From products and marketing to security and support, developers impact every function of an enterprise. Dev teams are bombarded by a constant stream of priorities—building new features, shipping code, fixing bugs, meeting release deadlines, and more. Adding translation and localization into the mix can feel like a tedious, disruptive (and often manual) chore. But it doesn’t have to be. That’s where repository connectors come in. 

 

What is a repository connector?

In localization, repository (or repo) connectors, like Smartling’s GitHub and repository connectors, act as a bridge between source code and localization platforms, enabling automation throughout the continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline. Repository connectors streamline developer workflows, reduce technical debt, and manage version control—so localization works in parallel with development instead of against it. During localization, repository connectors eliminate additional manual steps by tracking and centralizing all the files, code, documents, and resources for a given project. 

 

How repository connectors enhance localization

Fast, reliable translations are essential for optimizing localization, and repository connectors make this possible. They seamlessly integrate your repository to a translation management system, automatically syncing changes and pushing finished translations back. The result? High-quality localized experiences with next to zero manual effort.

 

Here are 6 ways engineering teams that are in charge of localization can benefit from repository connectors:

  • Reduce errors and enhance accuracy: During localization, even the smallest mistakes can compound and become a huge headache later on. Connecting directly to the repository eliminates the need for manual file transfers and greatly minimizes the risk of human error, such as mismanaged translation keys, inconsistent coding, or copy/paste mistakes. With comprehensive support for popular string formats, including multilingual strings like .xcstrings, repo connectors ensure proper content handling, so your translations scale effortlessly. 
  • Streamline version control: One of the best things about repository integrations is that they facilitate seamless tracking of localized content alongside source code. Repository connectors can automatically detect and track changes to translatable strings within the context of each branch, ensuring translations are always aligned with the correct code version. Once translations are complete, translated files are automatically synced and pushed back to the corresponding branch, maintaining consistency and accuracy across all environments. 
  • Accelerate release cycles: Repository connectors enable developers to work on development and localization in parallel—accelerating time to market for multilingual features and products. Translations simply (and seamlessly) run in the background without manual processes or deployment bottlenecks. Instead, you get agile localization that keeps your development moving forward.
  • Streamline localization prep: Repository connectors for localization provide a systematic way for developers to prepare the field for translation by organizing locale files, managing translation requests, and generating translation jobs as changes occur. With no manual handoffs, the connector automates content translation and ensures strict adherence to technical and linguistic requirements.
  • Scale localization with confidence: Automating the translation of software and product content directly within your repositories allows you to incorporate multilingual features into your development workflow easily. When you’re ready to scale to new locales, repository connectors can help you adapt to new language and market requirements with fast, high-quality translations—ultimately helping you drive growth and increase daily active users (DAUs) around the world.  
  • Make localization more cost effective: By integrating with your repository, automating manual processes, and giving you the option to connect to different kinds of translation—like human translation, AI-powered human translation, or full AI translation—repository connectors can help you deploy localization with the right balance of quality, cost, and speed. They also give the added benefit of freeing developers to focus on high-value work instead of manually troubleshooting localization tasks.

 

How Smartling’s repository connectors for GitHub work

Sample architecture showing how the Smartling Connector for GitHub connects repositories to Smartling projects through configuration sets and translation memory—enforcing consistent patterns, drastically improving translation quality, and reducing time spent on rework.

 

Featuring quick and easy authentication, both Smartling’s repository connector and the specific Smartling GitHub Connector plug directly into your existing repositories to optimize software and product content translation. They monitor your repositories for new or updated strings and send them to Smartling for translation instantly—no manual file uploads required. You can even customize which repository, branch, and files to monitor. When the job is complete, the translated files are delivered back to your repositories automatically. 

This seamless process ensures quick synchronization of translated content, so you can scale rapidly and incorporate multilingual features into your development workflow with virtually zero effort. 

 

Conclusion

TL;DR: Repository connectors empower developers to build and release global products faster and easier than ever before. 

 

Repo connectors make it easy to integrate powerful, purpose-built translation management systems like Smartling with your existing tech stack—bringing best-in-class features like integrated glossaries, translation memory, tailored style guides, visual context, and automated string checks to your localization workflow. With quick, accurate synchronization of translated content, developer teams can maintain brand voice and preserve technical accuracy across all translation channels effortlessly.

As localization moves toward AI-driven translations, deeper integration with CI/CD tools, and self-healing pipelines, repository connectors are more than a convenience, they’re a must-have for every modern engineering stack. 

Ready to localize smarter? Watch our GitHub Connector demo, or our repository connector demo to see how you can integrate translation automation into your localization workflow in minutes. 

Why wait to translate smarter?

Chat with someone on the Smartling team to see how we can help you get more out of your budget by delivering the highest quality translations, faster, and at significantly lower costs.
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