---
description: 'From the first sign-in to the first commit: connect a repository, translate, publish.'
---

# Getting started

git8n edits the JSON locale files of a GitHub repository. A translator
proposes texts, a reviewer publishes them, and each publication is a commit on
the repository. This page goes from the first sign-in to that commit.

You need:

- the address of an editor, for example `https://git8n.example.com`. To run
  your own, see [Run it locally](../operate/self-host.md) and
  [Deploy](../operate/deploy.md);
- for steps 2 and 3, an admin account: an address of `ADMIN_EMAILS`;
- a GitHub repository that holds one folder of JSON files for each language,
  for example `src/locales/en/common.json`.
  [A repository and its files](./repositories.md#the-files) gives the layout.

The screenshots come from the demo on the [home page](/docs/raw/index.md#demo-title). Its
repository, `acme/shop`, does not exist, and the demo sends nothing to GitHub.

## 1. Sign in

Open the editor, then choose one of the two ways:

- **« Se connecter avec GitHub »**, with a GitHub account;
- **« Recevoir un lien de connexion »**, for a person that a repository invited
  by address. The mail holds a link, and the person needs no GitHub account.

The first sign-in creates the account. A new account opens nothing until it is
a member of a repository (step 3).

## 2. Connect a repository

An admin does this step once for each repository.

1. Click **« Brancher un dépôt »**. GitHub opens the installation page of the
   GitHub App of the editor. Install it on the repository.
2. GitHub sends you back to the editor. Pick the repository. The editor finds
   the folder of the locale files, the languages and the manifest.
3. Check the form, then click **« Brancher ce dépôt »**.

The table of the repository opens, and you are its owner.
[A repository and its files](./repositories.md#the-settings-of-a-repository)
gives each field of the form.

## 3. Give the rights

Open **« Réglages »**, then **« Membres »**. Add a person by address or by
GitHub login, and give them a role and their languages:

- a **translator** proposes texts in their languages;
- a **reviewer** also publishes the proposals of their languages;
- an **owner** also manages the members.

A person invited by address gets the mail of step 1.
[Accounts and rights](./accounts.md) gives every rule.

## 4. Translate

Open the repository and pick a language. The tab **« Manquantes »** lists the
keys that the language does not hold yet. Write the texts, then click
**« Proposer »**.

![The tab « Manquantes » with two German texts written, and the bar « Proposer 2 traductions » at the bottom](/docs/quickstart/translate.png)

The proposal is one commit on the branch `i18n/<language>`. Nothing changes on
the base branch yet.

## 5. Review and publish

A reviewer opens the tab **« Proposées »**. They tick the keys to publish in
the column **« Publier »**, then click **« Publier »** in the bar at the bottom.

![The tab « Proposées » with two keys ticked, and the bar « Publier 2 clés »](/docs/quickstart/review.png)

The editor writes the approved keys on the base branch, and says so.

![The message « 2 clés publiées sur main. »](/docs/quickstart/published.png)

A key whose source text changed since the proposal is refused, with the reason.
[Concepts](./concepts.md#publication) lists the reasons.

## 6. See the commit on GitHub

Open the history of the base branch on GitHub. The publication is one commit,
made by the GitHub App. Its author is the name of the reviewer who published it
([the author of a commit](./repositories.md#the-author-of-a-commit)). If the
repository publishes by pull request, the commit is on `i18n/publish`, and one
pull request carries it to the base branch:
[how a publication reaches the base branch](./repositories.md#how-a-publication-reaches-the-base-branch).

The links of the editor to a commit open it on GitHub.

## Next

- [Concepts](./concepts.md): the catalogue, a proposal, a publication.
- [MCP server](../agents/mcp.md): let an agent propose the texts.
- [CLI](../agents/cli.md): check the locale files in CI with `git8n check`.