Translation Management

Also Known As

TL;DR

Explanation

Translation management involves: string extraction (identifying all translatable strings in code), storage format (gettext .po files, JSON, XLIFF, ICU), translator workflow (tools like Weblate, Crowdin, Lokalise), and deployment (compiling .po to .mo, importing JSON). PHP implementations: gettext() + ngettext() with .po/.mo files (compiled binary), symfony/translation component (multiple formats), Laravel's __() helper with JSON or PHP array files. Key principles: use ICU MessageFormat for pluralisation and complex messages, never concatenate translated strings (word order differs between languages), and extract strings with context to help translators.

Common Misconception

Why It Matters

Common Mistakes

• String concatenation: __('You have') . $count . __('messages') — word order breaks in many languages.
• No context for translators — 'Open' can mean open door, open file, or business status.
• Not using plural forms — ngettext() or ICU plural rules; hardcoded English plurals break other languages.
• Translating without a process — strings get out of sync between code and translation files.

Code Examples

// Concatenation breaks word order:
echo __('Hello') . ' ' . $userName . ', ' . __('you have') . ' ' . $count . ' ' . __('messages');
// German: 'Hallo Alice, Sie haben 5 Nachrichten' — word order different
// Cannot be correctly translated by substituting individual words

// ICU MessageFormat — full sentence with placeholders:
$message = $formatter->format(
    '{greeting}, {name}! {count, plural, one {You have # message} other {You have # messages}}.',
    ['greeting' => __('Hello'), 'name' => $userName, 'count' => $count]
);
// Translator gets the full sentence with context
// Each language provides its own plural rules

// gettext with context:
$msg = pgettext('button label', 'Open'); // Different from pgettext('status', 'Open')

References

• ↗ https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/gettext.html

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