Three things to know before you connect a repo: what globalize.now will do to your code, how long it takes, and what access it needs.
What will change in your codebase
If your repo isn't internationalized yet, the conversion rewrites component files (hardcoded text becomes translation keys), adds an i18n library and its config, creates locale files, and may touch your root layout. That's real, reviewable change — which is why it arrives on its own branch, not on your default branch. You review the diff and merge when you're satisfied.
The conversion also installs the globalize skills for your coding agent as part of the process, so the agent side is set up without a separate install.
What the conversion actually does
Three jobs, in order:
-
Extracts your text. Every hardcoded UI string is found and moved into translation keys —
<button>Submit order</button>becomes<button>{t("checkout.submit_order")}</button>. -
Sets up the i18n framework. The right library for your stack is installed and configured, including the provider wiring your app needs to switch languages.
-
Builds the language files. A source locale file with all your extracted strings, plus files for each target language.
After the codebase is prepared, translations run automatically — you don't start them separately.
What access it needs
You connect through the GitHub or GitLab integration and choose which repositories it can see. globalize.now reads the codebase for the scan and conversion, and pushes results back on a branch. You can restrict it to a single repo. Azure DevOps support is on the way.
How long it takes
| Step | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Sign up + create project | ~2 minutes |
| Connect your repo + scan | a few minutes |
| Conversion + translation (if the repo needs preparing) | minutes for small repos, up to an hour or more for large codebases |
The conversion runs in the cloud — no terminal, nothing installed. Leave the page open and grab a coffee while it works. The run starts on our fast model and escalates to our Pro model where a file needs more careful handling — automatic, not something you configure. If a run fails, it fails safely: nothing incomplete is pushed to your repo.
Keep pushing normally
The conversion works from the state of the repo when the run starts. If you push big changes mid-run, the result may need a follow-up pass — easiest is to kick it off at a natural pause.
After it completes
Review the branch, test locally, merge. See "Review and verify what globalize.now pushed" for a five-minute checklist. Future runs only process what changed, so they're much faster.