We Need Your Help Translating The Qiskit Textbook
By Yuri Kobayashi, Leron Gil, and Robert Davis
Click here for instructions on how to join our new Textbook Localization Project, which enables anyone to help translate the Qiskit Textbook into any language.
The Qiskit team is committed to building a diverse, global, open-source community of individuals who are just as passionate about quantum computing as we are. Honoring that commitment means ensuring our users have the technical documentation and educational resources they need to make the most of Qiskit and other quantum computing tools. But we can’t be satisfied with only delivering those resources to members of our Community who are already fluent in English. Our goal has always been to make quantum computing accessible to everyone, regardless of what language they speak. Now, we’re entering an exciting new phase of that effort.
Since 2019, we’ve been working to make Qiskit more accessible to non-English speaking communities through our Qiskit Localization Project, an initiative originally launched to facilitate clear, readable, easy-to-understand translations of Qiskit documentation into languages other than English. So far, that translation effort has mostly centered on content intended for active Qiskit users — e.g., installation guides, circuit tutorials, API references, and other materials that are most valuable to those who are already prepared to get hands-on with Qiskit. But to ensure our localization efforts reach even those who are just beginning to learn about quantum computing, we’re now setting our sights on one of the most robust interactive educational resources in the entire field: The Qiskit Textbook. And we want your help.
Join the Qiskit Textbook Localization Project
As of today, we’re inviting all members of our open-source community to join the Qiskit Textbook Localization Project, an extension of the broader Qiskit Localization Project created specifically for our recently re-designed Qiskit Textbook. To enable this effort, we’re adopting a new platform called GitLocalize, which makes it easy to build localization infrastructure into projects like the Qiskit Textbook, which are already managed through GitHub. With GitLocalize, anyone can get started translating the Qiskit Textbook into any language.
If you already have experience contributing to projects through GitHub, regardless of whether or not they’re related to Qiskit, then navigating the GitLocalize platform will be a breeze. To get started making localization contributions to the recently redesigned Qiskit Textbook, simply make your way to its main GitHub repository, a.k.a. “the platypus repo,” and follow the instructions outlined here. Those who are still interested in contributing to translations of Qiskit documentation will be able to do so using the localization platform Crowdin, via the Qiskit Translations repo.
How to contribute
You don’t need any quantum expertise to get involved with textbook localization. All you need is enough proficiency in the languages you plan to work with to ensure that the context of the original source material is captured in your translations. However, if you do already have basic knowledge of quantum computing and Qiskit, there are a few additional ways you can contribute.
For example, in addition to translators who convert textbook content into other languages, we also need proofreaders who have enough knowledge of quantum computing and Qiskit basics to suggest different ways of explaining concepts more clearly in the target language. We’re also looking for volunteers who are willing to serve as translation leads, overseeing and motivating the rest of their team by sharing progress, setting direction and expectations, and recognizing good practice.
Making localization contributions is a great way to add value to the Qiskit Community while gaining an even deeper understanding of quantum computing. Many translators who have been involved with our original Qiskit Docs Localization Project report that the translation process helped them develop a more granular understanding — or even an entirely new perspective — on key concepts in quantum computing.
And if you’re looking to garner more material rewards for your localization contributions, we’ve got you covered. Localization contributors can apply here to earn a badge for their work. Contributors get a bronze level badge for translating and/or approving 5,000 words as a part of the Qiskit Localization Project, a silver badge for 8,000 words, a gold badge for 15,000 words, and a platinum badge once they reach 25,000.
Local beginnings. Global ambitions.
The Qiskit Localization Project originally began as a small pilot project organized by a group of quantum enthusiasts in Japan. In just over two years, that initiative has grown to comprise more than 350 volunteer translators working to convert Qiskit documentation into more than 20 languages, including Bengali, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Swahili, and more.
Japan’s quantum community has also been leading ongoing efforts with textbook translations. Last year, members of the quantum computing study group known as Quantum Tokyo led the first ever comprehensive translation of the original Qiskit Textbook into a language other than English, releasing the Japanese edition of the textbook in early March. That achievement showed just how powerful localization can be: The seven months that followed the publication of the Japanese Qiskit Textbook brought a 4x increase in Qiskit Textbook visitors from Japan as compared to the same period from the previous year.
Now, as we take the Qiskit Textbook even further by extending our textbook localization project to new languages and communities, it’s vitally important that we work together to build a welcoming quantum community and translate responsibly. That’s why, in addition to following the Qiskit Code of Conduct, we ask that our localization contributors hold themselves to even higher standards that are specific to the context of community translation efforts. Read more about our Translate Responsibly standards, here.
We’re excited to see our Qiskit Textbook evolve into a truly global resource that anyone can use to learn more about quantum computing. However, we need your help to reach that goal. Our Qiskit Community has already done incredible work translating our documentation across two dozen languages. Now that anyone can contribute to translation of the Qiskit Textbook as well, we’re eager to see where localization takes Qiskit, and quantum computing as a whole, next.
