Violin - An open-source end-to-end AI video translation tool by Kevin Lin of Oxford University.

What is Violin?

Violin is an open-source, end-to-end AI video translation tool developed by Kevin Lin, a postdoctoral researcher at Oxford University, breaking down language barriers for high-quality video content. Integrating Whisper speech recognition, large language model translation, and TTS speech synthesis, it can automatically translate and dub videos in any language into 33 target languages, with the output audio highly aligned with the on-screen lip movements. The project is open-source under the MIT license and supports three usage methods: CLI command line, FastAPI web interface, and Claude Code Skill. It includes six built-in translation styles, such as academic, children's, and news, meeting diverse needs from education to entertainment.

Violin's main functions

• Fully automated translation and dubbing production lineOne-click completion of speech recognition (Whisper) → text translation (LLM) → speech synthesis (TTS) → audio-video alignment, outputting natural and fluent target language video.
• Supports 33 target languagesIt covers mainstream languages such as Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, and German, and has a pre-set native-level sound library for high-frequency languages.
• Switch between 6 translation stylesIt supports various styles such as standard, children's, academic, casual, storytelling, and news broadcasting, allowing the same video to be adapted to different audiences.
• Video Q&AUsers can ask questions directly about the video content, and the system will provide intelligent answers by combining subtitles and sampled frames, acting as a "second brain" for the video.
• Natural Language Sound SelectionNo need to manually select timbres; simply describe the desired vocal characteristics in plain language, and LLM will automatically match the optimal sound from its timbre library.
• Flexible switching between multiple backendsIt is integrated with Together AI (DeepSeek V4 Pro + Cartesia Sonic 3) by default, and can be switched to service providers such as OpenAI or ElevenLabs with one click.

How to use Violin

• CLI command lineExecute after installation violin lecture.mp4 lecture_zh.mp4 --language Chinese Single-file translation can be completed in this way.
• FastAPI Web ApplicationLocal startup violin-api The service is operated through a browser-based visual interface, while also exposing a REST API for third parties to call.
• Claude Code SkillAfter installing Violin Skill, you can invoke translation tasks directly using natural language commands within the Claude Code session.
• Custom configuration: Default parameters (such as model service provider, tone, translation style) can be overridden through YAML configuration files. You only need to declare the key-value pairs that need to be modified.
• Production DeploymentThe project provides ready-made... docker-compose.yml + CaddyfileIt can be quickly deployed to your own servers or cloud platforms.

Violin's project address

• Github repositoryhttps://github.com/shang-zhu/violin
• Online experiencehttps://www.violin-ai.com/

Violin's core advantages

• End-to-end automationNo need for manual audio splitting or timeline alignment; the entire process is automated by AI, significantly reducing the barrier to video localization.
• Lip rhythm alignmentThe output audio matches the lip movements and rhythm of the original video, resulting in a natural viewing experience and avoiding the "sound and image misalignment" problem of traditional dubbing.
• Multi-style semantic adaptationThe same source video can generate translated versions with different semantic depths, such as children's version, academic version, and news version, making it a versatile source.
• Open source and scalableThe MIT license allows for commercial use and secondary development, and the code structure is clear, making it easy to integrate into one's own content production pipeline.
• Enterprise-level deployment supportBuilt-in Docker and reverse proxy configuration, supporting private deployment to meet data security and high-frequency call requirements.

Violin's Competitive Product Comparison

Application scenarios of Violin

• Localization of online educationTranslate high-quality courses from platforms such as Coursera and YouTube into Chinese or other languages to lower the learning threshold.
• Cross-border e-commerce marketingQuickly generate multilingual product introduction videos, adapted for different regional markets such as Amazon and TikTok Shop.
• International Conferences and SpeechesProvide real-time or offline multilingual subtitles and dubbing for academic conferences and industry summits, expanding their reach.
• Adapted from children's contentSwitching adult-oriented science videos to "children's style" automatically generates age-appropriate explanations and voices.
• Corporate internal trainingMultinational corporations translate standardized training materials into the native languages of their employees in different regions to ensure consistent information delivery.