Frequently Asked Questions

MetalGlot is a local-first desktop application designed for translating software localization files (like XLIFF, ARB, JSON, PO, YAML) using advanced AI models like Google's TranslateGemma. It keeps your data private by running entirely on your own hardware.

Only for the initial setup. You'll need an internet connection to download the Docker images and the AI models (GGUF weights). Once those are on your machine, MetalGlot operates 100% offline.

The TranslateGemma models support bidirectional translation between 55 core languages, covering over 300+ primary language pairs. For less common pairs, MetalGlot uses an 'English Bridge' strategy to maintain quality.

No. Local execution changes where translation runs, not whether someone should review the result. Review, terminology ownership, and final approval still matter, especially for customer-facing, technical, or sensitive content.

We support over 10 professional localization formats, including ARB, ICU, Fluent, Laravel, PO, Apple String Catalogs (.xcstrings), XLIFF, YAML, i18next JSON v4, and plain text.