Show HN: Algebras Harness – Localize Apps/Games from Claude Code

Algebras released the Algebras Harness, an MCP-based localization workflow that lets coding agents including Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf and GitHub Copilot translate apps and games, run automated QA and write fluency scores to fluency_report.csv. The agent connects to the MCP server at https://platform.algebras.ai/api/mcp using an ALGEBRAS_API_KEY, follows one of five project-type flows (games, edtech, fintech, saas, general), and leaves results on a new git branch named algebras/localize-<date> for review. Fluency scoring is offered at four settings — none, isolated, context and both — with approximate per-string cost of N, 2N+10, N+10 and 2N+20 tokens for an N-word string, and Algebras notes the scores are a self-check of the agent's own translation rather than an independent review.

AI-powered localization workflow with automated QA and real-time fluency scoring via Algebras https://platform.algebras.ai . Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, or any agent that supports MCP tools. AI agents: asked to localize a project with Algebras? Read AGENTS.md https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent/blob/main/AGENTS.md and follow it step by step. In short: - Read the API key from ALGEBRAS API KEY environment or .env .- Connect the MCP server https://platform.algebras.ai/api/mcp with header x-api-key: <key .- Use the Project type: flow from plugin/PROJECT TYPES.md https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent/blob/main/plugin/PROJECT TYPES.md games , edtech , fintech , saas , or general .- Run the workflow in plugin/CLAUDE.md https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent/blob/main/plugin/CLAUDE.md : onboard → glossary → translate → qa. 1. Open platform.algebras.ai/translation/agent https://platform.algebras.ai/translation/agent , create an API key, and save it as ALGEBRAS API KEY in your project's environment or .env . 2. Open your repo in Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, or any coding agent, and paste the prompt from that page: Localize this project with Algebras. Follow the instructions in https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent Use the API key from ALGEBRAS API KEY. Project type: <games|edtech|fintech|saas|general Use the <type flow from the agent instructions. 3. The agent connects to Algebras, builds your localization context, translates, runs QA, and leaves the result on a new git branch algebras/localize-<date for you to review like any other change. To install the agent permanently in your tool instead plugin or MCP config , see Install install . | Type | Use it for | The flow emphasizes | |---|---|---| | games | Games | UI, quests, item names, lore | | edtech | Education products | Lessons, quizzes, course pages | | fintech | Payments, banking, wallets, insurance | Money states, fees, disclaimers, statements | | saas | Software products | App UI, emails, help center | | general | Any other project | Detected from your files, per file | Each flow is defined in plugin/PROJECT TYPES.md https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent/blob/main/plugin/PROJECT TYPES.md . During onboarding the agent asks which fluency checks to run, and records the answer in project.json add e.g. Fluency: context to the prompt to answer up front : | Setting | What is scored | Approx. cost per string of N words | |---|---|---| | none | Nothing | N | | isolated | A no-glossary translation, scored on its own context-free | 2N + 10 | | context | The written translation, scored with its neighbor strings and approved choices context-aware | N + 10 | | both | Both scores | 2N + 20 | Scores land in fluency report.csv . They are a self-check of the agent's own translation, not an independent review. Put any brief, style guide, character list, glossary, or screenshots in the project folder next to the translation files. Any file name is fine — the agent classifies files by their contents. What to include, and which facts each target language forces, is in plugin/CONTEXT REQUIREMENTS.md https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent/blob/main/plugin/CONTEXT REQUIREMENTS.md . Missing context doesn't block translation: the agent asks at most five questions and writes the rest to client questions.md for you to forward to the client. | Glossary | Extracted from your code and UI strings, checked against established translations, and confirmed by you. Stored on the Algebras platform. | | Translation memory | Translations already in your repo are kept and reused as the reference for terminology and style. They aren't translated again. | | Context files | Specs, docs, lore and style guides found in your repo are classified by what they cover and read before glossary extraction and each translation batch. | | Context facts | Who speaks, to whom, formal or informal, what a placeholder stands for — recorded only from a cited source context pack.json , context facts.jsonl . Open points go to client questions.md , and the translation avoids committing to them. | | Screenshots | Screenshots already in your repo are linked to strings by column or file name and used as context. Automatic capture is coming soon. | Note: Plugin commands require the Claude Code CLI claude in your terminal . They are not available in the Claude Code web app or desktop app. Run these commands in the Claude Code CLI from your project directory: claude plugin marketplace add algebras-ai/algebras-agent claude plugin install algebras-agent@algebras-agent Then start an interactive session and run the setup skill — it opens your browser for the API key, copies workflow files into your project, and saves the key to .env : claude /algebras-agent:setup The MCP server connects automatically once the plugin has your API key declared in plugin.json . If you need to reconfigure the key later: /plugin configure algebras-agent /reload-plugins Add the Algebras plugin marketplace, then install the plugin from Codex: codex plugin marketplace add algebras-ai/algebras-agent codex Inside Codex, open the plugin browser: /plugins Install algebras-agent , then run the setup skill: $setup Restart Codex when prompted. You can verify the Algebras MCP server from: /mcp The plugin does not start the MCP server until setup saves your Algebras API key. If /mcp shows an unauthenticated algebras startup error from an earlier install, remove the old plugin install or delete the stale algebras MCP entry, run $setup , and restart Codex. Run from your project root: curl -fsSL https://platform.algebras.ai/install | bash The script opens your browser for the API key, downloads the workflow files, and writes the MCP config automatically .cursor/mcp.json , .windsurf/mcp.json , or ~/.codex/config.toml . If your agent isn't auto-detected, pass --agent explicitly: curl -fsSL https://platform.algebras.ai/install | bash -s -- --agent cursor curl -fsSL https://platform.algebras.ai/install | bash -s -- --agent windsurf curl -fsSL https://platform.algebras.ai/install | bash -s -- --agent codex Once installed, open your project in your agent and send: Translate this project. Add a project type to pick a flow, e.g. Translate this project. Project type: saas . Or paste the full prompt from the Quick start quick-start — it works with or without the install step. The agent onboards your project, builds a glossary, translates, and runs QA, asking you to confirm at each step. In a git repository it works on its own branch and commits the result at the end. | File | Purpose | |---|---| | CLAUDE.md | Workflow for Claude Code and Claude Desktop | | AGENTS.md | Workflow for OpenAI Codex / Agents | | .cursorrules | Workflow for Cursor | | .windsurfrules | Workflow for Windsurf | | .github/copilot-instructions.md | Workflow for GitHub Copilot | | PROJECT TYPES.md | The games , edtech , fintech , saas and general flows | | CONTEXT REQUIREMENTS.md | Client context the agent expects, the fact model, and which facts each target language forces | | COMMON MISTAKES.md | Error taxonomy from real-world LQA | | skills/<phase /SKILL.md | The phases: onboard , glossary , translate , qa , plus optional glossary-dedupe | AGENTS.md https://github.com/algebras-ai/algebras-agent/blob/main/AGENTS.md at the repository root is the entry point for agents that follow this repo's URL without installing anything. Automate translation in any repo's CI pipeline — no manual setup required. 1. Add these secrets in your repo: Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions Secret Value ALGEBRAS API KEY From platform.algebras.ai/api-keys https://platform.algebras.ai/api-keys ANTHROPIC API KEY From console.anthropic.com https://console.anthropic.com 2. Copy .github/workflows/translate.example.yml from this repo into your project's .github/workflows/ and adjust the paths trigger to match your locale files. 3. Push to main or trigger via Actions → Translate → Run workflow . On each run the action: 1. Downloads the latest workflow prompt files from this repo 2. Checks project.json — exits early if all strings are already translated skip-if-complete: true 3. Writes a temporary MCP config pointing to the Algebras platform 4. Installs the Claude CLI and runs it non-interactively against your project 5. The agent runs the full workflow: Onboard → Glossary → Translate → QA skips phases that are already done 6. Detects changed files via git diff ; commits and pushes or opens a PR | Input | Default | Description | |---|---|---| | algebras-api-key | — | Required. Algebras API key | | llm-provider | anthropic | anthropic or gemini | | anthropic-api-key | — | Required if provider is anthropic | | gemini-api-key | — | Required if provider is gemini | | algebras-platform-url | https://platform.algebras.ai | Override for self-hosted | | commit-changes | true | Commit translated files | | create-pr | false | Open a PR instead of pushing directly | | skip-if-complete | true | Exit early if nothing needs translating | | project-type | general | Flow from PROJECT TYPES.md : games , edtech , fintech , saas , or general | | fluency | isolated | Fluency checks: none , isolated context-free , context context-aware , or both | | min-fluency-score | empty | Fail if any string scores below this 1–10 | - uses: algebras-ai/algebras-agent/.github/actions/algebras-translate@main with: algebras-api-key: ${{ secrets.ALGEBRAS API KEY }} anthropic-api-key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC API KEY }} commit-changes: "true" create-pr: "false" - Python 3.10+ for QA tools - An Algebras https://platform.algebras.ai account