> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.trynawa.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Detect Language & Dialect

> Lightweight language and dialect detection. Returns in under 100ms -- no AI model call required.

Detect language, dialect, script, and text direction from any text input. Uses local NAGL modules only -- no external AI call, so responses return in under 100ms.

<Note>
  Cost: **\$0.002** per request (2 credits). Semantic cache hits are free (`X-NAWA-Cache: HIT`).
</Note>

## Request

### Headers

| Header          | Required | Description                                            |
| --------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| `Authorization` | Yes      | `Bearer nawa_live_sk_xxx` or `Bearer nawa_test_sk_xxx` |
| `Content-Type`  | Yes      | `application/json`                                     |

### Body parameters

| Parameter | Type   | Required | Description                               |
| --------- | ------ | -------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `text`    | string | Yes      | The text to detect. Max 5,000 characters. |

### Example request

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://api.trynawa.com/v1/detect \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer nawa_test_sk_xxx" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{"text": "وش رايكم بالمحتوى الجديد؟"}'
  ```

  ```typescript TypeScript theme={null}
  import { Nawa } from '@nawalabs/sdk'

  const nawa = new Nawa({ apiKey: process.env.NAWA_API_KEY })

  const { data, error } = await nawa.detect({
    text: 'وش رايكم بالمحتوى الجديد؟'
  })
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  from nawa import Nawa

  nawa = Nawa(api_key="your_api_key")

  result = nawa.detect(text="وش رايكم بالمحتوى الجديد؟")
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Response

### Success response (200)

```json theme={null}
{
  "success": true,
  "result": {
    "id": "det_nw_pon1yom9bkfe",
    "object": "detection",
    "text": "وش رايكم بالمحتوى الجديد؟",
    "language": "ar",
    "dialect": "gulf",
    "dialect_confidence": 0.95,
    "script": "arabic",
    "text_direction": "rtl",
    "word_count": 4,
    "fallback_used": false,
    "cached": false,
    "cost_usd": 0.002,
    "credits_used": 2
  },
  "errors": [],
  "request_id": "req_nw_4c11w71e44cb"
}
```

### Result fields

| Field                | Type           | Description                                                                          |
| -------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `text`               | string         | The original input text                                                              |
| `language`           | string         | Detected language: `ar`, `en`, or `mixed`                                            |
| `dialect`            | string or null | Detected Arabic dialect: `gulf`, `egyptian`, `levantine`, `msa`. Null if not Arabic. |
| `dialect_confidence` | number or null | Confidence score 0--1 for dialect detection. Null if not Arabic.                     |
| `script`             | string         | Script type: `arabic`, `latin`, or `mixed`                                           |
| `text_direction`     | string         | Text direction: `rtl` or `ltr`                                                       |
| `word_count`         | number         | Number of words in the input text                                                    |
| `fallback_used`      | boolean        | Always `false` for this endpoint (local detection only)                              |
| `cached`             | boolean        | Whether served from semantic cache                                                   |
| `cost_usd`           | number         | Cost in USD                                                                          |
| `credits_used`       | number         | Credits deducted                                                                     |

### Detection examples

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Gulf Arabic">
    **Input:** "وش رايكم بالمحتوى الجديد؟"
    **Result:** language: `ar`, dialect: `gulf`, confidence: 0.95, script: `arabic`, direction: `rtl`

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.trynawa.com/v1/detect \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer nawa_test_sk_xxx" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"text": "وش رايكم بالمحتوى الجديد؟"}'
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Egyptian Arabic">
    **Input:** "الفيديو ده جامد أوي"
    **Result:** language: `ar`, dialect: `egyptian`, script: `arabic`, direction: `rtl`

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.trynawa.com/v1/detect \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer nawa_test_sk_xxx" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"text": "الفيديو ده جامد أوي"}'
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="English">
    **Input:** "This is a great video"
    **Result:** language: `en`, dialect: `null`, script: `latin`, direction: `ltr`

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.trynawa.com/v1/detect \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer nawa_test_sk_xxx" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"text": "This is a great video"}'
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Mixed script">
    **Input:** "awesome محتوى"
    **Result:** language: `mixed`, dialect detected, script: `mixed`, direction: `rtl`

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST https://api.trynawa.com/v1/detect \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer nawa_test_sk_xxx" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"text": "awesome محتوى"}'
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Error responses

| Status | Type                    | When                           |
| ------ | ----------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| 400    | `invalid_request_error` | Missing `text`. Text too long. |
| 401    | `authentication_error`  | Invalid or missing API key     |
| 402    | `insufficient_credits`  | No credits remaining           |
| 429    | `rate_limit_error`      | Rate limit exceeded            |
| 500    | `api_error`             | Internal error                 |