/plushcap/analysis/cloudflare/internationalizing-the-cloudflare-dashboard

Internationalizing the Cloudflare Dashboard

What's this blog post about?

In order to provide a seamless user experience, it is essential that applications are available in multiple languages. This process of making an application ready for translation into different languages is known as internationalization (i18n). The following steps can be taken to achieve this: 1. **Extract all translatable strings**: All text displayed on the screen should be stored separately from the code, typically in a JSON file or similar format. This makes it easier to manage and update these strings without having to modify the application's source code. 2. **Ensure that all data is properly formatted for each locale**: Different countries have different conventions when it comes to formatting numbers, dates, times, currencies, etc. Therefore, any data displayed on the screen should be correctly localized based on the user's language and region settings. 3. **Translate all extracted strings into the desired languages**: This can either be done manually by human translators or automatically using machine translation services. In both cases, it is important to ensure that the translated text accurately conveys the intended meaning of the original English text. 4. **Integrate the translated strings back into the application code**: Once all strings have been translated, they need to be integrated back into the application so that users can see them when they use the app in their preferred language. 5. **Test and debug the localized version of the application**: After integrating the translated strings, it is crucial to thoroughly test the application to ensure that everything works correctly in all supported languages. Any bugs or issues should be identified and fixed as soon as possible. 6. **Continually update and maintain the translations over time**: As new features are added to the app, additional translatable strings may need to be extracted and translated into multiple languages. It is also important to periodically review and update existing translations to ensure that they remain accurate and up-to-date. By following these steps, developers can create applications that are accessible and easy to use for users all around the world.

Company
Cloudflare

Date published
July 23, 2020

Author(s)
James Culveyhouse

Word count
4940

Hacker News points
4

Language
English


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