Translate your JSON file in minutes with the most accurate AI translator. Try it free for 30 days — no credit card required. Upload your .json files, choose your target languages, and get high-quality translations. Connect your repository to avoid uploading and downloading single files.
Translating JSON Files For the First Time with PTC
Private Translation Cloud (PTC) is an AI translator optimized for software. It can translate JSON files used in web and mobile frameworks, like React, Vue.js, Angular, React Native, Swift, and Kotlin.
Upload your JSON resource files and get fully translated files with human-level quality — at machine speed and cost.
Step 1
Sign Up for a 30-Day Free Trial with PTC
Sign up for a 30-day free trial — no credit card required and no limitations.
During the trial period, you can translate as many JSON files as you need into any language. When you first sign in PTC, simply select Manual File Upload at setup to upload your files. You can then download and use the translations.
After the trial ends, you are welcome to continue using PTC as a JSON translator tool by upgrading your account.
Step 2
Tell PTC About Your Software
Tell PTC your software’s name, what it does, and who uses it. This context helps PTC deliver accurate, natural-sounding translations with the right tone, terminology, and phrasing.
Step 3
Upload your JSON file or files
Upload one or more JSON files to PTC. Once you do, the tool shows you the output format of the translated file.
You’ll also be able to upload existing translations you have later at setup. But, for the best results, let PTC translate from scratch. This way, it will translate consistently and account for all placeholder text and terms.
Step 4
Choose Languages to Translate To
Select any of the supported languages. PTC offers context-aware translation into 33 supported languages. Some languages have more than one locale so choose the most popular or the one that’s appropriate for your software.
Now, PTC is ready to translate!
Step 5
Download and View Translations
PTC finishes translations in minutes and you can download them in a ZIP file immediately. You can also click on View translations to see the results in a neatly organized table.
Download or re-download your translated files from the Resource Files tab at any time.
For future translations, you can adjust file paths, branches, or placeholder formats, by going to Settings in your PTC dashboard.
Step 6
Rebuild Your App To Display the Available Languages
Place the translated files in the correct folder manually or update your configuration so your app can find them.
If your project already uses a localization library like i18next or vue-i18n, and your file paths match its expected structure, you don’t need to make further changes.
If not, check that:
- Your software’s configuration points to the correct folders and filenames
- Your language selection logic is working and loading the right file for each language
Once set up correctly, your software will automatically display translations based on the selected or detected language.
Translating Additional Content with PTC
If your software includes translatable content that isn’t stored in JSON files, you can translate it manually using Paste to translate.
Common use cases include:
- Email content
- App store listings
- Release notes
- Other content not tracked in version control but still part of the user experience
To translate this type of content, go to Translations → Paste to translate and add your text. PTC translates them instantly with precision.
These translations aren’t added to your codebase automatically — you’ll need to paste them into your app store listing, release notes, or email configuration.
Example: Translating a Welcome Email
As an example, we’re using the first part of actual welcome emails we send to users of WPML, our WordPress translation plugin. We show what it would look like to translate the content with PTC.
To get these texts translated, we used the Paste to translate function, choosing the Email option.
Automating the Translation Process
You don’t need to manually upload single JSON files every time you change something in the code. PTC can connect to your repository and monitor updates to your resource files. Then, it sends you a merge request with updated translations that you can use right away.
Option 1
Integrate PTC Into Your Git Repository
At project setup, choose to connect your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repository to PTC. This method requires an access token with read and write permissions.
You’ll then specify which branches to monitor. When PTC detects any change in your resource files, it automatically retranslates the updated content and sends the merge request.
Option 2
Integrate Using API
If you prefer not to connect your repository directly, you can integrate PTC into your CI or deployment workflow.
Your system sends the JSON file to PTC via the API, and PTC returns translated files in the same request.
Making Your .json Files Translatable
To translate your JSON files, make sure they’re optimized for translation. Files that aren’t translatable can’t be read by software translation tools.
Use this checklist to ensure the content in your .json files is structured correctly.
Add All User-Facing Text to JSON Files
Store every UI string in your JSON files as key-value pairs. PTC reads these keys and values and returns translated versions for the selected languages.
Organize related strings into nested objects to keep files manageable and provide valuable context for translation.
Example
Correct – Well-structured JSON file:
.json:
echo __( 'Read more', 'your-plugin' );
_e( 'Submit', 'your-plugin' );Code:
console.log(t('homepage.title'));Incorrect – Hardcoded strings in code:
console.log("Welcome to our site");⚠️ Don’t hardcode translatable text directly in your source code. Hardcoded text like this won’t be extracted or translated by PTC.
Use Placeholders for Dynamic Values
Use placeholders for variable content like usernames, counts, or dates. This helps preserve sentence structure and grammar in each language.
Your placeholder format may vary depending on your localization library. PTC supports all common placeholder formats, such as {userName}, {name}, %1$s, or {{name}}, so your dynamic content is preserved correctly in translation.
Example
Correct – One full string with placeholders:
.json:
{
"greeting": "Hello, {userName}! Today is {currentDate}."
}Code:
const message = t('greeting', { userName: 'Alex', currentDate: 'Monday' });Incorrect – Split string with concatenation:
{
"greetingStart": "Hello, ",
"greetingEnd": "! Today is "
}
const message = t('greetingStart') + userName + t('greetingEnd') + date;⚠️ Splitting strings can break grammar and word order in other languages, leading to bad translations.
Use PTC to translate other projects
PTC isn’t just for translating JSON files — it supports other resource file formats like iOS .strings, CSV, and more.
Auto-translate Your JSON Files
Translate your JSON files with PTC and prepare your app for global audiences. Start with a free trial and get unlimited use for 30 days.
