How to Sync Translation Files with GitHub, Google Drive & More

The standard workflow for editing translation files is fragmented: clone the repo, find the locale file, open it in an editor, make changes, commit, push. For non-developers — translators, content managers, product owners — this workflow is either inaccessible or requires technical handholding. For developers, it's just tedious.

Cloud integration for translation files closes this loop: open the file from wherever it's stored, edit it in a proper UI, and push the changes back — all in one tool.

GitHub Integration for Translation Files

For developer teams, translation files typically live in the project repository. The GitHub integration workflow looks like this:

1. Connect your GitHub account once via OAuth.
2. Browse your repositories and branches to find the locale file.
3. Open it in the editor — Visual, Flat, or Code mode.
4. Make your changes: add keys, translate values, fix errors.
5. Push directly back to GitHub with a commit message. Optionally create a new branch and open a pull request — without leaving the browser.

This is significantly faster than the clone-edit-commit-push cycle, especially for small localization fixes or adding a few new keys. And it means translators can make changes directly without needing Git access or a local development environment.

Creating Pull Requests from the Editor

When you push changes back to GitHub, you can choose to:

• Commit directly to the current branch — Fast and simple for teams that trust the change or have a separate review process.
• Create a new branch + pull request — The recommended approach for production repositories. You write the commit message and PR description, and the PR is created automatically. A developer can review and merge it through the normal GitHub flow.

Google Drive Integration

For teams that use Google Drive as a file hub, translation files stored there can be imported directly into the editor, modified, and uploaded back — overwriting the existing file or saving as a new version.

This is particularly useful for translation workflows where the source file is maintained by the product team in Google Drive and distributed to translators. The translator connects their account, opens the file, translates, and saves it back — no email attachments, no manual version tracking.

Dropbox and OneDrive Integration

The same pattern applies to Dropbox and OneDrive. Browse your folder structure, select the JSON or YAML file, edit it in the browser, and upload it back to the same location. All four cloud providers use OAuth for authentication — your credentials are never stored in plaintext.

Security: How Credentials Are Handled

Connecting to GitHub or any cloud provider requires OAuth — you authorize access through the provider's own login flow, not by entering passwords anywhere. The resulting access token is encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM before being stored. You can disconnect any integration at any time from the cloud settings page, which deletes the stored token.

Who Benefits from Cloud Integration

• Translators without Git access — Can work directly on locale files from Google Drive or Dropbox without needing a developer to act as an intermediary.
• Developers doing quick localization fixes — Push a small change without the full clone-edit-commit cycle.
• Product managers reviewing translations — Can open the current locale file, verify the content, and push corrections without developer assistance.
• Agencies managing multiple client projects — Connect multiple repositories or Drive folders and switch between them in the same tool.

Connect Your Cloud Accounts

Glot's Cloud integration supports GitHub, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Connect once, browse your files, edit, and push back — all from the browser. The Import and Export buttons in the editor toolbar let you pull files in from any connected provider and push them back when you're done.

Translation file management doesn't have to involve manual downloads, re-uploads, and Git command-line workflows. Cloud integration turns the edit loop into a single tool, making it accessible to the whole team — not just the developers.