probeentnahme von 3 Prosa-Absaetzen aus dem Hauptteil der uebersetzten Datei. Absaetze aus verschiedenen Abschnitten auswaehlen — keine Ueberschriften, Codeblöcke oder Frontmatter.
5.5.2. Bestaetigen dass jeder Prosa-Absatz in der Zielsprache geschrieben ist, nicht auf Englisch.
5.5.3. Wenn ein Prosa-Absatz noch auf Englisch ist, ist die Uebersetzung unvollstaendig. Zu Schritt 4 zurueckkehren und die verbleibende englische Prosa uebersetzen, bevor fortgefahren wird.
Erwartet: Alle 3 Prosa-Absatzproben sind in der Zielsprache, was bestaetigt dass der Textteil uebersetzt wurde — nicht nur Ueberschriften und Frontmatter.
Bei Fehler: Identifizieren welche Abschnitte noch englische Prosa enthalten. Diese uebersetzen bevor mit Schritt 6 fortgefahren wird.
Schritt 6: Schreiben the translated file
6.1. Schreiben the complete translated content to das Ziel path using the Schreiben or Bearbeiten tool.
6.2. Verifizieren die Datei 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
Erwartet: Translated file written to disk at the correct path.
Bei Fehler: Check directory exists. Erstellen with mkdir -p if needed.
Validierung
- Translated file exists at
i18n/<locale>/<type>/<id> -
namefield matches English source exactly -
localefield matches target locale -
source_commitfield is set to a valid git short hash - All code blocks are identical to English source
- All cross-referenced IDs (skills, agents, teams) are in English
- File is under 500 lines (for skills)
-
npm run validate:translationsreports no issues for this file - Prose reads idiomatically in das Ziel language
Haeufige Stolperfallen
- Translating code blocks: Code, commands, and configuration must stay in English. Only translate surrounding prose.
- Translating the
namefield: Thenamefield is the canonical ID. Never translate it. - Translating tag values: Tags in
metadata.tagsstay in English for cross-locale consistency. - Inconsistent terminology: Use the same translation for a technical term durchout die Datei and across files in the same locale.
- Literal translation of idioms: Translate the meaning, not the words. "Common Pitfalls" solltecome the locale's natural equivalent, not a word-for-word translation.
- Missing
source_commit: Without this field, freshness tracking breaks. Always include it. - Exceeding 500 lines: Translations may expand ~10-20% vs English. If near the limit, tighten prose anstatt removing content.
Verwandte Skills
- create-skill — understand the SKILL.md structure being translated
- review-skill-format — validate translated skill structure
- evolve-skill — update skills that have changed since translation
- Batch-Durchsatz vor Qualitaet: Reine Geruest-Ausgabe — wo Ueberschriften uebersetzt sind, aber der Textteil auf Englisch bleibt — ist keine gueltige Uebersetzung. Weniger vollstaendige Uebersetzungen sind besser als viele partielle.
GitHub Repository
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