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What Is String Localization?

Writer's picture: Stefanos KarampalisStefanos Karampalis

Updated: Apr 30, 2022

Localization is the process of making a product more locale and adoptable to a particular community to meet the cultural and lingual needs of the population. Translation, text, layout, multimedia, font, character sets, locale data, product info, marketing material and graphics are the main elements of localization to target a specific market.


String localization is part of the process of a translation/localization of an application or software to different languages to make it acceptable to a particular community. It has different values depending upon the language in which the project is being generated. When localizing strings, it is considered appropriate to define the strings, so that translators can check out the grammatical rules of that certain language in which it is being translated.


CATEGORIES OF LOCALIZED STRINGS


1. Included in installation package's UI

Common to every MSI file

Expressed with advanced installer for several languages

Via translations page, language can be easily translated


2 Included in particular projects

Specified for a particular project and user

Not all strings are translated

Those strings which needed to be localized, are only attached


A unique identifier called the ‘Localization Identifier’ that is attached to each string is used to locate the value of string in different languages. The following are the 2 choices to attach an identifier:


1. Automatically

2. Manually


Localized strings work when the library uses the current interface language, then it loads and displays the strings matching with the default language. Localize strings into desired language, overwrite or upgrade the locale then download the latest localization strings from server to perform the action.


A custom method to get current interface based on the context can also be done. Sometimes when there are a lot of text strings in a project and they start to implement a language component, then a pseudo helper can help to speed up the finding and find what is done or what is not. Multiple languages can also be implemented by this.


Typescript support helps to get desired result by:

1. Defining an interface that extends localized string methods interface and has all the objects string’s keys

2. Defining the localized strings instance implements


Methods:

Equals: compare the specified object with current object

GetHashCode: serve as default hash function

GetType: get the type of current instance

MemberWiseClone: create shallow copy of current object

ToString: returns the actual string


String localization serve as a catalyst to withdraw cultural and lingual barriers that comes up in a way of international success. It helps to boost the sale, make people aware of the product, to increase the sales graph revenue, and to make product a global hit. A smooth access to the global market is also attributed to string localization, every business owner whether domestic or global should utilize localization to outrun competition globally.


Moreover, it mitigates cultural sensitivity, gains competitive advantage and strengthens global presence. Reaching out to new users and customers become easier via string localization and this ensure better understanding of product’s functionality.

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