I have been working I18n localization. It has caused me to need to generate large list of messages in JSON, YAML and Java properties. So I got creative and made this little app to generate them. I call it Message Writer.
I18n, short for "Internationalization," is the process of designing and developing software applications in a way that makes them adaptable and culturally relevant for users from different regions and languages. The goal of internationalization is to create software that can be easily localized for different languages, cultures, and regions without requiring significant changes to the underlying codebase.
Key concepts and practices related to internationalization (I18n) include:
Localization (L10n): Localization is the process of adapting an application or content to a specific locale or language. It involves translating user interface elements, text, dates, numbers, and other content to make the application culturally relevant to a target audience.
Unicode and Character Encoding: Unicode is a character encoding standard that represents characters from virtually all written languages in a consistent manner. It allows software to handle different scripts and languages without encoding conflicts.
Text Externalization: In internationalized applications, text strings and other user-visible content are externalized into resource files or databases, making it easier to replace and translate them for different languages.
Date and Time Formatting: Internationalized applications consider regional date and time formats, including different date orders, time zones, and localized date representations.
Number and Currency Formatting: Different cultures use varying formats for numbers, currencies, and decimal separators. Internationalized applications adjust these formats based on the user's locale.
User Interface Layout: Internationalization also considers the layout of user interfaces, including support for right-to-left (RTL) languages, user interface elements positioning, and other visual aspects.
Character Set and Font Support: Ensuring that the application's fonts and character sets support the characters and scripts of various languages is important for proper rendering and readability.
Cultural and Regional Preferences: Applications should be sensitive to cultural norms and regional preferences, such as measurement units, address formats, and social conventions.
Implementing internationalization in software applications requires careful planning and coding practices from the beginning of the development process. By designing applications with internationalization in mind, developers can create software that can be easily localized for different languages and regions, expanding the reach and usability of the application for a global audience.