Internationalization (i18n)
Building it so it can be translated later without breaking.
Definition
Preparing a product so it can be adapted to other languages and regions without engineering rework.
Craft convention. True because the industry converged on it. Breaking it costs familiarity, not correctness.
On this plate
In plain language
Building it so it can be translated later without breaking.
Example
Externalising strings, using logical CSS properties, and never concatenating sentence fragments.
Commonly confused with
Close neighbours that get substituted for each other. The difference is stated first, then the condition that picks one over the other.
Localisation (l10n)
TermAdapting a product for a specific language, region and set of conventions.
Key difference
Internationalisation is the engineering that makes translation and adaptation possible. Localisation is the work of adapting for one locale. You cannot localise a product that was never internationalised.
Use Internationalization (i18n) when
- You are designing layouts, dates, numbers or string handling.
- The question is whether the system can accommodate another locale.
- Nothing has been translated yet.
Use Localisation (l10n) when
- A locale has been chosen and content is being produced.
- The question is wording, imagery, currency or legal detail.
- The engineering groundwork is already in place.
Local chart
TERM·135 · Region X · Grid D6
This entry and the entries it is stated to connect with. Each line is labelled with what the connection means.
Continue from here
Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.
Deeper reading
The full entry behind this definition.
- Spacing SystemsFND·042 · UI foundation
- InternationalizationWRT·006 · UX writing
Nearby in the Atlas
Adjacent territory, found through shared tags rather than a stated link.