Detect Language
Detects text language
Detect Language API identifies the language of any text input with confidence scores. It supports 164 languages and can detect multiple languages within a single text. The API is simple — send text, get back a list of detected languages ranked by confidence.
For OpenClaw agents, language detection is useful for routing multilingual messages, deciding which translation model to use, or tagging content by language. It's lightweight and focused on doing one thing well.
Tags: text-processing, nlp
Category: Text Analysis
Use Cases
- Route incoming multilingual messages to the appropriate translation workflow
- Tag content by language for multilingual content management
- Auto-detect language before choosing which NLP model to apply
Tips
- Use for high-volume batch language classification where LLM costs would add up
- The confidence score helps you decide when to ask the user to clarify their language
- Combine with LibreTranslate or DeepL for a complete detect-then-translate pipeline
Known Issues & Gotchas
- Very short texts (1-2 words) may not be reliably detected
- For most OpenClaw use cases, the LLM handles language detection natively
- Free tier resets daily — unused quota doesn't roll over
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my LLM already detect languages?
Yes, modern LLMs detect languages well. This API is useful when you need sub-millisecond detection without LLM round-trips, or for batch processing where token costs matter.
How many languages does it support?
164 languages. It handles major and many minority languages with confidence scores, so you can set thresholds for reliable detection.
Can it detect multiple languages in one text?
Yes. The API returns multiple detections ranked by confidence, which is useful for mixed-language content.