PDFMathTranslate MCP
Translates scientific PDFs while keeping formulas, tables and layout intact, as a CLI, Docker image and MCP server for agents
- 38,408 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- AGPL-3.0
Extended access
Why this level
- Sends document content to an external translation service
- Some translation services require a paid API key
Install
- Works in
Manual install
pip install uv
uv tool install --python 3.12 pdf2zhInstall via uv, then translate with pdf2zh document.pdf
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- Sends document content to an external translation service
- Some translation services require a paid API key
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The tool translates scientific PDFs while keeping formulas, charts, the table of contents and annotations in place. It runs as a command line tool (pdf2zh document.pdf), a web UI, a Docker image, and an MCP server: the --mcp flag starts stdio mode, --mcp --sse starts SSE mode. Several translation services can be picked via the -s flag. The MCP tool translate_pdf currently hardcodes the Google service regardless of what service the plain CLI mode would use.
Who it is for. For researchers, students and technical editors who need a bilingual version of a scientific paper without losing the layout.
Good fit when
- You need to translate a scientific PDF while keeping formulas and page structure
- You want an agent to translate PDFs on demand through MCP
- You need batch translation via CLI or Docker without manual UI work
Not a fit when
- The document is not scientific and layout does not matter, a plain text translator is simpler
- No supported translation service is reachable and there is no time to set up a local option
Example request
Translate this scientific PDF to Russian, keeping the formulas and layoutMCP
- Transport
- stdio, sse
- Authentication
- not required
Limitations
Requires Python 3.11 through 3.12. Translation needs a configured translation service, and some require a paid API key. The AGPL-3.0 license imposes obligations on derivative works. The MCP mode currently always translates through Google, even if a different service is selected for the CLI.
How to disable. Remove the package: uv tool uninstall pdf2zh or pip uninstall pdf2zh, and remove the MCP server entry from the agent's configuration.
FAQ
Which translation services are supported?
The README lists several services selectable via the -s flag, but the translate_pdf MCP tool currently always uses Google regardless.
Does it work without a VPN from Russia?
It depends on the chosen translation service; Google, which the MCP mode hardcodes, is typically unreachable from Russia without a VPN.
How is PDFMathTranslate different from ordinary PDF translators?
It translates scientific PDFs with formulas, tables and diagrams kept in place, preserving the table of contents and annotations. It runs as a command line, web UI, Docker image and MCP server for agents.
How do I set up PDFMathTranslate with a local model?
Install with pip install uv and uv tool install --python 3.12 pdf2zh, then pick a translation service in the settings. The supported services and launch options are in the install block and the README.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
Related
MCP serversMCP PDF from ComPDF: the agent converts PDFs and images to Word, Excel, Markdown and JSON and merges, splits, protects and compares files via a cloud API
MinerU PDF Translate turns scientific PDFs into translated PDFs in another language with formulas and figures preserved.
MCP PDF for large documents: the agent searches by meaning and keyword across one file or a folder and reads only the pages, tables and scans it needs
An MCP server built on Docling: converts PDFs into structured documents, builds new ones and feeds them to RAG
An MCP server that turns PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, images, audio, web pages and YouTube transcripts into Markdown
PDF extraction with self-checking: unreadable pages get a flag and never vanish silently, plus an MCP server for Claude
README in short
The README describes the tool as scientific PDF translation that preserves formulas, charts, the table of contents and annotations, available as a CLI, a web UI, and Docker. The CLI options table separately lists --mcp for stdio mode and --mcp --sse for SSE mode. The project was accepted as a demo at EMNLP 2025, and a free public online service runs at pdf2zh.com. AGPL-3.0 licensed.