Lingo.dev + .csv (Data)

Lingo.dev CLI translates CSV files with a specific structure. It updates the provided CSV file by adding columns with translations for each target locale. The CLI preserves the exact CSV format and delimiters, handles UTF-8 and various character encodings safely, and works seamlessly with Excel, Google Sheets, and database imports.

How CSV Translation Works

CSV files must have the following structure:

• First column named KEY
• A source locale column (e.g., en)

The CLI expands the supplied CSV file to include columns for each target locale (e.g., es, fr). Translations are filled in for each target locale, while the original content is preserved.

Example: Source and Output

Input file (English source):

KEY,en
dashboard.title,Dashboard
greeting.message,Hello world!
button.label,Submit

Output file (after translation to Spanish and French):

KEY,en,es,fr
dashboard.title,Dashboard,Panel de control,Tableau de bord
greeting.message,Hello world!,¡Hola mundo!,Bonjour le monde!
button.label,Submit,Enviar,Soumettre

• The KEY column is preserved.
• The source locale column (en) remains unchanged.
• New columns for each target locale (es, fr) are added, with translations filled in.

Quick Setup

To configure CSV translation, add a bucket for your CSV files in i18n.json:

{
  "locale": {
    "source": "en",
    "targets": ["es", "fr"]
  },
  "buckets": {
    "csv": {
      "include": ["i18n/data.csv"]
    }
  }
}

Translate CSV Data

npx lingo.dev@latest i18n

The CLI preserves CSV structure, headers, and data types while translating text content in the target columns.

Advanced Features

Custom Delimiter Support

Works with various CSV dialects:

• Comma-separated: value1,value2,value3
• Semicolon-separated: value1;value2;value3
• Tab-separated: value1\tvalue2\tvalue3

Advanced Configuration

Multiple CSV Files

"csv": {
  "include": [
    "i18n/data.csv",
    "content/static/*.csv"
  ]
}