Cotrans is a collaborative online translator for manga images, built on manga-image-translator. It offers a web UI, a browser extension, and a userscript. A Cloudflare gateway worker hands work to a Python image worker. The public site is cotrans.touhou.ai. The license is GPL-3.0. Languages in the repo are TypeScript, Python, and Rust. Vue.js and pnpm sit on the frontend side.
Definition
Cotrans is a collaborative online image/manga translation platform built on manga-image-translator. It provides a web UI, a browser extension, and a worker-based architecture for collaborative translation. Hosted at cotrans.touhou.ai.
- Repository: https://github.com/VoileLabs/cotrans
- Website: https://cotrans.touhou.ai
- License: GPL-3.0
Key Metrics
- Stars: 270
- Forks: 24
- Language: TypeScript (primary), Python, Rust
- Architecture: Microservices (Gateway + Image Processing Workers)
Architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Cotrans Platform │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Frontend │ │ Browser Extension │ │
│ │ (Vue.js) │ │ (Userscript) │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ └───────────┬─────────────┘ │
│ └──────────┬──────────┘ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Gateway Worker │ │
│ │ (Cloudflare) │ │
│ └──────────┬──────────┘ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Image Processing │ │
│ │ Worker (Python) │ │
│ │ manga-image-trans │ │
│ └─────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Collaborative | Multiple users translate together |
| Web UI | Vue.js frontend |
| Browser extension | Chrome/Firefox extension |
| Userscript | Direct browser injection |
| Worker-based | Scalable processing architecture |
| Protobuf | Efficient communication |
Tech Stack
| Component | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend | Vue.js, TypeScript |
| Gateway | Cloudflare Workers |
| Processing | Python (manga-image-translator) |
| Communication | Protobuf |
| Package Manager | pnpm |
Installation
Use online
Go to cotrans.touhou.ai - no installation needed.
Self-host
pnpm install
# Docker-based microservices setup
# See the repository for details
Pros
| Pro | Description |
|---|---|
| No install needed | Use it directly on the web |
| Collaborative | Many users at the same time |
| Browser extension | Easy to integrate into workflow |
| Scalable | Worker-based architecture |
| Uses manga-image-translator | Leverages the flagship pipeline |
Cons
| Con | Description |
|---|---|
| GPL-3.0 | Copyleft license |
| Complex self-host | Complicated microservices setup |
| Dependent on manga-image-translator | Shares the same limitations |
| Hosting costs | Needs server resources |
When to Use
- Quick translation: you don't want to install anything, just use the web
- Collaborative projects: a team translating manga together
- Browser workflow: you want to translate directly in the browser
- Touhou community: built by and for the Touhou community
References:
See also: Manga Image Translator · Translator Comparison · Manga Translator Others