Internationalization
Internationalization (i18n) is the process of designing and developing software applications to support multiple languages, regions, and cultural conventions without requiring engineering changes for each locale. It involves structuring code to separate user-facing text and locale-specific elements (like date formats or currencies) from the core logic, enabling easy adaptation for global markets. This foundational step ensures that localization (l10n)—the actual translation and cultural adaptation—can be implemented efficiently.
Developers should learn internationalization when building applications intended for a global audience, such as e-commerce platforms, social media apps, or enterprise software used across different countries. It's crucial for avoiding costly rewrites later, improving user experience by providing content in users' native languages, and complying with regional regulations (e.g., data privacy laws). Use cases include displaying localized dates/times, handling pluralization rules, and supporting right-to-left text layouts for languages like Arabic.