multi-lang-readme
Scannednpx machina-cli add skill YangsonHung/awesome-agent-skills/multi-lang-readme --openclawMulti-Lang README
Create multilingual README files by translating an existing README while preserving markdown structure.
When to Use
Use this skill when the user asks for:
- Bilingual README creation (for example English + Chinese)
- Multilingual README generation
- Translating an existing README into one or more target languages
- Standardized language-switch links across README files
Do not use
Do not use this skill for:
- Translating arbitrary non-README documents
- Rewriting product requirements or legal documents
- Content generation tasks unrelated to README translation
Instructions
- Locate the source README file to translate (ask user if ambiguous).
- Confirm target language(s) and desired canonical README language.
- Translate content while preserving markdown, links, and code blocks.
- Write translated files using language suffix conventions.
- Add or update language-switch links at the top of each README.
- Verify filenames, link paths, and formatting before final output.
Supported Languages
| Code | Language |
|---|---|
| en | English |
| de | German |
| ja | Japanese |
| ko | Korean |
| zh-CN | Chinese |
Workflow
Step 1: Detect README
Find the source README:
- Check root directory for
README.md - If multiple README files exist, ask which file should be translated
Step 2: Read README Content
Read full markdown content, including:
- Title
- Badges
- All sections (Features, Installation, Usage, Contributing, License, etc.)
- Code blocks
- Links
Step 3: Confirm Target Language
Ask user which language(s) to translate to. Default assumptions:
- README.md should always be in English as the canonical version
- If current README is in Chinese (or any non-English), translate it to English first
- After English version is established, add other language versions as requested
If user says "create bilingual README" without specifying:
- Translate existing README to English first (replace or create README.md)
- Then add Chinese version (README.zh-CN.md)
Step 4: Translate with AI
Translate with these rules:
- Preserve markdown formatting
- Keep code blocks unchanged
- Translate section titles to target language
- Keep internal links (relative paths) as-is
- For external links, use target language anchor text if appropriate
Step 5: Create Translated README
Important: keep README.md as canonical English unless the user explicitly asks for another convention.
- English: README.md (create or replace with English version)
- German: README.de.md
- Japanese: README.ja.md
- Korean: README.ko.md
- Chinese: README.zh-CN.md
If the original README is non-English and user agrees, replace it with English README.md.
Step 6: Add Language Switcher
Update original README to include language switcher at the top:
**English** | [中文](README.zh-CN.md) | [Deutsch](README.de.md) | [日本語](README.ja.md) | [한국어](README.ko.md)
Add below the title or badges, before the main content.
Step 7: Update Translated README
Add reciprocal link in the translated README:
**[Original](README.md)** | [中文](README.zh-CN.md)
Language Code Reference
en → no suffix (README.md)
de → README.de.md
ja → README.ja.md
ko → README.ko.md
zh-CN → README.zh-CN.md
Common Triggers
- "create bilingual README"
- "create English and Chinese README"
- "translate README to Japanese"
- "add German version of README"
- "add README.zh-CN.md"
Source
git clone https://github.com/YangsonHung/awesome-agent-skills/blob/main/skills/en/multi-lang-readme/SKILL.mdView on GitHub Overview
Create translated READMEs in multiple languages while preserving markdown structure. It supports English, German (de), Japanese (ja), Korean (ko), and Chinese (zh-CN), enabling bilingual or multilingual project documentation with consistent language-switch links.
How This Skill Works
Identify the source README.md, confirm target language(s), and translate content while preserving markdown, links, and code blocks. Save each translation with the proper language suffix (e.g., README.ja.md) and update the language-switcher at the top of the original README and reciprocal links in translations.
When to Use It
- Requests bilingual or multilingual README output (e.g., English + Chinese).
- Generate a multilingual README for a project with multiple languages.
- Translate an existing README into one or more target languages while preserving structure.
- Add standardized language-switch links across README files.
- Create or update translated README files with proper suffixes and reciprocal links.
Quick Start
- Step 1: Locate the source README.md to translate.
- Step 2: Confirm target language(s) and translate content while preserving formatting.
- Step 3: Save translated files with language suffix and update language switchers and reciprocal links.
Best Practices
- Confirm the source README file to translate (and clarify ambiguity).
- Decide canonical language (default English) before translating additional versions.
- Preserve markdown structure, including headings, lists, code blocks, and links.
- Keep internal links intact and adjust external links where appropriate to target language context.
- Verify filenames, paths, and language-switch links after translation.
Example Use Cases
- Translate an English README to Japanese (README.ja.md) with switcher.
- Add Chinese version (README.zh-CN.md) to an existing project and link back to Original.
- Create bilingual English-Chinese README (README.md and README.zh-CN.md) with a language switcher.
- Generate German and Korean versions for a product that targets European and Korean markets (README.de.md, README.ko.md).
- Translate to German while preserving code blocks and internal links.
