# Libretranslate [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🌎 Translation Services  
**Repository:** https://github.com/pipeworx-io/mcp-libretranslate  
**GitHub Stars:** 2  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 413  
**Views:** 1  
**Installs:** 0  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/libretranslate

## Description
LibreTranslate MCP — open-source machine translation (BYO endpoint)

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "libretranslate": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@pipeworx/mcp-libretranslate"],
    "env": {
      "PLATFORM_LIBRETRANSLATE_ENDPOINT": "",
      "PLATFORM_LIBRETRANSLATE_KEY": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `PLATFORM_LIBRETRANSLATE_ENDPOINT`, `PLATFORM_LIBRETRANSLATE_KEY` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What Libretranslate MCP server does

The Libretranslate MCP server exposes a small set of language-service operations through the Model Context Protocol. It connects to an instance that implements the LibreTranslate v1 API rather than providing its own translation engine.

The server is useful when an agent needs translation as part of a workflow and the deployment can be controlled or selected by the operator. Supported backends include self-hosted LibreTranslate installations, paid LibreTranslate hosting, and community instances that remain available. Public, keyless availability is not assumed.

## How it works

The Libretranslate MCP server forwards requests to the configured LibreTranslate-compatible endpoint using the standard v1 API shape. Its tools are:

- `translate(text, target, source?, format?)` translates text into a target language. The source language and content format are optional inputs.
- `list_languages()` retrieves the languages exposed by the configured instance.

Two operating modes are available. As a standalone package, it communicates over stdin and stdout and exposes only these pack-specific tools. Through the Pipeworx gateway, the scoped endpoint also lists shared gateway tools, including routing and discovery functions. The gateway can additionally be called over HTTP without an MCP client.

## Setup and configuration

A running LibreTranslate-compatible service is required. The endpoint may be a self-hosted deployment, a paid service such as libretranslate.com, or another compatible community instance. Some services require an API key.

For the gateway, configure `PLATFORM_LIBRETRANSLATE_ENDPOINT` with the service URL and optionally set `PLATFORM_LIBRETRANSLATE_KEY`. A gateway URL can instead carry BYO settings through the `_endpoint` and `_apiKey` query parameters. The standalone package is launched with `npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-libretranslate` and does not require a Pipeworx account or gateway round-trip.

MCP clients can connect to the gateway at `https://gateway.pipeworx.io/libretranslate/mcp`. The full Pipeworx gateway is also available when direct access to all catalog packs is preferred. For HTTP use without an MCP client, the translation operation is exposed at the corresponding `/v1/tools/libretranslate_translate` route.

## Tools and capabilities

The same tool set is available in standalone and gateway modes, although the gateway adds shared meta-tools to its tool listing.

The Libretranslate MCP server returns a structured missing-endpoint result when it is unconfigured instead of treating that condition as an upstream tool failure. This makes endpoint configuration an explicit deployment requirement. The gateway also provides `ask_pipeworx`, which can select and invoke tools from the wider Pipeworx catalog through a natural-language request.

## Limitations and notes

This server does not include a default translation endpoint. The README reports that the checked free public instances were unavailable, restricted, returned errors, or required a key, so operators must supply a working endpoint. Upstream availability, supported languages, authentication, and usage limits depend on that endpoint.

The gateway-scoped connection includes shared Pipeworx schemas in addition to the three LibreTranslate tools. The standalone connection avoids those extra tools but does not provide gateway-wide routing. The package is licensed under MIT.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/libretranslate/readme_