# How Language-Specific Mode Directories Work in career-ops > Explore how language-specific mode directories function in career-ops. Learn to activate multilingual AI assistance via session commands or profile settings for seamless developer support. - Repository: [Santiago Fernández de Valderrama/career-ops](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops) - Tags: internals - Published: 2026-06-13 --- **Career-ops supports multilingual AI assistance through language-specific subdirectories under `modes/`, activated either via session commands or persistent profile configuration.** The open-source career-ops repository by santifer provides localized AI assistant behaviors for job seekers through a modular directory structure. While default English mode files reside in the root `modes/` directory, the repository implements **language-specific mode directories** such as `modes/de/` and `modes/fr/` to support German and French markets. This architecture allows users to interact with the AI assistant in their native language while maintaining technical consistency across the codebase. ## Directory Structure and File Organization ### The Root modes/ Directory The default English (and Spanish) mode files live in `modes/` at the repository root. These files—including [`offer.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/offer.md), [`apply.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/apply.md), and [`pipeline.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/pipeline.md)—define the AI assistant's behavior for job evaluation, application assistance, and pipeline management. When no language override is specified, the system sources mode files from this location. ### Language-Specific Subdirectories For non-English markets, career-ops provides dedicated subdirectories following the pattern `modes//`. Currently implemented examples include: - `modes/de/` – German localization - `modes/fr/` – French localization Each directory contains translated versions of high-impact modes. For example, [`modes/de/angebot.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/de/angebot.md) provides the German equivalent of [`offer.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/offer.md), while [`modes/fr/postuler.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/fr/postuler.md) handles French application assistance. The CLI can target these files directly using path arguments (e.g., `node career-ops.mjs --mode modes/de/angebot.md`). ### Shared Context Files Every language directory includes a localized [`_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/_shared.md) file containing common archetypes, global rules, and market-specific details. The hierarchy follows this pattern: - [`modes/_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/_shared.md) – English base context - [`modes/de/_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/de/_shared.md) – German translated context - [`modes/fr/_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/fr/_shared.md) – French translated context These shared files ensure consistent terminology and cultural context across all modes within a specific language pack. ## Translated Modes vs. Language-Agnostic Tools ### High-Impact Translated Modes Only the four primary workflow modes receive full translation treatment in each language pack: 1. **Offer evaluation** – [`oferta.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/oferta.md) (EN/ES) translates to [`angebot.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/angebot.md) (DE) and [`offre.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/offre.md) (FR) 2. **Apply assistant** – [`apply.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/apply.md) (EN) translates to [`bewerben.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/bewerben.md) (DE) and [`postuler.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/postuler.md) (FR) 3. **Pipeline** – [`pipeline.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/pipeline.md) remains the filename but contains localized content 4. **Shared context** – [`_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/_shared.md) with market-specific localization This selective approach ensures core job-search workflows feel native to the user while minimizing maintenance overhead. ### Technical Tooling Modes Language-agnostic modes remain in the root `modes/` directory and are not duplicated. These include `scan`, `pdf`, `tracker`, and other utility modes that primarily contain commands, file paths, or code snippets. Since these modes interact with technical infrastructure rather than natural language processing, they function identically across all language configurations. ## Activation Methods ### Per-Session Command Activation Users can activate language-specific modes for a single conversation by instructing the AI assistant at the start of the chat. For example: ```text Nutze ab jetzt die deutschen Modi unter modes/de/. ``` Or for French: ```text Utilise les modes francais sous modes/fr/. ``` When activated this way, the assistant reads mode files from the specified subdirectory instead of the default `modes/` root for the duration of that session. ### Persistent Profile Configuration For permanent language preference, users configure the [`config/profile.yml`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/config/profile.yml) file with a language block: ```yaml language: primary: de modes_dir: modes/de ``` After setting `language.modes_dir` to point to the desired language directory (e.g., `modes/de` or `modes/fr`), users should remind the AI in the first session to respect this field. Subsequent interactions will automatically load modes from the specified directory. Note that this `language.modes_dir` key represents a repository convention rather than hard-coded schema, allowing maintainers flexibility in configuration naming. ## Implementation Details and Conventions ### Preserving English Technical Identifiers Across all language packs, **technical identifiers remain in English** to ensure CLI and script compatibility. This includes file references like [`cv.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/cv.md), status values such as `Evaluated` and `Applied`, and tool names like `Playwright` or `WebFetch`. The translation layer focuses on user-facing instructions and natural language processing while keeping code-facing strings stable. ### Vocabulary Consistency Each language directory includes a README (e.g., [`modes/de/README.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/de/README.md) or [`modes/fr/README.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/fr/README.md)) containing a vocabulary cheat-sheet mapping English terms to preferred local equivalents. For instance, German users will see "Job posting" mapped to "Stellenanzeige," while French users see "Job posting" mapped to "Offre d'emploi." When extending or customizing modes, maintainers should follow these lexicons to ensure tonal consistency with the existing language pack. ## Summary - **Language-specific mode directories** live under `modes//` (e.g., `modes/de/`, `modes/fr/`) and contain translated versions of core workflow files. - **Four primary modes** receive translation treatment: offer evaluation, apply assistant, pipeline, and shared context, while technical tooling modes remain in the root `modes/` directory. - **Activation** occurs either through per-session natural language commands or by setting `language.modes_dir` in [`config/profile.yml`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/config/profile.yml) for persistent configuration. - **Technical identifiers** (status values, tool names, file references) remain English across all language packs to maintain script compatibility. - **Shared context files** ([`_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/_shared.md)) provide localized archetypes and market rules for each supported language. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What files are included in language-specific mode directories? Each language directory contains translated versions of the four primary workflow modes: offer evaluation ([`angebot.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/angebot.md)/[`offre.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/offre.md)), application assistance ([`bewerben.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/bewerben.md)/[`postuler.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/postuler.md)), pipeline management ([`pipeline.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/pipeline.md)), and shared context ([`_shared.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/_shared.md)). Technical modes like [`scan.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/scan.md), [`pdf.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/pdf.md), and [`tracker.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/tracker.md) remain in the root `modes/` directory and are not duplicated, as they contain primarily code and file paths rather than natural language content. ### How do I switch to German or French modes permanently? Create or edit [`config/profile.yml`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/config/profile.yml) to include a `language` block specifying the `primary` language code and `modes_dir` path. For German, set `modes_dir: modes/de`; for French, use `modes_dir: modes/fr`. After configuring this file, inform the AI assistant in your first session to respect the `language.modes_dir` setting, and it will automatically load files from that directory for all future interactions. ### Why do some mode files remain in English only? Technical tooling modes (such as `scan`, `pdf`, and `tracker`) contain commands, CLI instructions, and code references that function identically regardless of user language. Translating these would create maintenance overhead without improving functionality, as the AI processes these as technical instructions rather than conversational content. Only user-facing conversational modes receive full translation. ### Where is the language configuration stored? The primary configuration resides in [`config/profile.yml`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/config/profile.yml) under the `language` key, specifically using `language.primary` for the language code and `language.modes_dir` for the directory path. Additionally, each language pack includes its own README (e.g., [`modes/de/README.md`](https://github.com/santifer/career-ops/blob/main/modes/de/README.md)) documenting activation instructions and vocabulary standards for that specific language.