ADDT Technical Documentation
Deep dive into ADDT plugin's technical implementation and future plans
Table of Contents
Project Overview
The ADDT (Dev Docs Translation for Apple) plugin was born from developers' need to read Apple's official documentation. Although Apple provides rich development documentation, these documents are mainly provided in English, creating comprehension barriers for non-English speaking developers. ADDT aims to provide real-time, accurate Apple development documentation translation services to developers worldwide through a browser plugin, helping them learn and use Apple technology more efficiently. The project started in late 2024 and, after multiple iterations and optimizations, has become an indispensable tool in many developers' workflows.
Technical Implementation
Understanding the core technical implementation principles of the ADDT plugin
Document Parsing and Processing
The ADDT plugin adopts a request interception decorator pattern, precisely matching dictionaries and performing AI translation on document content after fully analyzing page data content and document data structure. We fully utilize the WebExtension API provided by browsers to implement core functions such as content script injection, background processing, and message passing. This process does not modify page element content, completely following Apple's existing data rendering methods for presentation, ensuring page purity and consistent, beautiful styling.
Translation Engine
Because it involves multiple languages, we use different large language models for translation based on different natural languages. Japanese, Chinese, and Traditional Chinese use QWen2.5-14B, QWen2.5-32B, and Grok-2, including a manual review and verification system. Korean translation was found to be unsatisfactory with all current large models after testing, so we use the more expensive Grok-2 for translation, with extensive manual correction. We plan to use Grok-2 and GPT-3.5 for Western languages such as Spanish, German, and French in the future to ensure translation quality. We have optimized the translation engine for technical documentation characteristics, especially for programming terms, API names, and technical concepts. The system maintains a professional terminology database to ensure accurate and consistent translation of technical terms. Additionally, we have implemented context-aware translation to make translation results more suitable for technical documentation context. We have also fine-tuned the model to ensure translation accuracy.
Performance Optimization and Caching
To provide a smooth user experience, the ADDT plugin uses Cloudflare's KV for authentication and R2 for translation dictionary storage. Relying on Cloudflare's global CDN edge network caching mechanism, when users visit the same page again, the plugin can immediately provide translation results from the nearest location. Additionally, the plugin adopts an asynchronous processing mode, where the translation process does not block normal page loading and interaction.
Tech Stack
Exploring the core technologies behind the ADDT plugin
Plasmo
The ADDT plugin is developed using the Plasmo framework, which provides component-based development mode and rich APIs, simplifying extension development and ensuring cross-browser compatibility.
Cloudflare
Cloudflare is an excellent global CDN provider, providing high-speed translation result caching services for the ADDT plugin.
TypeScript + HeroUI
TypeScript is an excellent type system, providing indispensable robustness for the ADDT plugin's rapid development. HeroUI is an excellent UI component library, providing beautiful UI design for the ADDT plugin.
Paddle
Paddle is an excellent payment platform, providing secure payment services for the ADDT plugin.
Future Plans
Exploring the development roadmap and upcoming features of the ADDT plugin
Expand Document Coverage
We plan to expand the coverage of translated documents to support more Apple platform technical documentation, including UIKit, AppKit, Core Data, Metal, and other frameworks. Particularly for new documentation on visionOS and Apple Vision Pro development, we will prioritize providing translation support to help developers quickly master these cutting-edge technologies. Additionally, we will add translation functionality for WWDC video subtitles, allowing developers to learn Apple technology more comprehensively.
Enhance Translation Quality
Improving translation quality is our ongoing focus. In the future, we will introduce more advanced translation models, especially large language models optimized for technical documentation. We also plan to establish a community review mechanism, allowing professional developers to participate in translation review and improvement, jointly improving translation accuracy. Additionally, we will develop a smarter terminology management system to ensure consistent translation of technical terms across different documents, enhancing user reading experience.
Cross-platform Support and Feature Expansion
We are working to extend the ADDT plugin to more browser platforms, especially Safari. Meanwhile, we plan to provide offline translation functionality, allowing developers to use translation services without network connection. In terms of features, we will add personalized setting options, allowing users to customize translation preferences, such as keeping specific terms untranslated, adjusting translation style, etc. We also plan to introduce collaborative translation functionality, allowing team members to share and synchronize translation settings.