AI Translations
How Docsbook automatically translates your documentation using Claude AI.
How It Works#
- You enable a language in Translation Settings.
- Docsbook fetches your markdown files from GitHub.
- Each file is sent to Claude (by Anthropic) for translation.
- Translated pages are cached for fast delivery.
- When you push updates to GitHub, only changed pages are re-translated.
No manual work. No translation files to maintain. No YAML keys.
What Gets Translated#
| Translated | Not translated |
|---|---|
| Body text | Code blocks |
| Headings | Inline code (like this) |
| Tables | URLs and links |
| Image alt text | File paths |
| Sidebar navigation labels | Technical identifiers |
| Page titles and meta descriptions | — |
Code is intentionally left in the original language — it should stay consistent regardless of the reader's locale.
Translation Cache#
Translations are cached per page per language, keyed to the file's content hash on GitHub.
- First visit after a content change triggers re-translation (a few seconds).
- All subsequent visits serve the cached version instantly.
- Cached translations persist even if you temporarily disable a language.
This means re-enabling a language that was previously active is instant — no re-translation needed.
Translation Quality#
Claude produces high-quality technical documentation translations.
Works best for:
- Step-by-step guides
- API documentation
- FAQs
- Configuration references
May need manual review for:
- Brand-specific terminology
- Cultural references or idioms
- Highly domain-specific jargon
Writing Tips for Better AI Translation#
Clear source content produces better translations. Follow these guidelines:
- Use short, direct sentences. Long compound sentences lose nuance in translation.
- Avoid idioms. "It's a piece of cake" doesn't translate literally. Say "It's simple."
- Use ISO date format. Write
2024-03-25, not "March 25th" — dates are interpreted differently across locales. - Keep code comments in English. They're excluded from translation but should be readable by all developers.
- Use consistent terminology. If you call something a "workspace" in one place, don't call it a "project" in another.
Go global without the translation overhead. Enable translations →
See also: Translation Settings →