How do you localize your application?

I’ve had the opportunity to work on several international applications in my career in software engineering and product management. Here are some practical considerations for localization and internationalization that I hope will help you make the right decisions around this topic for your organization. If I’m forgetting something please let me know.??

Early Planning - Frequently, the consideration of localization is relegated to an afterthought or deferred to a later stage when businesses are poised to expand into new territories or accommodate additional languages. While this approach may be prudent for startups with limited resources or those with minimal prospects for international expansion, other organizations would be wise to recognize the value of preparing in advance. Allocating resources towards tasks such as segregating strings into distinct files and contemplating aspects like date formats and currencies represents a modest investment that promises substantial facilitation during subsequent transitions. This isn't true just for engineering or product management but is something that should be considered for all facets of a business, including legal, operations, design, marketing, finance and more.

String Externalization - Maintaining a dedicated resource or strings file for localization purposes is paramount. Typically housed separately from the core codebase, this resource file can be independently updated, facilitating collaboration among various organizational units. Maintaining an external strings file will also help you to easily see what gaps you might have in the languages you currently support and give you some sense of the effort necessary to support additional languages should you choose to do so.

Localizing Images - Be sure that any image assets you use in your applications are appropriate and relevant for the markets you’re targeting. Some platforms, like iOS, have standardized libraries of images that allow you to take into consideration where they will be presented.?

Internationalization (i18n) and Localization (l10n) Design Considerations - It is imperative to anticipate variations in string length during translation across different languages. Design layouts should accommodate potential expansion or contraction resulting from linguistic differences. For instance, languages such as German, known for longer expressions, can serve as a benchmark during design testing. Additionally, factors such as reading direction, as observed in languages like Arabic and Hebrew, necessitate adjustments to interface designs.

Avoiding String Concatenation - String concatenation, although a nuanced subject, is generally discouraged due to several inherent pitfalls. Developers may encounter issues related to word order, punctuation, and vulnerability to string format vulnerabilities across languages. Employing separate, unconcatenated strings enables more flexible localization and mitigates security risks associated with certain programming language commands.

Utilization of Unicode - Leveraging Unicode standards facilitates comprehensive support for diverse writing systems worldwide. UTF-8, renowned for its efficiency and compactness, is widely favored, ensuring compatibility with Latin-based, Arabic, and most Asian alphabets, particularly in web-based applications.

Integration of ICU (International Components for Unicode) - In C/C++ or Java development projects, the incorporation of ICU streamlines various aspects of text formatting, time calculations, and other considerations pertinent to Unicode-based localization efforts.

Localization Services - An array of localization services available in the market offer expedited translation services, often maintaining remote copies of external strings files for updates. These services typically require contextual aids such as screenshots and process flow diagrams to ensure accurate translations and accommodate spatial constraints within the user interface.

Testing - Rigorous testing is imperative to validate the internationalization and localization aspects of software applications. The extent of testing rigor may vary based on the criticality of application sections and stakeholders' tolerance for localization issues. Collaboration with organizational stakeholders is essential to establish testing criteria and resolve discrepancies.

Local Laws and Regulations - There may be local laws around display of messages to users, what information you can capture and store, what information you must share during the checkout process, what terms and conditions you must call out, and other business-related rules for which you must adhere. You might think that these aren't necessarily an internationalization or localization issue but where you choose to store this logic so that it is easily understandable and updateable is important.

App Store Considerations - Often overlooked, considerations for international app store versions warrant meticulous attention. Crafting culturally sensitive marketing text devoid of local colloquialisms and researching region-specific keywords are essential for maximizing app visibility and resonance across diverse markets. Also be sure that the screenshots that you include with your app store submission is appropriate and targeted for the market. Showing a map in your application screenshot for San Francisco is not likely to resonate in the same way if someone is in Japan or Madrid, for example.?

The Key Takeaway - You should approach your application development with a strategy for how you want to handle localization and internationalization so that you’re not having to play catchup later on. Have a discussion within your organization and then make practical decisions on what you feel comfortable with depending on where your organization is today and where you plan to be a year or two down the road. If nothing else, I would recommend using an external strings file and not hard-coding text in your codebase wherever possible. Just doing that alone will save you much effort later.