How do I install the PDF Translate skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add aikong2024/pdf-translate in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is PDF Translate safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with PDF Translate?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is PDF Translate free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published PDF Translate?

AIKONG2024 (@aikong2024) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

PDF Translate by aikong2024 — Agent Skill

Name: PDF Translate
Author: AIKONG2024

PDF Translate

Translate a local text-based PDF through bounded JSON batches while preserving the source layout workflow. Use when the host can access local files, read and write UTF-8 files, run Python and shell commands, and the active chat model must perform the translation without provider APIs or model subprocesses.

AIKONG2024 Updated Sep 22, 2026

File contents

PDF translation

The active chat model is the translator. Bundled scripts only prepare, persist, render, and validate local PDF work; never call a model, provider API, or credentialed service. Default output is translated-only.

Compatibility boundary

Before starting, confirm that the host has local PDF access, UTF-8 file read/write access, Python process execution, shell access, and permission to run first-time dependency setup. If any capability is absent, stop and report: Unsupported host: pdf-translate requires local files, UTF-8 read/write, Python, shell access, and first-run setup. Do not attempt a fallback.

Workflow

Take the target language and page range from the request. Infer an omitted source language from the first text-bearing page; ask only if either language remains ambiguous. Use a writable <job-dir> and run:

<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py doctor --json
<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py setup --json
<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py prepare --source <pdf> --job-dir <job-dir> --source-lang <code> --target-lang <code> [--pages <range>] [--output-mode translated|bilingual] [--glossary <file>] [--style academic]
<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py next --job-dir <job-dir> --json
<active chat model reads batch_path and writes {"translations":[{"id":"...","text":"..."}]} only to the returned job-owned response_path>
<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py submit --job-dir <job-dir> --input <batch-response-path>
<repeat next/submit until state is READY_TO_RENDER>
<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py render --job-dir <job-dir> --json
<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py validate --job-dir <job-dir> --json

For an existing job, run <python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py status --job-dir <job-dir> --json instead of prepare, then continue from its next action. Follow this decision tree exactly: doctor/setup -> prepare or status -> next -> active model translation -> submit -> repeat -> render -> validate -> return PDF. render only stages output; validate publishes after all blocking structural checks pass. Return only the non-conflicting final PDF path reported by a successful validate, together with linguistic warnings and the first/middle/last preview pairs for visual inspection. Read translation policy before translating and job format before handling job JSON. Whenever work stops before completion, report the <job-dir> so a later task resumes from files rather than transcript history.

---name: pdf-translatedescription: Translate a local text-based PDF through bounded JSON batches while preserving the source layout workflow. Use when the host can access local files, read and write UTF-8 files, run Python and shell commands, and the active chat model must perform the translation without provider APIs or model subprocesses.---# PDF translationThe active chat model is the translator. Bundled scripts only prepare, persist, render, and validate local PDF work; never call a model, provider API, or credentialed service. Default output is translated-only.## Compatibility boundaryBefore starting, confirm that the host has local PDF access, UTF-8 file read/write access, Python process execution, shell access, and permission to run first-time dependency setup. If any capability is absent, stop and report: `Unsupported host: pdf-translate requires local files, UTF-8 read/write, Python, shell access, and first-run setup.` Do not attempt a fallback.## WorkflowTake the target language and page range from the request. Infer an omitted source language from the first text-bearing page; ask only if either language remains ambiguous. Use a writable `<job-dir>` and run:```text<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py doctor --json<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py setup --json<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py prepare --source <pdf> --job-dir <job-dir> --source-lang <code> --target-lang <code> [--pages <range>] [--output-mode translated|bilingual] [--glossary <file>] [--style academic]<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py next --job-dir <job-dir> --json<active chat model reads batch_path and writes {"translations":[{"id":"...","text":"..."}]} only to the returned job-owned response_path><python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py submit --job-dir <job-dir> --input <batch-response-path><repeat next/submit until state is READY_TO_RENDER><python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py render --job-dir <job-dir> --json<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py validate --job-dir <job-dir> --json```For an existing job, run `<python> pdf-translate/scripts/run.py status --job-dir <job-dir> --json` instead of `prepare`, then continue from its next action. Follow this decision tree exactly: `doctor/setup -> prepare or status -> next -> active model translation -> submit -> repeat -> render -> validate -> return PDF`. `render` only stages output; `validate` publishes after all blocking structural checks pass. Return only the non-conflicting final PDF path reported by a successful `validate`, together with linguistic warnings and the first/middle/last preview pairs for visual inspection. Read [translation policy](references/translation-policy.md) before translating and [job format](references/job-format.md) before handling job JSON. Whenever work stops before completion, report the `<job-dir>` so a later task resumes from files rather than transcript history.

Frequently asked questions