How to properly internationalize a React application using i18next

This page summarizes the projects mentioned and recommended in the original post on dev.to

Our great sponsors
  • Appwrite - The open-source backend cloud platform
  • InfluxDB - Collect and Analyze Billions of Data Points in Real Time
  • Onboard AI - Learn any GitHub repo in 59 seconds
  • i18next-browser-languageDetector

    language detector used in browser environment for i18next

    import i18n from 'i18next'; import { initReactI18next } from 'react-i18next'; import LanguageDetector from 'i18next-browser-languagedetector'; import Backend from 'i18next-http-backend'; import { DateTime } from 'luxon'; i18n // i18next-http-backend // loads translations from your server // https://github.com/i18next/i18next-http-backend .use(Backend) // detect user language // learn more: https://github.com/i18next/i18next-browser-languageDetector .use(LanguageDetector) // pass the i18n instance to react-i18next. .use(initReactI18next) // init i18next // for all options read: https://www.i18next.com/overview/configuration-options .init({ debug: true, fallbackLng: 'en', interpolation: { escapeValue: false, // not needed for react as it escapes by default format: (value, format, lng) => { if (value instanceof Date) { return DateTime.fromJSDate(value).setLocale(lng).toLocaleString(DateTime[format]) } return value; } }, resources: { en: { translation: { description: { part1: 'Edit <1>src/App.js and save to reload.', part2: 'Learn React' }, counter: 'Changed language just once', counter_plural: 'Changed language already {{count}} times', footer: { date: 'Today is {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_morning: 'Good morning! Today is {{date, DATE_HUGE}} | Have a nice day!', date_afternoon: 'Good afternoon! It\'s {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_evening: 'Good evening! Today was the {{date, DATE_HUGE}}' } } }, de: { translation: { description: { part1: 'Ändere <1>src/App.js und speichere um neu zu laden.', part2: 'Lerne React' }, counter: 'Die Sprache wurde erst ein mal gewechselt', counter_plural: 'Die Sprache wurde {{count}} mal gewechselt', footer: { date: 'Heute ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_morning: 'Guten Morgen! Heute ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}} | Wünsche einen schönen Tag!', date_afternoon: 'Guten Tag! Es ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_evening: 'Guten Abend! Heute war {{date, DATE_HUGE}}' } } } } }); export default i18n;

  • i18next-http-backend

    i18next-http-backend is a backend layer for i18next using in Node.js, in the browser and for Deno.

    import i18n from 'i18next'; import { initReactI18next } from 'react-i18next'; import LanguageDetector from 'i18next-browser-languagedetector'; import Backend from 'i18next-http-backend'; import { DateTime } from 'luxon'; i18n // i18next-http-backend // loads translations from your server // https://github.com/i18next/i18next-http-backend .use(Backend) // detect user language // learn more: https://github.com/i18next/i18next-browser-languageDetector .use(LanguageDetector) // pass the i18n instance to react-i18next. .use(initReactI18next) // init i18next // for all options read: https://www.i18next.com/overview/configuration-options .init({ debug: true, fallbackLng: 'en', interpolation: { escapeValue: false, // not needed for react as it escapes by default format: (value, format, lng) => { if (value instanceof Date) { return DateTime.fromJSDate(value).setLocale(lng).toLocaleString(DateTime[format]) } return value; } }, resources: { en: { translation: { description: { part1: 'Edit <1>src/App.js and save to reload.', part2: 'Learn React' }, counter: 'Changed language just once', counter_plural: 'Changed language already {{count}} times', footer: { date: 'Today is {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_morning: 'Good morning! Today is {{date, DATE_HUGE}} | Have a nice day!', date_afternoon: 'Good afternoon! It\'s {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_evening: 'Good evening! Today was the {{date, DATE_HUGE}}' } } }, de: { translation: { description: { part1: 'Ändere <1>src/App.js und speichere um neu zu laden.', part2: 'Lerne React' }, counter: 'Die Sprache wurde erst ein mal gewechselt', counter_plural: 'Die Sprache wurde {{count}} mal gewechselt', footer: { date: 'Heute ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_morning: 'Guten Morgen! Heute ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}} | Wünsche einen schönen Tag!', date_afternoon: 'Guten Tag! Es ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_evening: 'Guten Abend! Heute war {{date, DATE_HUGE}}' } } } } }); export default i18n;

  • Appwrite

    Appwrite - The open-source backend cloud platform. Add Auth, Databases, Functions, and Storage to your product and build any application at any scale while using your preferred coding languages and tools.

  • react-tutorial

    Now your app looks still the same, but your translations are separated. If you want to support a new language, you just create a new folder and a new translation json file. This gives you the possibility to send the translations to some translators. Or if you're working with a translation management system you can just synchronize the files with a cli.

  • i18next-locize-backend

    A simple i18next backend for locize.com which can be used in Node.js, in the browser and for Deno.

    import i18n from 'i18next'; import { initReactI18next } from 'react-i18next'; import LanguageDetector from 'i18next-browser-languagedetector'; import Backend from 'i18next-locize-backend'; import LastUsed from 'locize-lastused'; import { locizePlugin } from 'locize'; import { DateTime } from 'luxon'; const isProduction = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'; const locizeOptions = { projectId: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_PROJECTID, apiKey: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_APIKEY, // YOU should not expose your apps API key to production!!! referenceLng: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_REFLNG, version: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_VERSION }; if (!isProduction) { // locize-lastused // sets a timestamp of last access on every translation segment on locize // -> safely remove the ones not being touched for weeks/months // https://github.com/locize/locize-lastused i18n.use(LastUsed); } i18n // locize-editor // InContext Editor of locize .use(locizePlugin) // i18next-locize-backend // loads translations from your project, saves new keys to it (saveMissing: true) // https://github.com/locize/i18next-locize-backend .use(Backend) // detect user language // learn more: https://github.com/i18next/i18next-browser-languageDetector .use(LanguageDetector) // pass the i18n instance to react-i18next. .use(initReactI18next) // init i18next // for all options read: https://www.i18next.com/overview/configuration-options .init({ debug: true, fallbackLng: 'en', interpolation: { escapeValue: false, // not needed for react as it escapes by default format: (value, format, lng) => { if (value instanceof Date) { return DateTime.fromJSDate(value).setLocale(lng).toLocaleString(DateTime[format]) } return value; } }, backend: locizeOptions, locizeLastUsed: locizeOptions, saveMissing: !isProduction // you should not use saveMissing in production }); export default i18n;

  • locize-lastused

    Using API lastUsed using in node.js, in the browser and for deno.

    import i18n from 'i18next'; import { initReactI18next } from 'react-i18next'; import LanguageDetector from 'i18next-browser-languagedetector'; import Backend from 'i18next-locize-backend'; import LastUsed from 'locize-lastused'; import { locizePlugin } from 'locize'; import { DateTime } from 'luxon'; const isProduction = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'; const locizeOptions = { projectId: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_PROJECTID, apiKey: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_APIKEY, // YOU should not expose your apps API key to production!!! referenceLng: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_REFLNG, version: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_VERSION }; if (!isProduction) { // locize-lastused // sets a timestamp of last access on every translation segment on locize // -> safely remove the ones not being touched for weeks/months // https://github.com/locize/locize-lastused i18n.use(LastUsed); } i18n // locize-editor // InContext Editor of locize .use(locizePlugin) // i18next-locize-backend // loads translations from your project, saves new keys to it (saveMissing: true) // https://github.com/locize/i18next-locize-backend .use(Backend) // detect user language // learn more: https://github.com/i18next/i18next-browser-languageDetector .use(LanguageDetector) // pass the i18n instance to react-i18next. .use(initReactI18next) // init i18next // for all options read: https://www.i18next.com/overview/configuration-options .init({ debug: true, fallbackLng: 'en', interpolation: { escapeValue: false, // not needed for react as it escapes by default format: (value, format, lng) => { if (value instanceof Date) { return DateTime.fromJSDate(value).setLocale(lng).toLocaleString(DateTime[format]) } return value; } }, backend: locizeOptions, locizeLastUsed: locizeOptions, saveMissing: !isProduction // you should not use saveMissing in production }); export default i18n;

  • locize

    locize InContextEditor postMessage API

    import i18n from 'i18next'; import { initReactI18next } from 'react-i18next'; import LanguageDetector from 'i18next-browser-languagedetector'; import Backend from 'i18next-locize-backend'; import LastUsed from 'locize-lastused'; import { locizePlugin } from 'locize'; import { DateTime } from 'luxon'; const isProduction = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'; const locizeOptions = { projectId: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_PROJECTID, apiKey: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_APIKEY, // YOU should not expose your apps API key to production!!! referenceLng: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_REFLNG, version: process.env.REACT_APP_LOCIZE_VERSION }; if (!isProduction) { // locize-lastused // sets a timestamp of last access on every translation segment on locize // -> safely remove the ones not being touched for weeks/months // https://github.com/locize/locize-lastused i18n.use(LastUsed); } i18n // locize-editor // InContext Editor of locize .use(locizePlugin) // i18next-locize-backend // loads translations from your project, saves new keys to it (saveMissing: true) // https://github.com/locize/i18next-locize-backend .use(Backend) // detect user language // learn more: https://github.com/i18next/i18next-browser-languageDetector .use(LanguageDetector) // pass the i18n instance to react-i18next. .use(initReactI18next) // init i18next // for all options read: https://www.i18next.com/overview/configuration-options .init({ debug: true, fallbackLng: 'en', interpolation: { escapeValue: false, // not needed for react as it escapes by default format: (value, format, lng) => { if (value instanceof Date) { return DateTime.fromJSDate(value).setLocale(lng).toLocaleString(DateTime[format]) } return value; } }, backend: locizeOptions, locizeLastUsed: locizeOptions, saveMissing: !isProduction // you should not use saveMissing in production }); export default i18n;

  • locize-cli

    locize cli to import / export locales, add / edit / remove, sync segments

    First in locize, create a dedicated version for production. Do not enable auto publish for that version but publish manually or via API or via CLI. Lastly, enable Cache-Control max-age​ for that production version.

  • InfluxDB

    Collect and Analyze Billions of Data Points in Real Time. Manage all types of time series data in a single, purpose-built database. Run at any scale in any environment in the cloud, on-premises, or at the edge.

  • i18next

    i18next: learn once - translate everywhere

    import i18n from 'i18next'; import { initReactI18next } from 'react-i18next'; import LanguageDetector from 'i18next-browser-languagedetector'; import Backend from 'i18next-http-backend'; import { DateTime } from 'luxon'; i18n // i18next-http-backend // loads translations from your server // https://github.com/i18next/i18next-http-backend .use(Backend) // detect user language // learn more: https://github.com/i18next/i18next-browser-languageDetector .use(LanguageDetector) // pass the i18n instance to react-i18next. .use(initReactI18next) // init i18next // for all options read: https://www.i18next.com/overview/configuration-options .init({ debug: true, fallbackLng: 'en', interpolation: { escapeValue: false, // not needed for react as it escapes by default format: (value, format, lng) => { if (value instanceof Date) { return DateTime.fromJSDate(value).setLocale(lng).toLocaleString(DateTime[format]) } return value; } }, resources: { en: { translation: { description: { part1: 'Edit <1>src/App.js and save to reload.', part2: 'Learn React' }, counter: 'Changed language just once', counter_plural: 'Changed language already {{count}} times', footer: { date: 'Today is {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_morning: 'Good morning! Today is {{date, DATE_HUGE}} | Have a nice day!', date_afternoon: 'Good afternoon! It\'s {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_evening: 'Good evening! Today was the {{date, DATE_HUGE}}' } } }, de: { translation: { description: { part1: 'Ändere <1>src/App.js und speichere um neu zu laden.', part2: 'Lerne React' }, counter: 'Die Sprache wurde erst ein mal gewechselt', counter_plural: 'Die Sprache wurde {{count}} mal gewechselt', footer: { date: 'Heute ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_morning: 'Guten Morgen! Heute ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}} | Wünsche einen schönen Tag!', date_afternoon: 'Guten Tag! Es ist {{date, DATE_HUGE}}', date_evening: 'Guten Abend! Heute war {{date, DATE_HUGE}}' } } } } }); export default i18n;

  • React

    The library for web and native user interfaces.

    import logo from './logo.svg'; import './App.css'; import { useTranslation, Trans } from 'react-i18next'; import { useState, Suspense, useEffect } from 'react'; import Footer from './Footer' function App() { const { t, i18n } = useTranslation(); const [count, setCounter] = useState(0); const [lngs, setLngs] = useState({ en: { nativeName: 'English' }}); useEffect(() => { i18n.services.backendConnector.backend.getLanguages((err, ret) => { if (err) return // TODO: handle err... setLngs(ret); }); }, []); return (

    logo
    {Object.keys(lngs).map((lng) => ( { i18n.changeLanguage(lng); setCounter(count + 1); }}> {lngs[lng].nativeName} ))}

    {t('counter', { count })}

    Edit src/App.js and save to reload.

    {t('description.part2')}
    ); } // here app catches the suspense from page in case translations are not yet loaded export default function WrappedApp() { return ( ); }

  • react-i18next

    Internationalization for react done right. Using the i18next i18n ecosystem.

    Make sure you have Node.js and npm installed. It's best, if you have some experience with simple HTML, JavaScript and basic React.js, before jumping to react-i18next.

  • Luxon

    ⏱ A library for working with dates and times in JS

    Now, let’s check out how we can use different date formats with the help of i18next and Luxon to handle date and time.

  • create-react-app

    Set up a modern web app by running one command.

    Take your own React project or create a new one, i.e. with create-react-app.

NOTE: The number of mentions on this list indicates mentions on common posts plus user suggested alternatives. Hence, a higher number means a more popular project.

Suggest a related project

Related posts