Crowdin Blog

From AI translation to localization project management – Meet Crowdin Copilot

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Last year, we introduced Agentic AI to the localization world. It was a milestone designed with a singular focus: mastering linguistic tasks and assisting linguists within the Editor. But the vision was always bigger. Now, we are excited to introduce Crowdin Copilot – a new generation of AI that doesn't just translate your strings but helps you manage your entire localization ecosystem.

By bridging the gap between LLMs and the Crowdin API, Crowdin Copilot can execute complex workflows that previously required manual labor, custom scripts, or engineering support.

It doesn't just tell you information about your projects, it can act on them.

Agentic AI vs. Crowdin Copilot

Agentic AI was for translating words. Crowdin Copilot is for running your whole organization.

Capability	Agentic AI	Crowdin Copilot (New)
Linguistic Power	Automates rephrasing, tone changes, and QA checks.	Does all the same linguistic tasks + uses AI to solve batches of errors at once.
Management Power	None. Restricted to the text on your screen.	Full control – can create tasks, manage users, and generate reports.
System Access	Project-locked; it only sees the file you are working on.	Global access – uses the Crowdin API to act across your entire organization.
Ambiguity	Identifies problems but leaves you with individual flags to fix.	Synthesizes problems – groups 800 flags into a few simple questions for you to answer.

<Aside title="Note"> We’re saying goodbye to Agentic AI and upgrading everything to Crowdin Copilot. </Aside>

Advanced management and customization

Crowdin Copilot is designed to be flexible to fit any workflow.

Ask and Task agents

After installing from the Crowdin Store, Crowdin Copilot is accessible directly from your left-hand navigation menu at the organizational level, or within the Editor while you work. It operates in two distinct modes to suit your needs:

Ask: Instead of digging through dashboards or filtering through dozens of projects, simply ask about progress, file statuses, or project health.
Task: Instruct AI to perform operations across your projects, and watch it execute them in real-time.

Build your Custom Agents

Beyond the standard Ask and Task agents, you can create Custom Agents tailored to your specific organizational needs. Define a unique system prompt and build agents such as a "Style Guide Expert" or a "Technical Terminology Auditor".

You have granular control over exactly which tools each custom agent can use, selecting from hundreds of Crowdin-specific actions related to AI, Glossaries, Bundles, and more.

Where to find Copilot settings?

In crowdin.com, go to Account Settings and find the tab Crowdin Copilot. In Crowdin Enterprise, go to Organization Settings and find the tab Crowdin Copilot.

MCP to connect with your tech stack

Crowdin Copilot supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which enables you to integrate the localization ecosystem with your external tools. You can add MCP servers to connect Copilot directly to:

Development & Collaboration: Connect to GitHub, GitLab, Slack, or Notion to pull documentation or sync project updates.
Project Management: Integrate with Linear to manage workflows.
Analytics & Tracking: Link to PostHog or Sentry for real-time data and error tracking.

If you have proprietary tools, you can even configure a custom MCP server manually by providing a server URL and headers to discover your own internal tools. This makes Crowdin Copilot a central hub that can "speak" to your entire company’s infrastructure.

Add files and images to the chat

Crowdin Copilot lets you upload images or files directly to the chat for additional context. You can provide visual context by uploading UI screenshots or attaching reference materials like technical briefs for the AI to analyze before executing a task.

Simply use the Add photos or files button.

Crowdin Copilot + AI Pipeline

One of the most transformative shifts in the manager’s workflow is how Copilot interacts with the AI Pipeline. Previously, running a pre-translation might leave a manager with hundreds of ambiguity flags – strings that the AI couldn't confidently translate without more context. Resolving these manually often slowed down production.

Now, Crowdin Copilot closes that loop. When you initiate a pre-translation via the Copilot, it starts the process and monitors it. If the AI Pipeline hits a wall with 800 ambiguous strings, the Copilot analyzes those failures to find common denominators. Instead of asking you to review 800 individual flags, it synthesizes the problem into a few core questions.

As a result, your job shifts from "resolve 800 flags" to "answer 4 questions".

For gaming: Instead of flagging 500 dialogue lines, Copilot might ask: "What are the genders of characters X and Y?"
For SaaS: Instead of pausing on 300 UI strings, it might ask: "Should I use formal or casual register for this Japanese localization?"
For technical docs: It identifies term inconsistencies (for example, "Workspace" vs. "Work area") and asks you to pick the gold standard.

Once you provide the answer, Copilot re-runs the pipeline with the new context, completing the translation without further uncertainty.

Crowdin Copilot use cases

What can you actually do with Crowdin Copilot? Its capabilities are not limited to a set list of buttons. Here are a few ways it is already transforming workflows:

1. Project & language management

Instant progress checks: Ask, "In the Marketing group, which files in Italian are not finished yet?" and get an immediate list.
Translation project digests: Stay informed with a quick summary of recently added or updated files so you never miss a change in your source content.
Task automation: Command the AI to "Create a translation task for all new files in Folder X and assign them to any users who aren't currently busy."

2. Advanced quality & consistency

Glossary creation & gap analysis: Copilot can analyze your files to identify missing terms in your glossary and suggest definitions based on your existing context.
Cross-TM inconsistency fixes: It can scan multiple translation memories (TMs), find where "Dashboard" was translated in three different ways, and suggest a unified version to ensure a cohesive user experience.
False positive management: Tired of manual QA? Ask Copilot to review QA checks (like spellcheck), identify obvious false positives, and move them to the "Ignore" list automatically so your linguists can focus on real errors.

3. Organizational auditing & reporting

User management: Since the agent works at the organizational level, it can act as an admin to identify inactive users who haven't logged in for months and suggest their removal or reassignment.
Fast report generation: Need data for a stakeholder meeting? Ask, "How many words were translated by AI vs. MT in the last 30 days?" and get the numbers in seconds.

4. Dynamic asset creation

Style guide generation: Based on your existing translations, Copilot can draft a brand-specific style guide from scratch. It can define your tone of voice and formality – for example, shifting a Polish project from an informal "Ty" to a formal "Pan/Pani" across all strings.

See the video overview of the Crowdin Copilot:

Why Crowdin Copilot is unique

In a market full of AI assistants that mostly just rephrase text, Crowdin Copilot is a true orchestrator. Here is what makes it unique:

Full API surface access

Most AI tools are limited to the text on your screen. Crowdin Copilot has direct access to the Crowdin API, allowing it to manage users, trigger reports, and create tasks across your entire organization.

Cross-project intelligence

While other tools are project-locked, Copilot operates at the global level. You can fix inconsistencies across 50 different projects or audit every Translation Memory in your account simultaneously.

Radical transparency

Copilot features a thinking process window. You can watch its logic and see exactly which API calls it makes, ensuring you stay in control of your data.

Ambiguity synthesis

Instead of overwhelming you with hundreds of small flags, Copilot analyzes patterns. It can identify a single root cause for multiple QA errors and suggest a global fix.

Manage your usage and costs

Crowdin Copilot is powered by Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4.6 and Claude Opus 4.6. You can provide your own API keys or use Crowdin AI.

To give you full control over your AI spend, Crowdin Copilot displays a real-time usage and cost indicator next to the chat box.

For every single request, the agent has a hard limit of $5. If a complex task hits this limit, the process will stop, a notification will appear, and you can simply send another message to continue the work.

Final pricing depends on your selected AI model and the complexity of your query.

Enterprise-grade security and transparency

Security is a cornerstone of the Crowdin ecosystem. When using Crowdin Copilot, you retain complete ownership and control over your data:

Bring Your Own Key (BYOK): Plug in your own Anthropic API key to maintain direct control over cost, usage, and security.
No training on client data: Crowdin Copilot itself does not use your data for training purposes. If you use BYOK, you can further ensure data safety by opting out of training directly within your Anthropic account settings.
Thinking process window: Unlike black box AI, you can watch the Copilot's logic, see which data it gathers, and monitor every API call it makes before delivery.
Granular permissions: Admins can restrict access by role – for example, ensuring linguists only use the Copilot for translation tasks within assigned projects.

Conclusion

These use cases are just the beginning. Because Crowdin Copilot has direct access to the vast capabilities of the Crowdin API, its potential is limited only by your imagination. It is designed to be flexible, adapting to the unique way your team works.

We encourage you to experiment. Challenge the Copilot with your most tedious manual tasks, try complex multi-step prompts, and see how it can tailor itself to your specific workflow. The more you use it, the more ways you'll find to save time.

FAQ

What makes Crowdin Copilot different from a standard AI translator?

While standard AI focuses only on rephrasing text, Crowdin Copilot is an orchestrator with full access to the Crowdin API. It can manage users, trigger organizational reports, and execute multi-step tasks across dozens of projects simultaneously.

Is my data used to train the AI models?

No. Crowdin Copilot uses Anthropic’s commercial API, which ensures that your proprietary translations, project data, and queries are never used to train their foundation models. Your intellectual property remains entirely yours.

Can I control who in my organization has access to the Copilot?

Yes. Crowdin Copilot strictly follows the existing permissions and roles configured in your Crowdin account. This means it only accesses the projects a user is allowed to see and only performs the actions they are authorized to take. Admins can also further refine visibility by role or create custom access groups.

How do I know I can trust the AI's actions?

Crowdin Copilot features a Thinking Process Window. You can see the logic the AI is using, which data it is gathering, and exactly which API calls it is making before it delivers a result or executes a task.

Does Crowdin support "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK)?

Yes. For organizations that want direct control over their AI usage, billing, and security, you can plug in your own Anthropic API key in the settings.

What does the percentage (%) next to the chat box mean?

This indicator measures the context window (short-term memory) of your current chat. Since each session can hold approximately 200,000 tokens, the progress bar shows how much information the AI is currently "holding in mind". If the percentage gets very high, starting a new chat will reset the context and help the AI focus better on new tasks.

Is there a limit on how much one operation can cost?

Yes. We have implemented a $5 per-request safety limit. If a task becomes highly complex and reaches this amount, the Copilot will pause and notify you. You can then send another message to confirm you'd like to continue, ensuring there are no unexpected cost spikes for a single action.

How Turo Localized an Entire Ecosystem into Spanish in One Week

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Turo is the car rental marketplace that is reinventing rental to unlock independence for all. But unlike booking a room, car sharing requires a unique layer of confidence. Guests aren't just looking for a place to stay; they are trusting a vehicle to move them safely through the world.

This focus on reliability has fueled Turo's massive growth into a $1 billion business. Today, the company successfully operates across the US, Canada, the UK, France, and Australia. For Turo, localization is the "bare minimum" required to build this essential trust with both hosts and guests.

Leading this global expansion is Gideon Hod, Turo's Director of Product Operations. Gideon views his role as the center of a massive feedback loop, bridging the gap between high-level product strategy and the boots-on-the-ground reality of local users.

While traditional product management often focuses on top-down roadmaps, Gideon’s approach to Product Ops is built on velocity and execution. Under his direction, Turo sped up their workflow shifting from a manual localization process to a high-speed, AI workflow within Crowdin.

<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Metric</th> <th>Traditional Workflow</th> <th>AI Workflow</th> <th>Improvement</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <strong>Time to Market</strong> </td> <td>~3–4 Months</td> <td>1 Week</td> <td> <strong>~90% faster</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Total Cost</strong> </td> <td>$10,000+ (Est.)</td> <td>AI Tokens + QA</td> <td> <strong>~98% cheaper</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Human Intervention</strong> </td> <td>100% Manual Review</td> <td>Near-zero (Fallback only)</td> <td> <strong>Almost 100% AI Translations</strong> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

How it was before Crowdin

Before adopting AI, Turo’s translation process couldn’t keep pace with the company’s rapid growth. The traditional agency model created bottlenecks, making it difficult to move at the speed the business demanded.

This became especially clear during Turo’s expansion into France. Despite having Canadian French assets, adapting them for the European market required significant manual effort.

Gideon saw the data: thousands of users were already using the app with devices set to Spanish, proving a faster, more scalable approach was needed to meet users where they were.

How Turo localized all content to Spanish in one week

With over 42 million people in the U.S. speaking Spanish at home, localization to Spanish was a clear strategic move. Turo didn't just see this as a demographic trend, they saw it in their own data. Gideon noticed that many guests and hosts in the United States were already using the app with their devices configured to Spanish.

In a marketplace where trust is the primary currency, expanding into a new language can't be a black-box process. Gideon needed to ensure the AI could handle the nuances of Turo's specific "personable and concise" voice.

Phase 1: Testing

The team didn't jump into a full rollout immediately. They began with a targeted exploration within Crowdin to find the best-working solution:

Translating the glossary: The process started by having AI translate Turo’s internal glossary first to establish a solid foundation.
The employee feedback loop: Turo leaned on its own team, putting the AI's glossary translations in front of internal Spanish-speaking employees to see how it measured up.
Trial and error: Gideon’s team spent several days testing different prompts and iterating on various AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic to find the one that worked best for their brand.

Phase 2: From "clean slate" to full launch

Once the prompts and models were picked up, Turo started from scratch to ensure a high-quality, consistent output.

From that starting point, it took only one week to translate Turo’s entire ecosystem – iOS, Android, and Web.
The total token cost for the entire Spanish launch was roughly $100 in AI tokens.
To verify the results, Turo ran a dedicated QA test with their partner, using Spanish-speaking testers to check for technical issues or missing strings.

The contrast

With AI, Turo unlocked a more agile and intelligent way to scale localization.

<Blockquote footer="Gideon Hod, Director of Product Operations at Turo"> What once took months of coordination and manual work can now be accomplished in a fraction of the time and cost, empowering teams to respond quickly to user demand and expand into new markets with greater ease. </Blockquote>

By shifting to an AI-first approach, Gideon turned a huge global challenge into a routine project completed much faster.

<Blockquote> The successful implementation of Spanish makes it likely that Turo will add more languages in the coming months. </Blockquote>

Localization workflow using AI

To achieve this level of detail at high velocity, Gideon transitioned Turo from a traditional agency model to AI workflows within Crowdin.

Turo’s localization workflow

Turo’s workflow functions like an automated translation team, moving strings through a sequence of intelligent tasks:

Translation Memory (TM) first: Every process starts with the TM. If a string has been translated before, it's pulled immediately to ensure 100% consistency.
AI translation: Net-new strings for AI translation, governed by a precise prompt. This prompt tells the AI exactly what tone to use, what vibe to have, and how verbose it should be.
AI Proofreader: A second AI agent (AI Proofreader) reviews the work. It ensures the translation adheres to the glossary and the Turo persona.
Fallback to humans: If the AI agents fail or confidence is low, the system automatically routes the string to a human translator.

The fallback rate for human review is now nearly non-existent, with almost all translations being handled automatically.

How Turo keeps their tone of voice consistent

Maintaining a consistent brand voice is critical to building trust. Turo has a very particular set of internal rules for their communication style inside Crowdin: they want to be personable and concise, avoiding anything that sounds too "robotic" or "tone-deaf".

Previously, meeting these standards in every language required constant checking. Now, Gideon and his team include these tone requirements directly into their AI infrastructure. They tell the AI how to speak, so it sounds authentic in every language.

Localization for App Store

The team goes far beyond the copy to ensure the local vibe is right. This is most visible in their App Store presence, where they adapt every element of the screenshots to match the specific market:

Turo uses different vehicle photos for different regions. While North American users might see SUVs or Ford Mustangs, users in France will see a Peugeot 208 or a Volkswagen Golf – cars that actually exist in their local catalog.
Screenshot mockups show searches in cities that make sense for the user, such as Vancouver or Montreal for Canada, and Paris for France.
The team even conducts local photo shoots to ensure the cars and backgrounds feel authentic to each of the five markets they currently serve.

The Product Ops perspective: Leading the loop

Gideon views Product Operations as the bottom-up engine that powers this speed. Unlike a traditional Product Manager who might focus on a top-down roadmap, Gideon’s role is about execution, velocity, and staying close to the frontline experience.

<Blockquote footer="Gideon Hod"> Being at the center of everything gives you a perspective that I think is extremely complete. </Blockquote>

Gideon’s advice for other leaders trying to scale globally is to leverage the Product Ops role as a central feedback hub. By understanding exactly what market leaders need and what users are experiencing on the ground, Product Ops can find the perfect balance between global consistency and local relevance.

Gideon’s favorite feature in Crowdin

When asked for his favorite Crowdin feature, Gideon pointed to the AI Proofreader’s commentary. He finds it incredibly helpful to see the AI explain its "thought process" – why it chose one word over another or why it recommended a change based on the brand's persona. Those insights also help us adjust AI prompts and decide where and what context to add.

<Blockquote footer="Gideon notes."> It’s been like having a human translator almost, which is kind of crazy </Blockquote>

Crowdin Style Guides for Consistent AI Translations

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

There’s a running joke in the translation industry: two linguists can’t agree on whether a translation is correct. At Crowdin, we don’t think the problem is the linguists – it’s that different humans (and AIs) have different quality standards by default. If requirements are communicated clearly enough, two people and an AI should arrive at the same conclusion.

We also see this reflected in the data: the same LLM model, on very similar content, produces wildly different post-edit distances across different clients. This isn't because the model is inconsistent, but because different clients have different expectations. Some require good-enough compliance, while others require strict adherence to specific national spelling rules. Without a shared standard, every variant becomes a potential critical error.

While our AI Pipeline and Copilot can produce high-quality, coherent translations within a single file, the challenge has always been: How do we guarantee consistency across thousands of files? The answer is Style guides.

What are Crowdin Style guides?

It’s a new native feature in Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise that moves your brand rules out of a static document and directly into the localization pipeline.

Instead of a reference file, your style guide becomes a functional instruction manual for both your human translators and your AI models.

See the Style guides overview on a real translation project:

Want to know how to create style guides in Crowdin? Jump here.

How you can use Style guides in the AI localization workflows

1. Enrich your AI prompts

Generic AI translations are generic because they lack context. When you use the Crowdin AI Pipeline or AI Pre-translation, they now "read" your Style Guide before translating a single word.

If your guide says "avoid passive voice" or "stay gender-neutral in Polish", AI automatically incorporates these instructions into its prompt. As a result, you stop getting “correct” translations that you still have to rewrite.

2. AI-Powered QA

Manual QA is the biggest bottleneck in AI workflows. Crowdin uses Style Guides to power automated QA checks.

Real-time Editor checks: If an AI (or a human) uses the formal "Pan/Pani" in Polish when your guide mandates the informal "ty", the system flags it immediately.
Shift-left quality: You catch tone and style errors during the translation phase, not weeks later during a manual human review.

3. Crowdin Copilot app

Our AI agent, Crowdin Copilot, uses your style guide as its source of truth. It can analyze existing translations, identify where the brand voice has drifted, and suggest "on-brand" corrections with one click.

How to create a localization Style guide in Crowdin

You don’t need to spend weeks drafting a new document to get started. Crowdin gives you 2 ways to feed your brand rules into the AI localization pipeline:

Option 1. Upload as a file

If your localization team already has established guidelines, don’t start over. You can upload existing files directly to the Style Guides section. Crowdin supports the most common documentation formats: .docx, .pdf, .md, and .xlsx.

Once uploaded, the system parses these rules so the Crowdin Copilot can reference them as "ground truth" during the translation process.

Option 2. AI-generated style guide

If you are launching a new product or don’t have localized guidelines yet, you can use the AI Generator.

Input your brand persona: Describe your voice in plain English (for example, "We are a B2B SaaS tool; our tone is professional but helpful; avoid passive voice and stay gender-neutral in European languages").
Automatic rule creation: AI will automatically generate a tone matrix, punctuation rules, and grammar constraints tailored to your description.

Flexibility and ownership

As your brand evolves, your localization rules should too. Crowdin gives you the flexibility:

The project manager can edit the style guide at any time. As you add new products, change your brand voice, or discover new linguistic rules, simply update the guide in Crowdin to ensure your AI and human teams stay aligned.
You can download your AI-generated style guide directly to your device to share with other departments or keep for your records.

Connecting style guides to your AI

To ensure your AI models actually follow your brand rules, you need to enable the Style Guide within your specific AI prompts. You can apply these rules across your entire workflow: for pre-translation, QA checks, and the AI Chat in the Editor. Simply go to AI > Prompts and select the prompt you want to edit.

1. Basic prompt editor

If you prefer a simple setup, you don't need to write any code. In the Basic prompt editor, simply find the Style guides checkbox and ensure it is selected.

2. Advanced prompt editor

For more granular control over your instructions, use the Advance prompt editor. To tell AI where to pull your brand data from, copy and insert the placeholder %assignedStyleGuides% from the right panel into your prompt.

3. AI Pipeline

If you are building custom, multi-step automation within the AI Pipeline, you can inject your specific brand DNA by adding this variable to your configuration {{styleGuide}}.

<Aside type="tip"> Instead of just saying "Use the style guide", be more direct with the AI. Use a phrase like: "Strictly adhere to the following Style Guide rules for tone, voice, and gender-neutrality: {{ styleGuide }}. </Aside>

Wrapping up

Unlike a static PDF, a Crowdin Style guide is a "living" part of your project settings. Whether you are using OpenAI, Google Gemini, or Anthropic via the Crowdin AI Pipeline or Copilot, the Style guide acts as a permanent system prompt. This ensures that the AI doesn't just translate the words – it adopts your brand's personality before it even starts the task.

Style Guides are available now in Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise.

FAQ

1. Why is a style guide necessary for localization?

A style guide is the bridge between grammatical correctness and brand identity. Without it, translations often fall into the context gap – they are technically accurate but feel robotic, inconsistent, or culturally tone-deaf. For example, a style guide ensures that a playful app doesn't suddenly sound like a legal manual in German, or that gender-neutral English phrasing is correctly adapted into gendered languages like Polish or Spanish. It turns generic content into on-brand content.

2. Which file formats can I upload as a style guide?

Crowdin supports the most common professional documentation formats, including:

Microsoft Word: .docx
Adobe PDF: .pdf
Markdown: .md
Excel: .xlsx (great for structured do/don't tables)

3. Can I use AI to help create my style guide?

Yes. If you don't have a formal brand book, you can use the AI Generator within Crowdin. Simply describe your brand’s personality and target audience, and the AI will build a comprehensive guide (including a Tone Matrix and grammar rules) from scratch.

4. Is the AI-generated style guide permanent, or can I change it?

It is completely flexible. You can edit your style guide at any time as your brand evolves. You can also download the AI-generated guide to your device to share it with your internal teams or use it for non-localization projects.

5. How do Style Guides improve AI localization?

When using the Crowdin AI Pipeline or AI Pre-translation, the Style Guide acts as a "grounding" layer for the LLM. Instead of the AI guessing the tone, it follows your specific rules as part of its system prompt. This drastically reduces the need for manual post-editing and ensures your AI-generated translations are "on-brand" on the first pass.

6. Do human translators see the style guide?

Absolutely. The style guide isn't just for AI; it appears directly in the Crowdin Editor for human linguists. It provides real-time "nudges" and QA checks, flagging style violations (like using formal language when your guide mandates informal) while they type.

Moving from Feature-First to Workflow-First: Rethinking Your TMS Strategy

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Translation management systems used to be the center of everything in localization. If you wanted to translate, review, manage, or ship content, you went through your TMS. However, in The Agile Localization Podcast, Jourik Ciesielski, CTO at ELAN Languages, makes it clear that this model is starting to break. AI hasn’t just added new capabilities. It’s exposed deeper limitations in how TMS platforms are designed and how teams think about them.

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Listen to the new episode on:

From feature checklists to workflow-first thinking

Most TMS buying decisions still look the same. Teams build a spreadsheet, list features, and tick boxes. Does it have integrations? Yes. Does it support MT? Yes. Does it have QA? Yes. Decision made.

Jourik argues this is exactly the wrong approach now. When you choose based on features, you end up shaping your processes around what the tool can do. In the AI era, that logic flips. You start with the workflow you actually need, then build or configure technology around it.

That shift is subtle but powerful. It moves localization away from static systems and toward flexible, evolving processes that can keep up with modern content demands.

Why enterprise buyers and LSPs want different things

Not all TMS users are solving the same problem.

Enterprise buyers want specificity. They care about clean integrations with their CMS, smooth parsing of their content, and the ability to plug in the AI models they prefer. Anything beyond that is nice to have.

LSPs, on the other hand, need flexibility at scale. They serve multiple clients, industries, and content types. That means strong APIs, advanced reporting, and the ability to connect across systems matter much more.

This difference is critical. It explains why one-size-fits-all TMS products often fall short. The real opportunity for vendors is not adding more features, but enabling different users to build what they need.

Building blocks, not locked-in products

One of Jourik’s strongest points is that TMS vendors should stop packaging everything into predefined products. Instead, they should provide building blocks.

That means giving users access to models, APIs, prompts, and workflows they can configure themselves. It means enabling teams to design processes based on their own business goals, not forcing them into rigid structures.

<Blockquote footer="Jourik Ciesielski, CTO at ELAN Languages"> If I were a TMS provider today, I would basically give all the building blocks to my users: the use cases, translation, post editing, content creation, QA, whatever, the models, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini. I would really give the power to my users so they can write their own prompts and really build and design the processes themselves. </Blockquote>

In practice, this looks like more openness, better connectors, and less reliance on feature bundling. The winner in this space won’t be the one with the longest feature lists. They’ll be the ones that make it easiest to build.

Why architecture now matters more than UI

There was a time when UI and usability were major differentiators for TMS platforms. That still matters, but it’s no longer the main thing.

As Jourik puts it, the plumbing matters more. For AI to actually deliver value, it needs to be deeply integrated across systems. That includes CMS platforms, ERPs, ticketing tools, repositories, and more. It also needs to support multiple tasks, not just translation.

None of that works without strong architecture. APIs, middleware, orchestration layers, and connectivity are what make modern localization systems function. Without them, even the best-looking platform falls apart under real-world complexity.

Where custom AI workflows already work

One of the most practical examples Jourik shares is in after-sales support.

He describes building an AI workflow that reads incoming emails, identifies the issue, searches for answers in internal systems, drafts a response, and sends it to a human for final approval.

It’s multilingual, end-to-end, and grounded in a real business need. This is where AI shines today. Not in abstract features, but in solving specific, high-impact workflows.

<Blockquote footer="Jourik Ciesielski, CTO at ELAN Languages"> For me, AI only starts to make sense when certain conditions are met. First of all, I want it to be deeply customized. Number two, I want it to be available across different tasks, not just machine translation. </Blockquote>

Final thoughts

The message from this conversation is clear. TMS vendors don’t just need to add AI features. They need to rethink their role.

That means moving away from closed systems and toward open ecosystems. It means prioritizing architecture over surface-level functionality. And it means giving users the tools to build their own workflows instead of forcing them into predefined ones.

Because in the AI era, the value isn’t in the system itself. It’s in what you can build with it.

Jourik’s Background

Jourik Ciesielski is Chief Technology Officer at ELAN Languages, a top-20 global Language Service Provider and the largest LSP in the Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg region. With 15 years of experience in language technology, Jourik brings deep technical expertise in translation management systems, neural machine translation, and enterprise localization architecture. Following the acquisition of his consulting firm by ELAN Languages, he now spearheads technology development and AI strategy, positioning him as a thought leader on how modern enterprises should approach TMS selection and custom AI workflows.

Listen to the new episode on:

152 Enterprise Teams, 95% Use AI Translation. Here's Why the Model Is the Least Important Part.

team — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Based on original research combining a B2B survey of localization, engineering, product, and security professionals, Reddit community discussions, and publicly available industry data.

The question is no longer "whether" but "how".

AI translation is no longer an experiment. It has become an operational baseline for enterprise teams managing multilingual content at scale. Based on our original survey of 152 B2B professionals across the US and Canada, roughly 95% of respondents already use AI or machine translation in some capacity – with nearly half doing so frequently and about 18% using it for every translation task. Nearly 9 in 10 require or prefer bring-your-own API keys. Over 91% already have governance frameworks in place or underway. And 1 in 5 report quality incidents since introducing AI translation.

But adoption alone tells only part of the story. What matters now is how companies implement AI translation when the stakes include data security, regulatory compliance, brand consistency, and production reliability. The central finding of this research is clear: enterprise teams do not treat AI translation as a plug-and-play capability. They treat it as a managed process – one that demands governance, quality controls, cross-functional oversight, and platform-level orchestration.

In other words, the industry has moved past the debate over whether AI translation works. The real conversation is about how to make it work safely, predictably, and at scale.

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From model selection to system design

A common assumption in the localization industry is that choosing the right AI model is the critical decision. Our data tells a different story. When asked about their current provider strategy, 47.4% of respondents described a multi-provider setup, using different models depending on the task, language pair, or content type. Another 32.2% rely on a single provider, and 17.8% remain undecided or in evaluation. The remaining 2.6% reported not using AI translation.

<Blockquote> Key Insight: Multi-provider strategies already outpace single-provider setups. This signals that the market views AI translation not as a model selection problem but as an orchestration challenge. </Blockquote>

This shift is crucial. When teams use multiple providers, the value of any individual model diminishes relative to the system that selects, routes, evaluates, and governs how those models are used. The platform becomes the differentiator – not the model.

Where AI translation actually happens

Our data confirms that platform-based workflows already dominate. When asked where AI translation happens today, 65.8% of respondents said it occurs inside a TMS (translation management system). Another 34.9% use direct API integration with internal tooling, and 30.3% still use standalone tools like ChatGPT's interface.

Such distribution shows a hybrid market. Structured, platform-first approaches are leading, yet direct model usage coexists – often as a stopgap or experimentation layer. The direction of travel, however, is unmistakable: the TMS/platform approach is the operational standard for teams that have moved past experimentation.

Security and governance: the non-negotiable foundation

Enterprise AI translation is not a translation quality story. It is a data governance one. Our survey revealed that the most sensitive constraints on AI translation have nothing to do with linguistic accuracy and everything to do with what data teams are willing to expose to external providers.

Data boundaries

Respondents identified the following content categories as too sensitive to send to external AI providers:

80.9% – PII / user data
78.3% – Legal and contractual content
64.5% – Security-related content
9.9% – Confidential strategy documents and roadmaps
57.9% – Source code

These numbers confirm a fundamental constraint: in enterprise contexts, AI localization operates within data boundaries. The model's linguistic capability is secondary to the question of what it is and is not allowed to process.

Credential and access control

On the question of API key management, the results were equally decisive. Approximately 88.8% of respondents lean toward using their own API keys (BYO keys), either as a strict requirement (44.7%) or as a strong preference (44.1%). Only 6.6% are comfortable with vendor-managed credentials.

<Blockquote> Key Insight: Nearly 9 in 10 enterprise teams require or prefer bring-your-own API keys – a clear signal that data sovereignty is a core purchasing criterion, not a secondary feature. </Blockquote>

Governance maturity

Governance is no longer aspirational. Among respondents, 39.5% reported having company-wide AI governance policies, 28.3% have policies for specific teams, and 23.7% are currently building them. Only 6.6% operate without any governance framework.

Taken together, over 91% of organizations already have governance structures in place or underway. The market is formalizing rapidly – this is no longer the early-adoption phase.

AI translation is a cross-functional decision

One of the most telling findings of the survey concerns who must approve AI translation before it reaches production. The answer is rarely a single team.

74.3% – require Localization team approval
55.9% – require Engineering team approval
52.0% – require Security, Compliance, or Legal sign-off
32.9% – require Leadership approval
28.9% – require Procurement involvement

Only 9.2% of respondents mentioned no formal approval process exists. For the majority, AI translation is a cross-functional process that spans localization, engineering, security, and executive leadership. This multi-stakeholder reality makes a platform approach not just convenient but a new norm: it provides the shared governance surface where different teams can enforce their requirements simultaneously.

Why teams choose a platform over direct model integration

We asked respondents directly: what motivates the choice of a platform or TMS over plugging in a model through API integration alone? The top reasons form a coherent picture.

71.1% – Quality tooling (TM, glossary, context, QA)
67.8% – Workflow and integrations (CI/CD, CMS, support tools)
67.1% – Governance (SSO, RBAC, audit trails)
52.0% – Cost control (usage tracking, quotas)
43.4% – Faster rollout with less engineering effort

The takeaway: teams choose a platform not for a single reason but at the intersection of quality, integrations, and governance. No individual model provides this – regardless of how capable its translations are.

What breaks without a platform

When asked what fails most often in model-only setups, respondents pointed to operational gaps rather than abstract AI limitations:

58.6% – Missing context (UI strings, screenshots)
55.9% – Quality consistency (terminology and brand voice)
34.9% – Multi-team coordination
32.9% – Deployment automation
29.6% – Compliance and security controls

Without a platform layer, what breaks is not AI itself but the operating environment around it – context, consistency, coordination, and deployment. These are infrastructure problems, not model problems.

<Blockquote footer="Survey respondent (anonymous, consented to publication)"> The fact that its incorrect solutions are also usually plausible on the surface, making it difficult to catch mistakes. </Blockquote>

<Blockquote footer="Survey respondent (anonymous, consented to publication)"> We are battling with inconsistencies and hallucinations even with clear instructions given to the tools and models we use. </Blockquote>

The quality control stack: AI inside process, not instead of process

One of the clearest signals from the survey is that enterprise teams do not view AI as a replacement for quality processes. They view it as a component within a quality stack. When asked which quality controls are mandatory for production-ready translations, respondents identified:

79.6% – Glossary and terminology enforcement
75.7% – Human proofreading / LQA
73.0% – Translation Memory (TM)
68.4% – Automated QA checks
61.2% – Style guide and brand voice rules
56.6 – In-context review

Less than 1% said minimal or no quality controls were acceptable. The market does not want AI instead of process. Instead, teams are seeking AI inside a quality stack where terminology, memory, style guides, and human judgment all play defined roles.

<Blockquote footer="Survey respondent (anonymous, consented to publication)"> You cannot fully rely on the outcome without human proofreaders. </Blockquote>

<Blockquote footer="Survey respondent (anonymous, consented to publication)"> Content that doesn't feel human, potentially reducing engagement and reader trust. </Blockquote>

This view is consistent with what practitioners share independently. In a discussion on the r/LocalLLaMA subreddit, one user put it plainly: "It's definitely not a last instance, nor a replacement for professional human review, but it can be handy for QA."

Outcomes: clear value, persistent risks

Enterprise teams already see measurable outcomes from AI translation:

73.0% – report faster releases and publishing
65.8% – report better consistency
65.1% – report reduced manual workload
53.9% – report lower costs

At the same time, 20.4% of respondents reported more quality incidents or regressions since introducing AI translation. AI translation delivers clear operational value – speed, workload reduction, consistency, and cost savings – but quality risks remain significant enough that governance and platform controls are not optional but central.

<Blockquote footer="Survey respondent"> AI struggles in remembering even short chapters and starts hallucinating quite quickly… results in language models for not-widely-spoken languages still require a lot of corrections. </Blockquote>

<Blockquote footer="Survey respondent"> "I'd say my biggest concerns are data leakage and confidentiality issues, the drop in quality when teams rely too heavily on AI, and the risk of losing real human expertise and accountability in important content. </Blockquote>

What builds trust in AI translation

The top responses form a practical blueprint on factors that most increase their trust in an AI translation setup:

56.6% – Contractual non-training and data retention terms
54.6% – BYO keys combined with strict access control
44.7% – Strong QA plus human review workflow
41.4% – Full audit trail and reporting

<Blockquote> Key Insight: Trust in AI translation is built through contracts, access control, audit trails, and QA workflows – not through marketing claims about model accuracy. </Blockquote>

From survey to practice: how companies implement platform-based AI translation

The survey findings are not theoretical. Real companies across industries have already adopted the platform-based approach that respondents describe. Here are several examples that illustrate the pattern.

Suitsupply: AI-first, platform-centered

Suitsupply, the global premium menswear retailer, achieved a fully automated, 100% AI-powered localization workflow across eight target languages. But the critical enabler was not the model itself – it was the platform layer. By integrating Crowdin with Figma for design context and Contentful for CMS publishing, Suitsupply reduced turnaround from two to three working days to just a few hours – a 95% improvement. Translation memory and glossary enforcement ensured brand consistency, while visual QA in the design context addressed the very pain point that 58.6% of survey respondents identified: missing context.

Strava: speed through orchestration

Strava, the global fitness platform used across 185 countries, prioritized integrations above all else when building its localization infrastructure. With more than 25 repositories and tools across its ecosystem, the company built its globalization stack in under six weeks using Crowdin as the central orchestration layer. AI and machine translation run through the platform, with NMT and LLM providers connected via Crowdin's orchestration capabilities. The result: Runna, an acquired running coach app, was localized and launched globally using a repeatable, automated setup – exactly the kind of platform-driven velocity our survey respondents prioritize.

MyHeritage: multi-provider at scale

MyHeritage, a Crowdin customer, serves users in 50 languages and operates a multi-provider AI/MT stack that includes DeepL, Google Translate, Gemini, and OpenAI – with language-specific prompts tailored to different language families. Their multi-step workflow – source review, TM check, AI translation, automated checks, AI proofreading, and final QA – demonstrates the layered quality control that 79.6% of our survey respondents consider mandatory. Community experts and translators handle nuance and domain-specific terminology, reinforcing the human-in-the-loop requirement that 75.7% of respondents identified as essential.

Wildlife Studios: enterprise-scale orchestration

Wildlife Studios, a Crowdin customer, is one of the leading mobile game developers based in Brazil, publishing games for a global audience. The company manages 27 localization projects across more than 12 languages, combining agency translators, in-house teams, and quality coordinators. Crowdin AI handles draft translation, while the broader system – API integration, versioning, analytics, Translation Memory, and Zendesk integration for support content – provides the operational infrastructure. The results are measurable: a 25% increase in players in one market and a 30% increase in resolved support requests through localized content.

Polhus: human review as standard

Polhus, a Scandinavian e-commerce company, used AI pre-translation through Crowdin to process content across European markets. Although 75% of translations were publication-ready without edits, 100% were reviewed by human editors – demonstrating that even high-quality AI output benefits from systematic human oversight. Glossary enforcement and DatoCMS integration completed the managed workflow, resulting in approximately $80,000 in cost savings.

Conclusion: the platform is the strategy

This finding aligns with broader industry signals. Slator's roundup of the most-discussed language industry topics of 2025 points to the same shift: the conversation has moved from whether to use AI translation to how to implement it safely, with quality, privacy, and governance moving to the foreground. Similarly, practitioners interviewed by Multilingual describe the most effective localization setups as hybrid workflows – machine translation for speed, human review for quality and cultural fit – coordinated across product, marketing, legal, and compliance teams. Both sources independently reinforce what our survey data shows at the enterprise level.

The data is unambiguous:

Multi-provider setups outnumber single-provider approaches, confirming that the platform's orchestration role matters more than any individual model.
Nearly 9 in 10 teams require or prefer bring-your-own API keys, placing data sovereignty at the center of every purchasing decision.
Over 91% of organizations have governance frameworks in place or underway – the market is formalizing, not experimenting.
More than 70% consider terminology enforcement, human review, and Translation Memory to be mandatory quality controls.
AI delivers measurable value in speed, cost, and consistency – but quality risks remain, making governance and platform controls essential rather than optional.

For teams trying to understand how to implement AI translation, the evidence points in one direction: start with the system, not the model. This means defining your data boundaries, establishing governance, building quality controls into the workflow, and choosing a platform that can orchestrate multiple providers while keeping every stakeholder – localization, engineering, security, and leadership – aligned.

The model matters. But the platform is the strategy.

Methodology

This research is based on a primary B2B study conducted by Crowdin in partnership with ESADigital and ITitov Agency between January and February 2026. Data was collected through a multi-channel outreach strategy, including targeted email campaigns, LinkedIn professional networks, and dedicated industry survey platforms to ensure a high-quality, verified respondent pool.

The sample comprises 152 professionals across the US and Canada, spanning localization and translation (50.7%), engineering and development (17.8%), product and content operations (15.8%), security and compliance (7.2%), and procurement (4.6%). Respondents represent a diverse range of organization scales, from agile startups (23.7% with 1–50 employees) to global enterprises (16.4% with 10,000+ employees), with significant representation from mid-market and enterprise organizations.

Key industry sectors include SaaS/Software (42.8%), E-commerce/Retail (13.8%), Gaming (12.5%), and Fintech (9.2%). The study was specifically designed to evaluate enterprise-grade requirements for secure, governed AI translation workflows and platform-level orchestration.

<Blockquote footer="Crowdin Team"> Enterprise teams aren't looking for the best AI model. They're looking for a way to govern multiple models, control what data gets exposed, and ensure consistent output across every language and every team. That's a platform problem, not a model problem. </Blockquote>

CMS translation: A developer’s guide to scalable localization

bonnie-thompson — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If you’ve ever managed multilingual content, you know what a grind it can be. It’s tedious, time-intensive work that’s prone to errors and ultimately isn't scalable unless it's automated. Traditional content management system (CMS) platforms haven’t helped. Because of their architecture, content often gets tangled up in templates or the presentation layer, making it hard to extract.

Headless CMS architecture is different. Content lives in structured, API-accessible fields, which means translation can be treated as a data operation rather than a manual one, making translation much easier and scalable.

In this guide, we'll cover how headless CMS architecture sets you up for multilingual content from the start, what teams forget to localize beyond body copy, best practices for developers, and how ButterCMS + Crowdin work together to automate the translation workflow.

Translation, localization, and internationalization: A quick distinction

Before we get into architecture, there are three terms developers use interchangeably that mean different things in practice.

Translation refers to the process of converting text from one language to another. It's the most visible part of going multilingual.

Localization (l10n) goes further. It's the process of adapting content to a specific market or locale. So not just the language, but also cultural references, date and number formats, currencies, imagery, and even legal requirements. A properly localized experience doesn't feel translated; it feels native.

Internationalization (i18n) refers to the architectural work that enables translation and localization. It's about designing your entire system (including your CMS, front end, and content models) to support multiple locales without re-engineering. Basically, it’s the infrastructure layer: locale-aware routing, dynamic formatting, and content structures that separate translatable fields from layout logic.

This guide touches on all three, but really focuses on how the right CMS architecture makes translation manageable as you add markets and languages.

Why headless CMS architecture makes multilingual content scalable

In a traditional monolithic CMS, translatable content is often buried inside page templates, rich-text blobs, and tightly coupled presentation layers. Extracting the text that actually needs translation (separate from layout markup, navigation elements, and template logic) is painful. Translating it at the field level and keeping localized versions in sync is even harder.

A headless CMS stores content differently. Every piece of content lives in its own typed fields and is served through APIs. There's no presentation layer mixed in. Every field is individually accessible, and every content type supports a locale parameter. So you can request the same page in English or French from the same endpoint and get back the same field structure with different values. The schema stays the same across locales. Only the content changes, which makes automated translation much more straightforward.

A translation management system (TMS) can pull content from a headless CMS field by field, translate it, and push it back through the API without ever needing to parse HTML, scrape rendered pages, or build custom extraction logic.

This setup follows a TMS-centric integration model. There are generally two ways to connect a CMS to a translation management system: either keep the CMS as the hub for multilingual content and review translations on published output, or let the TMS manage the translation workflow and treat the CMS as both the content source and destination. The ButterCMS + Crowdin setup covered later in this guide follows the second approach.

What to localize (beyond body copy)

Most teams start with the obvious: headlines, body copy, CTAs. But localization goes deeper than language, and the technical fields developers control often get overlooked, even though they directly affect user experience and search visibility.

URLs and slugs. Localized paths (/fr/tarification/ vs. /pricing/) improve SEO in target regions and signal to users that the page is meant for them.
Meta titles and descriptions. These drive click-through rates in search results. A translated page with English metadata is invisible to local search engines.
Date, time, and number formats. 02/03/2026 means February 3rd in the US and March 2nd in most of Europe. Comma-separated decimals (1.234,56) are standard in Germany. These are important localization issues that can damage user trust if ignored.
Image alt text. Alt text is critical for accessibility and SEO. If it stays in English across your locales, it will hurt your search performance and accessibility in your other target markets.
Hreflang and Open Graph tags. These tell search engines and social platforms which language version to serve. Getting them wrong means Google may show the wrong locale to the wrong audience, or social shares may pull English metadata for a French page.

You can treat this as a localization checklist. These are the technical fields to review for every locale, not just the content your writers produce.

CMS translation best practices for developer teams

While you don't necessarily need deep localization expertise to set this up right, a few practical decisions early on will save you a lot of rework later. Consider the following:

1. Plan for text expansion

German, French, and Spanish text commonly run 20 - 30% longer than the English source. If your UI is designed pixel-perfect around English string lengths, translated content will overflow containers or get cut off, and your layouts may break. Build flexibility into your front end from the start. It's also worth knowing that languages handle pluralization very differently – English has 2 plural forms, Polish has 3, and Arabic has 6 – so any UI component that displays counts or quantities needs to account for more than just adding an “s”.

2. Give translators visual context

Translators produce significantly better results when they can see where content appears on a page. A headline in a hero banner needs a different tone than the same words in a footer. A good TMS will offer WYSIWYG previews and in-context editing, letting translators see the rendered page as they work, so they aren’t just staring at isolated strings in a spreadsheet.

3. Structure content for reuse, not pages

Model content as individual components and fields rather than large page-level blocks. This avoids duplicating shared content across locales and makes incremental updates simpler.

4. Keep user-facing strings out of your code

Any text a user sees (like button labels, error messages, form placeholders, etc.) should come from your CMS or a localization file. Hardcoded strings can't be translated without a code deploy, which defeats the purpose of a content-driven localization workflow.

On a related note, avoid building sentences by concatenating fragments in code. Many languages have grammatical gender where adjectives must agree with nouns, so a sentence assembled from parts in English will produce grammatically broken output in French, Spanish, or German. Always provide translators with complete sentences.

5. Use translation memory and glossaries

Translation memory stores previously translated segments and suggests them when similar text appears, reducing redundant work and keeping things consistent. Glossaries ensure that product names, technical terms, and brand language stay consistent across every language. Both save time and improve quality, especially as you add more content and languages.

This pairs well with a continuous localization approach, where new content gets sent for translation as soon as it's created rather than in large batches. It keeps translations current and avoids the backlog that builds up when teams wait to translate in bulk.

How to automate your localization workflow: The ButterCMS + Crowdin integration

So far we've covered how to structure content for translation, what to localize, and best practices. Here's how the ButterCMS + Crowdin connector puts that into practice.

How it works

The connector syncs content blocks like Pages and Collections from ButterCMS into Crowdin for translation. From there, teams can translate using translation memory, machine translation engines (like DeepL, Google Translate, Amazon Translate, and others), glossaries, QA checks, and WYSIWYG preview. Once translations are approved, they get pushed back to the correct locale versions in ButterCMS through the Write API. The Write API supports multi-locale payloads, so multiple language versions of a page can be updated in a single call. No spreadsheets or manual copy-paste required.

What sync looks like

You can sync manually or set up scheduled auto-sync for daily updates. You can also use webhooks to trigger translation automatically whenever content changes in the CMS, creating a fully hands-off loop. Changes are incremental, so updating a single field only triggers re-translation of that field, not a full resync.

For teams managing content across multiple markets, this replaces manual coordination with an automated workflow. Want to take a look at the full setup instructions? See the ButterCMS localization guide and the Crowdin ButterCMS integration page.

Closing thoughts

Getting CMS translation and localization right comes down to how your content is structured and how it moves between systems. A headless CMS that stores content in structured, API-accessible fields paired with a TMS that handles the actual translation workflow gives you a system where new languages don't mean proportional new work.

If you're managing multilingual content and tired of the manual overhead, check out the ButterCMS + Crowdin integration.

New at Crowdin: March 2026

team — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To work well, AI shouldn't guess; it should gather context. This month, we’re presenting a combination of our already released (AI Pipeline) and new tools (Crowdin Copilot) to eliminate repetitive manual tasks for managers, and provide production-ready translations.

The highlight is our new Crowdin Copilot. One of its key use cases is analyzing hundreds of translation issues and synthesizing them into a few high-level questions for you to answer.

We’re also debuting Dual Preview mode in the Editor to shift from segment-by-segment editing to full document review, and enhancing security in task-based mode.

When AI Translation Hits a Wall

When you ask a modern AI agent, like Claude Code, to fix a bug, the first thing it says is: "Let me look at the code". It doesn't guess; it filters and gathers context. This is the exact philosophy behind our latest update, which you’re already familiar with, AI Pipeline.

The AI Pipeline allows you to build a configurable sequence of steps that AI executes to produce translations. How does it work, and why is it better than just applying a pre-translation prompt?

A medical device company needs strict adherence to terminology – every "valve" must translate consistently across 10,000 strings. A luxury brand has a 200-page style guide defining tone, how to reference heritage and craftsmanship, which French terms must stay untranslated, and concepts that are never used — like "cheap," "discount," "affordable," but also "quality" because it's implied. A game studio needs every translation checked against character descriptions and scene context. A single "translate this" prompt cannot encode all of these constraints. Especially because there are multiple quality requirements, as described above.

And importantly, current LLMs can’t guarantee adherence to long prompts.

AI Pipeline makes quality control explicit. It allows you to have multiple pipeline steps that address one quality dimension each: terminology, compliance, style guide adherence, source-target alignment, and context verification. You configure the steps that matter for your content.

A common concern: Doesn't running multiple steps mean translating everything multiple times? No. Only the first step generates translations. Every subsequent step receives the output and produces only a diff – corrections, not rewrites. This keeps token costs proportional to error rate, not content volume.

The core assumption: AI can deliver extremely high-quality translation when given proper context and permission to self-correct. The AI Pipeline architecture enables both. It outperforms every other setup we've tested.

But the AI Pipeline produces excellent translations – when translation is possible. When we analyze the cases where AI Pipeline fails, we find something interesting: a human translator, given the same input, would also fail (or be unable to translate). The only exception is when humans would do better because they absorb more context naturally than machines can – humans have previous conversations with other humans, remembering previous projects of that client, or were playing the game they localize.

One more example: consider translating "My manager said I performed well this quarter, so they promoted me to senior engineer" into German. The AI faces multiple unknowns: Is the manager male (Vorgesetzter) or female (Vorgesetzte)? Is the speaker male (Ingenieur) or female (Ingenieurin)? The pronoun "they" must be replaced with either "er" or "sie". That's three gender decisions in one sentence, none of which can be inferred from the source text. What happens? The AI picks.

This is not a translation-quality or AI-capability problem. It's an information problem.

Different language pairs require different amounts of additional information to translate unambiguously. English to Spanish is relatively forgiving. English to German requires gender information that English doesn't encode. English to Japanese requires formality levels, honorifics, and social context. English to Arabic may require determining whether "they" refers to two people or more than two.

From Skipping to Solving

In January, we added "Predict Ambiguity" to the AI Pipeline. Instead of forcing a translation and hoping, the system analyzes source strings and does not attempt to translate if it lacks sufficient information.

This was progress. But skipping is not solving. A localization manager still could face hundreds of flagged strings with no clear path forward. The system basically said "I can't translate these" but offered nothing more.

Closing the loop: AI Agent for managers

That's enough background. Here's what we're announcing: Сrowdin Copilot.

We suggest a small change to the manager’s workflow. Previously, a manager clicked “pre-translate”, or an automation triggered it. The AI Pipeline ran, produced translations, flagged ambiguities, and translated as much as it could. The managers were supposed to deal with the remaining flags manually.

Now, we have Crowdin Copilot that initiates translation at the human's request. It launches the AI Pipeline, waits for it to complete, and collects all ambiguity flags – there might be hundreds. The Agent analyzes them, identifies patterns, synthesizes the minimum set of questions to resolve the maximum ambiguity, asks the localization manager, and then returns to the pipeline with answers. Translation completes without uncertainty.

The manager's job shifts from "resolve 800 flags" to "answer 4 questions".

Here's how it works:

The manager starts pre-translate in chat with the Crowdin Copilot.
AI Pipeline processes content, flagging ambiguous strings with specific failure reasons.
Copilot collects all failures and analyzes them for commonalities.
Then, it synthesizes minimal questions that resolve as many strings as possible.
Human answers the questions (or AI suggests automated solutions).
Copilot re-runs the pipeline with the new context.

The question synthesis is where this becomes interesting. The agent doesn't just group failures – it reasons about what information would unblock them.

For a video game with 800 ambiguous dialogue lines:

"These 800 strings are dialogue involving characters: Cyberworm88, NightOwl, and The Keeper. To translate correctly, I need to know:

What is Cyberworm88's gender?
What is NightOwl's gender?
What is The Keeper's gender?"

For a SaaS UI being localized to Japanese:

"326 strings contain 'you' or 'your'. For Japanese, I need to know the level of formality for user-facing text. Should I use formal (丁寧語) or casual register?"

For documentation with technical terms:

"I found 12 terms used inconsistently: 'workspace' appears as both 'Arbeitsbereich' and 'Arbeitsraum' in your TM. Which is correct?"

Sometimes the answer isn't a question at all. For UI strings lacking visual context:

"I cannot confidently translate 156 strings that appear to be button labels and menu items. Running Context Harvester to capture screenshots from the staging environment."

The goal is to minimize human input while maximizing translation coverage. We've observed the agent reducing 800+ individual ambiguities to 3-5 questions in typical cases.

Some technical information: To get started, make sure to configure Anthropic as one of your AI providers.

The Copilot is accessible via the Organization and Project menus and directly within the Editor. You can select specific models and choose between different AI Agents – sets of specialized settings and prompts tailored for different use cases:

Ask Agent – A read-only companion. Query your project stats, review string statuses, explore translation memory, generate reports – all without risk of unintended changes.
Task Agent – Full read + write access to Crowdin. Create tasks, trigger pre-translation, upload files, manage workflows. Before any irreversible action, it pauses and asks for your confirmation – so automation never runs ahead of you.

AI Agent v2 and MCP v2

The news cycle is saturated with AI agents in Crowdin. Coding agents are genuinely impressive right now. Agents are appearing for finance, legal, and healthcare. Crowdin is announcing the second generation of its AI Agent for localization – and MCP v2 alongside it.

Some context on MCP first. The first version was built for a world where LLMs were significantly less capable than they are today. We didn't implement the full Crowdin API due to context window limitations, and some features (like adding files) were simply impossible to implement reliably.

Recent versions of Claude Cowork demonstrate capabilities that weren't available when we shipped v1. So before building Agent v2, we rebuilt our MCP. We invite everyone, especially users of agentic tools like Cowork, to try it. For certain workflows, the Crowdin UI becomes optional.

Now, back to Agent v2. This is an early version. This time, instead of focusing exclusively on linguistic tasks, we focused on manager needs (Agent v2 for is coming). Large organizations in Crowdin manage hundreds of projects with wildly different requirements. We hear things like: “In every project where I'm translating markdown files, I want to change the import rules”. Crowdin has an API. We have an app and a vibe coding tool. Solving this with an app is straightforward – but frankly, it's not obvious that you can or how to start. The Crowdin AI Agent for managers handles these edge cases remarkably well. The Agent can find all projects matching a given criteria, confirm any action with the user before executing, and make the changes.

To be clear about where we see this going: managing localization in a large organization – hundreds of managers, continuous projects, constant configuration changes – we expect the Agent to become an indispensable tool.

One important note on implementation. Crowdin serves a very diverse set of businesses. Some companies use a specific AI provider, while others have that same provider strictly forbidden. Different agents on the market have better or worse characteristics for specific tasks. We wanted to build AI agents in Crowdin the way we build everything else – as a platform. The first implementation is a Claude-based agent, the same foundation that powers Cowork and Claude Code. We’re not yet sure which AI models will come next, but we intend to offer options for companies with the widest range of requirements.

More control with pre-translation queue & prioritization

When you're handling hundreds of AI pre-translation jobs, waiting for the queue to clear can become a real bottleneck – especially when you have urgent new content (new product launches/hotfixes or seasonal campaigns), needs to go live immediately.

To give you more flexibility, we’ve introduced priorities to the Pre-translation Queue.

Processing massive volumes of content isn't always instant. Previously, jobs were processed in the order they were created. This meant new, high-priority tasks could get stuck behind a long list of older jobs.

Now, you can decide which jobs move to the front of the line. By assigning a High priority, you ensure that critical content is processed as soon as current jobs are finished.

How to use it: Go to Project > Tools > Pre-translation Queue, find your job, and simply adjust its priority level.

Visibility & UI updates

We’ve also updated the UI to provide more details. Previously, you could only see the "Created at" date, Type (MT/AI), and Status. Now, you’ll also see the Priority, along with "Started at" and "Finished at" timestamps.

Plus, some small but useful improvements: you can now use Filters (by status, type, and priority) and perform Bulk actions to manage multiple jobs at once.

Security update: enhanced task-based access control

We’ve improved the security and logic of the Task-Based Access Control (TBAC) feature. This update is specifically designed for organizations with strict data segregation requirements, ensuring that work happens exclusively within the assigned scope (meaning the specific files and segments defined in a task).

What’s changed: Access is now determined by the task itself rather than the user's general role. Even if a user’s role (e.g., Translator or Proofreader) would normally grant broader permissions, they can now only enter the Editor through their specifically assigned tasks. All other entry points to the Editor are now blocked. If a user attempts to access the Editor through any other route, they will see a notification explaining that access is restricted to task-based assignments.

Why this matters (Before vs. Now):

Previously: If a manager created a task for a user who didn't have access to a specific language, the system would automatically grant them full access to that entire language. User roles often allowed access to files outside of specific tasks.
Now: With TBAC enabled, users have access only to the content specified in their task. Their previous project permissions no longer override this – if TBAC is on, you work exclusively with task-specific content.

This update gives managers maximum control over content security, ensuring that linguists stay focused only on the strings they were hired to translate or proofread. To enable TBAC, go to Project Settings > Privacy > Task-Based Access Control.

Rethinking the Editor: From segment-by-segment to document review

CAT tools still follow a side-by-side paradigm: source on the left, target on the right, one segment at a time. The linguist walks through every segment – accepting a TM/MT suggestion, editing it, or translating from scratch. This made sense when machine translation was unreliable, and every segment needed human attention.

Our lab experiments tell a different story now. The AI Pipeline, given sufficient context, produces predictably high-quality translations. It's hard to commit to a single number — quality requirements vary, language pairs differ in complexity — but we're consistently seeing 90%+ accuracy across projects with proper setup. You can take a look at how different companies are already using AI to achieve fantastic results (Strava, Suitsupply, MyHeritage). This AI implementation and results change the math on how a linguist's time should be spent.

In projects where the content is documents – not resource files like game strings or UI labels – we don't think the segment-by-segment workflow is the most efficient way to review translations anymore. So we're introducing a new preview option.

What changed

A new button in the editor enables double WYSIWYG mode (Dual Preview). The linguist sees the full source document and the full translated document, rendered as they would appear in their final form. The idea is: instead of evaluating translations one segment at a time, the linguist compares two complete documents side by side – scanning for issues the way a reader would.

The toolset remains available on the right panel: AI Agent chat, TM suggestions, MT engines, style guides, and Crowdin Apps. Clicking any segment still opens it for editing. Nothing is taken away.

But the primary workspace is now the document preview. The assumption behind this layout: when the AI Pipeline does its job well, edits become rare. The editor should optimize for reviewing good translations quickly – not the uncommon case of fixing bad ones.

This is a deliberate shift from 'translating every segment' to 'verifying the document’. The linguist's role moves from production to quality assurance because, when properly configured, AI makes repetitive tasks redundant. This frees humans to focus on what they are genuinely better at: reading a text and ensuring it actually sounds right.

Style guides: making quality measurable

There's a running joke in the translation industry: two linguists can't agree whether a translation is correct. We think the problem isn't the linguists – it's that different linguists have different quality standards by default. If requirements were communicated clearly enough, two people and an AI would arrive at the same conclusion.

Another thing we see often at Crowdin: the same LLM model, on very similar content, produces wildly different post-edit distances across clients. Not because the model is inconsistent, but because different clients have different quality expectations. Some need translations that are good enough to be compliant. Others require strict adherence to the latest spelling rules approved by national language authorities. In most projects, three different transliterations of a Greek name into Polish won't be a problem. But when orthographic consistency matters, every variant except one becomes a critical translation error.

We also thought about a different dimension of this problem. The AI Pipeline can produce extremely high-quality translations – and importantly, consistent ones within a single file, thanks to a dedicated file-level coherence check step. But how do we guarantee consistency across an entire language? When there are thousands of files?

The answer to both problems is style guides. Style guides have been around forever. Many businesses used them primarily for marketing purposes, but they are a perfect fit for translation needs. A style guide almost always answers the questions that resolve linguistic ambiguity: formal or informal communication? Who is the audience? What's the business context?

This feature is a bit overdue, but we're happy to introduce style guides as a native feature in Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise (you can find them in your left-side menu).

How it works

Generate with AI: Describe your brand voice and target audience, and let Crowdin build a professional style guide for you from scratch.
Upload existing assets: If you already have a guide, upload it in PDF, DOCX, XLSX, or Markdown.
Active Guidance: Once set, the style guide isn't just a document — it’s an active participant. It powers AI pre-translation prompts, provides real-time suggestions in the Editor, and serves as the benchmark for automated AI QA checks to ensure every string stays on-brand.

We'll be working on templates and general-purpose style guides that can be easily adapted to different business needs. What we recommend right now: if you have style guides, upload them. Give the AI everything you've got.

Stay tuned for our next Product Updates!

AI-First Localization in a Regulated Business

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Shipping multilingual content is rarely ‘translate and done’. Pages change, UI space is tight, legal terms must be exact, and markets never sleep. In The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe talks with Putri Kumala (AI Localization Operations Team Lead) and Arshaad Mohiadeen (Senior AI Engineer) from Deriv about how they run 20+ languages with automated, AI-driven workflows while staying in control of quality, brand, and compliance.

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From ‘Who Will Translate?’ to ‘How Do We Automate?’

Putri says the biggest change is in mindset. Before, the team asked who would translate and how long it would take. After their shift toward full automation, the question became: how can we automate this so humans focus on judgment, not repetitive effort? That shift was scary at first for people who came up through translation. But once the team agreed that AI is a speed engine, and humans provide direction, context, and guardrails, the fear turned into a practical partnership.

<Blockquote footer="Putri Kumala, AI Localization Operations Team Lead at Deriv"> At the beginning, it was a little bit scary because I thought, okay, AI is doing translation for us, so what are we going to do here as a human? But as soon as we got together and started working with AI, it helped us a lot more in terms of speed. </Blockquote>

The Pull and Push Workflow Everyone Understands

Deriv keeps the workflow explainable internally. Content is pulled from Webflow into Crowdin, pretranslation runs automatically, and translations are pushed back into Webflow. Putri says they keep the language simple: pulling and pushing. That matters because localization touches product, content, and engineering, and the system only scales if nontechnical stakeholders can follow what’s happening without a tooling deep dive.

<Aside type="tip"> Learn How to Manage Multilingual Sites Without Speaking the Language. </Aside>

Automation Doesn’t Remove QA, It Moves QA Up the Stack

A trading platform can’t afford sloppy wording, broken links, or confusing onboarding. So Deriv doesn’t stop the pipeline to translate, but they do add layers after the automated pass. Once content is pushed back, they run another QA layer and use AI for proofreading. They look for mistranslations, context misses, and functional issues, such as ‘Spanish’ link routing to the wrong language page.

Market volatility doesn’t usually change the workflow, Arshaad notes, because most content stays stable. The tricky part is the new jargon. When a term hasn’t appeared before, the team decides whether to keep it in English, translate it, or use transliteration, then updates terminology so automation stays consistent. Read more about localization testing.

Trust Is Measured Per Language, Not Assumed

Models aren’t trained equally across languages, and inconsistency is the real enemy at scale. Deriv maintains internal datasets and benchmarks multiple models against them, testing different prompt styles, translation output, and proofreading.

They also stress repeatability: ask the same sentence many times and watch for drift or hallucinations, because even tiny inconsistencies become a huge problem across 20+ languages.

<Blockquote footer="Arshaad Mohiadeen, Senior AI Engineer at Deriv"> A good indicator for detecting hallucinations is to ask the same sentence or context multiple times. If you ask the same thing a thousand times, you want the AI to give something consistent, not random translations every hundred or thousand times. </Blockquote>

<Aside type="tip"> To remove hallucinations, Crowdin has developed the AI Pipeline. Check more about this app. </Aside>

Redundancy and Accountability Are the Scaling Strategy

Deriv runs 24/7, and providers can go down. Arshaad describes building redundancy: multiple providers and fallback options so workflows keep moving. But the key safeguard is accountability. When Stefan asks who owns quality, Putri’s answer is simple: the team does. AI can translate and proofread, but humans remain responsible for outcomes and for improving terminology, prompts, and rules over time.

Final Thoughts

Deriv’s playbook is less ‘use AI’ and more ‘engineer trust’. Automate the routing work, add QA layers that catch meaningful risk, benchmark models per language, and build redundancy so operations don’t stall. Then keep humans on the hook for quality, because trust isn’t a feature you ship once. It’s a discipline you should maintain every day.

Putri and Arshaad’s Background

Putri Kumala is the AI Localization Operations Team Lead at Deriv. With two decades of experience in localization, Putri has pioneered the transition from traditional human-led translation workflows to AI-first localization strategies while maintaining rigorous compliance and quality standards. Her expertise lies in balancing automation with human oversight, developing terminology frameworks, and integrating localization early in product design cycles.

Arshaad Mohiadeen is a Senior AI Engineer at Deriv, specializing in large language model implementation and multilingual AI workflows. With deep expertise in prompt engineering, model benchmarking, and quality assurance systems, Arshaad bridges the gap between AI capabilities and localization requirements in highly regulated environments. His work focuses on designing redundant systems, testing AI consistency across languages, and establishing frameworks that protect against hallucinations and model drift.

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What's New at Crowdin: February 2026

team — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Our release announcements are getting a makeover. Starting now, we’ll be highlighting some features in "What’s New" summaries, while major updates will now have their own separate posts. This shift ensures we can give you more depth and share important updates the moment they drop. Expect the first of these separate announcements to arrive in just a few days!

This February, we released Crowdin CLI 4.14.0, which uses AI and our new Crowdin Skills to pull context directly from your code. This helps translators or AI understand exactly what they’re working on without the guesswork. We’ve also launched the Crowdin Certificates app—a new way to prove your expertise based on your actual work on the platform, not just theory.

Beyond these updates, we’ve introduced a Screen Capture extension to make managing screenshots easier and a new traditional menu in the Editor for a more familiar layout. You’ll also find new apps like Langbly MT and Google Private Drive in the Crowdin Store, along with several updates to our Figma plugin.

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Crowdin CLI 4.14.0: string context management

When localizing UI, the best thing you can give a translator — human or AI — is the information from the source code about where a string actually lives: what component renders it, what triggers it, what surrounds it. Crowdin already has a Context Harvester for extracting that, but we've been closely watching its adoption. It's opinionated about how context should be extracted, making it less effective for edge cases that are actually common in enterprise projects. It also requires the developer running it to have direct API access to whatever LLM the company uses — a real barrier in environments where AI tooling is centrally controlled.

So we expanded Crowdin CLI instead. It's a tool developers already have, already trust, and in enterprise environments, already have approved.

Crowdin CLI 4.14.0 introduces a new crowdin context command group. The workflow is intentionally simple — and the CLI doesn't do extraction itself. That's deliberate. Your team's AI agent is better positioned to understand your specific codebase than any opinionated extraction tool we could ship. To give your AI access to Crowdin knowledge, including best practices, common pitfalls, and configuration patterns, we created trying our new Crowdin Skills (a suite of reusable patterns for AI agents created to teach them to work better with Crowdin)

The Workflow

The process begins by equipping your AI agent with Crowdin Skills, which teach it how to handle Crowdin data and write high-quality descriptions. Once set up, the workflow is straightforward: you use the CLI to download your project's strings into a local JSONL file (great format for AI agents to work with). Because your AI agent has access to your codebase, you simply ask it to fill in the missing details. The agent analyzes the code to understand the string's purpose and adds concise descriptions. Finally, you upload the enriched file back to Crowdin to provide human translators or AI with the clarity they need.

An important detail: the CLI separates manual context from AI-generated context. When you upload, the AI only extends the context — it never overwrites anything a human added. If you want to start over with AI-extracted context (say, after a major refactor), crowdin context reset removes all AI-generated context while leaving manual context intact. You can reset selectively by file, label, branch, or CroQL — or pass --all to reset everything.

The release also includes export_languages support in the config file, an --exclude-language option for pre-translate, source file existence validation in config lint, and a few other improvements. Full changelog: CLI 4.14.0 and tutorial on context enrichment with AI Agents and Crowdin Skills are already available.

Crowdin Certificates

A typical certification proves you studied the material. The new Certificates app in Crowdin analyzes your actual platform usage and certifies the skills it can observe. The certificate proves you did the work.

There are five certificate types. For translators: AI Translation Specialist, Crowdin Linguist, and Volunteer Translator. For project managers: Localization Engineer and Localization Manager. Once earned, these certificates can be added to your LinkedIn certifications or shared as a professional post. You can find the installed app and track your progress directly in your Profile Settings. Available only in Crowdin; for Crowdin Enterprise, please view the Volunteer Certificates app.

Browser plugin for screenshot capturing and maintenance

We’ve been "eating our own dog food" lately. While localizing a specific section of the product, we found that our automatic screenshot management wasn't a great fit for that particular part. Since there were only a few screens, we decided to capture them manually.

The operating system's default screenshot tool produces unhelpful filenames; someone has to remember which screens were captured and constantly keep track of which screens still need to be captured. What is most scary is knowing that the product changes rapidly and we would need to redo screenshots from time to time, then again rename files, and upload to Crowdin.We quickly reminded ourselves why we built automations in the first place—manual capturing is far from pleasant.

So we built a Screen Capture, Chrome plugin to help with this.

If you localize UI, the plugin can live in the extensions section of your browser. It lets you select the entire page or a part of it to screenshot with just one click. And it automatically suggests a useful name for the screenshot — either the page title, URL, H1, or anything that would give a human a clue when managing thousands of screenshots.

The plugin is most useful when maintaining screenshots. You still have to remember to update screenshots when your app changes, but when you visit the page where UI has been changed, you either click an existing screenshot and then click the page (or page element), or just select the element, and the plugin finds the existing screenshot to update.

If you localize the web UI, we still encourage you to integrate automatic screenshot collection. If that's not possible, this plugin is the second recommended workflow.

New Editor layout: horizontal menu

For everyone who already has a project in Crowdin and has used the Editor, it’s familiar that the menu (with file selection, languages, projects, and editor views) is available on the left as a dropdown after clicking the menu icon.

However, starting a few days ago, the default for new users has changed—specifically, to a horizontal menu at the top of the Editor. It’s actually more intuitive and familiar to most people. And there is a good chance that if you’re an old Crowdin user, after switching to the new menu, you’ll never go back to the old one.

To enable it, you need to go to Editor > Settings > Appearance > Horizontal menu.

We hope the new menu look will be clearer and more convenient for you! Let us know your thoughts.

Big picture: view strings in their original context

The next feature is the ability to view strings in context (via the new puzzle icon in the Editor).

It’s really useful for those cases when you don’t have enough context for a specific string—for example, if you followed a direct link from an email notification about an issue related to this string, or if you're working on a task where not all strings from the document are included.

By clicking the puzzle icon, you can see your string in the context of its "surrounding strings," giving you the extra information you need to translate accurately.

To keep your workspace organized, any strings that are not part of your assigned task will appear slightly greyed out. These strings are read-only, meaning you cannot modify their translations or interact with them. This will prevent any accidental edits to content outside your current scope.

Crowdin Store

Langbly Machine Translation

Langbly is a new LLM-powered translation engine now available as a Machine Translation app on Crowdin. It supports 100+ languages with natural-sounding output that goes beyond traditional neural machine translation. Langbly is a drop-in replacement for the Google Translate API, making it easy to switch. With pricing starting at a free tier of 500K characters/month, teams can significantly reduce their translation costs while getting better quality.

Google Private Drive

The main difference with the new Google Private Drive app is that you can now translate your docs without having to share them first. While the previous Google Drive app required you to share files to make them accessible, this new version lets you work with your personal documents while they stay strictly private. It’s a much more secure and faster way to sync content since you don't need to mess with sharing settings anymore.

Bulk update for connectors: a faster way to sync your content

Managing content in connectors like Storyblok, Contentful, or Salesforce just got a lot faster. Previously, if you wanted to update files already imported into Crowdin, you had to manually expand the right panel, find the specific files, and sync them, which was quite time-consuming for large projects.

Now, you can do this directly from the left panel where your synced content is shown. Just select the files or folders you need, click the arrow next to the "Sync to Crowdin button", and choose "Update selected files." It’s a much quicker way to keep your content up to date without all the extra navigation.

Figma: target language selection for uploads

Crowdin plugin for Figma just got an update. In version 99, we’ve introduced more granular control over your localization workflow in Pages mode. You can now select specific target languages when uploading content to Crowdin, ensuring you sync only what’s necessary.

On the download side, we’ve made it easier to bring translations back: you can now select multiple languages at once and track their real-time translation and approval progress directly within the plugin before pulling them into your designs.

Smaller but handy updates

This February, we’ve had a few smaller features and news, like:

Task-level filtering to workspace Translation cost reports. You can now track costs more precisely with included task names, IDs, and dates. [Crowdin Enterprise]
We are gradually rolling out the ability to delete integrations created by other team members across all apps. This ensures they remain manageable even if the responsible manager is unavailable and hasn't shared access. Please note: Deleting an integration will erase its settings.
Node @crowdin/n8n-nodes-crowdin has been approved by the n8n team and is now part of verified nodes.
Added support for Material MkDocs custom admonitions.
Crowdin Enterprise is now available in Catalan.

Agile Localization Podcast

We also released two new episodes of the Agile Localization podcast this month, featuring insights from industry leaders. We spoke with Nicola Calabrese about globalization management and scaling products internationally, and with Szymon Metkowski about the role of technology and agile processes in modern localization. Both episodes are now available on platforms for you to listen to.

External tools updates

PHP API Client 1.20.0
iOS SDK 1.13.0
GitHub action v2.14.1, v2.15.0

New format of updates releases

As we shift to our new announcement format, remember that while these "What’s New" summaries will keep you up to date on general improvements, our major releases will now have their own dedicated spotlight. In fact, our first standalone announcement is just a few days away—don't miss it!

4 Pillars of a Scalable B2B SaaS Localization Program

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When B2B SaaS companies talk about going global, what they often mean is: send content in, get translations out, and hope for the best. In reality, that approach breaks the moment you try to scale.

In this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe is joined by Nicola Calabrese, the Founder of Undertow, to dive into how B2B SaaS companies can build structured, scalable localization programs powered by AI. With more than a decade in software localization, SEO, and process design, Nicola makes one thing clear: AI doesn’t fix chaos. It amplifies it.

Here’s how to avoid that trap.

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4 Pillars of a Modern Localization Program

According to Nicola, every scalable localization setup rests on four essential pillars:

1. Strategy

Localization cannot exist in a vacuum. It has to align with business goals. If leadership cares about revenue, expansion velocity, or customer retention, your localization strategy must directly support those outcomes. Saying “we improved translation quality” won’t move the needle in the boardroom. Showing that better localization unlocked three additional campaigns per quarter or accelerated market entry by two months.

2. People

AI is powerful, but as tech stacks grow more complex, skilled people become even more critical. Someone still needs to design workflows, maintain glossaries, interpret context, and make strategic decisions. Localization managers shouldn’t be isolated operators buried under operational chaos. They need structured support.

3. Tech

Modern infrastructure matters. A centralized translation management system (TMS), connectors to CMS platforms, integrations with GitHub and email providers, and customizable AI workflows are foundational.

4. Processes

The “boring” pillar, and arguably the most important. Clear, documented processes eliminate bottlenecks. Without them, teams rely on copy-paste workflows, scattered Excel glossaries, and internal reviewers juggling translation on top of their actual jobs.

Red Flags That Your Localization Won’t Scale

Nicola sees the same warning signs repeatedly.

If a company treats localization as “just translation”, that’s a problem.
If sales reps or marketing managers are reviewing translations manually, that’s a problem.
If there’s no centralized glossary, no ownership, and no defined workflows, that’s a problem.

These setups might survive in one or two markets. Add a third language, or expand campaign volume, and everything collapses. Often, there’s a single internal person who speaks the language. If they go on vacation, the entire process stalls.

AI doesn’t solve this – it accelerates the breakdown.

The Minimum Viable Experience Framework

When entering a new market, Nicola doesn’t recommend translating everything. Instead, Nicola applies what he calls a Minimum Viable Experience (MVE) analysis. This means mapping the entire customer journey:

Ad campaign
Landing page
Product signup
Onboarding emails
Activation flows
Help center content
Renewal touchpoints
Then prioritizing only what’s essential.

If you have 100 help center articles, you don’t localize all 100. You localize the onboarding emails and the most visited support pages linked within them. If entering Germany and France, messaging may differ. German customers may prioritize data security and GDPR compliance. French customers may value native-language support and human connection.

Same product, different emphasis. By launching with a focused, connected experience, companies gather real traction data. That data becomes leverage internally to double down or reallocate resources intelligently. Localization becomes a growth experiment, not a cost center.

Why Translation Management Systems Still Matter

There’s a popular narrative that AI will replace TMS platforms. Nicola disagrees. Without a TMS, teams end up rebuilding what TMS platforms already solve: version control, terminology management, automated workflows, connectors, and QA layers.

Localization today operates on three levels:

Direct translation
Adaptation
Market-specific creation

A TMS handles the first layer efficiently. That frees teams to invest time in the final 20 percent. AI inside modern TMS environments accelerates micro-tasks that used to take hours:

Converting US English to Australian spelling
Adjusting gender agreements in languages like Italian
Switching between formal and informal tone
Fixing syntax errors in WordPress files
Updating numbering conventions across content

<Blockquote footer="Nicola Calabrese, the Founder of Undertow"> Another thing that I like about Crowdin is that it allows me to set up visual workflows without having to write code. It's literally a drag and drop and setting up, AI steps that can be customized for the different workflows and even the different content types and different languages, taking into account style guides, glossaries, previously done content. </Blockquote>

90-Day Blueprint to Get Started

For companies ready to build an AI-driven localization program, Nicola suggests a practical three-month roadmap:

Month 1: Assess Reality

Audit your current setup. Identify manual bottlenecks, unclear ownership, outdated glossaries, and disconnected AI localization experiments.

Month 2: Align Strategy and Resources

Define target markets. Quantify internal time spent on localization. Connect improvements to measurable business outcomes.

Month 3: Upgrade Tech and Processes

Implement or optimize a TMS. Centralize terminology. Trim unnecessary workflow steps. Introduce AI where it meaningfully reduces friction.

Localization maturity doesn’t happen overnight. But within 90 days, companies can shift from reactive translation to structured global enablement.

Final Thoughts From Nicola

AI is changing localization. But technology alone doesn’t create scale. Strategy, people, infrastructure, and disciplined processes do. And when those foundations are in place, AI becomes what it should be: a multiplier.

Nicola’s Background

Nicola Calabrese is the Founder of Undertow, a specialist firm helping tech companies build and manage AI-powered localization programs. With over a decade of experience in software localization, SEO localization engineering, and process design, Calabrese brings a strategic perspective grounded in operational excellence. He also hosts The Multilingual Content Podcast, teaches at the Localization Management Academy TranslaStars, and develops educational content on workflow automation and AI agents for the localization industry.

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How MyHeritage Built a Localization Workflow for 50 Languages

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When Valentina Wainstein joined the localization team at MyHeritage nearly a decade ago, the site focused on helping people find their ancestors. Today, it’s a global AI and DNA powerhouse. It's the kind of company that doesn't just show you a family tree, but helps you unlock your own biology.

The company’s growth has been massive following its success in the AI and genetic health space, MyHeritage is now valued at approximately $1 billion. For Valentina, the goal has always been simple: make sure these life-changing discoveries aren't blocked by a language barrier.

"Our products can truly change lives," she says, "and no one should miss that opportunity just because they don’t speak English".

Scale by the Numbers

Managing a platform of this size requires moving a mountain of content. To keep the site and DNA features accessible, the team handles millions of words across their global ecosystem.

<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <strong>Total Managed Volume</strong> </td> <td> <strong>Nearly 60 million words</strong> processed since 2023 </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>AI Translation</strong> </td> <td> <strong>25+ million words</strong> handled via Google Gemini, OpenAI, etc. </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Human Contribution</strong> </td> <td> <strong>23+ million words</strong> of nuanced translation from the community </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Efficiency (Reuse)</strong> </td> <td> <strong>5 million words</strong> reused via Translation Memory </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Global Reach</strong> </td> <td> <strong>50 languages</strong> supported </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Centralizing the Localization Workflow

Back in the day, the team used an internal tool that eventually just couldn't keep up as they grew. In 2018, they moved everything over to Crowdin. In 2021, MyHeritage switched to Crowdin Enterprise.

Crowdin became their all-in-one hub for translations, AI, glossaries, and community management.

<Blockquote footer="Valentina Wainstein, Localization Team Lead at MyHeritage"> Crowdin brings everything together in one place. It helps us deliver high-quality translations with proper context, maintain consistency, use advanced technology, and efficiently manage tasks across many languages. </Blockquote>

Tech Stack: AI + Community

Back in 2018, MyHeritage moved to Crowdin to centralize their workflow. Today, it’s where they balance high-tech automation with a passionate volunteer community.

A Smart Mix of Tools

The MyHeritage team does not rely on just one engine. They use a sophisticated blend of:

Leading MT Engines: DeepL and Google Translate for reliable machine translation.
Next-Gen AI: Models like Gemini 2.5 flash and GPT-4o mini handle more complex tasks.
Tailored Prompts: To get the best results, they use language-specific AI prompts grouped by family – such as Celtic (Irish, Welsh), Germanic (Icelandic, Luxembourgish), Semitic (Maltese), etc.

Secret Ingredient: Passionate Experts

MyHeritage’s team of volunteers (including journalists, professors, and professional translators) provides the nuance that machines cannot catch. Since many are power users of the site, they intuitively understand the tricky "genealogy-speak".

MyHeritage Reached the 50-Language Mark

The team recently celebrated hitting the 50-language milestone. Adding the "New 9" (including Icelandic, Welsh, and Georgian) was a huge operational mountain to climb. It meant training AI tools and making sure every single email and app screen was translated – no leftover English allowed.

<Blockquote footer="Valentina Wainstein, Localization Team Lead at MyHeritage"> We invested significant time in training our AI tools and refining the process. It was also important to translate everything – not leaving any content in English – which was a large effort given the amount of content across the site, emails, and apps. This work also required close collaboration with many technical teams across different departments. Careful planning and strong coordination were essential, especially since unexpected issues can always arise. </Blockquote>

How Their Crowdin Workflow Looks

Valentina describes a sophisticated, multi-step process for every new piece of text:

Source Review: Before translation begins, the original text is reviewed for clarity to ensure it is suitable for a global audience.
Memory Check: The system checks the Translation Memory (TM) for existing matches to ensure consistency.
AI Integration: If no match is found, AI models generate a translation using language-specific instructions to capture cultural nuances.
AI Proofreading: Automated steps check for consistency, formatting, and technical details.
Quality Assurance: After deployment, a final Localization QA process ensures the highest standard for users.

Overcoming Linguistic Complexity

Genealogy is surprisingly complex. Take the term "second cousin" – it does not mean the same thing in every culture.

Valentina’s team conducted in-depth research to translate genealogy terminology accurately across all supported languages. This helps MyHeritage to stay consistent across all 50 languages.

Final Words

As MyHeritage grows, Valentina’s goal is simple: to add more languages, so more people worldwide can investigate their family history.

Measuring Translation Quality When You Don't Speak the Language

ronak-ganatra — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Let's be real about a situation that happens all the time when scaling large websites: you're managing a global website. Your boss wants the site live in 15 markets by Q2. You've got translators working in Crowdin, content flowing through DatoCMS, and you're supposed to sign off on everything being “good to go”.

There's just one tiny problem: you don't speak German, Japanese, Portuguese, or the other 12 languages you're supposedly managing.

You can't review the translations yourself. You can't afford to hire 20 native speakers for full-time QA. You can't just trust that everything is fine and hope for the best when the CEO asks if the Spanish site is ready.

You need a system that works, and you can set one up using DatoCMS and Crowdin together.

Coverage First: Know What's Actually Translated

Before worrying about quality, you need to answer a simpler question: Is the content actually translated at all?

This sounds basic, but it's where many global content operations fall apart. Content exists in English. Translators are working on something. But what exactly? And how much is done?

DatoCMS handles localization at the field level. When you create a model (like a homepage or product page), you decide which fields are localizable. The title field? Localizable. The slug field? Definitely yes. The product_sku field? Probably not. This means you're not paying to translate technical IDs, but you are translating everything that matters to users.

Which is where the DatoCMS + Crowdin connector becomes essential. Instead of manually exporting content, sending it to translators, and manually importing it back, the connector syncs bidirectionally. This is the foundation of a scalable multilingual CMS strategy:

New or updated content in DatoCMS automatically flows to Crowdin (if you set up auto-sync).
Completed translations (via TM pre-translation, MT, AI + human) in Crowdin automatically sync back to DatoCMS.
You can see the translation status in both tools without opening 40 browser tabs.

In DatoCMS, you can filter your content by locale completion. Need to know which pages are missing German translations?

Run a simple query:

query {
  allBlogPosts(filter: {_locales: {allIn: [es]}}) {
    title
  }
}

Filter by locale, and you've got your answer in 10 seconds.

In Crowdin's project dashboard, you can see translation progress across all languages. The German homepage is 85% translated. The French product descriptions are 100% complete but pending review. You know exactly where things stand.

The win here is simple: one dashboard view tells you "German homepage is 85% translated, French is done, Spanish needs 3 more fields."

You don’t have to guess or handle multiple spreadsheets or query databases.

Automated Quality Checks You Can Trust

Coverage was step one. But just because something is translated doesn't mean it's translated well.

The good news is that you don't need to speak the language to catch most translation problems. Crowdin has built-in Quality Assurance checks that run automatically, and they catch most issues before they ever reach your site.

Here's what gets caught automatically:

1. Length restrictions

If your CTA button in English says "Get Started" (11 characters) and the German translation is "Jetzt mit unserem kostenlosen Testzeitraum beginnen" (52 characters), Crowdin flags it for potential inconsistencies. Your button design won't overflow.

2. Placeholder preservation

If your email template has something like {username} in English, the Spanish version better have {username} too, not {nombre_usuario}. Crowdin verifies that dynamic placeholders stay exactly as they are.

3. Terminology consistency

Set up a glossary in Crowdin with terms like "Dashboard" or "Workspace", and Crowdin enforces that translators use your approved translations. "Dashboard" doesn't randomly become "Panel de Control" in one place and "Tablero" in another.

4. Capitalization/Casing patterns

If your English content has "Free Trial" capitalized, Crowdin can enforce similar capitalization rules in other languages based on their conventions.

Context-Aware Translation using DatoCMS Field Metadata

Now here's where the DatoCMS integration makes this even better, since Crowdin receives field names and item context directly from DatoCMS.

What does this mean in practice? Instead of a translator seeing just "Save", they now see the full context:

Field: Primary CTA Button
Model: Homepage Hero Section
Content: "Save"

This context is huge. "Save" as a button might be Speichern in German, while "Save" as a noun (like "Save 20%") might be Sparen. Translators make better decisions when they know exactly what they’re translating.

Working with DatoCMS’s Structured Text field

For Structured Text fields (DatoCMS's rich content format that supports nested blocks and modular content), the connector preserves the entire structure. If you have a blog post with embedded image blocks, quote blocks, and inline links, all of that structure stays intact through translation. Translators see the content in context, not as flattened strings.

Set up your glossaries in Crowdin to align with your DatoCMS content models. If you have a "Product" model with specific field types, create glossary entries that match those fields. This creates consistency across your entire content system to save you confusion down the line.

The big win here is that 70% of translation problems get caught automatically, so you don’t need to have an army of native speakers QAing all the inclusions and changes. Button texts won't overflow. Placeholders won't break. Terminology stays consistent. And translators have the context they need to make the right decisions.

Quality Signals from Your Site Analytics

Hypothetically, if your site has gone live with less-than-ideal translations, analytics are the best way to uncover issues. Automated checks catch technical problems. But how do you know if the translation actually makes sense to real users?

Your site tells you. You just need to know what to look for.

Bounce rate divergence is your first major signal. If your English homepage bounces at 30% and your German homepage bounces at 80%, something is very wrong. Users are landing and immediately leaving. Common causes of this could be:

Content reads like it was machine-translated (because it was, and no one reviewed it).
A critical CTA was mistranslated.
The content doesn't match user expectations from the ad or search result.

Set up locale-specific views in Google Analytics (or whatever analytics tool you use). Compare bounce rates across languages for the same pages. Dramatic differences require investigation.

Conversion rate parity is your second signal. If users in France convert at 5% and users in Germany convert at 1%, and the product pricing is similar, you likely have a translation or cultural localization problem.

Now, conversion rates will naturally vary by region due to market maturity, competition, and cultural factors. But if you see a 5x difference on similar pages, that's a red flag.

Time-on-page patterns can reveal comprehension issues. If English users spend 2 minutes reading your documentation page and Spanish users spend 15 seconds, either:

The translation is confusing.
The translation is so bad that they immediately recognize it's unusable.
You have a technical issue (wrong locale being served).

Here's a real example of using analytics post-deployment to understand the cost of translations. A joint customer noticed their French bounce rate spiked from 35% to 78% after a content update. They dug into the heatmaps of pages to see what changed and found that a new CTA was translated as "Supprimer le compte" (Delete Account) instead of "Commencer" (Get Started).

The translation was technically correct. It just wasn't the right phrase for that context. Their analytics caught it within 24 hours, they fixed it in DatoCMS, the Crowdin connector synced the fix, and the changes went live.

The learning here is to let your site become an extension of your QA system. Users vote with their behavior. If something is wrong, you'll see it in the data without speaking the language.

Using In-Market Reviewers

Let's be honest, beyond a certain scale, you still need native speakers, and should ensure you have the right coverage for the languages most critical to your business. Automated checks and analytics catch problems, but they don't catch everything, and some are more reactive rather than proactive. A sentence can be grammatically perfect and still sound awkward, overly formal, or culturally tone-deaf.

But here's the key: use native speakers strategically, not for every single word.

1. Give reviewers access to DatoCMS, not spreadsheets

This is crucial. When a German reviewer looks at translations in a spreadsheet, they see isolated rows without context. When they review in DatoCMS, they see the actual homepage hero section with all the context: the headline, the subtext, the CTA button, how it all flows together. They catch problems like "this CTA doesn't match the tone of the headline" or "this word choice doesn't make sense next to that image."

DatoCMS has granular roles and permissions you can set up for users on the field level to ensure that you’re not risking giving external translators access to view and/or change content that’s not relevant to their scope.

2. Set up proofreading workflows in Crowdin for high-value content

Not every blog post needs human review. But your homepage, pricing page, and core product pages? Those should go through a proofreader after translation.

Crowdin's workflow system also lets you route specific files to specific reviewers. Your French proofreader only sees French content. Your German proofreader only sees German. They're not accessing content in languages they don't speak.

3. Use the DatoCMS plugin to trigger review rounds when you're ready.

The plugin lives inside DatoCMS's editor interface, so content managers can initiate translation workflows without switching tools or asking developers for help.

Reviewers see content in its actual structure, not in isolation. They catch context issues. And you're using expensive human review only where it matters most, not on every single string.

Build a Scalable Translation Quality Workflow with DatoCMS and Crowdin

We've covered the implementation and importance of coverage tracking, automated QA, analytics monitoring, and human review. Now let's put it all together into a single workflow that actually runs for you without constant manual oversight or intervention.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

Content created in DatoCMS: Your content team creates or updates a page.
Auto-sync to Crowdin: The connector pushes new/updated content to Crowdin automatically (or you trigger it manually via the plugin).
Automated QA runs: Crowdin's QA checks catch placeholder issues, length problems, terminology violations.
Translation happens: Translators work with full context (field names, content structure).
Sync back to DatoCMS: Completed translations flow back automatically.
Editor's preview: Your team previews translations in DatoCMS to see them in context.
Monitor analytics: Watch bounce rate, conversion, time-on-page by locale.
Iterate: When metrics show problems, investigate and fix.

With this approach, you maintain confidence across 20 languages without speaking any of them. You have coverage tracking, automated quality checks, analytics validation, and strategic human review, all working together in a system that doesn't require you to manually export and import files or messy spreadsheets.

When you combine DatoCMS's structured content approach with Crowdin's connector, you create a workflow where problems are identified early enough through automated checks, issues get caught by analytics, and human reviewers focus their time where it matters. As you add new markets, new content types, and new team members, the workflow stays intact because it combines the best of multiple approaches.

Ready to try and scale a translation workflow that actually works? Explore the DatoCMS and Crowdin integration to see how both tools work together to make all this a reality.

Designing for Translation: How to Build Global-Ready UX

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When teams talk about localization, it’s often framed as a finishing step. Ship the product, extract the strings, translate, and move on. However, as Szymon Metkowski, Language and UX Consultant at Metkowski Translations, explains in this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, that mindset is exactly what causes broken interfaces, confusing microcopy, and lost user trust.

In this conversation with host Stefan Huyghe, Szymon unpacks what UX-aware localization really looks like in practice. From why microcopy failures can quietly kill conversions, to how AI can help or hurt depending on how it’s used, the message is clear: if language isn’t considered during design, no amount of post-launch fixes will fully save the experience.

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Localization as a Trust Signal

One of the biggest misconceptions Szymon sees is the idea that localization is just replacing words. From his perspective, language is not a cosmetic layer. It’s a core part of how users decide whether they trust a product. Well-localized UX keeps users in an emotional, intuitive flow. Poor localization does the opposite. It forces people into analysis mode, where they start noticing errors, questioning credibility, and hesitating.

Szymon points to multiple studies showing that users overwhelmingly prefer content in their native language and that language quality directly influences trust. If localization feels awkward or machine-generated, users subconsciously start looking for what else might be wrong. At that point, you are no longer competing with global brands. You are competing with native alternatives that feel right from the first click.

Why Design Is the Real Localization Bottleneck

Many UX localization problems are not caused by translators. They are caused by designs that assume English grammar, English word length, and English sentence structure.

Szymon explains how interfaces often collapse when localized because linguists are brought in too late. Labels overflow. Lines break. Messages lose clarity. And suddenly, teams are scrambling to fix UI issues right before launch, when timelines are tight, and changes are expensive.

His solution? Include linguists in the design phase. Not to translate early, but to help shape the source text that can survive real languages. Small design choices, like avoiding gendered verbs or overly specific phrasing, can eliminate entire classes of localization problems later. Designing for localization upfront is far cheaper than retrofitting after the fact.

<Blockquote footer="Szymon Metkowski, Language and UX Consultant at Metkowski Translations"> Please don't treat the localization as a nice-to-have feature. It's a selling point. </Blockquote>

Microcopy: Small Text, Massive Impact

Microcopy is where UX localization succeeds or fails. These tiny bits of text, error messages, confirmations, button labels, and helper hints are often the first real interaction users have with a product.

According to Szymon, microcopy failures represent the highest-impact localization errors. When microcopy is unclear or culturally off, users immediately lose confidence. If the product cannot clearly say “your file is saved” in a natural way, how can it be trusted with something more important?

Szymon also highlights something often overlooked: microcopy has to fulfill a function, not sound clever or generic. It must be unambiguous, culturally natural, and emotionally appropriate. This is also where local humor, when done right, can become a competitive advantage, but only if it’s vetted by someone embedded in the culture.

AI in UX Localization

Szymon is pragmatic about AI. He uses it, especially to generate alternative translations, break repetitive structures, and support creative transcreation. For example, when source content relies heavily on language-specific structures that do not translate well, AI can help generate multiple variants that a human can refine.

But he is firm on one point: AI should never operate without supervision. The biggest risk is not bad grammar. It is nonsense. AI-generated copy can look polished while being culturally wrong, factually incorrect, or subtly misleading.

The safeguard is supervision throughout the workflow, not just post-editing. That includes human review, well-designed glossaries, predefined grammar rules, and prompt strategies aligned with brand voice.

<Aside type="tip"> Check our research on real cost of AI translations. </Aside>

How to Measure Whether Localization Is Actually Working

Instead of inventing special localization KPIs, Szymon recommends using native product metrics. Does the user journey succeed? Do users drop off quickly? Do they switch from their native language back to English? That last signal is especially telling. If users abandon a localized experience in favor of English, it is often a sign that something feels wrong. Localization success shows up directly in behavior.

Final Thoughts From Szymon

Localization is a selling point. Treating it as an afterthought creates friction, rework, and lost trust. Treating it as part of product design creates smoother experiences and stronger global adoption. Szymon’s advice for teams scaling internationally is refreshingly bold: design with language in mind, bring linguists in early, and don’t be afraid to use humor and personality, as long as it is vetted locally. Great UX localization does not feel translated. It feels native by design.

Szymon’s Background

Szymon Metkowski is the Language and UX Consultant at Metkowski Translations, bringing over two decades of experience in the language industry. He specializes in UX localization, cultural adaptation, and the integration of AI and language management systems into translation workflows.

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Is ChatGPT Enough for Professional Translation? ChatGPT vs. Crowdin

yuliia-makarenko — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

OpenAI hype has made many teams believe that a simple API call to GPT-4o is all they need to translate their product. This might work for a simple one-pager or situations where you don’t necessarily need the translation to feel native to your audience. However, there is a big difference between translating a sentence in a chat box and localizing a product at scale.

OpenAI is a powerful engine, but it is not a localization platform. It lacks the infrastructure to manage a product. To truly understand why, we need to look at the gap between a raw AI model and a professional localization ecosystem.

Besides the comparison, we want to show you how to get the maximum of both worlds: OpenAI and Crowdin.

How ChatGPT Works?

ChatGPT doesn’t read words the way humans do. It breaks text down into smaller chunks called tokens. A token can be a single character, a syllable, or a whole word. For common English text, 1,000 tokens is roughly 750 words.

What happens when you send a request to OpenAI:

Tokenization: Your input text is sliced into tokens.
Context Processing: The model analyzes these tokens against its training data and any context you provide (e.g., previous chat history).
Prediction: AI predicts the next most likely token, one by one, until the translation is complete.
Billing: You are charged for both the Input Tokens (your prompt and source text) and the Output Tokens (the generated translation).

When is ChatGPT Enough for Translation?

Before we talk about enterprise-grade localization, let’s be fair: ChatGPT is an incredible tool. You can use it if:

You need to translate a single email, a generic blog post, or a social media caption.
You are translating internal notes where a good enough quality is fine.
You need a creative brainstorming and want to see how a slogan might sound in different languages.
You do not have a product UI, strings, or a continuous development cycle to worry about.

If you are translating documents, use ChatGPT. If you are localizing a product, you need an ecosystem.

Core Difference: Tool vs. Ecosystem

ChatGPT is a standalone tool. You bring it a task, it gives you a result, and the relationship ends there. You have to manually export strings from your code, paste them into a chat, and paste them back into your files, or spend your devs' time creating an API integration.

Every time you start a new chat, the AI forgets your product. You have to re-explain your brand voice, re-upload your glossary, and re-attach your screenshots.

Crowdin, as a localization platform, provides the infrastructure where your multilingual product actually lives. Instead of a blank prompt, the AI works within a project-aware environment that automatically feeds it your specific glossary, translation memory, and UI constraints for every string.

Comparison: ChatGPT vs. Crowdin

Feature	ChatGPT (OpenAI)	Crowdin
Primary Role	General-purpose AI engine	End-to-end Localization Management (TMS)
Contextual Awareness	Limited to current prompt or manual attachments	Multi-layered: Screenshots (mapped to strings keys), Glossary, and Code Metadata
Semantic Knowledge	General training data	Vector Cloud: Brand-specific semantic search via RAG (Style guides, old docs)
Hallucination Prevention	Low (overloaded prompts lead to errors)	AI Pipeline
QA Checks	Manual review only	Automated (Length, tags, placeholders)
Workflows	Single-shot (Input - Output)	Multi-step (AI + Human + Review)
Code Protection	High risk of breaking tags/placeholders	Native Shielding: Variables like `{user}` are protected from translation
Design Stage	None	Translate and preview in mockups before coding
Integrations	Manual or custom-built middleware	700+ apps: GitHub, GitLab, HubSpot, Zendesk, Shopify
Version Control	None (chat history only)	Track all translation history
Collaboration	Isolated individual chats	Tag team members, raise issues, and share feedback
Security	Data may train public models (on free tiers)	ISO 27001, GDPR, and Bring Your Own Key privacy
Translation cost / 1000 words	GPT-5.2 ~$0.021	The same, ~$0.021

<Aside type="tip"> Discover the real cost of AI translation and how to optimize your spend. </Aside>

Approach to Context: ChatGPT vs. Crowdin

Context is a King. Without it, AI is just guessing.

The strongest argument for using OpenAI directly is that you can attach a screenshot or document to ChatGPT, and it understands what you need. This is useful for a single task, however, it fails in a professional production cycle. Crowdin works better than a single ChatGPT for AI localization because it treats context as data, not just an attachment.

1. Crowdin Context Harvester

OpenAI requires you to manually explain the context for every new chat. In contrast, Crowdin’s Context Harvester CLI automatically scans your codebase, identifies how a string is used in the code, and provides that metadata directly to the AI.

OpenAI: You tell it: this is a button.
Crowdin: AI knows it is a button, knows which file it is in, and knows the technical constraints of that specific UI element.

Check how it works:

2. Visual Context (Screenshots)

When you upload a screenshot to ChatGPT, the context dies when the chat ends. In Crowdin, screenshots are mapped to strings.

If you change the source text 6 months from now, Crowdin’s AI still has that screenshot linked to the key.
In ChatGPT, you need to find that old screenshot and reupload it.

3. Crowdin Vector Cloud

Vector Cloud is a tool that uses a vector database to provide semantic input to your AI translation models.

OpenAI: Uses a general knowledge base. If you ask it to translate a technical term, it guesses based on the internet.
Crowdin Vector Cloud: You can upload style guides, product specs, or even monolingual reference files (like a blog post written in French). When the AI translates, it first looks through your vector database for the most relevant brand-specific context. It understands the style of your brand, even if there isn't an exact match in your translation memory.

<Aside type="tip"> Learn more about Vector Cloud. </Aside>

4. AI Pipeline

In Crowdin, you can provide multi-layered context (glossary, translation memory, style guide, screenshots, text). Raw OpenAI often hallucinates when overloaded with too many instructions.

To prevent AI hallucinations, we recommend using the AI Pipeline app. Crowdin’s AI Pipeline prevents this by breaking the process into specialized steps. Instead of one giant request, it breaks the process into steps: extracting context, translating, verifying against the glossary, performing QA checks. All these steps can be customized – you can add some or delete the unnecessary.

We’ve added a new logic block called Skip Ambiguous Texts, because prevention is better than correction. Instead of the AI "flipping a coin" on a word with multiple meanings, the system analyzes the text first. If the source text is too vague or relies on missing information like gender or plurality, the AI simply skips it.

This flags the risky strings for you to review. By only translating the clear 80% and letting a human (or a manager with more context) handle the rest, you avoid the bad translations that usually break products.

Why Crowdin Wins: Features ChatGPT Doesn't Have

1. Integrations & Automation

OpenAI requires manual copy-pasting or custom-built middleware. Crowdin offers 700+ integrations with tools like GitHub, GitLab, Shopify, and Zendesk. It detects new strings automatically as developers push code and returns translated content.

2. Transparent Pricing

AI translations in Crowdin cost the exact same as they do in OpenAI directly. Crowdin doesn't charge extra for AI features. In the long run, this ecosystem actually saves you money (up to 90%) by reusing old translations through Translation Memory instead of paying to translate the same sentence twice.

3. Version Control

With Crowdin, you can track the history of every change made by the AI or a human. All your content becomes consistent and published simultaneously across all languages. If something has changed in English, the platform will indicate which fields need translation and notify translators.

4. Design-Stage Localization

In a perfect scenario, localization should start before development. It can start at the same time as the design stage. With Crowdin’s design plugins, you can send text from Figma for AI translation and preview the results directly in your mockups. This helps you catch layout issues before the design reaches developers. Learn more about design-stage localization.

5. Centralized Communication

Localization needs collaboration. Crowdin provides a central hub where managers, translators, and developers can comment on specific strings. You can tag teammates, raise issues, and provide real-time feedback. This is impossible to manage in OpenAI chat history.

6. Native Placeholder & Tag Protection

OpenAI frequently translates {userName}, for example, to {nombreDeUsuario}, which crashes apps. Crowdin masks these tags, ensuring the AI does not translate or change them.

7. QA Checks

Besides the placeholders, Crowdin can automatically catch simple errors in translated text (missed commas, extra spaces, or typos) or more advanced errors (missing terminology, inconsistent translations, missing tags). Crowdin also has a Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA) app to improve translation quality.

Read more about QA checks in our post Translation Quality Assurance.

8. Data Ownership & Security (BYOK)

You do not have to choose between Crowdin and OpenAI. Crowdin allows you to Bring Your Own Key (BYOK). You get the raw cost and power of OpenAI’s latest models while using Crowdin’s professional environment to manage translations.

Crowdin Ecosystem for AI Localization

ChatGPT is just a tool. Crowdin is a whole ecosystem. If you are serious about global growth, you need more than a chat interface. You need a continuous localization pipeline that ensures consistency, provides automation, saves money, and scales with you.

By using ChatGPT within Crowdin, you get the speed of the latest AI models and all the features of a professional localization platform.

FAQ

Is it safe to send my product data to OpenAI?

Confidential data should never be sent to the public version of ChatGPT. However, Crowdin allows you to Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), giving you greater control over privacy and ensuring your data is handled according to your own private contracts with AI providers.

Can ChatGPT replace a professional Translation Management System (TMS)?

No. ChatGPT is excellent for short-form creative content or one-off drafts, but it lacks the infrastructure for large-scale product localization. It does not natively respect segmentation, glossaries, or translation memory, which often leads to inconsistent translations as you scale.

How does Crowdin improve the quality of AI translations?

Crowdin puts AI on "rails" by providing multi-layered context that raw AI lacks. This includes:

Glossaries & TMs: Ensuring the AI uses your specific brand terminology every time.
Visual Context: Linking screenshots to strings so the AI "sees" where the text lives.
QA Checks: Automatically catching missing tags or placeholders that would otherwise break your app.

What is the cost difference between using ChatGPT directly vs. Crowdin?

Crowdin does not charge extra for its AI features; you only pay the direct cost of the tokens used by your selected AI provider. In the long run, using a TMS can reduce overall localization costs by up to 90% by reusing previously translated content and reducing the need for manual fixes.

Does AI localization mean I no longer need human translators?

AI is a tool, not a replacement. In the Crowdin workflow, AI handles the pre-translation, while human experts focus on high-value review, cultural nuances, and verifying high-stakes content.

How Strava Built an AI-Driven Localization Strategy Under 6 Weeks

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In the world of fitness, there is a golden rule: If it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen.

With over 150 million users across 185 countries, Strava is the world’s largest digital community for active people. It is the place where professional cyclists and weekend joggers alike go to hunt for Kudos, battle for King of the Mountain titles, and share their latest Strava Art.

In 2025, Strava reached a valuation of $2.2 billion in a funding round led by Sequoia Capital. With nearly $500 million in annual recurring revenue, Strava is the top unicorn of the fitness world.

We spoke to Eduardo D'Antonio, Globalization Director at Strava, who created a globalization strategy for them.

Learn how Strava created a complex localization strategy using Crowdin and went global in just 6 weeks.

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Creating Localization Strategy for 2 Products: Strava and Runna

When Eduardo D'Antonio joined Strava as a globalization leader, he had to build a whole new Globalization Tech Stack from scratch, to achieve the business results.

Strava acquired Runna, the UK’s leading personalized running coach app. After that, the task was to build a globalization strategy for Runna first – and do it fast.

Eduardo needed a tech stack that could keep up with the company's pace. He wasn't just looking for a translation memory, he was looking for automation, speed, and number of integrations.

Why did Strava Choose Crowdin?

Eduardo evaluated all popular TMSs on the market. Many were too expensive, too slow to implement, or lacked the flexibility that Strava requires.

Strava chose Crowdin as the center of their localization architecture for 4 reasons:

Integrations (The #1 Priority): Strava needed to connect over 25 different content repositories across their ecosystem.
Implementation Speed: While competitors quoted 6-9 months for setup, Strava didn't have that time.
Cost: Strava needed an affordable, scalable solution.
Customization & Support: They needed a partner, not just a vendor, someone who would listen to feature requests and adapt as quickly as Strava does.

As a Result, Runna Went Global in Less Than 6 Weeks

By using Crowdin as the central hub and connectors to Figma, GitHub, Contentful, Intercom, Iterable, Kevel, Strapi, and Intento + DeepL for MT translation, Strava achieved the impossible.

The entire globalization department and tech stack were built in just 6 weeks.
Runna was localized into Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
By using NMT and LLMs via Crowdin, Strava can now translate faster, better, and cheaper.

<Blockquote> Strava’s experience in localization helped us bring this all to life and their support has been instrumental in bringing this update to market at pace and at scale, </Blockquote> said Runna’s CEO, Dom Maskel, on Forbes.

<Blockquote> This means millions more runners worldwide can fully experience what we’ve built. This is about more than translation: it’s about inclusivity, accessibility and global ambition to make running more accessible, effective and enjoyable for everyone. </Blockquote>

Key Numbers

<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <strong>Setup Time</strong> </td> <td>6 Weeks</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Total Volume</strong> </td> <td>35M+ words managed in Crowdin</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Strava Reach</strong> </td> <td>13 languages</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Runna Reach</strong> </td> <td>8 languages</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Key Integrations</strong> </td> <td>Figma, GitHub, Contentful, Intercom, Iterable, Kevel, and Strapi</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<Blockquote> None of this would have happened without Crowdin," says Eduardo. "I think that's the most powerful sentence I could tell you. </Blockquote>

Build Your Own Globalization Strategy

Strava’s journey proves that you don't need years to go global. With the right technology, you can build a localization strategy in a matter of weeks.

What's New at Crowdin: January 2026

diana — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This month’s update is headlined by our official n8n integration, which allows you to build custom, no-code automations. We are also introducing "Predicting Ambiguity" to our AI Pipeline to prevent translation errors before they happen, and launching the Corporate Translation Portal to give your entire organization a secure way to get translations that don't require high-quality standards instantly.

From expanding our game localization tools for Xbox and Epic Games to rebuilding our Google Drive integration for enterprise-grade security, here is everything we’ve released this January.

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Crowdin Receives Official n8n Integration

We're releasing an official Crowdin node for n8n. Unlike most iPaaS, the Crowdin n8n node supports nearly all Crowdin API endpoints. Because Crowdin allows you to perform most UI actions via the API, that means the small automation you were thinking of is now probably possible, and you can do it yourself.

We decided to invest in the n8n node for multiple reasons.

First, n8n is open source, secure, well-tested in production, and fairly priced when you do not deploy it locally but use their cloud instance.
n8n is quite flexible as well; while it's built to let you construct workflows yourself, they recently trained an AI to build them for you, so you can just describe the need and get the automation.
Also, n8n allows you to build fully no-code automations, but when you feel one small thing would take lots of mouse clicks, you can have a custom code block and put a few line javascript (or AI can generate that code for you).

We've found that n8n becomes handy in quite a few automation scenarios. For instance, many of our clients have asked for easier ways for their teams to request translations directly from task managers like JIRA/Linear/Asana/Trello.

The problem is that in JIRA, we won't have the necessary input fields (without extensive configuration), e.g., the source language and target languages for files that need translation (or require extra communication between the requester and the localization manager). We've found that n8n workflows can handle this quite well.

Here's how it works:

8n listens for new Jira tasks.
It filters for tasks mentioning @crowdin.
An AI node extracts metadata (languages, deadlines, context) from the task description.
n8n grabs the attachments, creates a Crowdin project, and uploads the files.
Once translated, n8n automatically posts the files back to the original ticket.

The beauty is in the variability – you can:

add Slack or Teams notifications,
auto-assign linguists,
set deadlines from free-form text,
auto-close JIRA issues when done.

n8n lets you assemble these blocks however you need.

We are happy to see how many great companies build their n8n nodes. For example, Plunet is releasing its n8n connector. If you're a language service provider, gluing Crowdin and Plunet together should be easier than ever.

A Note on Architecture

While we are working on our native Crowdin Automator for core localization workflows, we see n8n as a powerful addition for "glue" logic and agile scripting.

However, a few tips regarding custom automations in general. We encourage you to build automations that are helpful, while keeping your core processes as stable as possible.

While iPaaS offers agility, its deployment outside of core IT frameworks presents specific operational risks regarding long-term stability and system integrity:

Fragility: It often lacks proper error recovery (if an automation fails halfway, it can leave your data in a corrupted state).
Lack of Governance: There are rarely proper QA tools, unit tests, or code reviews to guarantee reliability.
Maintenance: Visual workflows often lack documentation and become "tribal knowledge"--understandable only to the person who built them.

Use n8n to move fast and connect tools, but rely on Crowdin's native features for your core localization stability. If there's a CMS or content repository Crowdin does not connect with yet, please let us know -- we are always happy to invest in building new native integrations.

The Crowdin node supports hundreds of app integrations, meaning you can build automations around almost any content repository. To give you an idea of how smooth this can look:

A new survey is added to SurveyMonkey.
Slack pings the manager.
The manager simply tells the n8n bot: "Let's translate this," and the process begins.

A Pragmatic Approach to AI Quality: Predicting Ambiguity

Spotting very bad translations is definitely possible with QE (e.g., using vector embeddings), but for high-quality translations generated by an AI Pipeline, we see a more efficient mechanism: Input Analysis. Instead of guessing if a translation is bad after the fact, we try to predict if a source string is likely to result in a bad translation before we even try.

The problem we're solving is not new: a lack of context or linguistic ambiguity, for example

Gender Ambiguity: Translating "I'm a student" into German is a gamble without knowing the speaker's gender.
Homonyms: Without context, the word "Post" could mean mail, a blog entry, or a fence pole.

Our goal is to eliminate guesswork. We don't want to force the AI to return a translation when there are several options. Instead of just 'flipping a coin,' the system flags these ambiguous strings. This allows a manager to step in and add the missing context in bulk, so the AI Pipeline can then finish the job with total accuracy. The AI Pipeline is already proving its value in production. One of our large enterprise customers recently reached a a 92% 'perfect' rate, where translations were approved without any human editing.

It's a strong result, but we are looking for ways to get as close to 100% as possible. We believe it's better to catch potential issues early. If the AI is likely to get it wrong due to a lack of context, the system flags it immediately. This allows you to add the missing information – like screenshots or descriptions – before the translation happens. By focusing on Input Analysis, we make sure the AI only proceeds when it's set up for success, preventing errors instead of fixing them later.

The Solution: "Skip Ambiguous Texts."

This month, we are releasing a new logic block for the AI Pipeline: Skip Ambiguous Texts.

The philosophy is simple: Prevention is better than correction. Instead of generating a translation and hoping for the best, this step analyzes the source text for linguistic ambiguity. If the text relies heavily on missing context , the AI skips it entirely.

The Recommended Workflow: We suggest using this block to filter your content. Let the AI handle the 80% of unambiguous text. For the remaining 20% -- the ambiguous strings -- route them to human linguists (potentially assisted by Agentic AI). A human translator looking at a video game's dialogue is more likely to know whether "you" refers to a single character or a group; a machine might not have that information in the translation request.

We understand that skipping translations without a clear reason in the UI might feel unusual. That's why we are already experimenting with the next step.

Imagine the AI processing a large project, such as video game dialogue. It might identify hundreds of strings in which the speaker's gender or plurality is unclear. Instead of reviewing every line, the AI analyzes them, summarizes the missing context, and asks only the minimum number of questions to achieve perfect translation.

Our vision for the ideal future is: If the AI finds that it cannot translate, say, 20% of a project with high confidence, it proactively asks the manager for help. It might suggest:

Answering a few key summary questions.
Running a "Context Harvester" to find more data.
Uploading specific screenshots for the flagged scenes.

Once that gap is filled, the AI can finish the entire job with extremely high expected quality.

Note: For now, strings skipped by the AI Pipeline can be found in the AI Pipeline Log (under the Tools tab).

Corporate Translation Portal

There are many instant translation websites, and LLMs can now deliver translations quite well, too. Still, we believe there is a need for the new tool we're releasing this month. The corporate translation portal. We believe it's a good tool for cases when you need translation quickly and don't require guaranteed quality. "Good enough" quality is enough.

Features the Translation Portal offers:

Users in your organization can instantly translate text and files.
Only users from your organization can log in (users would need a Crowdin Enterprise account, but would not need a license for Crowdin Enterprise, and would not have access to your Crowdin Enterprise resources unless you grant them more access).
It has a history of translation requests.
Crowdin Enterprise manager can define the context of your organization, define the way translations should be produced (if it's AI Pipeline, then define steps AI should take to guarantee quality, e.g., follow certain styleguides, adhere to your corporate glossary, control hallucinations in a few steps).

So, how is it different from most mainstream solutions:

It has built-in "Backtranslation". We've found this very powerful feature. For example, when a contract is translated for a notary, a small glitch like a broken list can change the whole legal meaning. A lawyer who doesn't know the language wouldn't be able to spot this. Backtranslation lets them see exactly what the translation says in English (or any other lawyer's native language). This way, they can double-check the sense and fix any mistakes immediately.
Users can attach context when requesting translations. e.g. screenshots
The translation portal is capable of translating into multiple target languages (and back-translating from each of them)

We plan to invest more in this app. The nearest new addition would be the "Writing section", where users from your organization would be able to use your corporate AI providers along with content resources your organization manages in Crowdin, like glossaries and style guides to create a copy that follows your content policies.

Expanding Game Localization Support: Storefronts and Achievements

Localization in game development does not stop after localizing the game itself. While Crowdin integrates with Unity and Unreal Engine and handles in-game assets perfectly, shipping a title also requires localizing the "meta" layer -- specifically, the store presence and small things like player achievements.

We have added four new solutions to the Crowdin Store to address the proprietary formats used by Xbox (Xbox Live Service Config, Microsoft Store) and Epic Games (Epic Games Storefront Localization and Epic Games Achievements).

For Achievements and Stats

Translating achievements often lacks context when done in raw spreadsheets. A "locked" description needs a different tone than an "unlocked" one, or the character limits are strict. We released two new apps to handle this:

Xbox Live Service Config: Parses the native Xbox XML format for Achievements, Rich Presence, and Stats.
Epic Games Achievements: Handles the specific CSV structure for Epic's achievement system.

Both apps act as custom file format processors. Instead of asking translators to produce literal translations for texts, these apps provide a WYSIWYG preview, displaying achievements in the visual layout similar to the production appearance.

For Store Listings

Marketing copy on the storefront is often the first thing a player sees, but exporting store formats can be difficult to manage. The CSVs exported by the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store (for Xbox/PC) use complex multilingual column structures with requirements that can be managed in Crowdin.

We have published two technical guides detailing exactly how to configure Crowdin's CSV parser for these files. These guides Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store (for Xbox/PC) cover:

Mapping source/target columns to preserve the file structure for re-import.
Enabling content segmentation so translators work on sentences rather than large blocks of HTML or description text.

Website Redesign

You might have noticed our refreshed website launch today! Feel free to jump over and check out the redesign for yourself.

Enterprise Security: Session Lifetime

Last month, we introduced the Auth Guard API module, which lets security apps perform additional checks (like verifying allowed endpoints when users log in). However, there was a logical gap: those checks only ran at login.

We already had an Idle Session Timeout setting that logs users out after a period of inactivity, but a user could theoretically keep their session alive indefinitely by staying active -- bypassing recurring verification. Today, we're releasing a new setting: Session Lifetime. It determines how long a user can access the system before needing to verify their identity again, regardless of activity. When the session expires, the user must re-authenticate, triggering Auth Guard and all configured security checks. If you're familiar with enterprise identity providers like Okta or Azure AD, you'll recognize this pattern -- Idle Timeout and Session Lifetime work together to give you complete control over session security.

Track and Manage QA Progress in Real-Time

We've resolved the issue where linguists and managers remained unaware when QA checks were still processing or failed to trigger. You can now see the exact number of strings under validation on dashboards and identify them in the Editor via a new "QA check in progress" label and filter.

Managers can now manually trigger or cancel a "Revalidate" process in Project Settings for Terminology, AI-powered, Custom, and External checks. To support this, we’ve added three new API endpoints, Webhook events for completed revalidations, and a specific "Qa Check Status" token scope.

Google Drive Integration (Rebuilt)

We've rebuilt the Google Drive integration with security as the primary design principle. The previous version required full access to your entire Google Drive. The new one uses a service account with no access by default -- you explicitly share specific folders with it.

How it works:

1. Add Crowdin's service account to your Shared Drive with Content Manager access 2. Create a folder for files you want translated 3. Paste the folder URL in Crowdin

Crowdin can only access folders explicitly shared with the service account -- the rest of your drive remains invisible. We recommend sharing individual folders rather than the entire Shared Drive.

This also creates a simple workflow for requesting translations: anyone in your organization can share a folder with the service account and send the URL to the localization manager -- no Crowdin access needed.

From the previous integration we learned that different teams have different preferences for organizing translated files. The new integration supports multiple strategies: translations can be sorted into language subdirectories, or translated files can live alongside source files with modified names like [fr] Report.docx or Report_fr.docx. Auto-sync is available -- new files in connected folders can be automatically sent for translation. The integration supports Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, PDFs, and plain files like JSON, TXT, SRT.

Note: This integration requires Google Workspace with Shared Drives. Personal Google Drive is not supported.

Chameleon.io Integration

We're releasing a new Crowdin integration for Chameleon.io, the product adoption platform. The app lets you import, translate, and export Chameleon's YAML localization files directly in Crowdin. It supports all experience types -- Tours, Tooltips, Embeddables, Microsurveys, and Launchers -- automatically extracting translatable text fields while preserving your original YAML formatting and comments.

New Alchemer Integration

We've had many requests for this. One of our clients has 1,500 surveys in Alchemer, and they told us that manual CSV exports were a huge headache. It was slow and impossible to track what had already been translated.

This month, we're launching a new Alchemer integration to fix that. It connects Alchemer directly to Crowdin, so you can automate translations and send them back without any copy-pasting.

The app is free while in Beta. If you start using it now, it will stay free for you forever, even if it becomes a paid app later.

Bundles and Over-the-Air Content Delivery Sections Redesign

Here’s what’s new:

Renamed Sections: The Bundles section is now called Downloads, and Over-the-Air Content Delivery has been renamed to CDN Distributions.
Pre-defined Settings: By default, all files are exported in their original format for all languages in a ZIP archive, matching a standard product build.
Flexible File Selection: You can now select files for export using simple checkboxes in addition to file patterns.
File Formats: We now support both original and custom file formats. Note: If you choose a custom format, providing an export pattern is still required.
Bulk Actions: To save you time, we’ve added bulk actions to both the Bundles and Distributions lists.

The updated bundle list now indicates which bundles are delivered via CDN, with a direct link to the corresponding distribution. All new distributions are now created from Bundles (the "create from files" option has been removed from the UI and deprecated in the API).

P.S: All existing distributions will continue to work correctly without any changes required on your part.

Task Finance and Automated Cost Reporting

We’ve added a new Finance section to tasks, allowing those with permission to track Estimated and Actual costs at a glance. To automate your workflow, Estimate reports are generated instantly upon creation, and Actual Cost reports can be triggered automatically when a task is moved to Done.

Other Product Updates

[Crowdin Enterprise] Translation Savings report is now available on the organization level.
[Crowdin Enterprise] New payload parameters added to Webhook Events (Custom Step) to track what action actually provoked the workflow status recalculation.
[String-based projects] Now we log all strings deleted via "Cleanup mode" in the Activity Log to make them traceable and easier to recover if needed.
We've added the ability to search for strings by their Custom Field values using Croql. This works in both the Editor and via API, giving you more ways to filter and find exactly what you need based on your own custom data.
Added a "Reset to Default" button in the Editor settings to restore the original app sorting on the right panel of Editor.
Expanded Glossary search to include Definition and Subject fields, making all concept metadata searchable.
Improvement (more details) of the logs in the Website Translator app.
You can now use special characters (like ç, é, à) in custom language names by separating the Display Name from the Technical Name. This allows your UI to show authentic, localized titles while keeping file exports safe and compatible with all operating systems.
We've updated the API v2 documentation to clearly specify which token scopes are required for each request. Now, you can easily identify the exact permissions needed to authorize your API calls.

New Podcast Episodes This Month

We've had some fantastic conversations on the Agile Localization Podcast lately. This month, we dived deep into scaling localization strategies with two experts:

Agile Localization with Anna Barcons Folguera: We discussed how to bridge the gap between development and localization teams to build a truly global product experience. Listen here.
Insights from Martina Russo: A deep dive into the nuances of language, cultural adaptation, and how to maintain brand voice while going global. Listen here.

External Tools

This month, we released new versions of:

Flutter SDK 1.0.0,(The Crowdin Flutter SDK is out of beta and now in stable release!), 1.1.0
CLI 4.13.0
GitHub Action v2.14.0
JS API Client 1.52.0
Crowdin Plugin for Figma versions 96, 97, 98

XLIFF Translation Guide for Mobile Apps

yuliia-makarenko — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If you have ever shipped an app that crashed because a translator changed %1$s to %1, or deployed a build where every accented character was rendered as Ã© – you already know why XLIFF matters.

XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is not just "another XML format". It is a container that locks your string keys, protects your format specifiers, and preserves your file structure — while exposing only the translatable text to translators. It is the layer between your codebase and every person who will never read your source.

This guide is the result of hands-on experimentation: generating real XLIFF files from iOS and Android projects, testing IDE support across Xcode, Android Studio, VS Code, and IntelliJ, auditing XLIFF 2.0 adoption across CAT tools, and documenting every error that can corrupt a localization file.

Here is what you will learn:

When to use XLIFF 1.2 vs. 2.0 (and why Xcode forces your hand)
How XLIFF 2.0 inline elements prevent the runtime crashes that XLIFF 1.2 cannot
The exact Xcode export/import workflow and its limitations
Why Android Studio has no native XLIFF support and what to do instead
The 7 most common XLIFF errors with real broken-vs-fixed examples
How to automate localization with a TMS and CI/CD

No fluff. No what is localization preamble. Let us go.

XLIFF 1.2 vs. XLIFF 2.0: the version decision

XLIFF 1.2 has been the industry workhorse for two decades. XLIFF 2.0 is its ISO-standard successor (published 2014, updated to 2.1 in 2018). Both are XML-based. Both carry source and target strings. The differences are structural and practical.

Side-by-side: same string, both formats

Source string (Android): Hello, %1$s! You have %2$d new messages.

XLIFF 1.2:

<trans-unit id="welcome_user" resname="welcome_user">
  <source>Hello, %1$s! You have %2$d new messages.</source>
  <target>Hallo, %1$s! Du hast %2$d neue Nachrichten.</target>
  <note>%1$s = user name, %2$d = message count. DO NOT modify format specifiers!</note>
</trans-unit>

The format specifiers %1$s and %2$d sit as raw text. A translator can edit, delete, or reorder them freely. The <note> is the only protection – and it depends on the translator reading it.

XLIFF 2.0:

<unit id="welcome_user" name="welcome_user">
  <notes>
    <note id="n1" category="description">User greeting with dynamic values</note>
    <note id="n2" category="instruction">%1$s = user name, %2$d = message count. DO NOT modify placeholders!</note>
  </notes>
  <segment state="translated">
    <source>Hello, <ph id="ph1" equiv="%1$s"/>! You have <ph id="ph2" equiv="%2$d"/> new messages.</source>
    <target>Hallo, <ph id="ph1"/>! Du hast <ph id="ph2"/> neue Nachrichten.</target>
  </segment>
</unit>

The <ph> (placeholder) elements lock %1$s and %2$d. CAT tools render them as non-editable badges. No translator can accidentally delete $s or swap %2$d for %2. The notes are categorized (description, instruction) so CAT tools can display them contextually.

Decision matrix

Use XLIFF 1.2 if…	Use XLIFF 2.0 if…
Your project includes any iOS/macOS code (Xcode requires it)	Your project is Android-only, web, or desktop
You need maximum CAT tool and legacy system compatibility	Your entire toolchain (TMS, CAT tools, scripts) supports 2.0
You are integrating with existing translation workflows	You are building a new localization pipeline from scratch

The hard truth: As of Xcode 16 and 17 (2025–2026), Apple has zero XLIFF 2.0 support. Apple introduced String Catalogs (.xcstrings) in 2023 as their preferred evolution – not XLIFF 2.0. If you have iOS in your stack, you use XLIFF 1.2 for Xcode interchange. Period.

Advanced XLIFF 2.0 features that prevent real errors

If your toolchain supports XLIFF 2.0, these features solve pain points that XLIFF 1.2 handles poorly or not at all.

Inline elements: locking what translators must not touches

XLIFF 2.0 introduces three inline element types. Each solves a specific class of translation error.

`<ph>` – Placeholders (format specifiers, variables)

Wraps standalone codes like %s, %d, %@ that must appear in the translation exactly as-is.

<source><ph id="1" equiv="%@" dataRef="user_name"/> sent you <ph id="2" equiv="%d" dataRef="photo_count"/> photos</source>

CAT tools display this as: [user_name] sent you [photo_count] photos. The translator types around the badges. They cannot edit the placeholder content.

`<pc>` – Paired Code (HTML tags, formatting spans)

Wraps content that has opening and closing markers, like <b>…</b> or <a>…</a>.

<source>Get <pc id="1" type="fmt" subType="html:b">50% off</pc> your first order! <pc id="2" type="link" subType="html:a">Shop now</pc></source>
<target>Erhalten Sie <pc id="1">50% Rabatt</pc> auf Ihre erste Bestellung! <pc id="2">Jetzt einkaufen</pc></target>

The translator sees 50% off inside a bold formatting block. They can translate the text inside, move the block, but cannot break the <b></b> tag pair. In XLIFF 1.2, these tags would sit as raw CDATA – fragile and easy to corrupt.

`<sc>` / `<ec>` – Standalone Code (independent opening/closing tags)

For cases where opening and closing tags span across segment boundaries or are not paired in the same unit:

<source>This is <sc id="1" type="fmt" subType="html:i"/>italic<ec id="1"/> and <sc id="2" type="fmt" subType="html:b"/>bold<ec id="2"/> text.</source>

Categorized notes: context where translators need it

XLIFF 1.2 has a single generic <note> element. XLIFF 2.0 adds category attributes so CAT tools can filter, sort, and prominently display the right context.

<notes>
  <note id="n1" category="location">Checkout screen, bottom right</note>
  <note id="n2" category="description">Primary action button</note>
  <note id="n3" category="instruction">Keep short – max 15 characters for UI</note>
  <note id="n4" category="reference">Design: Figma > Checkout Flow > Frame 3</note>
</notes>

In practice, this means the translator sees "max 15 characters" as a prominent constraint and "Figma > Checkout Flow" as a reference link – not buried in a single wall of text. See how context can improve translation accuracy.

State management: tracking what is done

XLIFF 2.0 defines explicit translation lifecycle states on the <segment> element:

<segment state="initial">
  <source>Welcome back, we missed you!</source>
  <target></target>
</segment>

<segment state="translated">
  <source>Welcome back, we missed you!</source>
  <target>Bienvenue, vous nous avez manqué !</target>
</segment>

<segment state="final">
  <source>Welcome back, we missed you!</source>
  <target>Bienvenue, vous nous avez manqué !</target>
</segment>

XLIFF 1.2 also supports states (needs-translation, translated, final) on the <target> element, but the 2.0 model is cleaner and maps directly to TMS approval workflows.

Groups: logical structure for plurals

Plural strings in XLIFF 1.2 get flattened into disconnected <trans-unit> elements. In XLIFF 2.0, <group> keeps them together and preserves platform-specific plural categories.

Polish plurals (3 forms: one, few, many):

<group id="items_remaining" type="x-gettext:plurals">
  <notes>
    <note id="n1">Polish has 3 plural forms (one, few, many)</note>
  </notes>
  <unit id="items_remaining_one" name="items[one]">
    <segment state="translated">
      <source><ph id="p1" equiv="%d"/> item remaining</source>
      <target xml:lang="pl"><ph id="p1"/> element pozostał</target>
    </segment>
  </unit>
  <unit id="items_remaining_few" name="items[few]">
    <segment state="translated">
      <source><ph id="p2" equiv="%d"/> items remaining</source>
      <target xml:lang="pl"><ph id="p2"/> elementy pozostały</target>
    </segment>
  </unit>
  <unit id="items_remaining_many" name="items[many]">
    <segment state="translated">
      <source><ph id="p3" equiv="%d"/> items remaining</source>
      <target xml:lang="pl"><ph id="p3"/> elementów pozostało</target>
    </segment>
  </unit>
</group>

The translator sees all three forms in context. The %d placeholders are locked. The group metadata tells the TMS this is a plural set, so it can enforce that all forms are translated.

iOS workflow: Xcode XLIFF export and import

Xcode has the most mature native XLIFF workflow in mobile development. It is also limited to XLIFF 1.2.

Exporting localizations

Product → Export Localizations…
Select target languages (e.g., French, German).
Enable Include screenshots – Xcode attaches UI test screenshots as translator context.
Click Export (see detailed documentation from Apple)

Xcode generates .xcloc packages (Xcode Localization Catalogs):

fr.xcloc/
  Localized Contents/
    fr.xliff         ← XLIFF 1.2 file (this is what you send)
  Source Contents/
    screenshots/     ← Context screenshots from UI tests
  Notes/
    notes.txt

The generated XLIFF aggregates all localizable content (.strings, .stringsdict, storyboards, XIBs) into a single file with separate <file> elements:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2" version="1.2">
  <file original="MyApp/en.lproj/Localizable.strings" source-language="en" target-language="fr" datatype="plaintext">
    <header>
      <tool tool-id="com.apple.dt.xcode" tool-name="Xcode" tool-version="16.0"/>
    </header>
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="welcome_message">
        <source>Welcome to our app!</source>
        <target></target>
        <note>Main screen greeting</note>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>

  <file original="MyApp/en.lproj/Localizable.stringsdict" source-language="en" target-language="fr" datatype="x-stringsdict">
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="messages/NSStringLocalizedFormatKey">
        <source>%#@message_count@</source>
        <target>%#@message_count@</target>
        <note>Format key – should remain unchanged</note>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="messages/message_count:one">
        <source>%d message</source>
        <target>%d message</target>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="messages/message_count:other">
        <source>%d messages</source>
        <target>%d messages</target>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>

  <file original="MyApp/Base.lproj/Main.storyboard" source-language="en" target-language="fr" datatype="plaintext">
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="UIButton.title">
        <source>Sign In</source>
        <target></target>
        <note>Class = "UIButton"; normalTitle = "Sign In"; ObjectID = "abc-123";</note>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Importing translations

Product → Import Localizations…
Select the translated .xcloc file.
Xcode validates the XML structure and shows a diff of changes.
Review and click Import (read more from the official Apple documentation)

Xcode updates the corresponding .lproj directory:

fr.lproj/
  Localizable.strings     ← Updated
  Localizable.stringsdict ← Updated
  Main.storyboard         ← Updated

Command-line automation

For CI/CD pipelines, use xcodebuild instead of the GUI:

# Export all localizations
xcodebuild -exportLocalizations \
  -project MyApp.xcodeproj \
  -localizationPath ./Exports \
  -exportLanguage fr \
  -exportLanguage de

# Import translated localizations
xcodebuild -importLocalizations \
  -project MyApp.xcodeproj \
  -localizationPath ./Exports/fr.xcloc

Xcode limitations to know

XLIFF 2.0: Not supported. Not on Apple's roadmap. String Catalogs (.xcstrings) are Apple's format evolution.
Stringsdict flattening: Plural structures are broken into disconnected <trans-unit> elements with compound IDs like messages/message_count:one. This is technically valid but confusing for manual reading. Use a TMS that reconstructs the structure.
Silent validation failures: Some structural errors in imported XLIFF files are silently ignored rather than flagged, leading to missing translations at runtime.
No translation memory: Xcode does not track previously translated strings. If you change a source string, the old translation is discarded.

Alternative: String catalogs (.xcstrings)

Apple's String Catalogs (Xcode 15+, 2023) are JSON-based and handle plurals natively. They are not an industry standard and are not interchangeable with XLIFF tooling. For cross-platform teams or teams using external translators, XLIFF 1.2 remains the interchange format.

Android workflow: filling the gap

Android Studio has no native XLIFF export or import. It works exclusively with strings.xml. This creates a gap in the localization workflow that you must bridge with external tools.

The problem with manual conversion

Converting strings.xml to XLIFF with ad-hoc scripts (Python, shell) introduces risks:

Encoding corruption: Script outputs ANSI instead of UTF-8. Characters like é and ü break.
Apostrophe escaping: Android requires \' in strings.xml, but XLIFF stores the raw '. Scripts that do not handle this round-trip produce broken XML.
Lost attributes: translatable="false" and formatted="false" attributes are easy to drop during conversion.
Plurals: Android <plurals> must be flattened into separate XLIFF units and reconstructed on import. Get this wrong and the app falls back to the other form for every quantity.

What the conversion looks like

Source strings.xml:

<string name="welcome_user">Hello, %1$s! You have %2$d new messages.</string>
<plurals name="messages_count">
  <item quantity="one">%d message</item>
  <item quantity="other">%d messages</item>
</plurals>

Converted to XLIFF 1.2:

<trans-unit id="welcome_user" resname="welcome_user">
  <source>Hello, %1$s! You have %2$d new messages.</source>
  <target state="needs-translation"></target>
  <note>%1$s = user name, %2$d = message count</note>
</trans-unit>

<trans-unit id="messages_count_one" resname="messages_count:one">
  <source>%d message</source>
  <target state="needs-translation"></target>
  <note>Plural form: one</note>
</trans-unit>

<trans-unit id="messages_count_other" resname="messages_count:other">
  <source>%d messages</source>
  <target state="needs-translation"></target>
  <note>Plural form: other</note>
</trans-unit>

Recommended approach: TMS-managed conversion

Instead of converting on your machine, upload strings.xml directly to a Translation Management System (TMS) like Crowdin. The TMS:

Parses your strings.xml, detecting <string>, <plurals>, <string-array>, CDATA blocks, and translatable="false" attributes.
Generates XLIFF internally for the translators (or presents strings in its own editor).
Locks format specifiers (%1$s, %d) so translators cannot modify them.
Runs automated QA checks: missing placeholders, tag mismatches, length violations.
Rebuilds valid strings.xml files for every target language.

You upload XML, you download XML. The XLIFF layer is handled entirely by the platform.

7 ways to break your XLIFF file (with fixes)

These errors are drawn from real experiments with generated XLIFF files. Each includes the broken version, the correct version, and how XLIFF 2.0 or tooling prevents it.

Error 1: modified format specifiers

❌ Broken:

<source>Hello, %1$s! You have %2$d new messages.</source>
<target>Hallo, %1! Du hast %2 neue Nachrichten.</target>

The translator dropped $s and $d. Result: IllegalFormatException crash on Android. On iOS, %1 is interpreted as a positional specifier without a type – undefined behavior.

✅ Fixed:

<target>Hallo, %1$s! Du hast %2$d neue Nachrichten.</target>

XLIFF 2.0 prevention: <ph id="ph1" equiv="%1$s" canCopy="no"/> – CAT tools render this as a locked badge. Translators cannot edit the specifier text.
TMS prevention: Crowdin runs QA checks that block saving if the target's format specifiers do not match the source.

Error 2: broken HTML tags

❌ Broken:

<source><![CDATA[Accept our <b>Terms of Service</b> and <a href="privacy.html">Privacy Policy</a>.]]></source>
<target><![CDATA[Akzeptieren Sie unsere<b>Nutzungsbedingungen</b > und die <a href="privacy.html">Datenschutzrichtlinie.]]></target>

Three errors: missing space before <b>, extra space in </b >, missing closing </a>.

✅ Fixed:

<target><![CDATA[Akzeptieren Sie unsere <b>Nutzungsbedingungen</b> und die <a href="privacy.html">Datenschutzrichtlinie</a>.]]></target>

XLIFF 2.0 prevention: <pc> elements manage open/close pairs automatically:

<source>Accept our <pc id="1" type="fmt" subType="html:b">Terms of Service</pc> and <pc id="2" type="link" subType="html:a">Privacy Policy</pc>.</source>

The translator types inside the <pc> wrapper. The opening/closing tags cannot be independently modified.

Error 3: wrong encoding

❌ Broken:

File saved as Windows-1252 or ANSI.

Result: Characters like é, ñ, ü, 日本語 render as Ã©, Ã±, Ã¼, or ???.

✅ Fix:

Always ensure UTF-8. Validate before committing:

file -I your-file.xliff
# Expected: text/xml; charset=utf-8

Error 4: invalid XML structure

❌ Broken:

<trans-unit id="button_submit">
  <source>Submit</source>
  <target>Absenden
  </trans-unit>

Result: The entire XLIFF file fails to parse. Xcode shows a vague import error. Android build breaks completely.

✅ Fix:

Validate XML structure before every import:

xmllint --noout your-file.xliff
# No output = valid XML
# Error output = broken structure with line number

Error 5: translated string keys

❌ Broken:

<trans-unit id="message_bienvenue" resname="welcome_message">
  <source>Welcome!</source>
  <target>Bienvenue!</target>
</trans-unit>

The id was changed from welcome_message to message_bienvenue. Result: NSLocalizedString(@"welcome_message", nil) returns the key itself because the translated file uses a different ID. The app displays literal "welcome_message" text to users.

✅ Rule:

Only translate content inside <target> tags. Never modify id, resname, or any attribute.

Error 6: empty targets marked as final

❌ Broken:

<trans-unit id="error_msg">
  <source>An error occurred</source>
  <target state="final"></target>
</trans-unit>

The state says final (approved), but the target is empty. Result: The app ships with blank text where an error message should appear.

✅ Fix:

Ensure states match content:

<target state="needs-translation"></target>

<target state="final">Ein Fehler ist aufgetreten</target>

Detection:

grep -E '<target.*state="(translated|final)".*></target>' your-file.xliff

If this returns results, you have empty translations marked as done.

Error 7: incomplete plural forms

❌ Broken:

Translator translated other but forgot one:

<trans-unit id="messages_count_one">
  <source>%d message</source>
  <target state="needs-translation"></target>
</trans-unit>

<trans-unit id="messages_count_other">
  <source>%d messages</source>
  <target>%d Nachrichten</target>
</trans-unit>

Result: The app displays "1 Nachrichten" (grammatically wrong – "Nachrichten" is the other form, not the singular).

✅ Fix:

Complete all plural forms for the target language. Some languages require more forms than English:

English: 2 forms (one, other)
French: 2 forms (one, other)
German: 2 forms (one, other)
Polish: 3 forms (one, few, many)
Arabic: 6 forms (zero, one, two, few, many, other)

TMS platforms enforce completeness – they flag a translation as incomplete if any plural form for the target language is missing.

Validation checklist

Before importing any XLIFF file, run these checks:

# 1. XML structure validity
xmllint --noout your-file.xliff

# 2. Encoding verification
file -I your-file.xliff | grep -q "utf-8" && echo "✅ UTF-8" || echo "❌ Wrong encoding"

# 3. Empty translations marked as done
grep -E '<target.*state="(translated|final)".*></target>' your-file.xliff && echo "⚠️ Empty translations found"

# 4. Format specifier matching (use TMS QA – manual regex is error-prone)

IDE and TMS support matrix

This matrix is based on direct testing and documentation review as of January 2026.

Tool	XLIFF 1.2	XLIFF 2.0	Native Export	Native Import	Notes
Xcode	✅ Native	❌ None	✅ Built-in	✅ Built-in	Generates `.xcloc` packages
Android Studio	⚠️ Plugins	⚠️ Plugins	❌ No	⚠️ Limited	Use TMS for full workflow
VS Code	✅ Extensions	✅ Extensions	✅ With ext.	✅ With ext.	XLIFF Sync, XLIFF Editor
IntelliJ IDEA	✅ Native	✅ Native	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Built-in i18n support
Crowdin	✅ Full	✅ Full	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Auto-converts from XML/.strings

Automating XLIFF workflow with a TMS

Manual XLIFF handling means emailing files, praying no one opens them in Notepad, validating XML by hand, and committing broken translations at midnight. A Translation Management System (TMS) eliminates every one of these steps.

Manual vs. TMS: what changes

Aspect	Manual XLIFF	TMS (Crowdin)
Error risk	High – humans edit raw XML	Low – validation enforced
Format specifiers	Hope the translator reads the `<note>`	Automatically locked in editor
Collaboration	Email files, track versions in Slack	Real-time web interface, comments
Translation memory	None – retype repeated strings	Built-in TM, auto-reuses 100% matches
QA checks	Manual review (or hope for the best)	Automated: tags, placeholders, length, consistency
Version control	Git commits of `.strings`/`.xml`	Automatic history, branching, rollback

Setup: Crowdin CLI + configuration

Step 1: Install the CLI

npm install -g @crowdin/cli

Step 2: configure `crowdin.yml`

For iOS projects (XLIFF via .xcloc):

project_id_env: CROWDIN_PROJECT_ID
api_token_env: CROWDIN_PERSONAL_TOKEN

preserve_hierarchy: true

files:
  - source: /ios/en.xcloc
    translation: /ios/%locale%.xcloc

For Android projects (direct XML):

files:
  - source: /android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
    translation: /android/app/src/main/res/values-%android_code%/%original_file_name%

Crowdin auto-detects the file format. For Android, it parses strings.xml directly – it generates XLIFF internally for translators and rebuilds strings.xml on export. You never touch XLIFF manually.

Step 3: the upload/download cycle

# Upload new or changed source strings
crowdin upload sources

# (Optional) Upload existing translations
crowdin upload translations

# Download completed translations
crowdin download

For iOS: after crowdin download, run xcodebuild -importLocalizations to apply the .xcloc files.

For Android: the downloaded strings.xml files are ready to use directly.

CI/CD integration: GitHub Action example

Instead of manual CLI commands, use the official Crowdin GitHub Action. This improves the synchronization of source strings and translations into a single managed step that handles installation and Git integration automatically.

name: Sync Translations
on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
    paths:
      - "ios/en.lproj/**"
      - "android/**/values/strings.xml"

jobs:
  synchronize-crowdin:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Crowdin Action
        uses: crowdin/github-action@v2
        with:
          # Uploads new strings and downloads completed translations
          upload_sources: true
          download_translations: true

          # Automatically creates a Pull Request with the new translations
          create_pull_request: true
          pull_request_title: "chore: update translations from Crowdin"
          pull_request_base: "main"
        env:
          CROWDIN_PROJECT_ID: ${{ secrets.CROWDIN_PROJECT_ID }}
          CROWDIN_PERSONAL_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CROWDIN_PERSONAL_TOKEN }}

What this gives you:

Every push to main with string changes triggers an upload to the TMS.
Translators work in the web UI with locked placeholders and QA checks.
Translations are automatically committed back to the repository.
You never open, edit, or validate an XLIFF file by hand.

Advanced TMS features that matter

In-context translation: Translators see actual app screenshots alongside each string, reducing guesswork about UI constraints.
Translation memory (TM): If you translated "Cancel" → "Abbrechen" in one project, every future project reuses it automatically.
QA checks: The TMS flags: missing format specifiers, inconsistent tag pairs, translations longer than source (UI overflow risk), and untranslated strings marked as done.
Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates: Deploy translation fixes instantly to user devices without a new App Store or Play Store release. The TMS SDK fetches the latest approved strings from the cloud and overrides the local XLIFF/XML resources at runtime.
Glossary enforcement: Define that "Sign Up" must always be "Registrieren" in German. The TMS warns if a translator uses "Anmelden" instead.
Workflow states: Map directly to XLIFF states: initial → translated → final. Reviewers approve in the UI; the TMS updates the state.

Best practices

For iOS developers

Use Xcode's built-in Export/Import Localizations. Do not manually generate XLIFF.
Always export with screenshots enabled (Product → Export Localizations → Include screenshots).
Test imported translations in the Simulator before releasing. Change the language in Settings → General → Language & Region.
For new projects, evaluate String Catalogs (.xcstrings) – they handle plurals natively and reduce Stringsdict complexity.
Accept that XLIFF 1.2 is your interchange format. Do not attempt XLIFF 2.0 with Xcode.

For Android Developers

Do not manually convert strings.xml to XLIFF. Use a TMS that handles the conversion.
Mark non-translatable strings with translatable="false" in strings.xml. The TMS will skip them.
Validate strings.xml after importing translations – ensure all <plurals> forms are present and format specifiers are intact.
If your project is Android-only and your TMS supports it, request XLIFF 2.0 for the internal translation layer to benefit from inline element protection.

General Rules

Never edit XLIFF files in a text editor. You will break XML structure, encoding, or format specifiers. Use CAT tools or a TMS.
Validate before every import. Run xmllint --noout and check encoding at minimum.
Add notes for every string with variables or length constraints. Translators work faster and make fewer errors with context.
Track translation states. Use initial → translated → final so you know what is approved versus what is pending.
Automate with CI/CD. Connect your repository to a TMS. Manual file transfers are a liability.
Test translations in staging. Never import untested XLIFF directly into a production build.

Conclusion

XLIFF is infrastructure. It is not exciting, it is not modern, and it is the only thing preventing a translator's typo from crashing your app in production.

The practical reality in 2026:

XLIFF 1.2 remains the only option for iOS projects due to Xcode.
XLIFF 2.0 is technically superior – inline elements, categorized notes, logical grouping – but adoption is bottlenecked by Apple's tooling.
Manual XLIFF editing is the #1 source of localization errors: broken XML, corrupted specifiers, wrong encoding.
TMS platforms like Crowdin eliminate manual handling entirely. They parse your native files, lock critical elements, run QA checks, and rebuild valid output files.

The modern localization workflow is:

IDE → Source files → TMS → Translators (in web UI) → TMS → Validated files → IDE

No XLIFF files on your filesystem. No email attachments. No manual validation. Set up the pipeline, connect it to CI/CD, and focus on building features instead of debugging broken translations.

FAQ

Should I use XLIFF 1.2 or 2.0?

XLIFF 1.2 if your project includes iOS code (Xcode requires it) or you need maximum compatibility with legacy translation workflows.

XLIFF 2.0 if your project is Android-only, web, or desktop and your entire toolchain (TMS, CAT tools, scripts) supports it.

Will Xcode ever support XLIFF 2.0?

As of January 2026, there is no indication. Apple introduced String Catalogs (.xcstrings) as their format evolution. XLIFF 2.0 support in Xcode is unlikely.

Can I edit XLIFF files in VS Code or Notepad++?

Technically yes. Recommended: no. The risk of breaking XML structure, encoding, or format specifiers is too high for production files. Use a CAT tool (memoQ, OmegaT, SDL Trados) or a TMS web interface.

How do plurals work in XLIFF?

Plural forms are flattened into separate translation units:

Android <plurals> → string_id_one, string_id_other
iOS .stringsdict → key/format_key, key/one, key/other

TMS platforms reconstruct the platform-specific format on export, so translators see grouped plurals in the UI, not disconnected units.

What is the difference between `.xcloc` and `.xliff`?

.xcloc is an Xcode-specific package (directory) containing:

An XLIFF 1.2 file (the translations)
Screenshots for translator context
Metadata and notes

CAT tools can import .xcloc directly, or you can extract the .xliff from inside the package.

Why are format specifiers different on Android and iOS?

Platform language differences:

Android: Java/Kotlin formatting – %1$s (string), %2$d (integer)
iOS: Objective-C/Swift formatting – %@ (any object), %d (integer)
XLIFF preserves these exactly as they appear in the source. A TMS locks them to prevent modification.

Can a TMS convert between XLIFF versions?

Yes. Platforms like Crowdin support both XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0 for import and export. You can upload 1.2, translators work in the web UI, and you download as 2.0 (or vice versa) depending on your target platform.

How Suitsupply Scaled Global E-commerce via Full AI Localization

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A new case study from Crowdin’s eCommerce client – Suitsupply. Suitsupply is an Amsterdam-born menswear brand. As a premium global retailer, Suitsupply operates under a core principle: everything they do must be done the right way – sustainably, ethically, and with their customers at the heart. This commitment to quality extended even to their global content and localization strategy.

To understand how Suitsupply overcame its scaling challenges, we spoke to Samer Mikhaeil, E-commerce Operations Specialist at Suitsupply. He explained that the challenge was that their previous translation management system (TMS) couldn't keep pace.

It lacked:

automation
integrations
AI capacity to scale their content.

This created a bottleneck of slow, manual processes that prevented them from delivering a consistent brand experience across all markets.

{/* more */}

<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <strong>Company</strong> </td> <td>Suitsupply, a premium global menswear retailer</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Industry</strong> </td> <td>E-commerce / Fashion</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Localization scope</strong> </td> <td>8 target languages</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Key Result</strong> </td> <td>95% Faster Turnaround for content publishing</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Time Improvement</strong> </td> <td>Reduced publishing time from 2-3 days to a few hours</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Core tools</strong> </td> <td>Crowdin AI, Agentic AI, Translation Memory, Glossary, API</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Key Integrations</strong> </td> <td>Figma (Design) and Contentful (CMS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <strong>Workflow Status</strong> </td> <td>Fully Automated, 100% AI-Powered</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

“Good Enough” TMS was Too Slow

Before partnering with Crowdin, Suitsupply recognized that their localization system was a bottleneck, preventing them from scaling content. The key issues included:

Limited automation. Small content updates required many manual steps and back-and-forth communication, slowing publishing.
Slow turnaround. Localizing and publishing a new webpage took two to three working days with human translators – far too long for a modern e-commerce brand.
Workflow silos. A critical gap existed between the design (Figma), content (Contentful), and localization stages.

Suitsupply needed a solution that was not just a TMS, but a complete, AI-driven automation platform.

Shift to 100% AI Localization

Suitsupply has fully transitioned to AI localization, moving away from traditional human translators. For a fast-moving brand, waiting days for a translator to confirm a fabric color or a product description no longer made sense.

Most of the content was already translated and saved in the translation memory. The team now relies on Agentic AI to perform internal quality checks. Following these results, Suitsupply transitioned its newsletters to a full AI translation model.

New End-to-End Workflow with Crowdin

Suitsupply achieved great results: 95% faster turnaround, consistent quality across 8 languages with Crowdin and Figma.

They achieved that through the implementation of a continuous and automated workflow that merges design, content, and localization.

AI-Powered Workflow Steps

Design Sync (Figma > Crowdin): The workflow begins in Figma, where new designs or content elements are automatically synced to Crowdin via the connector. This eliminates the need for exporting strings or manual file hand-offs. Read more about design-stage localization.
AI Translation: Crowdin AI handles 100% of the translation workload, applying TM, glossaries, and the brand’s specific tone preferences automatically. Suitsupply uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 and GPT-4.1 models.
AI-Assisted Review: Instead of human linguists, Suitsupply uses Agentic AI to verify the translations. The internal team oversees the process, focusing on optimization rather than manual correction.
Visual QA (Crowdin > Figma): Once approved, the translations are synced back to Figma. This allows the team to perform visual quality assurance directly in the design context, ensuring no layout or fit issues.
Automated Publishing (Figma/Crowdin > Contentful): Localized strings are then automatically published to Contentful, ready to go live on the e-commerce site.

<Blockquote footer="Samer Mikhaeil, E-commerce Operations Specialist at Suitsupply"> Automatic synchronization between systems, AI-powered translation, and the reuse of translation memory and glossaries are key. Crowdin’s flexible API and connectors allow us to fully automate each step... saving days of manual work. </Blockquote>

Results

By implementing Crowdin’s fully automated, AI-driven workflow, Suitsupply transformed a multi-day process into a few hours' work.

Feature	Before Crowdin	With Crowdin & AI	Improvement
Resource Model	External translators	100% AI & Agentic QA	100% In-house Control
Turnaround Time	2-3 working days	A few hours	95% faster
Consistency	Difficult to maintain	Uniform across 8 languages	Enhanced brand integrity
Customer Feedback	Standard	Standard	Zero AI-related complaints

The main improvement is speed. The localization process is much faster and more efficient, allowing time-to-market content delivery.

Suitsupply’s Advice to E-commerce Teams Going to Localize Their Website

<Blockquote footer="Samer Mikhaeil, E-commerce Operations Specialist at Suitsupply"> Adopt AI and automation early, and connect your design, content, and translation systems from the start. A well-integrated, AI-driven workflow will scale effortlessly and maintain quality across markets without adding operational complexity. </Blockquote>

Final Words

Suitsupply’s experience proves that the old model of e-commerce localization (with manual management and slow human reviews) is being replaced by agile and AI-first workflows.

Why Suitsupply Recommends Crowdin?

<Blockquote footer="Samer Mikhaeil, E-commerce Operations Specialist at Suitsupply"> Crowdin combines cutting-edge AI with unmatched flexibility and integration options. It’s a future-proof platform that allows full localization automation – enabling teams to go from design to live content faster, smarter, and more efficiently than ever before. </Blockquote>

How Much AI Translation Actually Costs: See What to Expect

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

We found that there’s not much clear information on AI translation costs. So we decided to make an experiment to find out: How much does it actually cost to translate a real project using AI localization in Crowdin?

Important: Often, this price will differ from platform to platform. It's worth noting that our price will be clearly lower. Why? While many platforms add surcharges, Crowdin charges no fees for your AI consumption. You pay exactly the direct API rates charged by providers like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. This makes Crowdin the most cost-effective TMS with the widest choice of LLMs.

This gives you the freedom to experiment with different AI models and find the best fit for your needs while keeping your expenses at a minimum.

Cost of AI Translation: How We Ran the Tests

We tested 3 different content types common for the SaaS localization, translating from English into German, Spanish, and Japanese:

Mobile App UI: Complex .xml files with metadata.
Help Center Articles: Long-form documentation synced via Zendesk.
Marketing Emails: High-conversion content requiring visual context via SendGrid.

To get the most accurate data, we ran identical tasks through the popular models: GPT 5.2, Gemini 2.5-pro, and Claude Sonnet 4.5.

We used the standard Crowdin AI prompt for pre-translation without human review or custom glossary/translation memory injection.

For one test, we uploaded 2 screenshots with tagging, which were used as a context for AI.

1. Cost of the Mobile App UI AI translation

For this experiment, we created an .xml file with 1,000 words across 373 strings. Here’s the example of some Android app strings for translation:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="action_login">Log In</string>
    <string name="action_signup">Sign Up</string>
    <string name="action_save">Save</string>
    <string name="action_cancel">Cancel</string>
    <string name="action_next">Next</string>
    <string name="action_back">Back</string>
    <string name="action_settings">Settings</string>
    <string name="action_close">Close</string>
    <string name="action_delete">Delete</string>
    <string name="action_submit">Submit</string>
</resources>

Translating app interfaces involves processing code structure (metadata and keys), which increases the token count compared to plain text. The same goes for iOS localization and other mobile frameworks.

Provider / 1,000 words across 373 strings (XML)	Cost (USD)	Cost (EUR)
GPT 5.2	$0.45	€0.40
Gemini 2.5-pro	$0.61	€0.54
Sonnet 4.5	$0.70	€0.62

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin’s infrastructure lets you connect to over 10 AI providers or a custom AI module to find the best price-to-performance ratio for your specific code architecture. </Aside>

2. Cost of AI Translation of the Help Center Article

We uploaded a 1k-word article to the Zendesk knowledge base. Using the Zendesk x Crowdin integration, we synced the article to Crowdin, used AI pre-translate, and recorded all the received numbers.

Provider / 1,000 words of long-form documentation (108 strings)	Cost (USD)	Cost (EUR)
GPT 5.2	$0.26	€0.23
Gemini 2.5-pro	$0.37	€0.33
Sonnet 4.5	$0.57	€0.50

So we can see that UI string translation costs between 23% and 73% more than standard articles due to overhead tokens (such as <string name="...">).

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin Advantage: With 700+ apps and integrations, you can automate content sync and pre-translation without manual file handling. </Aside>

3. Cost of Marketing Email AI Translation with Visual Context

Marketing localization requires an understanding of layout and design, which is a part of a broader business translation strategy. To test this, we synced a "Thank you" email from SendGrid to Crowdin.

The email includes a preview in the editor, which can be useful for linguists during proofreading and transcreation.

This time, for context-aware translation, we decided to provide AI with 2 screenshots and used the auto-tagging feature in Crowdin. AI utilizes "multimodal" capabilities (vision), which impacts the final cost. Because of the context, we used GPT 5.1 in this experiment.

By providing visual context, you reduce the risk of translation errors when AI works blind.

Provider / 158 words + 2 Screenshots for Context	Cost (USD)	Cost (EUR)
GPT 5.1	$0.61	€0.54
Gemini 2.5-pro	$1.12	€0.99
Sonnet 4.5	$1.45	€1.28

Note on Email Costs: You will notice the email cost is disproportionately high despite having the lowest word count. This is because we calculated this using Multimodal AI (Text + Vision). Sending screenshots along with text consumes more tokens but helps the AI understand context (e.g., where a button is located), which is critical for high-conversion localized emails.

Let’s Scale Those Numbers for a SaaS Product

To understand how these costs scale, let's look at a hypothetical scenario for a mid-sized SaaS product localization launching in 10 global markets.

Scenario:

App UI: 3,000 source words (core mobile application).
Help Center: 15,000 source words (documentation).
Emails: 20 Templates (onboarding, transactional, marketing). * Assumes visual context (screenshots) is used for higher quality.

Estimated Total Cost (for all 10 languages):

Content type	GPT 5.2 / 5.1	Gemini 2.5-pro	Sonnet 4.5
App UI (3k words)	$4.50	$6.10	$7.00
Help Center (15k words)	$13.50	$18.50	$28.50
Emails (20 Templates)*	$40.60	$74.60	$96.60
Total	$58.60	$99.20	$132.10

The Real Cost of Quality AI Translations

While the raw AI translation costs above ($58 - $132) seem incredibly low for a 10-language launch, they represent only the starting point of a professional localization budget.

1. More Context = More Token Usage

The calculations above assume a standard prompt for AI. However, high-quality translation requires feeding the AI more data. When you attach a glossary or translation memory to your prompt, you increase the input token count. In the future, this process will become even more automated through Agentic AI workflows.

Result: Providing 500 words of glossary context for every 100 words of text can increase AI costs by 3x to 5x.

But we guarantee that the context is worth every cent you spent. The AI output would be much better, and you would spend less time and money on editing.

2. Scope is Bigger Than You Think

Real enterprise companies rarely stop at app strings and help articles. A full market entry also requires:

Marketing localization: product pages, pricing tables, landing pages.
Content localization: blog posts, whitepapers, case studies.
Legal: terms of service, privacy policies (high sensitivity).
Ad copy: Google/Facebook ads (requires high creativity).
App Store localization: images and text.

3. Human Factor (Post-Editing)

AI provides the first draft. For sensitive content (such as your pricing page, legal docs, or brand messaging), AI hallucinations can be a business risk.

You must hire human language specialists (proofreaders) for each language.
While AI translation might cost $0.001 per word, professional human review typically costs $0.04–$0.08 per word. The AI cost is lower compared to the human effort required to ensure your brand sounds native and professional.

Why Crowdin is More Than Just a Translation Tool

The numbers show that AI translation is affordable, but cost is only one piece of the puzzle. A professional localization strategy isn't just about saving a few cents on API calls. The real value of Crowdin is that it’s a complete ecosystem where all these moving pieces actually work together instead of living in separate places.

Here is why Crowdin is the best tool for your next project:

You’re never locked in. You have the freedom to jump between OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, or 10 other providers to find the best LLMs for translation for your specific project.
AI actually "sees" what it’s doing. Instead of the AI working blindly, you can feed it text and visual context. This means fewer "hallucinations" and a much lower chance of a button label breaking your layout.
Human quality is built-in. Crowdin lets you bring your own proofreaders or hire pros from the Crowdin Store to add that final human touch.
Auto sync with your tools. Whether you are handling website localization or syncing content from tools like Zendesk or SendGrid, it can be done easily with over 700 apps and integrations.

In short, Crowdin isn't just a place to translate your content with AI – it's where you can build a continuous localization workflow.

FAQ

How much does AI translation typically cost?

Based on our testing of popular models like GPT, Gemini, and Claude, raw AI translation costs for standard documentation are extremely low, often ranging from $0.26 to $0.57 per 1,000 words. However, these costs can vary depending on the complexity of the content, such as mobile app UI or marketing materials requiring visual context.

Why does translating a mobile app cost more than a standard article?

Translating app interfaces (like .xml files) involves processing code structures, metadata, and keys. This overhead increases the total token count, making UI string translation 23% to 73% more expensive than translating plain text articles.

Does providing visual context to AI increase the price?

Yes. When you use multimodal capabilities (providing screenshots), it consumes more tokens. While this increases the price, it reduces translation errors and hallucinations by helping the AI understand where text is located, such as on a specific button or menu.

How does adding a glossary or translation memory affect AI costs?

Providing extra context, like a glossary or translation memory (TM) increases the input token count. For example, providing 500 words of glossary context for every 100 words of source text can increase AI costs by 3x to 5x. Despite the higher API cost, this often saves money overall by improving output quality and reducing the time needed for human editing.

Do I still need human proofreaders if I use AI translation?

Yes. While AI provides an excellent first draft at a very low cost (roughly $0.001 per word), professional human review is essential for brand consistency and risk management. Human proofreading typically costs between $0.04 and $0.08 per word, ensuring your content sounds native and professional.

Why should I use Crowdin instead of using AI APIs directly?

Crowdin acts as a complete ecosystem that charges no surcharges or fees on your AI consumption. You pay the direct API rates of the providers. It also allows you to:

Switch easily between 10+ AI providers.
Sync content automatically via 700+ integrations.
Manage context and human proofreading in one place.

Niche Localization: Moving Beyond Generalist Models

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If you work in localization, global marketing, or brand storytelling, you already know the risk of getting it wrong.

In culture-driven industries like outdoor and action sports, poor localization does not just create friction. It breaks trust.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast by Crowdin, host Stefan Huyghe speaks with Martina Russo, Founder of The Action Sports Translator, about what changes when localization is done by people who actively live the sports they translate for.

The conversation moves beyond workflows and tools into authenticity, cultural credibility, and why generalist translation models fail in industries built on experience, risk, and identity.

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Why Generalist Localization Doesn’t Work in Action Sports

Martina’s entry into outdoor localization started as a consumer. While shopping for climbing gear, she repeatedly met poorly translated Italian content that forced her to switch to English to understand what she was buying. The issue was not accuracy alone. The content felt disconnected from the sport.

As she explains in the episode, action sports language lives inside the culture. Terminology changes quickly, often offline, shaped by athletes, environments, and shared experience. Without lived exposure, translations may look correct but sound empty.

This is where you need niche localization. Brands operating in climbing, skiing, cycling, surfing, and trail sports speak to audiences who can immediately tell when language feels forced or unfamiliar.

Creative Brand Voice Meets Technical Requirements

Outdoor brands live in two worlds at once. On one side, there is expressive, high-energy storytelling. On the other hand, there is gear that needs to perform, protect, and hold up under real conditions. Martina explains that localization in this space cannot lean too far in either direction. Marketing copy still needs emotion, but technical language has to stay exact.

What makes the difference is how her team works with clients. They do not receive a copy, translate it, and hand it back. They spend time inside the brand, learning how it speaks, who it speaks to, and where clarity matters more than creativity. Tone-of-voice rules, terminology, and feedback are built together and refined over time, as the brand grows.

That foundation allows the language to stay consistent across markets without sounding unnatural.

<Blockquote footer="Martina Russo, Founder of The Action Sports Translator"> We tend to use Crowdin for more technical setups, for example, Shopify, which we specialize in. … we do a lot of terminology management … it's really important for us that first of all, the TMS that we use does have flexibility within the integration. So being able to connect it with APIs, but also if there are out-of-the-box integrations, that's, you know, it's always better and more useful. </Blockquote>

Cultural Authenticity Is Market-Specific

A recurring theme in the conversation is how quickly “authentic” language changes from one market to another. Martina points out that even within Europe, expectations differ sharply. German audiences often want detail and structure. Italian audiences respond more emotionally.

The sport itself matters just as much as the language. A message about climbing, skiing, or trail running only lands when it reflects how that activity actually shows up in people’s lives. That all must be considered when you speak to your audience.

Hiring Translators Who Live the Sport

One of the clearest differentiators in Martina’s model is hiring.

At The Action Sports Translator, every linguist practices the sport they translate for. Climbers translate climbing. Cyclists translate cycling. Snowboarders translate snowboarding.

This commitment comes with challenges. Finding specialized translators for minority languages or niche disciplines takes time and creativity. But it protects the one thing outdoor brands cannot afford to lose: credibility.

The hiring process prioritizes cultural fit and sport literacy alongside linguistic skill, supported by highly targeted testing and human review.

AI in Sport Localization, With Humans in the Loop

AI comes up in the conversation, but not as a headline or a promise. Martina talks about it as a practical tool, one that helps her team move faster where speed matters. In e-commerce localization and content production, automation has already changed how quickly work gets done and how much manual effort sits behind it.

At the same time, she is clear about where AI localization does not work. When the work involves brand voice, emotion, or culture, judgment stays human. Outdoor content only works when it feels lived, and that is something machines still cannot sense. AI helps reduce friction and scale output. People make sure the message still feels right.

Rather than locking into translation models, the team keeps workflows flexible so they can adjust as content, clients, and markets change.

Social Presence as Cultural Proof

Visibility is not an afterthought in Martina’s business. It is part of how trust gets built.

By sharing her time on the mountain, in the water, or on the bike alongside her work in localization, she makes it clear that the agency lives inside the same world as its clients. That presence changes how conversations start. Brands come in already knowing that the people behind the work understand the lifestyle they sell.

For outdoor brands, that alignment carries weight. It reassures them that the language shaping their global voice comes from people who belong to the culture, not observers looking in.

What This Means for Localization Teams and Product Leaders

For localization leaders:

Niche specialization builds trust in culture-driven industries where credibility matters
Early involvement helps protect brand voice as products scale across markets
Human-centered workflows stay essential, even with AI

For brand and marketing teams:

Authentic localization protects brand credibility
Cultural fluency outperforms literal accuracy
Partners who live the sport better understand the audience

For linguists:

Specialization creates long-term value
Cultural participation becomes a professional asset
Context-first thinking matters more than word-for-word correctness

Outdoor brands sell more than products. They sell identity, effort, and experience. Localization that feels lived, not translated, is what allows that story to travel across markets without losing its meaning.

Martina’s Background

Martina Russo is the founder of The Action Sports Translator, a localization agency built for outdoor, running, and cycling brands. With over a decade in localization and a background in SaaS, she created the agency to solve a simple problem: outdoor brands need partners who truly understand their world. Martina leads a global team of translators and writers who are also athletes and adventurers, bringing lived experience into every project. Since 2018, her team has helped global outdoor brands grow across markets with authentic, culturally fluent content that stays true to their voice.

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Localization That Protects People: How SafetyCulture Designs for Frontline Safety at Scale

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If you work in localization, UX writing, or global product design, you already know the pressure: shipping software across languages while keeping experiences usable under real conditions.

When that software supports workplace safety, mistakes don’t just create friction. They create risk.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast by Crowdin, host Stefan Huyghe spoke with Anna Barcons Folguera, Localization Executive at SafetyCulture, about what changes when localization decisions directly influence how frontline workers act under pressure. The conversation moves past translation workflows and into how language clarity, tone, UX constraints, and cultural nuance shape behavior in moments that matter.

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Localization as a Safety Requirement

SafetyCulture’s platform serves frontline workers across construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare. Many of these users operate in noisy environments, under time pressure, sometimes wearing gloves, and interacting with mobile devices rather than desktops.

That reality shapes every localization decision.

Anna explains that poor translations or unclear wording can create real risk in safety contexts. Localization at SafetyCulture exists to prevent misunderstandings, reduce compliance errors, and help users take the right action at the right moment. This means prioritizing direct language, minimal jargon, and precision, regardless of audience.

Designing for Different Safety Audiences

One of the central challenges discussed in the episode is tone. A single product often speaks to very different users:

Frontline workers who need clear, direct instructions
Safety officers who require precision and traceability
Compliance teams that operate in more formal, regulated environments

On top of that, cultural expectations shape how tone is received. Anna highlights how formality varies across regions, with languages like German requiring more structured communication, while Spanish or Italian allow for more flexibility. Localization teams adapt tone without compromising clarity or intent.

<Blockquote footer="Anna Barcons Folguera, Localization Executive at SafetyCulture"> Crowdin helps us really much with maintaining consistency. We have an amazing terminology basis that we provide to linguists and they follow it strictly. But at the same time, we always encourage them to just read the context. If this specific work doesn't work here, just don't use it. It's always important to be relevant to the context that you are translating for. </Blockquote>

Mobile-First Localization Changes Everything

Localizing a mobile-first enterprise tool introduces constraints that desktop software rarely faces. Space is limited. Attention is fragmented. Interactions happen fast.

At SafetyCulture, localization considers spacing, brevity, and action-oriented wording from the start. Copy must fit screens without breaking layouts, remain readable in high-stress environments, and guide users without hesitation.

When localization ignores these constraints, the result often shows up as hesitation, missed steps, or incorrect actions in the field. This is where localization and UX writing work together to ensure translated content performs functionally, not just linguistically.

Cultural Signals in Alerts and Notifications

The episode digs into how people actually react to alerts, not how teams assume they do.

In some regions, a direct alert prompts immediate action. In others, the same wording can create confusion or unnecessary tension. Anna shares how SafetyCulture sees these patterns emerge through field reports and usage data, then adjusts tone to fit local expectations.

The goal stays constant: clarity and urgency. What changes is how that urgency is expressed, so it lands the right way for the people using the product on the ground.

Why Localization Belongs Early in Product Design

Timing comes up repeatedly in the conversation.

At SafetyCulture, localization enters before features ship, not after problems surface. Anna explains how the team reviews feature names, terminology, and UX copy early, when changes are still easy to make and scale.

That early involvement reduces downstream fixes and prevents misunderstandings from spreading across languages. When issues do appear, localization feeds directly into product feedback loops, improving both translated content and the original English source.

AI in Safety Localization and the Human Line

AI helps speed up translation workflows, and SafetyCulture uses it where it makes sense.

But Anna draws a clear line when safety instructions, legal interpretation, or severity are involved. In those moments, accuracy matters more than speed.

AI helps teams move faster. Human reviewers with domain knowledge make sure the message holds up in real working conditions, where context and consequences matter.

<Blockquote> We are very excited about more context-aware tools. So the possibility of integrating tools like Crowdin with everything in the business, not just language-related copy, but have, like, feedback integrated there or analytics or something that helps us scale globally, is something that I'm honestly really excited about. </Blockquote>

Localization as a Business Signal

Beyond language quality, localization data offers strategic insight. Adoption patterns, language usage, and regional engagement help SafetyCulture identify where to invest next.

Anna shares how strong signals from markets like Germany, France, Latin America, and Brazil informed decisions to expand language support and focus on specific industries. Localization metrics serve as an early indicator of business opportunity.

From Language Service to Strategic Enabler

The episode closes on a personal note. Anna shares how her background and family experience shaped her view of localization as more than a service function.

Over time, her perspective shifted from delivering translations to enabling real-world impact. At SafetyCulture, localization supports safer workplaces by making sure people understand what to do, when it matters most, in the language they rely on.

What This Means for Localization Teams and Product Leaders

For localization leaders:

Earlier involvement in product design and feature naming
Fewer downstream fixes through context-aware localization
Stronger alignment with UX writing and product teams
Localization metrics that inform market expansion and investment
Clearer standards for when AI accelerates workflows and when human review stays critical

For linguists and localization practitioners:

More responsibility for context, tone, and cultural nuance
Work that prioritizes real-world user understanding, not just accuracy
Closer collaboration with product, UX, and engineering teams
Opportunities to specialize in safety-critical and regulated content

Global products continue to reach frontline workers operating under pressure. The advantage comes from designing localization that supports clarity, action, and safety from the first screen to the last instruction.

<Blockquote> Stefan: Do you have a favorite Crowdin functionality that you use all the time in your day-to-day?

Anna: I mean, more than the functionality. Pre-translation saves us so much time. Either with the TM or with the AI saves us so much time. It makes our lives easier, and the machine translation post-editing is also a great process that we use there. Glossaries, of course, help us maintain consistency. It's a combination of many. It's a I couldn't name it just a single.

</Blockquote>

Anna’s Background

Anna Barcons Folguera is a localization leader with a foundation in translation and interpreting and experience helping organizations expand into global markets. Before joining SafetyCulture as Localization Executive, she worked across software, apps, games, and website content, bringing linguistic strategy into product experiences that resonate across languages and cultures. At SafetyCulture, Anna leads the localization function with a focus on clarity, UX relevance, and real-world safety outcomes for frontline workers and global teams. Her work bridges language quality with product design and cultural insight to ensure localized experiences support operational safety and global adoption.

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12 Top Courses for Learning Localization

yuliia-makarenko — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The localization and language services industry is full of opportunities for various experts. But to become an expert, continuous learning is a must.

With so many available courses, how do you choose the best one? In this guide, we will cover the top courses for learning localization.

We will go over the main professions and skills required for each one and provide you with the list of the best options to help you start online learning. Let's get started.

4 Best Courses for Localization Project Managers

If you want to become a localization project manager or develop new skills, several courses are available.

1. Localization Manager for Tech Company Course

Take a look at the online course Localization Manager for Tech Company on Udemy. This is a free program that focuses on managing core processes and optimizing expenses, tailored to this specific position. It will help you get started with the common localization tools, like LMS, TM, TMS, and AI. This makes it ideal for localization managers working in technology environments and terminology management.

2. Become a Localization Manager Course

An online program by Localization Management Academy that shares a real-world, practical approach to managing localization projects. Perfect for those who are taking their first steps in localization management.

Students can learn how to manage the entire project lifecycle, from kickoff to delivery. The course includes guidance on project administration, communication with stakeholders, risk management, and budget control. These are essential skills for a Crowdin account owner who oversees multiple projects and teams. The 7th edition of this course will start in March 2026.

3. How to Set Up Your Localization Metrics Program

This specialized course from Nimdzi Learning is for managers who need to demonstrate the value of localization to the wider business.

From these lessons, you will learn how to define, measure, and track Localization KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), create impactful dashboards, and clearly communicate the ROI (Return on Investment) of localization efforts. This is crucial for securing budget and scaling operations.

The course offers free lessons, but the second part is for Nimdzi Partners only.

4. Account Management for Project Managers

Another course by Nimdzi Learning that equips localization PMs with the critical soft skills needed to manage relationships with clients, vendors, and internal stakeholders (such as Marketing VPs and Engineering Leads).

You will learn to conduct effective Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), manage professional communications, and build trust. These skills are important for prioritizing and funding localization across the organization.

Bonus: Practical Course on Continuous Localization

If you are planning your professional development for this year, mark your calendar for April 14-16, 2026. This 6-hour intensive on Continuous Localization (split into 2-hour daily sessions at 16:00 CET) is designed specifically for managers who want to stop babysitting files and start building automated workflows.

Why take it? Most of us know the theory behind continuous localization, but actually setting it up without breaking the dev cycle is the hard part. We recommend this course because it’s a live, hands-on deep dive into the technical how-to. It’s a great way to learn how to keep translation moving at the same pace as your product updates, and you will walk away with a certificate to prove you have mastered the no-touch workflow.

4 Best Courses for Localization Engineers and Developers

The localization engineers are responsible for internationalization (i18n), automation, software localization, and integrating localization tools into workflows. Such specialists are responsible for internationalization (i18n), automation, software localization, and integration of localization tools into workflows.

We listed 4 courses that offer valuable insights into the required skills.

1. Next.js i18n Course

Build international Next.js apps with confidence. This course offers video lessons on establishing i18n from a technical perspective. You will learn about the main aspects of the process and get code snippets, summaries, and tagged commits that you can later implement in your apps.

The course was created by the founder of next-intl library, who is also a university teacher in Austria. Lesson #10 covers AI localization with Crowdin. If you are developing Next.js apps, this course is worth trying!

2. i18n Course for Symfony Developers

Another useful course to pay attention to is "Bonjour-> Hello -> Hola: Translate Your Site". There you will find valuable insights on transforming a single-language Symfony app into a multilingual platform with the use of translations. Discover various effective ways to adapt an app with overcomplicated workflows.

Lesson #10 shows how to connect your Symfony app to a translation provider like Crowdin.

3. Multi-language PHP: Internationalization for PHP Developers

This Udemy course is dedicated to transforming single-language PHP applications into multilingual platforms. This course is for developers who need actionable steps to implement i18n in their codebases.

You will gain core skills for modern PHP internationalization, including:

Implementing translation systems
Handling locale-specific data
Managing plural forms
Creating a language switcher

The principles taught here ensure the developer correctly extracts translatable strings into standard file formats (such as .json or .xliff), making it simple to upload them to Crowdin via the PHP SDK client, eliminating common source-code issues that block continuous localization.

4. Localize Your Websites with Crowdin by freeCodeCamp

freeCodeCamp created a free, hands-on guide for developers looking to immediately integrate localization into a website using Crowdin’s tooling. The 8-hour video guide shows all the aspects: from the implementation to connecting apps from the Crowdin Store.

You will learn the practical steps of setting up a project, integrating Crowdin with a version control system (like GitHub), and automating the synchronization of source content and translated files. It is an excellent example of implementing continuous localization from a developer's perspective.

4 Best Courses for Linguists and Freelance Translators

Linguists bring cultural nuance and consistency to the localized content. Such specialists focus on:

translation
editing
proofreading
ensuring linguistic quality

Human translators allow us to keep the brand's aesthetic and connect with the locals.

There are several educational courses for those interested in improving their translation and post-editing skills.

1. Crowdin for Linguists: Everything You Need to Know

The first recommendation is “Crowdin for Linguists: Everything You Need to Know" on Udemy. There, you can learn all the main aspects of working with Crowdin. Within the course, you will learn about how linguists can implement such a tool to improve translation efficiency and quality.

2. Course on AI in Translation

Another recommendation is the course “Mastering Translation AI”. There, you can find insights into improving your translation and editing skills by implementing AI tools.

You will also learn how to utilize AI for achieving the highest percentage of ready-to-publish translations.

3. Introduction to Localization Tools for Translators

Course for beginners in localization. It teaches linguists how to manage and localize digital content by focusing on the tools and processes.

You will gain proficiency in using various Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools and Translation Management Systems (TMS). The curriculum details how to efficiently localize web and mobile application projects, including translating different file formats and ensuring the consistency of digital content across platforms.

4. UX and Localization: Designing Content for Global Markets

UX and Localization by Nimdzi for those who want to deepen their knowledge. This course teaches linguists and UX writers how to align product design and content creation with global market needs and address cultural diversity. Ensure the product is design-ready for expansion before translation even begins.

How to Choose a High-Quality Online Course in Localization: A 5-Point Checklist

It can be challenging to find a course that not only provides valuable insights but can also be applied in practice. Here's where a comprehensive structure is very helpful. It helps you to identify high-quality courses that can enhance your professional expertise.

1. Look for Practical Training

Make sure that there is a practical curriculum within the training. It should include hands-on training with comprehensive software and real-life examples. This approach enables you to apply theoretical knowledge to practice, thereby enhancing your overall learning experience.

2. Check Instructor's Experience

Look for courses taught by experienced instructors who can aid in your understanding of the learning material. Search for a proven track record in the localization industry. Such specialists can provide valuable guidance through their insights and expertise.

3. Look for Quality Certifications

Third, industry-recognized certifications are crucial in various industries. Importantly, they not only validate your skills but also make you more attractive to potential employers.

4. Access to Modern Tools

Hands-on tool training is essential. Ensure that the course provides comprehensive training on the latest localization tools and technologies.

5. Student Reviews

Positive student reviews can offer insights into the course’s effectiveness and the quality of instruction. Look for testimonials and reviews from past students to gauge their experiences and expectations.

Beyond the Certificate: How to Land Your First Job in Localization

Continuous learning and receiving certification play a huge role in landing your first job in the localization industry. However, a certificate is only one of many things the companies will be searching for.

To improve your attractiveness as a potential employee, you must also work on:

building a strong portfolio
networking
gaining real-world experience

The first step is creating a portfolio. List all your skills and projects you have worked on. One of the most beneficial aspects is including examples of your work. It includes snippets of localized content, translation projects, and any other relevant project involvement.

To establish a professional network, LinkedIn is the go-to platform. You can not only search for opportunities but also build valuable industry connections. Attend online and offline events created by LocLunch to find more connections.

Getting experience is probably the hardest and most important part. You can contribute to open-source projects. Additionally, communicate with the course instructor about the potential practice and look for resources that offer experience programs.

Helpful Tips

If you don't know where to start the search for the course and how to get the most out of the investment, follow our five-point checklist. Also, remember that a certificate is only one part of a successful job application.

Create a portfolio, work on your networking, and gain experience every chance you get. Your journey into the world of localization starts now, so take the first step and enroll in a course that aligns with your career goals.

Conclusion: Your Journey into Localization Starts Now

The localization industry is becoming more and more in demand by businesses with the voluntarily growing globalization tendency. Whether you are interested in global marketing, software localization, machine translation, project management, or other language services, there are a lot of opportunities in this field.

FAQ

What is an example of a localization course?

One of the best examples is "Crowdin for Linguists: Everything You Need to Know" on Udemy. It provides valuable insight into using a localization tool like Crowdin, which is essential for optimizing localization processes.

How to break into localization?

To enter the localization field, engage in relevant coursework, create a strong portfolio, and actively network on platforms like LinkedIn.

What does a localization specialist do?

A localization specialist works on adapting content for a specific foreign market. It includes software adjustment, language translation, and quality assurance of the content.

What should I look for in a high-quality localization course?

In a high-quality localization course, prioritize a practical curriculum, experienced instructors, industry-recognized certification, hands-on tool training, and positive student feedback to ensure a valuable learning experience.

How can I gain real-world experience in localization?

To gain real-world experience in localization, start working on building your professional network. By connecting with other specialists, including instructors and other course participants, you can find open-source projects and other opportunities.

What's New at Crowdin: December 2025

diana — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

We’re a week late with this update due to the holiday season, but we’re finally here and excited to share all the great things we’ve been working on. On-Demand AI translation via API for translating dynamic content, security apps for controlled user access, and AI Lip Sync to level up your video dubbing. We’ve also added the new Google Translation LLM integration and various features to improve task management, hopefully saving you some of the manual work.

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On-Demand AI Translation via API

The headliner of our release notes isn't a new feature or an integration – it's an API method: POST /ai/translate.

We are incredibly optimistic about the potential of this new endpoint because it solves the final piece of the localization puzzle: dynamic content.

Crowdin has been good at making our clients' businesses multilingual – handling the translation of software UI, websites, and marketing campaigns. But clients often faced one gap: all kinds of Dynamic Content.

Dynamic content could be anything: product reviews (which vary by language in already multilingual products), aggregated listings (like restaurant menus or real estate), street names, or even user names in multi-user systems. All of these were logistically impossible to handle with traditional human-centric workflows.

The POST /ai/translate method changes this. It allows you to consume your configured Crowdin AI engine to get immediate, context-aware translations. Unlike a generic translation API, this leverages your specific Corporate AI pipeline – meaning the AI knows your terminology, respects your style guides, and adheres to your quality standards.

Sample request:

curl -X POST https://api.crowdin.com/api/v2/ai/translate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer {access_token}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "strings": [
      "Chef's Special: Spicy Tuna Roll"
    ],
    "targetLanguageId": "de",
    "sourceLanguageId": "en",
    "aiPromptId": 82,
    "tmIds": [102, 305],
    "glossaryIds": [12],
    "instructions": [
       "Keep dish names appetizing",
       "Do not translate brand names"
    ]
}'

Response:

{
  "data": {
    "sourceLanguageId": "en",
    "targetLanguageId": "de",
    "translations": ["Chef's Special: Würzige Thunfischrolle"]
  }
}

Simply put, when you request translations, you can specify which translation memories the AI should use, which glossaries to respect, and even provide specific instructions to guide the AI's output.

You also have full control over how the AI generates these translations. You can configure an AI Pipeline with multiple verification steps, or use Agentic AI to let the LLM determine the best approach based on the complexity of the request.

Alternatively, you can opt for a simple one-shot request when speed is the priority, while still leveraging all your existing localization assets.

We've got another companion API method to translate entire files. It works exactly the same way: send any Crowdin-supported file via API and get a translated version back instantly.

We can't resist teasing two major updates just around the corner. It's very unfortunate that we can't just share about Style Guides arriving as a new, native localization asset, and a dedicated Translation Portal that will allow your team to get instant translations securely within your corporate environment.

We’ll save the full reveal for next month’s release notes!

Dubbing Studio App Upgrade

We’ve upgraded the Dubbing Studio app and happy to introduce 2 new features: AI Lip Sync and background audio preservation.

AI Lip Sync

Historically, lip-sync involved finding text that matched the mouth movements, which was a complicated and time-consuming process. Now it can be done by AI.

We added Hollywood-grade AI Lip Sync, powered by lipdub.ai. Using advanced generative AI, the Dubbing Studio app by Crowdin now automatically re-animates the lower half of the speaker’s face to perfectly synchronize with the translated audio.

Whether you are translating into Spanish, Japanese, or German, the visual output now matches the phonemes of the target language, making the content feel natively produced in each target language rather than dubbed.

Background Audio Preservation

Traditionally, dubbing often required a "clean" vocal track (M&E tracks) to avoid losing background music. Our new feature uses AI to isolate original vocals from the background environment. The system replaces only the speech and then intelligently remixes the new voiceover back with the original soundtrack and ambient noise.

This means you can now produce studio-quality, lip-synced, dubbed videos directly in Crowdin, without the need for expensive post-production for every language.

Google Translate LLM

Crowdin now integrates with Google Cloud's new "Translation LLM", an engine that combines the fluency of generative AI (Gemini) with the strict control of enterprise machine translation. Unlike standard MT engines, this engine supports Adaptive Translation, which ingests your Crowdin Glossaries and Translation Memory to fine-tune output in real-time. This allows you to generate natural, context-aware translations that strictly adhere to your approved terminology.

Security Apps and Improvements

We’re happy to share about the new app API module: Auth Guard. The new module allows Crowdin apps to add extra checks during the user login flow. Whenever anyone logs in, the app can perform checks relevant to your organization's security policies.

While managers' roles in Crowdin can typically use SAML to access Crowdin Enterprise, third-party language providers and freelancers usually do not have this option. Leaving Crowdin with no other option than to start implementing controls that IdP providers usually do.

Today, we’re happy to share three new apps that can significantly improve login security for users who can’t use a secure, enterprise-grade IdP.

Device Approvals

We know of enterprise clients that send corporate-owned laptops with pre-configured security policies to freelance translators. While smaller companies can’t afford this luxury, modern cloud solutions now allow you to achieve a similar security level without purchasing physical hardware. Companies can adopt cloud desktops or virtual browsers from providers like Amazon WorkSpaces, Cloudflare Browser Isolation, or our favorite, Kasm.

However, even with secure endpoints provided, how do you ensure linguists don't access Crowdin Enterprise using credentials on their personal devices? This is exactly what the Device Approvals app enforces. Whenever a user attempts to log in from a new endpoint, access is paused, and a request is sent to the Crowdin Enterprise admin. Once an admin approves the device, the user can log in as usual. This ensures that only approved, secure devices can access your projects.

JIT Access

The more people who have access to your Crowdin organization, the larger your attack surface becomes – especially when freelancers retain access long after their work is finished. JIT (Just-In-Time) Access solves this by implementing the principle of least privilege: users can only log in to your organization when they have active tasks assigned to them. When a task is assigned, the user can log in immediately; once the work is done, access is automatically revoked based on your configured grace periods. This ensures that if a freelancer’s device is compromised while they aren't actively working on your project, your data remains secure.

Terms Compliance

Make compliance part of your login. Security isn't only about the technical side; legal gaps are also a major security risk. The Terms Compliance app adds a simple, mandatory step to your login flow. Before entering your organization, users must review and accept your specific agreements – whether it’s an NDA, a data policy, or volunteer terms. If they don't agree, they don't get in. It’s perfect for managing both crowdsourcing communities and professional vendors, giving you a clear audit trail with easy PDF/CSV exports and secure document hashing to prove exactly who signed what.

More Tools to Secure User Accounts

Skip 2FA for SSO Users (Crowdin Enterprise)

If your team logs in using SAML SSO, you can now skip the extra 2FA step. We’ve added an option for admins to disable Crowdin’s mandatory 2FA specifically for users authenticated via SAML. Since your IdP should already ensure a secure login, this new setting allows you to remove the unnecessary double-check and makes accessing your projects faster and more secure.

Expanded Security Logs: Track User Access and Deletions

We’ve enhanced the Security Logs in Crowdin Enterprise to give you more visibility over critical security events. Now, more user management actions (including inviting, deactivating, or deleting a user account) are recorded.

Enforce Security Keys

We are introducing a new feature for Crowdin Enterprise: Enforce Security Keys. This update makes user accounts, especially those that do not use SAML, more secure by letting users log in with FaceID, TouchID, or a physical security key.

While authenticator apps are great and accessible, they have a known vulnerability: phishing. It’s relatively easy to trick someone with a fake login page where they might accidentally give their 2FA code to an attacker. Biometric 2FA, on the other hand, is probably impossible to falsify or bypass this way.

As an admin, you can now require all users to set up biometric 2FA. Modern browsers allow users to use their phone’s biometric scanner to log in from a computer. Since almost everyone has a smartphone with biometrics, this ensures the highest level of protection without blocking anyone’s access.

Better Steam Localization Workflow

We're excited to improve the localization workflow for companies publishing their games on Steam. While Steamworks doesn't provide an API for automatic integration with Crowdin, it does offer export/import functionality that accepts multilingual content. You can translate your game listing into 10 languages and upload just one bundle file.

Our new Steam Store Page Localization app allows the following workflow: it processes your exported Steam JSON, extracts all translatable strings, converts Steam’s BB codes to HTML for a better editing experience, and provides linguists with a WYSIWYG preview that mimics how content will actually appear on the Steam store page.

This is especially valuable for short descriptions, where Steam enforces not just a 300-character limit but also a 6-line visual constraint. The preview in Crowdin tries to render the exact same block size so linguists can see if their translation will fit in production.

If you’re managing 10 games in 15 languages, localizing achievements used to be a lot of work. Even though Crowdin supports VDF files, you would still have to upload translations 150 separate times to Steamworks.

Our new Steam Multilingual VDF bundle generator fixes this. It creates files that contain multiple languages at once. So, if you have 10 games, you only need to perform 10 uploads instead of 150. It’s the same result with much less clicking.

Advanced Task Management

Task Template Manager

Task templates in Crowdin are great helpers, but they are restricted to individual projects, requiring you to manually recreate the same template for every new project. The Task Template Manager app solves this by enabling organization-level template management. You can create a template once, distribute it to multiple projects, and bulk-sync updates to assignees or languages across all of them. If you have many Crowdin projects with the same set of target languages and with the same team, this app would be a great helper.

Strings to Task

Create translation and proofreading tasks directly in the Crowdin Editor. The String to Task app lets you select specific strings or use Editor filters to define the task's scope. Previously, you had to tag the strings you wanted to include in a task; now, it's much easier, with no context switching.

String Router Workflow Step

Crowdin Enterprise workflows apply the same process to every string, regardless of its content. The String Router app introduces conditional logic, allowing you to branch workflows based on string length, text, or context. A common use case is preventing Machine Translation errors on short UI labels by routing strings under a certain length directly to human translators, while sending longer content to MT. The app splits the workflow into "True" and "False" paths based on the rules you define.

Translate Insider Email Template

The new Insider integration enables synchronization (manual and automated) of content between Insider and Crowdin, allowing fast, easy localization of email templates. You can translate emails using MT/AI of your choice, and invite vendors to proofread texts if needed.

Go and translate your Insider emails with Crowdin to take one step further in making your marketing campaigns multilingual.

Document360 Integration Update: Import Translations

The updated Document360 integration by Crowdin now supports importing translations into Crowdin. This function allows you to synchronize existing localized articles and documentation from your Document360 repository back into your Crowdin project.

This helps you easily import previously translated content, improving your Translation Memory (TM) for better consistency.

Alchemer Surveys and Forms Localization

This new integration connects your Alchemer surveys and forms directly to Crowdin. You can send survey text to Crowdin for translation and pull the finished versions back into Alchemer automatically. It’s a huge time-saver for anyone running international feedback campaigns.

Bulk Assign Translators and Proofreaders Across Projects

Managing large teams across hundreds of projects is now much faster. Previously, you could only bulk-assign Managers or Developers, leaving you to manually add Translators and Proofreaders project by project.

If you’re handling dozens of projects, the "click and repeat" era is over. You can now select multiple projects and assign linguists or proofreaders in a single action. It’s a massive time-saver for onboarding new vendors or internal teams across your entire Crowdin Enterprise organization.

View Prompt Status while Selecting

We’ve improved the experience of working with AI prompts by adding instant status feedback. Now, when you’re setting up a Pre-translate or using a prompt elsewhere, you’ll see its status immediately.

New status labels now appear below the prompt dropdown menus, helping you immediately identify configuration issues.

For example, labels show issues such as 'Provider not found', 'Model not found', 'Please provide API credentials', or 'No model selected'.

Targeted Visibility: Warnings like Insufficient balance are visible only to Owners/Admins. Provider configuration issues are only shown to users with access to manage those providers.

Latest added models: GPT 5.2, Mistral Large 3.

Other Platform Updates

Global Accuracy Reporting: The Pre-translation and Translator Accuracy reports are now available at the organization level, allowing you to evaluate prompt quality globally with new filters for projects, source languages, files, and labels. We've also unified the report layouts across products.
String-based Project Support for Apps: Several popular "Tool" apps have been updated to support string-based projects. This includes communication and integration tools like Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and Opsgenie, as well as specialized apps like Salesforce Localization Format, XCStrings, Custom Bundle Generator, Lingui String Exporter, and more.
XLIFF Updates: Added support for XLIFF 2.1 and XLIFF 2.2 formats. These versions are better at handling metadata and technical context (like ITS categories).
Unify Placeholders now supports .xcstrings. This is key for cross-platform apps localization because it automatically matches Apple’s specific variables with those from Android or Web. It prevents duplicate strings, keeps your TM clean, and saves you from paying for the same translation twice.
We’ve improved the Glossary search. You can now search by definitions and subjects within concepts, making it much easier to find the right entry even if you don't remember the exact term.

Power Up: AI Pipeline

In our latest Crowdin Power Up episode, Dorota Pawlak and Stefan Huyghe looked at why AI translation often fails and how a new Crowdin app called AI Pipeline solves it. Instead of overloading AI with one giant prompt, this app breaks the process into small, specialized steps like context analysis and glossary checks to eliminate hallucinations and ensure high-quality results. Crowdin recommends using the AI Pipeline unless we find an even better way.

External Tools

This month, we released new versions of:

JS API Client 1.50.0, 1.51.0, 1.51.1
Figma plugin: version 93, version 94, version 95. Key improvements include better text detection for nested frames, faster "Pages mode" performance, and UX enhancements for Figma Dev Mode and searchable labels.
Java API Client 1.31.0
Python API Client 1.25.0
.NET API Client 2.42.0

Bonus: Focus & Translate Playlist

We know many of you like to have something playing in the background while you work. Crowdin teamed up with Estonian composer and producer Sander Mölder to curate an exclusive playlist: Focus & Translate.

It’s a simple collection of chill, lyric-free beats from producers all over the world. We hope it helps you stay in the zone and makes your daily localization tasks a bit more cozy.

Sander Mölder is an Estonian composer, producer, and DJ. With a background that spans from classical cello to the Red Bull Music Academy, Sander has become one of the household names in the Baltic electronic music scene.

Sending you great vibes for 2026 from the Crowdin Team!

SEO Localization: 5 Steps to Increase Global Traffic

volodymyr-popovych — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

SEO localization is the complete adaptation of your website and SEO elements to fit the language, culture, and search intent of specific target markets. This process, when done correctly, guarantees you traffic growth. If you ignore it, you end up with invisible content and wasted resources.

Nowadays, simple translation is no longer enough. To win in multilingual search, you need to combine the best SEO practices with the must-have localization process. In this guide, we will discuss exactly how to build a successful SEO Localization strategy.

The article covers:

What is SEO localization, and how does it differ from simple SEO translation?
Why is localizing SEO beneficial for you?
Which elements do you need to localize?
5 Main Steps for SEO localization.
What tools to use.
SEO localization checklist.
KPIs to track the performance.
How to utilize AI and localization tools to simplify the process.

Interested in the practical part? Jump to the key steps of SEO localization.

What Is SEO Localization?

SEO localization is the process of adapting a website's content and technical elements to specific target markets. Localization in SEO includes optimizing hreflang tags, localizing metadata, adapting currency and imagery, and building local backlinks to ensure the content resonates with native users and ranks in local SERPs.

To localize SEO successfully, you need two things: website content localization + SEO elements localization. Interested in a general website localization guide? Check out our detailed overview on how to localize a website.

In this article, we focus specifically on SEO localization, which requires additional adaptation, resources, and strategy to win the target market.

Key Difference Between SEO Localization and SEO Translation

Feature	SEO Translation	SEO Localization
Focus	Word-for-word conversion.	Cultural and search intent adaptation.
Keywords	Translated terms.	Regional terms people actually use.
Technical	Usually ignored.	Adapting hreflang tags, hosting, URL slugs and more.
Goal	Readability in a new language.	Higher visibility and traffic from a new market.

SEO translation focuses on simply converting SEO content from one language to another. However, SEO localization is about fully adapting SEO elements and strategy to align with local culture, search habits, and regional search engine algorithms.

Localization can be done in different ways. As we are Crowdin, a localization platform, we are going to give you an example of how modern teams do localization effectively and fast.

4 Reasons Why You Need to Localize SEO

Higher Organic Traffic: English is a popular language for surfing the net, however, it is less than 48% of the Global Search Potential. Basically, if you deliver only English content, you miss a lot of potential traffic to your site.
Better User Experience (UX) -> Better Conversion Rate: According to Shopify partner data, e-commerce stores that provide localized language support and multi-currency payment options see higher conversion rates than those limited to English-only content.
LLM Visibility: Multilingual models (MLLMs) are becoming more common. Models like GPT-4o, Claude, and Gemini support many languages. As with organic traffic from Google, SEO and website localization directly influence your site’s visibility in Large Language Model chatbots. The more content you create, and the more languages you have optimized it to, the more awareness and traffic you will get from LLM citations.
Competitive Advantage: 1) Your competition may already be earning organic traffic from target markets that you still cannot capture well without localized content. 2) There may be competitors that are still not localizing their SEO, take advantage and get that traffic coming to your site!

The one summarizing reason why you need to localize your SEO is international growth. Your brand will not be visible in other markets without it.

Key Components of SEO Localization

Each element mentioned in the list is being described in detail down the article:

URL structure (slugs): choosing a specific URL structure for your localized pages.
Technical SEO: implementing correct hreflang attibutes, localizing sitemaps, and more.
Local keyword research: identifying search terms that are actually used by native speakers.
Localized metadata: inserting local keywords into title tags and meta descriptions.
Page content: localizing the language, idioms and cultural references.
Alt texts: localizing alt texts based on the local keyword research and culture.
Currencies/units of measure: adapting the prices, weights, and other units to fit local preferences.
Date formats: formatting the dates based on local preferences.
Local Link Building: seeking backlinks from local domains (e.g., .de or .fr) to build local authority.

Resources You Need for Successfully Localized SEO

As for any task, no matter you are E-commerce or SaaS, you need special software for proper SEO localization:

1. SEO Tools for Research

Ahrefs/Semrush/SE Ranking: For keyword, competitor, and market research.
Google Search Console (GSC): To check traffic per country.
Screaming Frog: A crawler to check technical health (hreflang tags, broken links) across your localized pages.
Google Trends: A great tool for checking the popularity of your niche in the target market.

2. Analytical Tools

GSC shows how you appear in search, however, you also need to know what users do once they arrive. SEOs usually use tools like GA4 (Google Analytics 4) or Amplitude. Here, you will track engagement, conversion rates, and related metrics. These tools allow you to measure the true ROI of localization.

Example case: Are users from Germany actually converting? Or are they bouncing because the shipping costs are not in euros?

3. Translation Management System (TMS)

Translation Management System (TMS) is an excellent tool. It connects your content to your translators and ensures your SEO strategy actually makes it to the page. It manages glossaries, context, and workflows.

5 Steps to Build a Website Localization SEO Strategy

The SEO industry experiences extreme changes every month: the rise of ChatGPT and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), AI Overviews, and constant Google Core Updates. You may often hear, “SEO is dead”; however, it is not. SEO is evolving. Even with the rise of AI, Google has made it clear that high-quality, optimized content remains the foundation of visibility.

Step 1: Market Research and ROI Analysis

If you have already identified your target market/s, skip to Step 2.

Before making your SEO multilingual and writing a single line of code, you should first validate the opportunity, choose the markets you plan to expand into, and ensure that the ROI meets your company standards.

Check opportunities in your analytics tool

Use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or Amplitude to check for countries where you already have visibility/traffic but have low CTR (Click-through rate)/conversion rates.

If 10% of your traffic comes from Germany and bounces because the site is in English, that is your "low-hanging fruit”.

Analyze the market for traffic volume and value

Just because a keyword has volume in English does not mean the translated version does: "Software" is a high-volume term. In some countries, users search for the English term, however, in others, such as France for example, they might use "Logiciel”.

To check the traffic volume of a specific localized content:

Take the keywords
Translate them
Input into the keyword research tool
Collect and analyze the traffic volumes and values you get

In the following example, you can see how we checked the volume of the keyword "projektleitung" in German search results:

Image source: Ahrefs

You can also use Google Trends to compare English term vs. translated term popularity in different countries.

Here, on the screenshot, we can see that the English term “project management” is more popular in German search than the German translation of the term “Projektleitung”:

Image source: Google Trends

Analyze the competition for traffic volume and value

The easiest and most effective strategy to make sure you localize to the right market, is to analyze your competition. Imagine how much work went into their SEO target markets’ choice; use the information and work on it.

You can use Ahrefs, Semrush, or other SEO tools to see which languages are driving competitors’ growth:

Enter a competitor’s domain into the domain research tool.
Choose the target country you want to show the reports for.
Go to the “Top Pages” report and see which competitor’s pages appear, localized or the primary English language pages.

Here is an example of nike.com rankings in Germany:

Image source: Ahrefs

Do not just look at traffic volume, look also at the traffic value.

Use a tool like “Site Explorer” to check a competitor's "Organic Traffic Value" for a specific country. This metric calculates the likely cost of buying the same traffic via PPC.

Traffic Volume and Value for nike.com from the US:

Image source: Ahrefs

From Germany:

Image source: Ahrefs

For example, a high traffic value in Germany shows high-intent and profitable keywords. High traffic with low value in another region may indicate that this market is not a good option for expansion.

Know which search engine to focus on

Google is not always the only player on the market. If you are targeting China, you must optimize for Baidu. In South Korea, it is Naver. Each search engine has its unique ranking factors.

Calculate the approximate ROI: Traffic value vs. cost

The Translation Cost Estimate feature calculates the budget required based on your word count. Compare this against the potential traffic value (CPC) from your SEO tools to get a rough ROI forecast. And, do not forget about developers and SEO specialist working hours cost. Additionally, check our research on how much AI translations acually cost.

Note: Sometimes, like in the case of Google Trends example above, there is no sense in localizing your content into another language if you can still get good traffic from that country with your primary-language pages.

Step 2: Technical SEO Foundation

Before translation, you must build a foundation that allows search engines to understand your website's architecture. If this foundation is weak, your content will not rank, no matter how good the translation is.

Choose the URL structure for your localized pages

There is no "perfect" choice, there is a right choice for your resources.

Subdirectory (site.com/de): Recommended for most cases. This URL structure consolidates your Domain Authority (DA). All backlinks to your German blog post boost your overall domain rating. This structure is also easy to set up in CMSs like WordPress or Webflow.
ccTLDs (site.de): Strongest local signal but expensive. When you set up a separate domain, you start with zero authority and have to maintain separate legal/technical entities. This is the best choice for big enterprises like Amazon.
Subdomains (de.site.com): Generally not recommended in 2025. Google often treats subdomains as separate entities, which badly impacts your link equity.

Hreflang and HTML tags

Hreflang tags (rel="alternate" hreflang="x") tell Google which URL to show to a user based on their language and region. A few insights:

Every page must reference itself and all its alternates.
Always include hreflang="x-default". This tag serves as a fallback language for users who do not match any of the languages you support (for instance, a user from Thailand visiting your site when you only have English and Ukrainian).

<head>
  <link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.com/" />

  <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/" />
  <link rel="alternate" hreflang="de" href="https://example.com/de/" />
  <link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://example.com/fr/" />
</head>

Do not forget to set the <html lang="es"> tag in the page header. This helps browsers render the page correctly.

Canonicalization

Without correct canonical tags, multilingual sites risk being treated as having duplicate content. When similar pages exist in multiple languages.

Always set the canonical URL for each localized page to point to itself (for example, the German page should canonicalize to the German URL).

Example of a canonical tag for a page:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://nike.com/de/" />

Speed and local servers (CDNs)

Website speed is a ranking factor, fact. A user in Tokyo who accesses a server in New York will experience lower speed of your pages. To solve the challenge, use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare or AWS CloudFront to serve your localized content from the server closest to the user.

Multilingual sitemaps

Each translated version of the website must come with a separate XML sitemap (or be included in a Sitemap Index).
Submit each separate XML sitemap in Google Search Console (GSC). This will help Google discover your new pages faster.

In the robots.txt file, remember to reference each sitemap.

# Robots.txt example referencing localized sitemaps
User-agent: *
Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml
# Or specific language sitemaps:
Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap-en.xml
Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap-de.xml

Avoid automatic redirection

Never redirect a user based on their IP address without asking them first. Why? Googlebot usually crawls from a US IP address. If you auto-redirect US IPs to your English page, Google may never see or index your French or German pages.

Best practice is to use a "Language Switcher" banner. Example text may be: "It looks like you are in Germany. Switch to German?".

Image source: Nike.com

Crowdin tip: Use Crowdin's Website Translator to manage language routing and subdomain/subdirectory configuration without any complex coding!

Step 3: International Keyword Research

The topic of international keyword research is vast and warrants a single, detailed article. Therefore, here is a list of the key points to keep in mind when researching the keywords to rank for in a foreign market:

1. Transcreation

Translation of keywords is the fastest way to fail. Focus on transcreation and better use of SEO tools to demonstrate the quality of keyword research.

2. Search volume vs. traffic potential

Better not to prioritize keywords with high "Search Volume" but low actual traffic. A page often ranks for hundreds of long-tail variations. "Search Volume" only shows data for one specific phrase. Look at Traffic Potential. This metric shows the total estimated traffic to the page.

3. Collect keywords from content gap analysis

The fastest way to build a local keyword list is to see what your competitors rank for that you do not. On the screenshot below, you can see how a popular tool Monday has 68k keywords their biggest competitors rank for, while Monday doesn't.

Image source: Ahrefs

4. Identify the search intent

If you optimize for a keyword, but the top 10 results are all definition blogs, and you are trying to sell a product, you will not rank. Google has decided that users want information for that query, not a product.

Image source: Ahrefs

5. A simple international keyword research workflow

Take your top 10 English topics.
Ask a native speaker to brainstorm local synonyms.
Run a Content Gap analysis for the specific region.
Import all the data into Google Sheets.

Crowdin tip: Glossaries are your SEO safety net. Upload your validated target keywords to your TMS Glossary. This ensures that every time a translator sees "Cell Phone", they are forced to translate it as "Mobile" (for the UK) or "Handy" (for Germany). This way, SEO is preserved automatically.

Step 4: On-Page Optimization and UX Localization

In SEO, content localization is not only about the text - it is about user experience (UX). If a user lands on your page and sees a foreign currency, a high probability they quit. High bounce rates kill SEO rankings.

Localize metadata, schema markup, and headings

On-page SEO requires you to adapt:

Title tags: English is compact. German can be 30% longer. There is a high chance that a 60-character title in English might break the limit in German. Rewrite titles to fit the criteria.

Plain translation:

Localization:

Headings (H1-H6): Make sure your localized keywords appear in the H1-H6 tags.
Schema markup: Same as your meta tags, schema markup also needs to be localized and show translated versions of properties.

To help you translate the metadata easily and fast, there is website translation software that syncs with your CMS/Code, extracts the metadata, lets you translate it, and syncs back instantly without any code changes.

UX adaptation

As for UX, you need to localize:

Currencies and units: If you display $ to a European user, it creates friction.
Payment methods: In the US, Credit Cards are more popular. In the Netherlands, iDEAL. In Brazil, it is Pix. Provide the right solutions to increase trust and conversion rates.

To improve UX adaptation efficiency, companies often use TMSs with advanced capabilities. For example, in Crowdin’s TMS, we provide users with a suite of tools for visual localization: In-Context Editor, Figma integration, check out more in our store.

Step 5: Off-Page SEO and Local Link Building

You cannot rank in competitive markets just with on-page SEO. You need backlinks from that specific region to prove your pages’ relevance to the target markets.

The power of local backlinks

A backlink from a high-authority .de website is worth 10x more for your German SEO than a link from a .com. Such signals tell Google that you are relevant to the local users.

German domains linking to Crowdin:

Image source: Ahrefs

German pages linking to Crowdin:

Image source: Ahrefs

Citations in local directories

Find and list your site/brand/company in authoritative local business directories (for example, local Chambers of Commerce). This proves that you are actually present in that market.

Being listed in local listicles and comparisons would also be very beneficial.

Localization SEO Workflow - Checklist by Crowdin

Do not worry about losing the insights. We heard you and created a simple to-do list to copy and paste into a note-taking app:

Market & ROI Research (if not done yet):

Analyzed the existing traffic in Google Analytics 4 or Amplitude.
Checked competitor traffic in Ahrefs/Semrush/Seranking to find target markets.
Checked what the search demands are for the niche in the target regions.
Calculated Potential ROI (Translation Cost vs. Traffic Value).

Preparation:

Translation strategy chosen based on budget and quality requirements.

Tech SEO:

URL structure configured.
Self-referencing canonical tags are implemented on every localized page.
Hreflang tags added (including x-default).
Correct HTML lang attribute added to the <html> tag of every page
A separate XML sitemap is submitted for each language version in GSC.
Language switcher installed (no auto-redirects).

Content & Keywords:

Target keywords identified for each region (not just translated).
Meta title and description localized (fitting the pixel limits).
H1-H6 tags naturally include local keywords.
Images Alt text localized.
Currencies, dates, and units of measure adapted.

Off-Page & Authority:

Strategy for growing local backlinks (e.g., .de links) created.
The brand is listed in relevant local directories (Wikipedia, etc.).

Who Needs to Take Part in Your Localization Initiative

Successful website SEO localization requires the involvement of several key stakeholders:

SEO specialist
Developers
Content managers
Translation team
QA specialists

Collaboration among these team members is the foundation for a smooth localization workflow.

KPIs to Track Performance in New Markets

As a crucial step to your SEO strategy, tracking traffic and user engagement is essential. Track the right metrics with the right tools:

Organic Traffic per Country (Google Search Console).
Keyword Rankings per Region (Ahrefs/Semrush).
Engagement Rate by Language (GA4).
Conversion Rate by Language (GA4).
Revenue from localized markets.

AI Revolution in SEO Localization

Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolutionized the website SEO localization industry:

More efficient processes
Optimized localization workflow
Reduced turnaround times
Improved quality and consistency of translations

Here you can find SEO localization prompts for LLMs that you can use for AI to be more effective.

No-Code SEO Localization: Crowdin Website Translator

For marketing teams that need to go international without waiting for developers, Crowdin offers a Website Translator.

Website Translator is a "no-code" solution that makes it easier to manage the technical side of SEO localization. The tool has the following features:

Crowdin’s translator handles correct language routing (subdirectories like /es or subdomains like es.site.com).
This solution detects and lets you translate all meta tags on your site to every language you need.
Moreover, it monitors your website for changes and immediately syncs new content for translation.

Want to use AI for localization? Crowdin supports all popular AI providers.

We are one of the few platforms that do not charge extra for AI usage. You pay only for the AI provider’s subscription. See Crowdin pricing here.

Summing Up

SEO localization is an investment. When planned well, it produces proportional returns. In this guide, we went from the foundation of technical SEO to a complete localization strategy.

Localization in SEO can be your success, however, simple text translation can be your enemy. Therefore, start with small, quality steps toward international markets. Based on hundreds of verified reviews, Crowdin is a tool that actually simplifies your website's SEO localization, and guarantees high ROI.

Read more about our solution on crowdin.com. Or check out our tutorial on Website Translation Automation.

Further reading:

FAQ

What is location-based SEO?

Location-based SEO (or Local SEO) is a process of website and SEO content optimization (including translation) to increase its visibility and traffic for the relevant local searches (e.g. "Best Italian restaurant in Tallinn", "Localization services in Texas").

What is localized SEO?

Localized SEO is the process of website and SEO content adaptation to rank high in search engines for a specific language or region.

How much does SEO localization cost?

The cost varies based on word count and method. AI translation with human post-editing is the most cost-effective method (~$0.05-$0.10 for a word). If you want to build an effective localization workflow, you would also need to include the cost of the: technical setup, translation management system and SEO tool.

What tools are the best to use for SEO localization?

Our recommendation of the SEO localization stack would be: Ahrefs or Semrush for keyword research, Google Search Console, and Crowdin as your Translation Management System (TMS) to manage the localization.

How Jiffy Hit Its Q4 Launch Deadline with 1 Proofreader and Crowdin

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Jiffy is an online marketplace that connects homeowners and local service pros. It's famous for being fast and reliable, with a 96% perfect rating on over 500,000 completed jobs.

Before, Jiffy operated in English only. To expand into the Montreal market, they had to translate their entire platform into high-quality Québec French.

Their goal was ambitious:

Launch by Q4 2025.
Stay within their existing headcount and budget.

This meant they had to find a way to translate over 200,000 words in 6 months while maintaining perfect quality—all with a single human proofreader. And they did that, using Crowdin, AI, and Figma integration. Let’s dive into the details.

{/* more */}

Key Metric	Results with Crowdin
Total Content Translated	Over 211,000 words in six months
Translation Speed	3-4x faster than manual methods
Human Resource Needed	1 bilingual proofreader
AI Contribution	Approximately 75% of all words pre-translated by AI (OpenAI’s gpt-4o-mini)
Quality Control	100% human-reviewed and approved
Scalability	Created a scalable process for future updates and expansions

The Problem with the Old Way (Traditional Translation)

Jiffy knew the common, old-school translation method wouldn't work for their growing product.

The traditional workflow often looks like this:

Copy is collected manually in a Word document or Excel sheet.
Screenshots are pasted onto separate slides for context.
Translators add their work in comments or margins.
Developers must then manually copy and paste the finished translations into the code.

While this method works for very small, simple apps, it quickly fails when a platform is large and constantly changing.

Jiffy realized this process was:

Hard to manage and track across different parts of the app and multiple updates.
Slow, creating a bottleneck that would never meet their Q4 deadline.
Unscalable, making it impossible to manage 200,000+ words with a small team.

They needed a modern solution to automate the entire process.

How Crowdin Made Jiffy Localization Easy

Jiffy chose Crowdin to build a modern, high-speed, and high-quality localization pipeline. Crowdin’s platform helped them automate the difficult parts and focus their one proofreader on quality control.

<Blockquote footer="Aziz Kara, Head of Product at Jiffy"> After trying three platforms, we chose Crowdin because it integrated seamlessly with Figma, exported files in exactly the formats our developers needed, offered strong integrations with Google Workspace and Customer.io, and provided a solid Glossary, Translation Memory and AI pre-translation engine. </Blockquote>

Here’s how Crowdin solved their challenges:

1. Speeding Up the Work with AI

Crowdin’s integrated AI translation feature was the key to hitting the deadline. The AI automatically translated most of the content instantly. Jiffy used OpenAI’s GPT-4o-mini model for pre-translation.

This meant the single proofreader didn't have to translate from scratch, allowing them to focus on reviewing, editing, and perfecting the AI's work.

2. Guaranteeing the Language Was Consistent

Crowdin helped Jiffy ensure every word used in the app was professional and consistent:

They created a glossary of all the important brand terms and their approved French translations.
Every approved translation was saved in translation memory and automatically reused when similar phrases appeared. This ensured consistency across the entire 200,000-word platform.

3. Making Proofreading Perfect with Context

To maintain their high-quality standards, the proofreader needed to see how the words looked in the app.

Jiffy used the Crowdin plugin for Figma to automatically link text strings directly to screenshots of the app.

This allowed the proofreader to see exactly how text appeared on the screen. They could instantly catch issues like text being too long or breaking the user interface, eliminating the slow manual checking of the traditional method.

The Result

By using Crowdin, Jiffy was able to translate over 200,000 words across its platform in 6 months. They successfully launched in the Montréal market in Q4 2025, on time and within their required budget and headcount.

Inspired by: "How We Translated Jiffy for Montréal in 6 Months with AI, Crowdin, and One Proofreader" by Aziz Kara, Head of Product at Jiffy.

Why Your AI Translation is Hallucinating (And How to Fix It)

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

If you have ever tried to use AI for professional translation, you know the drill: you give it a massive list of instructions, and it starts out great... then it gets tired. It forgets your glossary, ignores your style guide, or starts hallucinating.

In our latest Crowdin Power Up episode, Dorota Pawlak and Stefan Huyghe looked at why this happens and how a new Crowdin app called AI Pipeline actually solves it by changing the way we talk to AI models.

We’re Overloading the AI

If you hand your worker a 50-page technical manual and shout 10 different formatting rules at them as they walk out the door, they’re going to miss something. It’s not that they aren't capable, it’s just information overload.

This is exactly what happens in most AI translation workflows: we send a single giant request and expect perfection.

When AI is overloaded with too many instructions and too much context at once, it becomes unreliable and, frankly, hallucinates. It starts making things up just to finish the task.

Solution is The "Small Steps" Approach

Instead of sending one long prompt to AI, the AI Pipeline breaks the process into a sequence of tiny, specialized tasks. It’s a controlled sequence where the AI focuses on one thing at a time: translating, then checking itself, then fixing itself.

How the AI Pipeline Looks

You can build these pipelines in Crowdin from scratch or use templates. A typical "UI Localization" pipeline looks like this:

Context Extraction. AI "looks" at your screenshots first, so it actually knows what it's translating.
Translation. Now AI has the context, it does the actual work.
Contextual Appropriateness Check. It double-checks that the tone is right and the terminology fits the specific domain.
Proofreading. A standard pass to fix typos, grammar, and tag placeholder issues.
Glossary Check. This is a separate, dedicated step just for your glossary terms. If the AI missed one earlier, it catches and fixes it here.
Crowdin QA Check. The final "sanity check" for omissions and making sure the text doesn't break your UI length limits.

Why This Actually Works: Dutch & Polish Demos

Because the AI is only doing one thing at a time, it doesn't forget your style guide halfway through.

We put this to the test with two different languages:

Dutch: Dorota translated mobile app strings into Dutch to see if the AI could handle specific technical terms. Even with a short wait, the quality was "top-notch". It nailed terms like "cool down" and "recovery mode" exactly as defined in the glossary.
Polish: For an e-bike manual in Polish, the pipeline caught specific nuances that a standard AI request totally missed, like correctly translating "tap the button" according to a specific style guide instruction.

AI followed the prompts perfectly because it wasn't distracted by 20 other instructions at once.

AI Pipeline Speed and Cost

Compared to Agentic AI, which is super fast, the AI Pipeline takes a few more minutes to process the request. But you’re trading those few minutes for a translation that actually follows your rules and has significantly fewer hallucinations.

Plus, it’s not more expensive. You only pay for the full translation on the first step; every step after that only charges for the small "differences" or corrections the AI makes.

Total Transparency in AI Pipeline Actions

With AI Pipeline Logs, you can see every single prompt, every correction, and even the exact token usage for every step. If a translation looks weird, you can go back and see exactly why the engine chose that word. That helps to adjust your prompt or add new details to your style guide.

Check out the full episode of Crowdin Power Up about the AI Pipeline:

Why Businesses Should Care About TMS Data Security

diana — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Businesses often have strict security policies within the company. ISO 27001, for example, enforces the use of company-owned devices, clear policies about who can access GitHub and website CMS, and who can modify which data, and more.

But look what happens when a company decides to become multilingual:

Data goes to TMS
The company might hire a multilingual translation agency (Multi-Language Vendor, MLV)
MLV would hire a single language agency (SLV)
SLV would hire a freelance translator, who can share their computer with their older son to play computer games (and install its plugins), and the same computer is used for hobbies that require software from different, unknown developers.

Note: It’s hard to find specialists for Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese, and many other languages who would all work together in your office in Vienna, for example. And because translation agencies often don’t have enough steady work for full-time staff, the truth is that our industry mostly relies on freelancers. This, of course, impacts security in the translation industry.

When buying translations, companies grant access and edit permissions to their website CMS and GitHub to a person who doesn't follow or even know their security policies.

Allow freelancers with an unknown security profile to edit the content on your main page? How big a risk is that? A huge one.

{/* more */}

Here Is One More Story Before We Jump Into Configuring Crowdin

We recently learned an interesting fact about how the hacking industry works from a security researcher. There are lots of hackers out there that just create malware – they don't care about the content of your computer. Their purpose is to make victims download their malware or miss a browser update, thereby infecting their computers via an outdated browser. Right after infecting a victim, they publish this information on the dark web (passwords, files, apps, and anything else they can find).

So, technically, if someone wants to attack your company, they don’t even need to break in themselves. They can just wait and get alerts when any computer that has access to your company’s data gets infected, and its information shows up on the dark web.

Or, in a localization industry case, when a freelance translator's computer is infected.

Remember those security risks freelance computers bear? To fight this translation services security risk, we need controls.

Zero Trust Principle

Zero Trust, in simple words, is when we don't rely on agreements and promises but instead rely on technical controls.

Companies that create processes asking people with access to company data not to download third-party software might forget that: hacker can trick people to download malware with phishing attack, accidental downloads, people can forget about policies, new hires might not prioritize those rules, and sorry to say but someone can think "I don't think downloading this wonderful computer game plugin is a big security threat." (or browser extension, or NPM package, or Google Drive plugin)

What we want to say is: Unless you enforce security, you can't guarantee you have a secure setup.

Although we mention malware downloads as a security threat, we won't discuss how to protect yourself from them. Instead, in this and future posts, we will describe situations in which the user's computer is already infected or their credentials have been compromised.

Now, let's go through some security risks and how to mitigate them using the Crowdin Zero Trust approach and the features we have.

Manager Accounts Security

Passwords alone are insecure. No one should rely on them exclusively. There are so many ways to compromise passwords that we won't even list them here.

What happens without proper authentication: Your manager reused a password from another website. That site got breached, and because the same password was used, hackers gained admin access to all your translation projects.

For best security, you should configure SAML access, where your IdP can check if the login to Crowdin is being made from a secure, company-owned device (and many other security checks).

Setting up your company’s IdP might be tricky for linguists, as linguists are not company employees. That's why we recommend SAML for all Crowdin managers – those Crowdin users who have the most permissions. Linguist access should be secured as described below.

Recommendation: Enforce SAML for managers.

Linguist Accounts Security

By default, Crowdin is configured to verify devices for all Crowdin users in both Crowdin products. This is the “proto-2FA” which is good enough. Everyone hates that step, but this is to verify that a hacker who stole a password cannot access Crowdin without having access to the user's email. But if a hacker manages to get into a user’s email as well, this layer becomes useless. That’s why Crowdin has an additional level of security.

What happens with weak 2FA: Phishing sites clone Crowdin's login page, steal your linguist's 2FA code, and access all your pre-launch marketing content.

Crowdin Enterprise lets you enforce 2FA across your organization. Its common implementation is an Authentication App on a smartphone (not connected to email), but it's quite easy to steal by phishing the user, for example, by cloning a Crowdin login page and tricking a person into entering that code there.

That's why we strongly recommend enforcing Biometric 2FA or passkeys (the second one is already available at Crowdin). You should be cautious as linguists might use older computers with no biometric scanners, but modern browsers offer the use of smartphones (which typically come with biometric scanners) to serve as biometric 2FA on desktop.

Recommendation: Enforce biometric 2FA/passkeys for all non-manager Crowdin users.

Authentication & Access Control

Authentication Methods

For convenience, Crowdin provides a set of authentication methods, such as "Login with Google" and "Login with GitHub."

What happens with multiple auth methods: Linguist's compromised X account becomes a backdoor to your entire localization pipeline.

It's recommended to disable all methods except SAML and Passkey, for example, to reduce the attack surface. If one of the Crowdin users' GitHub accounts is compromised, Crowdin won't be at risk.

Recommendation: Limit authentication methods to the most secure ones only.

API Tokens

API is great. It's wonderful; it allows creating great automations that can save a lot of time. The problem with API tokens can be easy to steal if not handled correctly. If the API token is compromised, consider it a hacker with login+password+2FA to access Crowdin on your behalf.

What happens with unmanaged API tokens:That API token created 3 years ago and forgotten in the Downloads folder, gets uploaded to open repo on GitHub by mistake. Now everyone can access your TMS.

If you don’t use API integrations, disable the creation of personal tokens.

If you do, harden the setup by enabling a Maximum Token Lifetime (e.g., 30–90 days) to force rotation. People often create tokens and forget them, in downloads, scripts, or old backups, so a year-old token can become a serious exposure if discovered.

When you (or your team) need a token, apply the principle of least privilege. In Crowdin, you can restrict both scopes (what the token can do) and projects (where it can do it). Avoid “all scopes” and “all projects.”

Bad: full-access token across all projects.

Good: read-only access to Tasks in the Marketing Emails project.

Audit tokens regularly in the User Access Tokens section of Crowdin Enterprise settings and check the owner, last used, and expiry. Plus, delete anything unused or unauthorized.

Recommendation: Enforce token rotation and regularly audit existing tokens.

IP Allowlist

This is a Crowdin Enterprise feature that lets you restrict which computer networks can access your Crowdin organization.

What happens without IP restrictions:The hacker got your manager credentials. They did this by a phishing / spear-phishing attack. A hacker can now log in to your Crowdin project.

If you can make both Crowdin managers AND linguists work from the same computer network, this is a great way to protect your Crowdin Enterprise organization. Hackers won't be able to access it unless they get into your VPN.

Recommendation: With the IP whitelist feature enabled, hackers cannot log in to your Crowdin Enterprise account, even if they have the correct credentials (unless they hack into the VPN tool).

Idle Session Timeout

What if a Crowdin Enterprise user uses a shared computer in a hotel to access Crowdin? If they forget to log out, the next user of that computer can be a random teenager, now having access to your corporate data (with edit permissions). Check a more realistic scenario also:

What happens without a session timeout: A linguist's laptop infected with rootkit malware wakes up at night while they sleep. Hacker has 8 hours of uninterrupted access to manipulate translations.

Unless you can guarantee that access to Crowdin is enforced on company-owned devices with no risk of malware, it's recommended that the Idle Session Timeout be set to 20 minutes. It means Crowdin will log out users after 20 minutes of inactivity. This is definitely not convenient, a translator would have to log in to Crowdin after lunch. However, the risk is too high to be acceptable.

Recommendation: Set idle timeout to 20-30 minutes maximum.

Permissions & Data Security

Permission Granularity

Big organizations with multiple teams in Crowdin should have this enabled. This means your software development team can't access marketing content and vice versa.

If an attacker compromises a user account with limited permissions, they gain access only to the parts of the system that the user is allowed to see. They cannot reach the rest of your projects or sensitive areas of the workspace. This simply limits how much damage they can do.

Recommendation: Enable project-level and team-level access restrictions.

Task-Based Access

A general recommendation across all major security standards is "limited access" – all users should have access only to the data they need to work on.

By default, when you invite a linguist to a Crowdin project, they can access all files in that project (in their language or ALL languages, if not restricted). If you see risks in linguists accessing the whole project (e.g., you're localizing a computer game with millions invested in the scenario and no one should see the whole scenario before the game is published), this option should be turned on.

Recommendation: Enable task-based access for sensitive projects.

Offline Translations

Truth be told, there are linguists who prefer translation tools they're used to. Crowdin offers an "offline translation" feature that lets linguists download XLIFF files, translate with their preferred tool, and upload the translations back to Crowdin. While we have this feature, we encourage everyone to never use it.

Linguist devices are often less secure than a cloud service. Also, neither you nor we know where those files will travel after downloading from Crowdin.

We recommend turning off "Allow Offline Translation" in all your projects (starting in 2025, it's turned off by default).

By the way, there are major advantages of translating in the Crowdin Editor. Linguists can raise issues on the segment level if they need the manager's help. Crowdin Editor provides a lot of contextual information that just can't be transferred to third-party translation tools, as those tools don't have concepts for that kind of context (like segment-level screenshots).

Recommendation: Disable offline translations completely, in every project.

Crowdin Apps

We love apps. However, when installed, apps gain access to your data.

It's recommended to check who developed the Crowdin app and ask about its security. When installing third-party apps, make sure you have all required data processing agreements in place. When building custom apps, make sure a software developer and/or security engineer reviews its code.

Recommendation: Audit apps before installation.

Account Provisioning

Allow Signup

Make sure the "Allow Signup" option is not enabled in your Crowdin Enterprise.

What happens with open signup: Random people create accounts and gain access to projects with improper permission settings.

Many organizations might have lower security requirements or have a need for people to log in to Crowdin without being invited. If you don't need that, make sure this option is disabled.

Admin-Managed Invitations

Another option to keep disabled. If you can build a process that only allows admins to invite users, do that.

What happens without controlled invitations: The project manager invites their friend to "help out quickly with a technical problem”.

A recommended, secure, and enterprise-ready account provisioning workflow is to use the SCIM User Provisioning app.

Recommendation: Disable self-signup and enforce admin-only invitations.

Ghost Accounts

There are many reasons why companies might end their relationship with a freelancer. For security purposes, it's essential that companies ensure former contractors lose access to Crowdin immediately, or at the very least, within a reasonable timeframe. The key point is that access must be revoked completely and shouldn't linger indefinitely.

What happens with lingering accounts: A freelancer who stopped working with you 2 years ago gets their email hacked. Now hackers have access to your current projects through this forgotten account.

These ghost accounts can still be compromised, and even when a linguist no longer uses Crowdin, a hacker could gain access to Crowdin through their old account.

The Auto Lock Inactive Users app does exactly that and is recommended for securing Crowdin Enterprise.

Recommendation: Automate deactivation of inactive accounts.

Final Thoughts

Security is so vast that we can't cover every aspect of it in one article – webhook security (should include a "salt header"), audit logs streaming to a SIEM with alerts, regular security training for freelancers, a bazillion more.

What we believe: In the world of TMS security, paranoia is just good planning. Starting with the things mentioned above improves security posture significantly.

Crowdin takes security seriously, running a HackerOne bug bounty program where we pay researchers to find and report vulnerabilities. Currently, the program is private, inviting a select group of security researchers to participate.

From Post-Editing Pain to Profit: Achieving 80% Automation with EPIC Quality Estimation

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

If you work in localization, you’ve probably felt it: the pressure to ship more languages, more content, in less time, without sacrificing quality or your sanity.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast by Crowdin, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Jaap van der Meer, Founder and CEO of TAUS, to talk about how TAUS’s new system, EPIC, is changing that equation. Together with its integration into Crowdin, EPIC promises up to 80% efficiency gains in MT-heavy workflows, while turning quality from a vague cost center into hard business intelligence.

Listen to the new episode on:

From Data Think Tank to Quality Estimation Pioneer

Most people know TAUS as a think tank and a massive data hub. Since 2008, they’ve been collecting translation memories from across the industry to help others build better MT engines.

At one point, TAUS had a choice: use that data to build their own MT system and compete with their customers, or find another way to unlock value. The turning point came when Uber asked TAUS a different question: “Can you build a quality estimation (QE) model that tells us which MT output is safe to show to users?”

That project became the seed of EPIC. Instead of producing translations, TAUS focused on judging them, building models that score MT or LLM output segment-by-segment and tell you whether it's good enough or needs human help.

Fast-forward a few years, and now Gartner lists TAUS as one of only two pure-play quality estimation providers globally.

Why QE Is More Than Just ‘Better MT’

A common question arises: If QE models can spot errors, why not simply train the MT systems to stop making them? According to Jaap, MT and QE serve entirely different functions.

MT models generate translation output.
QE models evaluate that output with the sole purpose of detecting errors.

Jaap compares it to traditional workflows, where translators and reviewers have distinct responsibilities. QE is the machine equivalent of a reviewer, an independent layer that checks the work of MT or LLM engines. And because QE sits above the MT layer, it works across any engine, providing a neutral quality standard.

<Aside type="tip"> Read about Best Practices of Machine Translation Post-Editing </Aside>

How EPIC delivers 80% efficiency gains

EPIC’s value becomes clear when you look at how it processes content:

1. Quality Estimation (QE)

EPIC scores every segment generated by MT or an LLM. On average, about 50% of these segments meet the required quality threshold and can be auto-approved and locked in Crowdin. That means half your content can bypass human post-editing entirely, your first 50% efficiency gain.

2. Automatic Post-Editing (APE)

The remaining 50% is automatically sent to a Large Language Model with specialized prompts designed to improve the translation. After this automated refinement, another 30% of the total content reaches the quality threshold.

Together, these steps result in roughly 80% of content requiring no human post-editing. And because EPIC and Crowdin connect through a single API call, these enhancements fit into the existing workflows. Try TAUS QE & APE integration in Crowdin:

Teaching EPIC Your Brand Voice

EPIC supports 100+ languages with generic models, but quality is rarely one-size-fits-all. Organizations often have specific requirements: terminology, tone, regulatory conventions, or regional variants.

To address this, TAUS fine-tunes custom QUE models using:

Branded translation memories
Glossaries
Style guides
Domain-specific data

Their NLP team even generates negative examples to help the model recognize incorrect translations. This level of tuning is crucial for linguistic nuances (think Canadian French vs. European French) or specialized industries like legal or pharmaceutical content.

This creates a new opportunity for specialized LSPs and linguists: instead of merely editing text, they can help train, validate, and maintain AI-driven quality systems. Jaap calls this the rise of AI service integrators within the localization ecosystem.

What This Means for Localization Teams and Linguists

For localization leaders:

50% immediate savings through auto-approval.
30% additional savings via automatic post-editing.
Continuous quality visibility.
Faster feedback loops and smarter routing.

For linguists:

More meaningful work focused on nuance and expertise.
New roles in data validation, model tuning, and AI-integrated workflows.
Opportunities to become specialists in a domain where quality still demands deep human insights.
Content volume will continue to explode. The key is deciding which content needs a human touch and which can be safely automated.

Jaap’s Background

Jaap van der Meer is the Founder and CEO of TAUS, a leading language technology company specializing in translation quality estimation and automatic post-editing solutions. With over two decades of experience in the localization industry since founding TAUS in 2005, he has established the company as one of only two pure-play quality estimation providers globally, as recognized by Gartner's 2024 market analysis.

Listen to the new episode on:

Mastering AI Prompts for Quality Translation

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Nowadays, AI localization is an art that requires more than just linguistic knowledge. As AI becomes an integral part of the localization workflow, mastering the art of crafting effective prompts is important for translators and localization professionals.

This article was created in collaboration with professional linguist, localization consultant, and AI trainer Dorota Pawlak.

Find out advanced prompting strategies and examples for using Agentic AI in Crowdin to enhance various aspects of the localization process.

Why Advanced Prompts Matter

Advanced prompts function as a mini-program, instructing the AI what it should do step-by-step. An effective prompt allows the Agentic AI in Crowdin to perform complex tasks, such as generating a pre-translation, checking it against a glossary, and producing output that matches a specific brand style guide.

What will happen if you use not-so-advanced prompts? You will certainly receive an answer from the Agentic AI. However, you will need to create more and more iterations to achieve the desired result. By getting your prompts right the first time, you'll:

Spend less time editing.
Save money on token usage.
Get higher-quality results.

We’ve prepared some use cases and prompt examples that you can use during your work.

Use Case 1: Adjusting Tone and Style

Case: You’ve got a batch of translations for a new mobile app, and the style guide says the tone should be super friendly and approachable. The initial translations are too formal, so you need to adjust them to sound more natural and conversational for users.

The Challenge: A brand’s voice is one of its most valuable assets, but it can get lost in translation. When localizing for a new market, you need to ensure the text sounds natural and reflects the desired tone, whether it's friendly, formal, or witty.

The Solution: Use a persona-based prompt to tell the AI who it should be. By giving it a specific role, you can influence its style and approach to the translation.

Instead of typing a request like this:

Make French translations friendlier.

Use an advanced, persona-based prompt:

## Purpose

## You are a **professional copywriter** for a tech startup, specializing in creating clear, friendly, and engaging user-facing documentation. You are tasked with rewriting a translation to align with our brand's voice.

## Instructions

- **Target Audience:** The rewritten translation should be tailored for tech-savvy users aged 25-45 who value efficiency and prefer direct, transparent communication.

- **Brand Voice:** The tone should be informal, helpful, and optimistic. Use language that suggests ease of use and avoids corporate buzzwords. Aim for a feeling of speaking to a knowledgeable friend.

- **Tone Examples:** Use the following sentences as examples of the desired tone and style:
  - _Instead of:_ "Access the configuration panel."
  - _Use:_ "Dive into your settings!"
  - _Instead of:_ "Users are advised to proceed with the update."
  - _Use:_ "Ready for the new features? Go ahead and update!"

- **Task:** Rewrite the translation to sound more natural, friendly, and less formal.

- **Constraints:**
  - Maintain the core meaning of the original message.
  - Avoid technical jargon unless absolutely necessary.
  - Use contractions and a conversational tone.
  - **Length Constraint:** Strive to keep the length similar to the original to fit UI constraints.
    **If the text becomes significantly longer (more than 20% expansion), prioritize the core message and use the most concise phrasing possible to meet UI limits.**

We tested this prompt in the Agentic AI chat:

Use Case 2: Adjusting String Length

Case: The translated text for a push notification is too long, causing it to be truncated on users' mobile lock screens and potentially losing the call-to-action. You need to shorten a batch of these translations to fit the maximum system character limit without losing the core message.

The Challenge: UI design is strict. Longer translations can break layouts, so text must fit limits without losing meaning.

The Solution: Use a constrained prompt to set clear, quantitative limits for the AI. This is essential for tasks heavily impacted by design limitations.

Instead of using a vague prompt that gives no direction:

Shorten these Spanish translations so they're not so long.

Use a specific, constrained prompt with a clear target:

## Purpose

## You are a **UX localization specialist** responsible for ensuring translated UI strings fit within design constraints. Your goal is to shorten the provided translations that are too long without losing essential meaning.

## Instructions

- **Task:** Shorten the translation to fit a specified character limit.

- **Constraints:**
  - **Maximum Character Limit:** 110 characters (including spaces).
  - **Priority:** Retain core meaning, even if it requires a more concise or slightly rephrased message.
  - **Language:** Maintain professional and clear language.

Agentic AI in Crowdin will detect translations that are longer than 110 characters and rewrite them according to your instructions.

Use Case 3: Localizing for SEO

Case: You're localizing an SEO blog post about "human vs AI translations" for the Spanish market. A direct translation might be “Traducción humana vs. IA”, but you need to know if that's what native speakers actually search for.

The Challenge: A direct translation of a keyword might not be what users are searching for in a new market. A translator needs to find the most relevant, high-traffic search terms in the target language to ensure content is discoverable.

The Solution: Combine a persona with specific constraints to perform a specialized SEO audit.

Instead of a generic prompt that lacks context and constraints:

Translate my keywords for Spanish.

Use an advanced prompt that defines the AI's role and the desired output:

## Purpose

## You are a **marketing specialist** with expertise in search engine optimization (SEO) for the **%targetLanguage%** market. You are tasked with localizing a set of keywords to ensure they are relevant and have high search volume in the target locale.

## Instructions

- **Source:** You will receive a list of source keywords.
- **Task:** For each source keyword, generate a set of equivalent, high-potential terms in **%targetLanguage%**.
- **Keyword Categories and Volume:** You must provide keywords based on the following monthly search volume ranges:
  - **High-Volume Keywords:** Generate the **top 3 most relevant terms** with a **minimum of 1000 monthly searches**.
  - **Low-to-Mid-Range Keywords:** Generate **3 additional relevant terms** with search volumes between **100 and 1000 monthly searches**.
- **Constraints:**
  - **Data Requirement:** For every generated keyword, you must include its estimated monthly search volume to indicate its rank.
  - **Format:** Present the results in two separate, clearly labeled bulleted lists for each keyword category.
  - Ensure the tone is natural and reflects a user's search query.
  - Include the source keyword as a reference for each localized list.

And here is the Agentic AI's output of keywords localized to Spanish, along with the number of monthly searches, sorted from high-volume to low-volume.

Use Case 4: Comprehensive QA and Error Correction

Case: You've received a large file of translated strings that needs a final quality check before they go live. Instead of manually reviewing each one for a variety of potential errors, you want to use an AI to perform a comprehensive audit and flag any issues related to accuracy, fluency, terminology, and locale conventions.

The Challenge: Manually reviewing hundreds or thousands of strings for multiple types of errors – like accuracy, grammar, or inconsistent terminology – is a time-consuming and often repetitive process.

The Solution: Break down the complex QA task into a series of smaller, verifiable steps. This multi-step approach allows the AI to perform a detailed audit and report on specific issues.

Instead of a single command like this:

Check my translation for errors.

## Purpose

## You are an **AI quality assurance (QA) agent** for translations. Your purpose is to meticulously review a provided translation against a series of linguistic and technical criteria. You must identify and correct any errors found.

## Evaluation Criteria

1. **Accuracy Check:** Compare the translation against the source. Are there any omissions, additions, or mistranslations?
2. **Fluency & Grammar:** Is the translation grammatically correct, natural-sounding, and free of typos?
3. **Terminology Consistency:** Does the translation use the correct and consistent terminology? (Assume a termbase is in place).
4. **Locale Conventions:** Are all numbers, dates, currency, and address formats correct for the target locale?
5. **Contextual Appropriateness:** Does the translation fit the context of the product/UI? Does it use the correct tone and voice? Assume style guide and required tone/voice details are provided in the input.

---

## Instructions

- **Task:** Analyze the provided translation based on the **provided source** using the **Evaluation Criteria** above.
- **Process:**
  - For each criterion, identify if an issue exists.
  - If an issue is found, describe the problem clearly.
  - Provide a corrected version of the translation.

And here's the output of the Agentic AI:

AI Pre-translate Prompts in Crowdin

Crowdin includes an AI Pre-translate feature that uses LLMs to process content initially. It has a powerful default prompt, but consider it a starting point. To achieve great results, we recommend editing and refining these instructions to match your localization needs.

Conclusion: From Translators to Prompt Engineers

The future of localization involves a hybrid of human expertise and AI efficiency. By mastering advanced prompts, localization professionals can transition from being just translators to becoming prompt engineers and directing AI to perform complex, high-quality work. This allows humans to focus on the strategic, creative, and culturally sensitive aspects of localization, while AI handles the repetitive, rule-based tasks with speed and precision.

The ability to write an effective prompt is now as essential as a deep understanding of grammar and culture.

Useful links

What's New at Crowdin: November 2025

diana — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This month, Crowdin launches tools to make localization faster and more reliable: AI Pipeline, a next-gen AI workflow that self-corrects translations, ensures consistency, and follows glossaries and style guides more reliably; improved Global Search in Crowdin Enterprise; Website Context Viewer for better context when translating headless CMS; Volunteer Certificates to recognize contributions; and platform updates. Plus, new episodes of The Agile Localization Podcast feature Jan Amann (i18n expert, creator of next-intl) on how internationalization shapes product architecture, and Shashi Bhushan (Localization Workflow Strategist) on designing AI-enhanced localization workflows that remain human-centered.

{/* more */}

AI Pipeline: Next-Gen AI for Localization

Internally, we called this feature AI Integration Gen 4. Across the previous three generations, we learned what makes AI more productive for localization tasks. Now we're ready to release the result: the AI Pipeline.

Why we built it this way:

Gen 1 worked almost like a basic MT connector. Crowdin sent a batch of strings to an LLM, took whatever came back, and saved it as the translation.
Gen 2 is our current native AI integration. We added strong RAG to improve quality, built automatic loops to revert translations when they fail Crowdin's QA checks, introduced prompt-engineering tools, integrated MCP tools in this month's release, and expanded with features like AI Proofreader.
Gen 3 took a different path -- Agentic AI. The goal was to let the AI figure out, on its own, how to achieve the best translation quality. It performed RAG, iterated on translations, and automatically refined results. In the lab, it worked extremely well. In production, though, it's slow, costly, and demands major workflow changes that the market isn't ready for (for example, linguists running pre-translation instead of managers).

Based on this experience, we now have:

Gen 4 -- AI Pipeline. The fundamental principle is this: AI models are capable of producing the translations you need. The reasons they fail on the first try are usually:

They lack context. There are lots of ways to translate certain text "correctly". LLM just does not know what kind of translation would work for you. (no Style Guide, TM, Glossary, project metadata, and more).
LLM hallucinates, still.
Prompt overload: LLMs struggle to translate a large file and follow complex prompt instructions simultaneously.

Point #1 is a permanent industry challenge; Crowdin will continue working to give you better context extraction and management tools.

Points #2 and #3 are exactly what AI Pipeline solves. If you've been using the native Crowdin AI integration, you might have noticed the model occasionally ignoring a glossary term or skipping an instruction. As the number of instructions in a prompt increases, the probability of the AI ignoring one of them grows.

We believe this is how LLMs should be utilized:

Step 1: Share context and your request with the AI (similar to our Gen 2 native integration).

Step 2: Add specific steps asking the LLM to verify the output against your constraints. Let the AI correct itself. (e.g., "Check if terminology is correct," "Verify adherence to Style Guide," or "Check if translation fits UI constraints").

We also added Language Specific Prompts, a highly requested feature from our native integration.

One more addition: File Consistency Check. This is critical for continuous localization. For example, if you add a new paragraph to the middle of a help center article that has been translated previously, you can add a pipeline step that checks whether the new translation "fits" the tone and flow of the existing translations in that file.

Technically, all of this was possible in the native integration via AI QA checks, for example, but the configuration wasn't straightforward. While Agentic AI (Gen 3) can also loop to verify itself, it acts as a "black box"; we can't trace or control exactly what happens under the hood.

AI Pipeline is the deterministic middle ground. It is simple to configure and offers predictable latency and costs (you decide exactly how many steps to run).

There is more to this than we can cover here. We've found that different content types and target languages require different pipeline architectures for maximum efficiency. For example, when localizing UI with screenshots, context extraction from the image should be a discrete step in the pipeline.

We will publish more blueprints on how to use the AI Pipeline efficiently soon. In the meantime, please experiment and let us know what you think.

Global Search: Improvements

You asked for it, and we made it happen. The global search at Crowdin Enterprise has a fresh, user-friendly design that has/helps you to:

Context everywhere: See your search phrase, search context, and additional info depending on whether you're searching source strings, translations.
Recent searches: Quickly revisit past queries.
Find source strings instantly with multiple search types and project filters.
Search translations across languages.

Results that click through:

Translations and source strings highlight your search term and link to the editor.
Files are clickable and open in the editor; project names link to their pages.

Plus, "All Records" is here for dictionaries -- TM and glossary entries now take you straight to the right results with filters applied automatically.

New Integration: Crowdin for Canva

Canva recently introduced native AI translation, yet demand for a Crowdin integration hasn't slowed.

Enterprise teams need a way to ensure translations meet their specific quality criteria. This means translations verified by professional linguists who strictly adhere to style guides, glossaries, and brand terminology -- something that is hard to achieve when asking linguists to work directly inside a design tool.

We are excited to unveil the first version of the Crowdin for Canva integration. We know how many businesses rely on Canva for their design workflows. Now, those designs can be made multilingual with Crowdin.

When requesting translations, the integration allows you to attach screenshots of the designs, so linguists understand exactly how the text fits the visual.
Push text to Crowdin, wait for high-quality translations, and pull them back directly into your Canva design elements.
Apply translations to specific pages to check for layout breaks before exporting.

Attachments in Comments

We know that sometimes text just isn't enough. You can now attach images, videos, and audio files directly to comments in the Crowdin Editor. This is the fastest way to share context -- whether you are a project manager or a linguist.

Here are a few use cases we envision:

Did a button break because the German translation was too long? No need to write a paragraph describing it -- attach a screenshot of the broken UI.
Often, text is part of a complex animation in a computer game. A linguist or manager can attach a screen recording to show exactly how the text appears and how long it stays on screen.
Creative translations often rely on cultural context. Attach a movie poster or a pop-culture meme to explain a specific pun or the mood of a phrase.
If you are localizing game audio scenes, the best way to convey the right intonation is to attach the original audio recording for the linguist to hear.

We're sure there are many more cases where extra context can save the day.

P.S. Speaking of comments in the editor: We are considering adding reactions (emojis) to comments. Is this something you would find useful? Let us know if you want them and how you'd like them to work!

New App: Website Context Viewer

Localizing websites was somehow an "easier" task than UI localization, for example, because the pages carried their own context (usually as HTML or Markdown). A linguist could see the entire page or a big part of the page they are working on. That is not the case for websites built on a Headless CMS. Localizing headless CMS is more like localizing software UI: linguists are often presented with tiny content blocks in isolation. The smaller the text chunk, the harder it is to figure out the best translation.

Website Context Viewer is our latest tool to help address the problem.

Last month, we introduced Website Context Extractor. It solves a related but different problem: it helps AI understand context by using SERP API to locate where text appears across your site. Automated extraction is helpful, but not perfect – sometimes two blocks have the same text but mean different things. Plus, Website Context Extractor produces textual descriptions as artifacts that might overload linguists, and it uses AI to extract context, which still poses a risk of hallucinations. The new Website Context Viewer provides the opposite type of context: explicit, visual, and human-friendly. Project Managers (or the API) can pass URL information during content upload. When that’s available, the app renders the actual live page directly inside the Crowdin Editor. The matching works like a simple "Cmd+F" when the page loads, highlighting the text. But even just seeing the exact page where the text appears gives linguists much better context and improves translation quality.

Integration Note: Not every Headless CMS makes it easy to link text blocks to URLs—some need engineering work. Others are simpler. This app comes with a WPML plugin that automatically provides the context so linguists can see previews when translating WordPress sites. If your linguists feel like they’re “flying blind” with a Headless CMS, ask your engineering team if they can map content blocks to URLs during upload. If they can, this app fixes the context issue.

In short:

Website Context Viewer – ideal for people (accurate visual context, no AI guessing).
Website Context Extractor – ideal for AI (helps it understand your site without burdening linguists).

Other New and Updated Crowdin Apps

WPML Companion: automatically processes WPML XLIFF files on import, extracting the original website URL and adding it to each string's context so translators can see where the content appears. (Created to be used with Website Context Viewer)
Kustomer: app to automate importing knowledge base articles from Kustomer into Crowdin, translate them using TM/MT/AI, then export back; translations are pushed as drafts and require manual publication. Make sure to configure the source language before using the app.
Contentful: Data Center Selection: A New update lets you choose a data center during authorization for flexibility and regional compliance.
Bashini: Indian-language MT for Crowdin; adds Bashini as a machine translation provider specializing in Indian languages, including those often missed by other MT providers. Learn more on their website.
Pin Apps: now works strictly at the project level, allowing quick access per project without affecting the entire account.
SCIM via Azure AD: Pending User Deletion Control: new settings allow controlling the removal of pending users during Azure AD synchronization.
Simple Term Extractor: New Iteration includes updated UI, dropped the Machine Learning method; after term extraction, a full-screen grid shows all term details (type, part of speech, gender, etc.) with bulk actions available.

Early Access to New AI Tools

You can now access both Crowdin App Builder (vibe coding) and Video Dubbing. They're still in beta, but you're free to explore them and start applying them to your localization projects right away.

The Automator is still under development. Keep an eye on our updates to know when it becomes available.

Vendors Marketplace Refresh

It was about time to refresh our partner marketplace. The vendors marketplace has been updated and can now be found under Store > Vendors. We're excited to see more translation agencies offering a "pay for actual AI translation edits" model, which makes AI translations more affordable without compromising quality and rewards managers who provide context and fine-tune AI setups.

Crowdin Certificates for Translation Volunteers

While Crowdin is now a mature enterprise localization management platform, we still host hundreds of thousands of crowdsourcing projects. We never stop marveling at the incredible open projects managed with us. Minecraft, for example, is currently translated into 180 languages by a crowd of nearly 44,000 volunteers. There are very few things on our planet translated into so many languages with such high participation.

Today, we are introducing a new app for Crowdin Enterprise designed to help organizations recognize volunteer contributions. The Volunteer Certificates app allows you to issue certificates for tenure, word count, and proofreading efforts of your volunteers. It is designed with flexibility in mind, so a manager can issue certificates for translators or configure the app to allow volunteers to generate their own certificates in a self-service mode. We are still considering what effort recognition should look like on Crowdin.com, where most open projects live.

Introducing the Updated Role: Translation Requestor

We've refined the Developer role so it better reflects how teams actually use it. In many enterprise setups, there are people who don't work in Crowdin every day but regularly need to request translations (marketing, product, support, and similar teams).

This updated role now functions as a Translation Requestor. It lets colleagues quickly submit a page, document, or any other content for translation without requiring full project access.

If you have team members who "just need this translated" and don't need deeper involvement in Crowdin, this role is designed exactly for them.

Other Platform Updates

Showing Existing Translations in WYSIWYG We've improved how WYSIWYG displays existing translations. Vendors now see the translations already provided on the client side, which gives them better context. Linguists also see non-editable strings in grey, helping maintain consistency across the document. This context should have always been visible, and now the experience is aligned with that expectation.
Main Branch Protection You can now fully lock the main branch in string-based projects. All write actions are blocked in the editor and the Strings tab -- no file uploads, deletions, string edits, pre-translation, tasks, or translation updates (including approvals and votes). Only read-only access remains. All changes to source or translations must now come through feature branches and be merged into master in the Crowdin UI.
A new AI option is available: the Gemini 3 Pro preview model.
Word Count for Selected Strings: You can now view the word count for any selected strings directly in the Editor.

The Agile Localization Podcast: Latest Episodes

This month, we've released two insightful episodes of The Agile Localization Podcast, diving deep into the technical and strategic sides of building global products.

Internationalization Is Architecture, Not Translation: A Deep Dive with Jan Amann. In this must-listen episode, i18n expert and creator of next-intl Jan Amann argues that Internationalization (i18n) is not just about translating strings -- it's about product architecture, affecting how you model language, currency, routing, and content pipelines. Learn how to avoid costly scaling mistakes.
How to Build Human-Centered AI Workflows in Localization with Shashi Bhushan. We sat down with Localization Workflow Strategist Shashi Bhushan (ex-Marvel, Google, Amazon) to discuss the future of AI in localization. Shashi shares practical strategies on designing AI-enhanced workflows that remain deeply human-centered, ensuring AI agents handle repetitive tasks to free up linguists for quality and creativity.

External tools

This month, we released new versions of:

Figma plugin version 89, version 90, version 91
JS API Client 1.49.0
Java API Client 1.30.1
Ruby API Client 1.13.0
Go API Client v0.18.0
.NET API Client 2.41.0
Android SDK 1.16.0
Flutter SDK 0.8.1

How to Build Human-Centered AI Workflows in Localization with Shashi Bhushan

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

AI is transforming localization, but not in the way many fear. Despite the hype, the real opportunity isn’t replacing translators. It’s building smarter, cleaner workflows that eliminate repetitive work and free humans to focus on quality and creativity.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Localization Workflow Strategist Shashi Bhushan to unpack how to design AI-enhanced workflows that remain deeply human-centered. Drawing from experience at Marvel, Google, Amazon, and now as an independent strategist, Shashi explains where AI genuinely fits, and where it doesn’t.

Listen to the new episode on:

Start With Your Workflow

Don’t start by choosing AI tools. Start by mapping your workflow.

Shashi compares localization to cooking, where you follow a specific sequence and use the right tools at the right moment. Before introducing AI, teams must understand:

How content enters the TMS
What types of content are they localizing
Who touches the content and when
Where the real bottlenecks and repetitive steps are

Only then can you decide where AI adds value. Sometimes the answer is: it doesn’t. Small, low-frequency content often doesn’t justify AI. However, large-scale, continuous product localization absolutely does.

The foundation is always the same: map, diagnose, and then introduce AI.

<Blockquote> Back in the days when I was working for Google projects and for Amazon also, we were doing things with machine learning and all, but it was not basically not AI agents or full-fledged AI integration into workflows. But when I started using Crowdin three years back, then came the first full-fledged AI workflow thing. So what we did so I thank Crowdin for that because they have been doing a lot of work in the back end. They have been improving the workflow, cutting with agents. </Blockquote>

Start With the AI Source Text Agent

Most teams’ first instinct is to use AI for translation. Shashi recommends the opposite: Deploy the AI source text agent first.

Why? Because any inconsistency or typo in the source language multiplies across all languages. A source-text AI agent can immediately:

Flag typos, grammar issues, and glossary mismatches
Enforce style guide rules
Alert project managers before problems cascade
Automatically comment on problematic segments

Fixing issues once at the source saves you from fixing them 20 times downstream. It’s the lowest-risk, highest-impact AI deployment you can make.

Build a Workflow Where AI Assists

Shashi’s approach keeps humans central, not optional. He explains that AI should never be used “just because it exists”. It should only appear where it meaningfully reduces repetitive work. A healthy human-in-the-loop workflow looks like this:

1. AI Pre-Translation (only where appropriate)

Use an AI translation agent for high-volume, lower-risk content. Skip it for legal, highly visible UI strings or content requiring nuance.

2. Human Review as the Core Quality Layer

Linguists fix nuance, ensure cultural fit, and validate terminology.

3. AI Proofreading After Human Review

An AI proofreader agent acts as a final safety check, spotting inconsistencies and leaving comments like a real reviewer.

4. AI Glossary Agent for the Biggest Pain Point

Glossary checks are one of the most frustrating tasks for linguists. A dedicated glossary agent will eliminate hours of manual checking.

5. Final Human Correction/Approval

The language lead or reviewer makes corrections based on the AI proofreader's comments and gives the final approval before the content goes live.

<Blockquote> And, again, I mean, the final check before it goes to live, the language lead or the translators or the reviewers, they will have this visibility to correct those things. </Blockquote>

<Aside type="tip"> Explore our AI Localization Guide. </Aside>

Involve Product and Engineering From Day One

Most quality issues have nothing to do with translators. They come from localization being looped in too late. Shashi urges teams to integrate localization at the beginning of the product lifecycle:

Join discussions when source content is created
Review early drafts
Understand context, intent, and UI constraints
Use tools like Figma integration to see how localized text fits the interface

When localization is an afterthought, you get last-minute requests, missing context, and UI overflows on launch day. When it’s built from the start, AI workflows become cleaner, faster, and far more predictable.

Start With a Pilot Project and Clear Metrics

Shashi strongly recommends piloting AI in small, controlled phases. A good pilot includes:

One content type
One or two language pairs
One or two AI agents
Clear metrics

After the pilot:

Fix workflow gaps
Expand slowly
Reevaluate model choices
Then scale to all languages or products

This de-risks AI adoption and gives management confidence through data, not hype.

Final Thoughts From Shashi

If there’s a single takeaway from Shashi’s approach, it’s this: AI should serve humans, not the other way around.

The winning strategy isn’t about automating more; it’s about automating smarter. Remember:

Start with the source
Eliminate repetitive tasks
Protect privacy
Collaborate early with product teams
Evolve through pilots and feedback loops

When you do that, you get better quality, happier translators, and a localization function that scales sustainably.

Shashi’s Background

Shashi Bhushan is a Localization Workflow Strategist and freelance consultant with vast experience designing AI-enhanced localization processes at enterprise-scale organizations. Originally trained as a journalist in India, Shashi transitioned into localization through work on Marvel Comics content and held key vendor roles at Google and Amazon, where he managed localization across multiple languages and products, including Google Maps, Search, and Payments. His expertise centers on workflow mapping and human-in-the-loop AI integration, specifically designing systems where AI agents handle repetitive quality tasks.

Listen to the new episode on:

AI for Localization: Automate Content Workflows in 2026

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

For decades, making your business multilingual meant a slow and expensive process of translating word-for-word. Now, with AI localization, every business can afford to go global. But simply changing the language is not enough; you need to capture the culture, the tone, and the market nuance for every single audience.

AI localization is not just a faster version of old-school machine translation. Based on Large Language Models, it produces translations that are tailored to specific local cultures rather than language-to-language interpretation.

Read on to discover how AI, combined with human expertise, is making it possible to launch international products faster.

Learn what the Crowdin platform is, and which localization tools can help you create AI-powered workflows to optimize your budget.

Editor's Note: AI Technology moves fast. Tools that work today may be useless tomorrow. To make sure the content is always up-to-date, we review and update this article every few months with the most relevant insights and newest tools.

What is AI Localization?

AI Localization is the use of Artificial Intelligence (specifically, Large Language Models, or LLMs) to translate and adapt content for a specific target audience, culture, and market.

This process often includes transcreation, which is the creative rewriting of marketing and brand messages to deliver the same emotional impact in the target culture. Unlike translation, AI localization goes deeper than just word-for-word conversion.

AI Localization (LLMs) vs. Machine Translation (MT)

When most people hear "AI translation", they think of tools like the original Machine Translation (MT) engines which operated mostly on rules or statistical models (e.g. older versions of Google Translate).

But there’s a big difference between MT and AI localization:

Feature	Old Machine Translation (MT)	Modern AI Localization (LLMs)
Focus	Word-for-word replacement (or statistical patterns)	Context, Tone, Cultural Nuance, and Workflow Automation
Input	A string of text	Text plus brand voice, audience profile, technical terms (glossary), and UI screenshots

The secret sauce is context and nuance.

Traditional MT software often struggles with things like idioms (like "bite the bullet" – meaning to face a difficult situation) or industry-specific jargon. A DeepL survey found that 82% of respondents reported standard machine translation failed to accurately translate industry-specific jargon.

Modern localization, however, is built on Artificial Intelligence (specifically, LLMs). These models have been trained on vast amounts of data, giving them a much deeper, near-human grasp of language. They can be trained on your company's specific brand voice and terminology, making the output consistently on-point. You can provide AI with any context you want, as you would to your vendor when discussing a translation project.

Case Study: How Polhus Achieved 75% Approval Rates with AI

The shift to AI localization already has measurable results in the real world. See the results of our client Polhus, who has successfully implemented AI-powered localization:

Up to 75% of AI-generated translations were approved by human reviewers as publication-ready with no edits.
Saved approximately $80,000 and dozens of hours by localizing 1.6 million words into 7 languages (compared to traditional methods).

AI localization allows companies to scale at a speed that was hardly imaginable just a few years ago.

The AI Localization Process: LLMs + Human Review

There are different translation strategies, but in this guide, we discuss the hybrid approach (AI + Human). This is particularly effective for complex projects like SaaS localization. Just make sure you have internationalization (i18n) done before you begin.

1. Achieve Instant Translation with AI

Modern AI systems utilize advanced technology powered by LLMs, which work like this:

Reads the whole message: It does not translate word-for-word. It reads the whole sentence or paragraph to understand the full meaning and tone.
Instant, Contextual Translation: Leveraging its advanced understanding of the full text, the AI produces high-quality translations instantly.
Consistency Check: The AI is trained on your brand's voice and approved terminology. It automatically ensures you always use the correct term for your product, keeping your message consistent across every market.

<Aside title="Real-life Case"> The Estonian government offers a powerful example of using AI for large-volume content. They have integrated LLMs into systems like the e-Land Register and the e-Business Register. This allows the AI tool to translate complex legal texts, making key content accessible to international users, with the option for professional users to submit feedback for continuous improvement. </Aside>

We agree that for some content, AI translations are more than enough. But when it comes to business, sales, and marketing, human review is a must have.

2. Human-in-the-Loop Review

AI is great, but it is not perfect. It cannot feel emotion or understand a local joke. This is where the Human-in-the-Loop model takes over.

Cultural Tune-Up: A human expert (a linguist) reviews the AI's work, focusing only on the tricky parts: slogans, idioms, or anything sensitive. They fix any cultural blunders.

Example: If your US marketing copy says, "Do not try to boil the ocean", the AI may translate it literally. Here, humans change it for the local equivalent of "Focus on the essentials" to make it more suitable.
The Final Polish: They adjust things the AI misses, like making sure the text is short enough to fit inside a tiny mobile app button or changing the image on your landing page to one that resonates better with local users.

AI in localization is not about replacing people; it is about making them more efficient.

Old Way: Takes weeks to translate and check everything.

AI Way: Content is translated in minutes, and human experts focus on fact-checking, identifying, and correcting any inaccuracies that AI may provide.

3 Core Technologies Behind AI Localization (In Simple Terms)

Here’s a simple look at the three main things that make the magic happen:

1. Large Language Models (LLMs) for Translation

This is the brain that does the actual translating. LLMs are an advanced form of machine learning that uses deep neural networks. Instead of translating word by word, it translates entire sentences or paragraphs at once.

Imagine you are learning a new language by looking up every word in a dictionary (that’s the old way). Now, imagine you learn that language by watching a thousand movies and reading a million books. LLMs are like the second way – they see the whole picture and understand how the pieces fit together. They are fluent and can be instructed using human language (e.g., "Translate this using a friendly, casual tone"). This fine-tuning is what makes the output so much better.

2. AI-Driven Quality Assurance (LQA)

AI-powered platforms like Crowdin use AI to actively check the quality of the translation before a human ever sees it.

AI-Driven Quality Assurance scans the translation against a set of rules, your brand's specific terminology, and even the source code context. It catches:

Inconsistent capitalization.
Terms that don’t match your glossary.
Length restrictions in mobile app interfaces.
Missing punctuation.

It even knows your company’s internal style guide. If your brand always calls a “customer” a “partner”, the AI will instantly flag any sentence that uses the wrong term. This makes the human reviewer’s job much faster, as they do not have to waste time on simple errors.

3. Workflow Automation (CI/CD)

The best part of AI localization is how it integrates with your business translation and development processes.

Workflow Automation involves connecting the translation platform directly to your content systems (like your website CMS, design files, or code repositories). AI does not just translate, it manages the content flow.

Imagine you release an update to your software. In the old days, you’d have to manually export all the new text strings, email them to a translation agency, wait for them to return, and then manually import them back into your code.

Workflow automation with AI:

Sync: Once you have updated your code, strings that require translation are automatically uploaded into a translation management system (TMS).
Context: Generate an AI context for strings so pre-translation will be more effective.
Pre-translate: The next step is AI pre-translation. By using Context, Translation Memory, Glossary, and style guides, AI can generate good-quality translations.
QA: Run an AI QA check: if all terms are consistent? Will the lengths break your design?
Review: A human linguist focuses only on the complex or flagged sentences. They can use the AI agents for quick edits, rephrasing, or bulk changes.
Deploy: Approved translations are automatically pushed back into your website or app code, ready for the next deployment.
After that, you can also run localization tests.

AI transforms localization from a slow cycle with errors into a continuous flow that runs in parallel with development.

In the tech industry, AI-powered localization delivers massive gains. Crowdin’s client noted that integrating AI workflows resulted in content being produced 2 times faster and 3 times cheaper compared to older translation methods (read the case study with Ajax Systems).

5 Benefits of AI Localization Implementation

With AI, localization becomes an easy and fast way to grow your business. Let’s sum up all the benefits below.

1. Faster Time-to-Market

Content is ready in hours, not weeks, allowing you to launch products across all markets simultaneously.

2. Continuous Quality Improvement with AI Learning

Every human correction teaches the AI, which is why it is constantly improving. The system generates reports highlighting content that needs pre-editing to improve all future translations.

3. Lower Costs

AI handles the bulk of the work, meaning you pay human experts only for the final, high-value review. Discover how much AI translations actually cost.

4. Accuracy

Automated Quality Assurance instantly spots errors and ensures uniform terminology across all projects.

5. Brand Voice Consistency

The system learns your brand's unique tone of voice, style guides, and approved terminology.

We are ready to move to the section where we overview all the AI tools in Crowdin, which can help you to set up true AI localization.

Top AI Localization Tools for Automated Workflows

Crowdin offers a wide set of AI tools to make content localization much faster, cheaper, and more consistent. These tools handle the repetitive work, freeing up your team to focus on quality and creativity.

Crowdin is the only TMS that offers over 10 AI providers for pre-translate and lets you connect custom AI modules.

Here are Crowdin's main AI localization tools:

AI Localization Tool	What It Does	Key Features
AI Pipeline	Creates multi-step AI translation workflows.	Eliminates prompt overload, self-correcting, transparent debugging.
AI Pre-translate	Translates automatically before a human starts.	Uses top AI like Google Gemini and OpenAI. Great for large content volumes.
AI Assistant (In-Editor)	Your AI helper right in the translation window.	Helps you quickly rephrase, shorten, summarize, and fix small errors as you work.
Agentic AI	The Smart Editor: Applies big, complex changes across many translations at once.	Change the tone of an entire file (e.g., from formal to friendly) with one command.
AI Proofreader	Automated quality control that checks for mistakes and style issues.	Finds subtle errors (like wrong tone) that regular checks miss. Works automatically in your workflow.
Vector Cloud	Gives the AI deep context from your non-translation files (like style guides).	Makes sure the AI uses your company's exact style and tone, even on creative content.
Context Harvester CLI	Pulls context from your code and gives it to the translator.	Developers use it to ensure every translation gets the right technical background automatically.
Dubbing Studio	Translates and records audio using AI.	Simplifies creating professional AI-powered voiceovers + video dubbing.
Custom AI Module	Let developers connect any new or custom AI model to Crowdin.	Future-proofs your platform by letting you use your favorite AI provider.

<Aside type="tip"> You may be thinking, Which AI model should we choose for all those tasks? Our answer is simple: you need to experiment and find the best AI model for you. Check our guide on The Best LLMS for Translation. </Aside>

Context Harvester: Context Automation for Developers

This tool should be the first step in your workflow. The Context Harvester is a technical tool that extracts important notes and comments from code and adds AI-generated text as context to the relevant strings in Crowdin.

By taking this simple step, you show the translator (whether AI or human) where a word is located in the app. This improves accuracy and prevents mistakes.

Recently, we had a task to translate the Crowdin Enterprise UI into Japanese. By providing AI-generated context for each string, we achieved 71% correct translations, all of which were approved by a proofreader without any changes.

Translation Type	Benefits of Context Harvester
Human Translations	Сlearly describing where the text appears in code, meaning translators do not need to constantly ask the localization manager what a word means. This saves time and allows consistent use of technical terms.
AI Translations	Improves the quality of the first draft right from the start. The AI can now choose the right technical words and use the correct tone and formatting, which means much less editing work for humans later.

Check the video guide on How to Use Context Harvester.

Vector Cloud: Train AI on Your Brand Voice

The AI needs context to produce high-quality work, but not all context is in your Translation Memory. If you have old marketing copy, style guides, or documents that have worked well for your business, you can upload them to the Vector Cloud app. It uses advanced technology to read these files and feed the most relevant information to the AI, making the translations perfectly match your brand's specific style and voice.

You upload your files to the Vector Cloud:

And then, each time you make the AI pre-translation, your results will be “affected” by files that you’ve uploaded to the vector database (your unique style, word selection, etc.).

AI Pipeline

If you ever created long prompts for AI, you may have seen that AI may start to hallucinate. It can’t handle long prompts correctly. Sometimes it may try to follow every rule you’ve set, then “get tired” and give you bad output.

Crowdin Team found a solution to “prompt overloading” in localization: AI Pipeline. It’s the sequence of tasks that you created for AI. Each step, such as Getting Context, Translation, Style Guides, proofreading, Glossary check, and Crowdin QA Check, is a separate prompt that starts after the previous task is complete.

Instead of one complex request, the AI performs translation, verification, and self-correction in separate, manageable steps.

AI Pipeline is slower than native AI translation and is designed for workflows where maximum translation quality is more important than speed.

Check out the video overview of the AI Pipeline:

AI Pre-translate

It takes your new content and uses a powerful AI model to translate it automatically. Unlike older machine translation, Crowdin lets you pick from the best AI providers in the world, like Google Gemini or OpenAI (or you can bring your custom AI module).

We have a predefined prompt (which is very powerful as it is), but you can adjust it or write a custom one.

It produces a high-quality draft that is often 90% ready to publish, saving your human translators a massive amount of time.

We have a nice article written in collaboration with a professional linguist specifically about LLM prompts to use for your AI translations.

AI Debug

AI Debug isn’t a widely known app from the Crowdin Store, but it is really helpful. Connect this app to see your history of using AI in Crowdin. It shows the prompt you provided, the selected AI model, the AI's response, and the context provided.

This app lets you analyze which model and prompt perform best for your needs.

AI Assistant (In-Editor)

Think of the AI Assistant as a helpful partner sitting right next to you while you translate. It works directly inside the Crowdin Editor. If you need a sentence to be shorter, clearer, or just worded differently, you can ask the Assistant with a quick chat command. This tool speeds up micro-tasks, allowing the human translators to keep their focus on the meaning, not the manual cleanup.

Agentic AI: Automate Complex Tasks

One of the most advanced forms of AI localization is Agentic AI. Unlike standard AI Translation, this is a “thinking” assistant. It has reasoning, planning, and it can use other tools (MCP server, for example).

Instead of manually checking and fixing hundreds of translations one by one, you use Agentic AI to give a single, natural instruction. Type, for example, "Make all sentences in this file sound more direct and professional". The AI will analyze the whole file and apply this specific change everywhere. It saves hours of work.

AI Proofreader: Automate Post-Editing & Review

Every translation needs a final check, and this tool automates that step. The AI Proofreader uses AI to spot errors that standard QA checks often miss, like an incorrect tone or a subtle mistranslation based on context. You can set it up to run automatically as part of your workflow, making sure the translations are reviewed for quality and consistency before a human proofreader even steps in.

Why Use AI Proofreader?

It provides an extra layer of review, detecting grammar and style errors that traditional QA features miss.
You can customize AI prompts and use placeholders (like a style guide) to ensure translations meet your specific project standards.
When enabled, it works in real-time, flagging issues just a few seconds after you type, dramatically reducing manual review time and accelerating your workflow.
You can use it as an automatic real-time assistant or assign it as a dedicated proofreading task for final approval.

<Aside type="caution"> AI Proofreader app will be suspended soon. We recommend using AI Pipeline instead. </Aside>

Dubbing Studio: Voiceovers and Video Localization

This tool helps you translate your multimedia content, such as training videos or podcasts. Dubbing Studio (integrated with ElevenLabs) uses AI to not only translate the script but also generate realistic, natural-sounding voiceovers in the new language. It includes a professional editor to fine-tune the audio, making it simple and cost-effective to create translated voice tracks. Localize your audio in the Crowdin platform.

Recently, we added a video dubbing feature so you can upload a video, get AI-generated transcriptions, and translate them in the Crowdin Editor. After that, you can choose voice, tune settings like speed, similarity, or style exaggeration. The feature is available for beta testing. Please apply using this form.

Custom AI Module: Bring Your Own Model (BYOM)

The localization world is always changing, and new AI models are released all the time. The Custom AI Module gives you the freedom to connect these new or unique AI providers to Crowdin, even if the platform does not have a built-in integration yet. This module ensures your Crowdin setup can grow and change along with the latest advancements in AI technology.

You can find even more AI tools in the Crowdin Store.

How to Create an AI-Powered Localization Workflow

Step	Action/Tool	How it works
1. Preparation	Context Harvester + Vector Cloud	All source code context is automatically uploaded. All style guides are uploaded to the AI’s memory bank.
2. Setting Pipeline	AI Pipeline	Create automated pipelines of AI actions. It pre-processes and refines your content through several layers of AI logic.
3. Initial Draft	AI Pre-translate	The content is instantly translated. The AI uses its memory of your style and approved terms to create an on-brand first draft.
4. Automated Review	AI QA Check	The AI automatically reviews its own work, checking for consistency and technical mistakes. It flags only the few sentences that need human attention.
5. Human Polish	Human Translator (using AI Assistant)	A human only reviews a small number of flagged, complex sentences. They use the AI Assistant for quick rephrasing if needed.
6. Final Bulk Fix	Agentic AI	The project manager runs one final command: "Make sure all product names are capitalized." The Agentic AI fixes this rule across all 500 strings instantly.
7. Publish	Automated Integration	The finished translations are automatically sent back to your website or app code.
8. Measure and Improve	Reports / AI Debug	Generate reports and check how much you saved on AI translations. Use the AI Debug tool to see the prompts and AI models that worked the best for your project.

<Aside type="tip"> Read also our Developer Guide about Automated AI Localization (the implementation time of this guide is 30 minutes). </Aside>

This example shows how a company can use these tools together to launch content faster than ever, with very little human effort required in the beginning. By using this flow, your human experts move away from simple translation and focus only on high-value and creative review. This makes the entire localization process fast and consistent.

Automate Your Workflow with Crowdin Automator

Crowdin Automator is our beta feature, which can help you automate your everyday tasks with AI. You can set it up across your entire workspace or for specific projects.

What can Crowdin Automator do for you?

Intelligent Task Delegation: New files instantly trigger task creation, with the system automatically assigning the job to the best-fit linguist based on real-time factors like their current workload and client-specific SLA requirements.
Deadline Management: Automated reminders are sent directly for tasks that are overdue (or approaching their deadline) to keep your projects flowing smoothly.
Full Admin Sync & Visibility: When one admin performs a key action (like setting up a task), others automatically receive alerts, ensuring everyone is informed and on the same page, even if they are not directly involved.
AI-Driven Scheduling: AI dynamically calculates and sets smart due dates by factoring in complexity (word count), priority level, and the team member's actual availability.
Auto-configuration of new projects: New projects are instantly ready-to-go with default workflows and permissions automatically configured, eliminating repetitive setup steps.

Fill out the form to request early access to Crowdin Automator.

Final Words

Everyone is talking about AI in localization. Some are afraid that it can steal their jobs, while others are shouting that AI provides awful results.

But the truth is that AI is just a tool, and you need to use it smartly. Build your own processes and implement AI smartly in your localization workflow. You will never get great results by using AI out of the box.

FAQ

Is it safe to use AI for localization? Can it train on my data?

To ensure safety, you can use your own API key. Connect to the AI provider using your company's own secure key. This ensures your content is processed under non-training clauses, meaning the provider is legally bound not to store or use your text for general model training.

Moreover, Crowdin has signed contracts with AI partners to ensure that your data is not used to train or improve their models.

AI vs human translations in localization: which is better?

The combination of AI and human translations is the most effective. AI and humans do not compete, but they play different roles in the same workflow.

AI is best for speed, scale, and technical consistency. It instantly handles high volumes of content, ensures that your terminology is correct everywhere, and performs the first layer of automated Quality Assurance (QA). This saves huge amounts of time and money.
Human Linguists are essential for quality, nuance, and creative content. They catch cultural missteps, verify accuracy where stakes are high (like legal or marketing copy), and ensure the translation captures the correct emotional tone.

AI gets the job done faster and cheaper by automating the bulk work, and humans make sure it gets done right by focusing their expertise on the final, critical details.

How is AI used in localization?

AI (specifically Large Language Models or LLMs) is used to perform high-speed, high-volume pre-translation of content. It ensures the brand’s consistency and is used for automated quality assurance (QA) checks, reducing the human translator's work to only a high-value, final review.

How do I automate content localization using AI?

Automation involves connecting your content source (like your code or CMS) to a Translation Management System (TMS) like Crowdin. The process is:

Sync: New text is automatically pulled.
Pre-translate: AI instantly creates the first draft.
Review: Human experts polish the AI's output.
Publish: Approved translations are automatically pushed back to your website or app.

What is the best AI localization tool?

The best tool is an all-in-one TMS that provides AI features and workflow automation. Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise are localization platforms that integrate with top AI models, providing human-in-the-loop tools. With Crowdin, you can build a custom AI-powered workflow.

Who offers AI-based localization services?

AI localization is offered by two main groups:

AI Localization Platforms: Platforms like Crowdin allow your internal team to manage the AI-human workflow.
AI-Powered Language Service Providers (LSPs): Traditional translation agencies that have adopted AI to offer post-edited machine translation (PEMT) services, where they use AI and then have a human editor finalize the work.

What AI localization tool is best for collaboration?

Tools built on the TMS model, like Crowdin, are best for collaboration. They provide a central platform where developers, AI, project managers, and human linguists can all work together on the same content in real-time.

What is a context-based AI localization tool?

In an AI localization tool like Crowdin, "context-based" means the AI is fed your technical glossary, brand style guides, and even screenshots to make the output grammatically correct, on-brand, and technically accurate.

Guide on i18n: Process and Tools to Use

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

To make your product or service easily available in international markets, you need to implement internationalization (i18n). I18n is fundamentally an architectural process of designing code that can be easily adapted to different languages and regions without changes to the source logic.

If you are a business aiming to reach different target markets, this guide is for you.

In this article, we will discuss what i18n is, why it is important, the phases of the i18n process, and the main integrations for establishing efficient processes and achieving accurate outcomes. Let's get started.

What is i18n?

I18n is a commonly used abbreviation for internationalization, where 18 is the number of letters between “i” and “n” in the word internationalization.

At its core, internationalization is an architectural and engineering process. It involves designing software so that it can be adapted to different languages and regions without requiring changes to the source code.

Basically, i18n is the process of preparing your code to handle multiple languages and regions.

This approach allows for saving money later in the production cycle, improving overall time-to-market, and preventing common roadblocks. Successful internationalization involves designing products in a specific way early on so that there is no need to make big changes when the company decides to expand.

<Aside type="tip"> Read our article with Jan Amann, creator of the next-intl library, to learn how to do i18n right </Aside>

i18n, l10n, and g11n

Aside from internationalization, there are other terms closely related to the process of adapting a product to foreign markets. They may seem similar, but it's important to understand them.

Localization (l10n) is the content adaptation to a specific locale. This includes text translation, cultural adjustments to imagery, time formats, and currency. Compare i18n vs l10n.
Internationalization (i18n): As we wrote above, this is the technical preparation of code that makes the product capable of handling multiple languages. (e.g., using specific libraries, externalizing strings, handling dates/plurals).
Globalization (g11n) is more about a business strategy that combines both i18n and l10n. It covers legal, marketing, and operational requirements for a global launch.

i18n is what the developer does to the codebase. L10n is what a linguist does to the content. A translation management system (TMS), such as Crowdin, manages the software localization workflow.

Why Successful i18n Is a Must-Have

With the customer being at the center of any sales funnel, adaptivity to different cultures is a requirement rather than a suggestion. Internationalization ensures it is flexible to accommodate the requirements of every market, which offers numerous benefits.

For any company focused on growth, adaptivity to different cultures is a requirement. Internationalization ensures your application is flexible and ready for any market.

Benefits of i18n in Software Product Development

Creating an internationalized software allows you to create a user-friendly app that makes it easy to adapt a website without making changes in the source code. Key benefits include:

No Language-Dependent Code. Moving all user-facing text into separate resource files. This keeps your code clean.
Dynamic Adaptation. Allows the app to switch languages based on user settings, location, or URL without code deployment.
Handling Complex Grammar. Using libraries to correctly manage complex linguistic rules like pluralization and gender (which vary widely between languages).

Main Phases of Internationalization

Internationalization is a complex process. Here, we focus on the core technical steps necessary to achieve an easily localizable product.

Phase 1: Planning and Designing for Adaptation

The primary focus is on engineering a flexible UI/UX:

Remember about text expansion/contraction. Different languages take up different amounts of space (e.g., German is often 15% longer than English). The design must use flexible layouts so the UI doesn't break when text length changes.
Design for Bidirectionality (RTL). Plan for layout mirroring required by Right-to-Left languages (Arabic, Hebrew). This architectural decision affects the entire application layout, from navigation menus to icon placement.
Prevent hardcoding strings. Make sure that all text, including button labels, error messages, and image captions, is designed to be pulled from a separate language file.

Use culturally appropriate visuals and styling. Plan for placeholders in your code that allow images, colors, and even layout direction to be swapped out easily per locale.

You can implement design stage localization, so teams should start translating and testing text length directly in design tools. This practice helps validate layouts before development even begins. Read more about Design Stage Localization with Figma.

Phase 2: Technical Implementation

This is where developers implement i18n in the codebase using dedicated tools.

1. Implementing an i18n Library (e.g., LinguiJS)

Instead of building your own string extraction and pluralization logic, modern web apps use light-weight libraries like LinguiJS, which uses ICU MessageFormat to handle linguistic complexity.

Example: Defining a String with Pluralization (Using Lingui)

Instead of hardcoding the message, you use a library component to define the source string and its plural rules:

import { Plural, Trans } from "@lingui/macro";
function CartSummary({ itemCount }) {
  return (
    <Trans>
      You have <Plural value={itemCount} one="# item" other="# items" /> in your cart.
    </Trans>
  );
}
// This is automatically extracted to a key like:
// { "message.key": "You have {count, plural, one {# item} other {# items}} in your cart." }

2. Externalizing and Extracting Strings

The key i18n architectural step is moving text out of the code. The library's command-line tools automate this process:

Extraction: The library scans your source code and creates a master file (often a .json, .po, or .pot file) containing every translatable string.

npx lingui extract
Formatting: This file is the single source of truth for all content that needs to be localized.

3. Handling Date, Time, and Currency

The code must rely on built-in internationalization APIs (like JavaScript’s Intl object) or the i18n library to format numbers, dates, and times automatically based on the user's detected locale, rather than manually formatting them.

Data Type	US (en-US)	Germany (de-DE)
Date	10/30/2025	30.10.2025
Currency	$1,250.99	1.250,99 €

Implementation Across Frameworks

The principles of i18n are universal, but the specific libraries and methods vary by language and framework. You can find detailed guides for popular languages and ecosystems, like:

Java: Complete Java i18n and Localization Tutorial
Svelte: Developer Guide on Svelte Apps Localization with Svelte-i18n
React: Complete Tutorial on React i18n with i18next
Angular: Angular i18n and Localization: The Full Tutorial
Node.js: Node.js i18n and Localization: The Developer Guide
JavaScript: JavaScript Localization Guide
Python: Localize Python Apps Using the Gettext Python Module

Phase 3: Translation and Localization Management

Once the code is properly internationalized, the next step is managing the localization process. A developer-friendly translation management system like Crowdin may help you with that.

Managing translation manually via spreadsheets is slow and prone to errors. Crowdin allows centralizing all localization efforts and automating developer workflows.

Automating the Workflow with the Crowdin CLI

Crowdin CLI is the developer tool that acts as the bridge between your code and the localization platform. It lets you automate sending source strings and receiving finished translations without leaving your terminal.

Step	Action & Crowdin CLI Command	Developer Benefit
1. Upload Source	Pushes the file containing all your extracted strings (e.g., `messages.pot` from Lingui) to Crowdin. `crowdin upload sources -f /src/locales/en.pot`	Eliminates manual file uploads; triggered easily in CI/CD.
2. Localization	The translation team works in the Crowdin platform, utilizing features like Translation Memory, Glossaries, and AI-powered quality checks.	Ensures consistency and accuracy across all languages.
3. Download Translations	Pulls all completed language files directly back into your project structure, ready for the next build. `crowdin download`	Instant access to completed translations; no waiting for emails.

Crowdin CLI ensures that developers can continuously integrate new strings into the translation process as they write code, maintaining a smooth-running i18n pipeline.

Crowdin API Clients

For developers who require complex, custom integrations, programmatic access, or the ability to manage users, projects, and custom workflows, the Crowdin API is available.

You can interact with the API directly or use one of the officially supported API clients (SDKs) in various programming languages to build powerful automation scripts.

Translation Management System (TMS) Features

Once content is in Crowdin, the localization team uses powerful tools to improve quality and speed:

Integration with repo: Connect Crowdin directly to developer repositories (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
Translation Memory and Glossary: keeps all terms consistent.
In-Context Editing: Translators see their work live within the actual website or app layout, which is critical for checking text length and visual placement.
Collaboration: developers, translators, and localization managers collaborate in one place.
One source of truth: keep your product consistent and up to date across all languages.
I-Powered Features: like AI pre-translation and AI quality assurance for catching subtle errors before review.
Over-the-Air (OTA) delivery: Instant delivery of translations directly to mobile apps and websites without requiring an app store update or code redeployment.

AI-Powered Workflow with Crowdin

As with any other technology, when applied correctly, AI improves the entire internationalization process. Here's how you can apply Crowdin's AI features to minimize translation time and enhance the output quality.

AI-generated Context

You will get poor results if you start translating without context. Crowdin has a Context Harvester CLI that scans your code and attaches AI-generated context to each string.

It will be useful whether you are translating with AI or with human translators. Translation quality will improve from the start.

Pre-translation with AI

Before a team of translators starts working on a text, AI translates the source material into the chosen language. The team expects to revise the 100% AI-translated text to ensure accuracy.

One of the real-life examples is Polhus. They used Crowdin AI tools to create a complete machine translation. After the experts’ reviews, only 25% of the entire text had to be adjusted.

AI-Powered Quality Assurance

In-editor AI Assistant and Agentic AI can do QA checks across all your files. Translators can interact directly within the editor interface to request rewrites, tone adjustments, or definitions for ambiguous terms.

Agentic AI takes this a step further by orchestrating complex, multi-step reviews, ensuring quality is managed holistically across your entire localization project. Read more about Agentic AI features in our blog post.

Compared to the common QA tools that can highlight only the basic errors, it can locate more niche mistranslations and correct errors.

Style Guide Management

Crowdin offers a Vector Cloud app, where you can upload your style guide or old text copies as a file. The AI will learn your style and preferences, producing more accurate results. s. This allows you to maintain consistency and brand voice.

I18n Best Practices

Achieving scalable internationalization requires disciplined engineering and adherence to logical design principles. These best practices ensure your application architecture is robust and ready for global expansion:

1. Test with Pseudo-Localization

Logic Check: Use pseudo-localization as a testing tool before human translation. This process replaces source strings with elongated text containing special characters (e.g., [Ĥéééļļļööö]).

This immediately reveals two critical flaws in your architecture:

UI/Layout Breakage: If the UI breaks due to text expansion, your CSS/layout structure is not flexible enough to support global languages.
Hardcoded Strings: If you see any un-bracketed or un-modified source text, it means those strings were hardcoded and missed during the extraction phase, failing the fundamental i18n principle of externalizing all text.

2. Enforce Complete String Externalization

Absolutely all user-facing text, including error messages, placeholders, tooltips, email templates, and logging strings intended for users, must be stored outside of the source code (e.g., in .json, .po, or .xliff files).

Logic: Any string left in the code is un-translatable, creating a non-localizable barrier for users speaking other languages. Utilize i18n libraries (like Lingui) that offer extraction utilities to guarantee completeness.

3. Avoid String Concatenation

Logical Flaw: Never build a sentence by concatenating multiple language keys and variables (e.g., "The total is " + price + " dollars."). This structure works only for simple languages like English.

Always embed variables within a single, complete translation key using ICU MessageFormat (the standard used by modern libraries). This allows translators to correctly handle word order, pluralization, and grammatical gender, which vary drastically across languages.

4. Design for Context Independence

When writing source text, ensure each phrase is self-contained and clear without reliance on implicit context.

Logic: A translator sees only the individual string ("Save") or component. If a button labeled "Save" in one context is meant to mean "Save File," but in another means "Save Changes," the translator needs two unique keys (e.g., button.save_file and button.save_changes) to accurately localize the meaning.

5. Separate I18n Data from Application State

The language files (fr.json, de.json) should be separate assets loaded only when needed. The application logic should use the user's current locale setting to select the correct language data, but the core business logic and state management should never depend on the content of the translation files.

This separation ensures that changing or adding a language never introduces bugs into the core application functionality.

6. Display Relevant Local Formats

The application must automatically display local formats for dates, times, currencies, and units (e.g., using $\text{kg}$ vs. $\text{lbs}$ , or $\text{dd/mm/yyyy}$ vs. $\text{mm/dd/yyyy}$ ).

Your code must rely on built-in **** (like JavaScript's Intl object) to abstract all formatting logic, ensuring the UX presents data based on the user's locale setting.

Final Words

As we discovered, internationalization is a part of software architecture development, not just translation. Separate your content from your code, use advanced i18n libraries like Lingui for handling complex grammar, and remember techniques like pseudo-localization.

You need to aim for a fast and efficient i18n pipeline. A localization management platform like Crowdin acts as the central hub for this pipeline. By leveraging tools such as:

Crowdin CLI to automate the flow of source files.
Git Integrations to synchronize localization with development cycles.
AI-Powered features to guarantee translation quality and consistency.
Design-stage integrations to catch layout issues early.

You ensure that localization is a continuous process, not a bottleneck.

FAQ

Why is it called i18n?

I18n is an abbreviation for “internationalization”. The number 18 stands for the number of letters between i and n in the word itself.

What is the difference between internationalization and globalization?

Internationalization involves designing products that can be easily adapted to the needs and preferences of customers in different countries. Globalization is a broader term that includes both localization and internationalization and covers processes related to different departments, including HR, marketing, legal, and more.

How many stages are in internationalization?

Generally, there are five internationalization stages, including:

Domestic - production and operation within the home country.
Export - export of the domestically produced products.
Foreign operations - some of the company’s operations are moved to another country.
Multinational - decentralized decision-making of the operation in numerous regions.
Translational - a global enterprise that uses local resources and efficiently operates in the majority of the markets.

How can I use AI for i18n?

The primary goal of i18n is to make your code architecturally ready for localization. Crowdin's AI features help to deliver high-quality localization content into that architecture:

Context Harvester CLI scans your codebase to generate and attach context to source strings. This prevents ambiguity, ensuring the correct translation is delivered back to your i18n structure.
Use AI for pre-translation to instantly fill your localization files (.json, .po). This speeds up the process between finalizing the i18n structure and having content ready for testing.
In-editor AI Assistant performs deep contextual checks, verifying that translated strings comply with your technical requirements (e.g., correct placeholders, valid formatting) before they enter your live application.
Vector Cloud allows the AI to learn your specific brand voice and terminology, ensuring the finalized localization files maintain consistency across all target locales.

What is an internationalization tool?

Internationalization tool is a specialized software used to manage internationalization processes. Crowdin is one of the top solutions used by companies all over the world to increase the efficiency of localization and internationalization processes.

What software to use for i18n?

Crowdin is the number one choice for the majority of the leading global companies. It allows you to centralize all localization and internationalization processes and increase efficiency by offering such vital tools as a translation memory system, workflow automations, glossaries, in in-context editing combined with AI tools. Native integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and CI/CD tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions. Automatically pushes new source strings and pulls completed translations. The Crowdin API and CLI tools allow developers to automate export/import, update resource files, and manage language versions programmatically.

What is an example of an i18n?

One of the examples of internationalization is adjusting time and date formats based on the customers of a specific country. For example, the date format in most of the works is dd/mm/yyyy, while in the US it’s mm/dd/yyyy. Internationalized software will automatically showcase the right data format for the user based on their location.

/date?lang=en_US → Locale: en_US → Oct 30, 2025, 2:30:00 PM

/date?lang=fr_FR → Locale: fr_FR → 30 oct. 2025, 14:30:00

/date?lang=de_DE → Locale: de_DE → 30.10.2025, 14:30:00

iOS Localization Tutorial with SwiftUI Demo Project

kainaat-arshad — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Localization is the process of adapting your app’s content, design, and UX to match the language, culture, and preferences of users in different regions.

In iOS development, localization involves:

Translating text such as labels, buttons, and alerts.
Adjusting date, time, and number formats.
Adapting images or icons with regional meaning.
Handling right-to-left (RTL) languages like Arabic or Hebrew.

The main goal of localization is to improve accessibility and engagement by making your app more intuitive for people across different languages.

Why do you need to treat l10n right? Because it directly impacts your business goals. When users see an app in their language, they are more likely to:

Download and try it.
Understand the features more easily.
Trust the product and leave positive reviews.
Continue using the app regularly.

In this iOS localization tutorial, we’ll walk through how to localize a SwiftUI app step by step – starting with Xcode’s built-in tools and finishing with a more scalable, collaborative workflow using Crowdin.

<Aside type="tip"> Want a comprehensive strategy guide? Download our free Mobile App Localization Ebook to master the business side of going global. </Aside>

Localization vs. Internationalization in iOS

Before we start building our localized SwiftUI app, it’s important to understand how internationalization (often written as i18n) fits into the process.

While localization (l10n) is about adapting your app to a specific language or culture, internationalization (i18n) is about designing your app to make localization possible – without rewriting your code.

In simple terms:

Concept	Focus	Example
Internationalization (i18n)	Preparing the app for localization	Structuring text in `.strings` files, using locale-aware date/number formats
Localization (l10n)	Translating and adapting content for each market	Providing French, German, or Arabic versions of the text and UI

Think of internationalization as a foundation that supports multiple languages. When you get the i18n step right, a task to make your product multilingual becomes a smooth continuous localization process.

Why i18n Comes Before Localization

You can’t localize your app without first internationalizing it. Here’s why:

Clean Code Separation – Externalize user-facing text into .strings files, your code stays clean and adaptable.
Consistency Across Languages – All localizations pull from the same structured keys.
Fewer Bugs – Locale-aware formatting keeps numbers, currencies, and dates always correct.
Faster Future Updates – Adding a new language becomes a simple process, without code refactoring.

Core Benefits of Localizing Your iOS App

1. Increased Global Reach

Expanding your app to new languages opens the door to millions of potential users who prefer using apps in their native language.

2. Higher App Store Visibility

The App Store indexes localized app names, descriptions, and keywords — meaning better discoverability and organic growth in multiple regions.

3. Improved User Experience

Localized UI elements make users feel comfortable and confident navigating your app, leading to higher retention.

4. Competitive Advantage

Many apps remain English-only. Localizing your app sets you apart and shows cultural awareness.

5. Better ROI and Conversion Rates

Studies show that localized apps can increase conversion rates by up to 70%, as users are more likely to make in-app purchases or subscriptions in their native language.

<Aside type="tip"> iOS app localization is tightly connected to the App Store Optimization process. Read more about localization tips for ASO. </Aside>

Setting Up Your SwiftUI Project for Localization

Prepare a simple SwiftUI demo project that we’ll use throughout the tutorial to demonstrate localization in action.

Create a new SwiftUI project

Open Xcode → File → New → Project
Choose iOS → App
Name it: LocalizationDemo
Interface: SwiftUI → Language: Swift

Add a simple user interface - create a minimal home screen with:

import SwiftUI
struct ContentView: View {
    var body: some View {
        ZStack {
            VStack(spacing: 20) {
                Text("welcome_message")
                    .font(.largeTitle)
                    .multilineTextAlignment(.center)

                Text("description_text")
            }
            .padding()
        }
        .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity)
        .background(.orange.opacity(0.2))
    }
}

At this point, your UI shows the keys (welcome_message, description_text) instead of readable text. We will soon localize them.

Enable localization in the project

In Xcode’s Project Navigator, select your project file.
Under the Info tab, click the Localizations section.
Add a new language (for example, French).

Add the Localizable.strings file

Go to File → New → File → Strings File
Name it Localizable.strings
Add it to your app target.

On the right side, you have selected a localization and can see an additional item named French. You have to select French in the localization part and Expand the Localizable.strings file, you will see two files Localizable.strings (English) and Localizable.strings (French).

Add content to files

SwiftUI automatically looks for those keys in the Localizable.strings file for the user’s selected language.

For now, you have successfully localized static text and verified that it works. This is a solid foundation for any iOS localization tutorial.

Localizing Assets, App Name & Other Resources

You can display your app’s name differently in each language – for example, “LocalizationDemo” → “LocalisationDémo” (French).

Steps:

In your project’s root folder, create a new folder named Supporting Files (if not present).
Add a file called InfoPlist.strings.
Localize this file for each supported language:
- Select the file → File Inspector → Localize → Choose languages

English (InfoPlist.strings): CFBundleDisplayName = "Hello World"; French (InfoPlist.strings): CFBundleDisplayName = "Bonjour le Monde";

Now, when the device language is French, the app name on the Home Screen automatically appears.

Localizing Images & Media

Sometimes your UI includes text within images or culture-specific visuals. Instead of adding text directly to an image, keep it dynamic. Here’s how you can localize that dynamic text on images:

Steps:

Open Assets.xcassets > Select an image (e.g., welcomeImage).
In the right panel, click Localization → Localize…
Choose your target languages (e.g., English, French).
Replace each localized version with the correct image for that language.

Keep image names identical. Xcode automatically serves image based on the system language.

Localizing Other Resources (Storyboards, JSON, etc.)

If your project contains other resource files (like info.json, onboarding data, or LaunchScreen.storyboard):

Select the file → File Inspector → Localize
Choose languages
Provide translated or localized content per file

Example:

A JSON file with tips or quotes can include language-specific versions, such as:

tips.json (English)
tips.json (French)

Test Resource Localization

To verify:

Switch your simulator or device language to French
Confirm that the app name, images, and resource files switch automatically
Use Scheme → Edit Scheme → Options → Application Language for faster testing in Xcode

At this point

You have localized both text and resources, so your app feels native in different languages.

Next, we’ll focus on scaling localization with Crowdin. With Crowdin, teams can manage translations collaboratively and automate future updates.

Integrating Crowdin for Scalable iOS Localization

As your app grows and supports multiple languages, managing string files manually can quickly become inefficient, error-prone, and hard to scale – especially when working with distributed teams or managing a SaaS localization workflow alongside your mobile app. That’s where Crowdin, a leading iOS app localization tool, can help you.

Crowdin helps you:

Automate the upload and download of localization files.
Collaborate with translators, developers, and product managers.
Centralize all your translations in one place
Integrate directly with your repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)

With Crowdin, you move from manually editing strings to an automated localization workflow. That helps save time, reduce errors, and guarantees that each language in your iOS app is treated right.

Setting Up Crowdin Project

Go to Crowdin and create a new project
- Project name: SwiftUILocalizationDemo
- Source language to English and Target languages to e.g French

Select iOS Strings as the file type.
Upload your Base.lproj/Localizable.strings file. Crowdin automatically detects the keys and creates translation placeholders.

<Aside type="tip"> You can drag and drop other files like InfoPlist.strings or Localizable.stringsdict for pluralization handling. </Aside>

Translating Strings in Crowdin

Once uploaded, translators or your internal team can work directly in the Crowdin Editor:

Add context (screenshots, notes) for better accuracy
Run AI pre-translate
Human review
Run QA checks via AI Assistant or Agentic AI

Syncing Translations Back to Xcode

You can export localized files directly from Crowdin:

Go to Project → Download Translations
Place each .strings file into its respective language folder in Xcode

Crowdin iOS SDK

The Crowdin iOS SDK is the next step to making your life even easier. Think of the SDK as a dedicated delivery truck that puts fresh translations right into your app, all without you having to submit a new version to the App Store.

This is how the SDK makes continuous localization possible:

Over-The-Air (OTA) Updates: get new translations immediately after they are finished in Crowdin.
Real-Time Preview: translators can see the translations they are typing directly in your running app.
Easy Screenshot Capture: iOS SDK lets you capture screenshots from the app, which are automatically uploaded to Crowdin as context.

Our community has created a video tutorial on how to use the Crowdin iOS SDK:

Automate via Crowdin CLI and GitHub integration

Crowdin supports syncing via command line or repository integration:

Crowdin CLI: Automate upload/download in CI/CD pipelines
GitHub / Bitbucket / GitLab Integration: Keeps translations synced automatically

Example (CLI command):

crowdin upload sources

crowdin download

This ensures new strings from development are automatically pushed, and new translations are automatically pulled.

<Aside type="tip"> You can find more helpful iOS apps at the Crowdin Store. </Aside>

Test and Verify Translations

After syncing:

Run your app again in French
Confirm the translated strings appear correctly
Validate layout, because some languages take more space

At this point

Your project is now fully localized and scalable. Instead of juggling .strings files manually, your workflow is automated — from development to translation to deployment.

Using AI Localization to Improve Translation Quality

Mobile app localization isn’t just about human translators anymore. AI for translation is playing a huge role in making localization faster, more consistent and scalable.

When used strategically, AI localization tools can pre-translate, proofread, and quality-check your iOS app content. That helps your team release multilingual versions time-to-market.

Crowdin integrates AI translation features directly into your workflow, combining the speed of AI with the accuracy of human review.

AI-Generated Context with Context Harvester

As we already mentioned, providing context is highly important for accurate translation (especially for mobile apps’ UI). For better-quality AI and human translations, you can run the Context Harvester CLI from Crowdin.

This tool analyzes source code, extracts context for translation strings, and adds them as text for each string.

AI Pre-Translate in Crowdin

AI pre-translation uses Large Language Models (LLMs) and Neural Machine Translation (NMT) technology to generate initial translations for any new source strings added to your project. This feature significantly boosts the speed of your localization pipeline.

How it works in Crowdin:

New Strings Uploaded: When a developer uploads new, untranslated strings (e.g., via the CLI or GitHub integration).
LLM is triggered: Crowdin's workflow automatically applies an AI-powered translation engine to all the new keys. When context is provided (e.g., text or visual context), the AI sees and uses this information to choose the most accurate, context-aware translation. You can also choose from 10+ leading AI providers and even edit the prompt to guide the AI's tone, style, and context.
Instant Drafts: Within seconds, the target language files are populated with a high-quality AI-generated draft.

Then you can pass this text to human reviewers. AI pre-translation keeps you always on time-to-market.

Automated QA and Consistency Checks

Crowdin includes AI-powered QA checks that automatically scan translations for:

Formatting issues (extra spaces, punctuation mismatches)
Tag and variable consistency
Length limits (to avoid UI truncation)
Glossary mismatches (terms that differ from your approved brand language)

This ensures that every localized version of your app is polished – without the manual QA overhead.

You can also run QA checks using AI Assistant or Agentic AI.

Human + AI: The Ideal Workflow

The goal of AI localization is not to replace human translators, but to make them more efficient.

A recommended workflow looks like this:

Use AI pre-translation for new strings.
Let translators refine context-sensitive or creative content.
Run AI-powered QA checks for final validation.
Deliver translations to users via Crowdin’s Over-the-Air (OTA) updates.

With this approach, your team gets the best of both worlds: the speed of AI and the quality of human expertise.

Conclusion: How iOS Localization Grows Your App Installs

Localization is about creating familiarity. When users see your app in their own language, it immediately:

Builds trust and comfort
Increases engagement and retention
Boosts conversion rates in onboarding or in-app purchases

Stat to keep in mind:

According to CSA Research, 76% of online shoppers prefer to buy from apps in their native language, and localized apps see up to 128% higher downloads across global markets.

How Crowdin Helps Scale the Mobile App Localization

Once you’ve implemented the basics in Xcode, Crowdin becomes your long-term growth partner by:

Keeping all translations organized in one place
Syncing updates automatically with your codebase
Allowing teams to collaborate without developer bottlenecks
Supporting continuous localization (new releases automatically stay translated)

That means your team can focus on building features, not maintaining translations.

FAQ

How can I use AI to localize my iOS app?

You can use AI localization tools like the ones built into Crowdin to automatically translate and proofread your app content.

Crowdin’s AI features can:

Pre-translate new strings instantly.
Proofread translations for grammar, terminology, and placeholders.
Run automated QA checks to detect inconsistencies or missing variables.

This combination of AI + human review makes iOS localization faster, more accurate, and scalable.

What is iOS localization?

iOS localization is the process of adapting your app’s text, layout, media, and App Store content for different languages and regions.

It goes beyond translation – it ensures your app feels natural and culturally appropriate in every market.

In Xcode, localization is managed using .strings and .stringsdict files, which store translatable text separately from your app’s logic.

How do I automate localization?

You can automate your localization workflow using a Translation Management System (TMS) such as Crowdin.

By connecting your GitHub or Bitbucket repository, Crowdin can automatically:

Sync source strings when developers push updates.
Pre-translate content using Translation Memory or AI.
Deliver translations back to your repository.
Deploy new translations instantly using Over-the-Air (OTA) updates.

This eliminates manual file handling and ensures continuous localization with every app update.

What is the best iOS localization software?

The best iOS localization platform depends on your team size and workflow.

For most development teams, Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise offer the most complete solution – with repository integration, AI localization, OTA updates, and design tool support (like Figma).

How can I test my localized iOS app?

You can test localization in Xcode by:

Running your app with different simulators and region settings.
Using pseudolocalization (adding extra characters to check layout issues).
Reviewing translations in-context through Crowdin’s In-Context Preview and Screenshot Tagging features.

What are some common iOS localization challenges?

Text overflow in non-Latin languages.
Handling pluralization and date/number formats.
Managing updates across multiple strings files.
Maintaining consistency between iOS, Android, and web platforms.
Using Crowdin’s String Catalogs and QA Checks helps prevent these issues early.

Can I localize my App Store listing too?

Yes, and it’s highly recommended. You can localize your App Name, Subtitle, Description, and Screenshots directly in App Store Connect.

Localized listings can boost conversion rates by up to 26%, according to Apple’s internal data.

Crowdin also helps manage your marketing translations to keep your app voice consistent.

How often should I update my translations?

Ideally, localization should be a continuous process.

Every time you add new features or change UI text, your strings should sync automatically with your TMS.

With Crowdin’s continuous localization, updates happen in the background — no extra manual effort needed.

How can I localize dynamic content like push notifications or API text?

You can store these strings in .strings or .xcstrings files and manage them through Crowdin’s Strings Store.

This ensures that even text coming from your backend or notification templates stays localized and consistent with your app.

Internationalization Is Architecture, Not Translation: A Deep Dive with Jan Amann

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Most developers, especially front-end developers, believe they get internationalization because they know how to translate strings.

However, as Jan Amann put it on The Agile Localization Podcast, that belief is exactly the root problem. Internationalization is not translation; it’s product architecture.

It’s how you model language, market variants, currency, locale, routing, content pipelines, testing, layout impact, and performance before you even think about translation keys. That is the mental switch most developers never make and why so many multilingual projects fall apart as soon as you add the third language, the first regional variant, the first new market, or the first SEO requirements.

Jan has been thinking about this for half a decade. He’s the creator of next-intl (the internationalization library used by Ethereum’s website) and author of the i18n course for React/Next.js devs.

And he says that developer misconceptions are the #1 blocker to building apps that actually scale globally.

Listen to the new episode on:

Why Developers Misunderstand i18n Scope

Developers starting out believe internationalization means translating words. Jan literally wrote this as a headline in the next-intl documentation. Because it’s the single mental model that breaks everything.

Translation is a delivery mechanism. Internationalization is a design strategy. If you don’t architect the product for multilingual plus multiregional behavior before you translate a single string, you’re already building a legacy.

For example:

Canada: 2 native languages (English + French) for one country.
Austria: one native language (German), but people want English as UI too.
eCommerce in Europe: price, tax, shipping cost differences per country.

This is why Jan always forces developers to answer a binary question at the beginning:

Are you multilingual?
Are you multiregional?
Or both?

Most products are both, which is why i18n is a systems problem, not a dictionary problem.

The Top Multilingual SEO Mistake Developers Make

When discussing the top mistakes developers make with multilingual SEO, Jan pointed to a foundational, yet frequently flawed, technical component.

<Blockquote> There's a good study on this from Ahrefs. They claim that, 67% of websites have problem with a concept that is referred to as hreflang. </Blockquote>

The hreflang tag is important for SEO because it tells search engines, like Google, about the localized variants of a page you provide to users. It helps to show the correct language or regional version of a page is served in search results.

While the concept of simply listing all language variants seems easy on the surface, Jan notes that the nuance in the details is what ultimately trips up the majority of developers. Getting this wrong means search engines can't properly index your international content, damaging your global visibility.

Ensuring correct hreflang implementation is one of the mandatory areas that must be covered to guarantee your site is part of the 33% who get it right.

The Killer Constraint Nobody Talks About

Performance is where most libraries cheat. Many i18n libraries split translations by message. And yes, that’s great for tree shaking.

However, Jan explains it creates a hidden problem: every language you add increases the runtime cost. That’s fine when you’re adding Spanish as your second language. What about when you’re adding your 60th?

Ethereum.org ships to approximately 67 languages. For them, the ”runtime cost scales with language count” is simply unacceptable. So next-intl takes a different stance:

Performance baseline stays flat.
Adding new languages does not degrade performance.

That design choice is the difference between a side project i18n setup and a global-scale i18n architecture.

Testing Is Where Most i18n Breaks

Jan’s UX background sneaks out here. He says a delightful multilingual UX is not bells and whistles, but the absence of annoyance. Annoyances are things like:

Broken layouts because German strings are too long
A UI that half appears in English and half appears in French
Currency symbols formatted incorrectly
Dates formatted wrong for the region

And no automated tooling will protect you by default.

Two testing non-negotiables from Jan:

Pseudo-localization.
Manual review with native speakers.

But how has the landscape changed with the arrival of generative AI?

What About AI?

Jan doesn’t sugarcoat it. AI changed everything, but it only changed translation, not internationalization. The real lever is automation, not “ChatGPT wrote my strings.”

The future workflow he outlines is:

Developers generate code, and translations are extracted automatically.
TMS, like Crowdin, handles context plus linguistic integrity.
CI pushes updated translation into the repo on every feature build.
Manual native review is still the quality gate.

<Blockquote> The act of translating words and sentences and interfaces was certainly one of the areas which have been, like, very heavily changed by artificial intelligence, by generative AI. … I think Crowdin, for example, provides really helpful tools in this area. Like, for example, the Crowdin CLI, which helps you as a developer to upload and download translations quickly, and then also integrate it with your CI pipeline. </Blockquote>

AI makes it faster to ship a multilingual product. But it doesn’t eliminate the need to architect a multilingual product. The danger is believing translation equals localization. That would be like believing turning on HTTPS equals “we have security.”

The Golden Rule

Jan summarized the entire philosophy with one line: “The goal is for your users to feel at home.”

Internationalization is hospitality. If someone arrives in your digital room, and nothing is for them, no language, no currency, no cultural alignment, they will bounce.

But if they arrive and everything feels native, they stay, buy, and trust.

Final Thoughts From Jan

Jan’s course is basically the field guide he wishes existed before he spent 5 years answering developer DMs about i18n mistakes. And the fact that senior devs who had been using next-intl for years still learned dozens of new things from it. That tells you where the real complexity is.

Internationalization is not translation. It is architecture. If you want to build global products that scale beyond the first two languages, start here.

<Aside type="tip"> If you are a developer and want to learn more about how to do i18n right, check the course Build international Next.js apps with confidence from Jan Amann </Aside>

Jan’s Background

Jan Amann is an independent internationalization expert and freelance developer based in Austria, best known for creating next-intl, an open-source internationalization library for Next.js, and developing a comprehensive online course on internationalization development. With five years of hands-on experience building multilingual applications and consulting with developers across the globe, he brings deep technical expertise in solving real-world localization challenges.

Listen to the new episode on:

What's New at Crowdin: October 2025

diana — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This month, we are introducing three significant new features.

All three are currently available by invitation only.

Crowdin Apps Vibe Coding: Build Crowdin apps simply by describing them to the AI.
Crowdin Automator: Like Zapier, right in Crowdin, AI-powered.
Video dubbing: a fully fledged AI dubbing tool.

Each feature is a new piece of technology that we are actively refining. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback to help us perfect them and ensure they are useful.

We've also added a Website Context Extractor that uses AI to provide your headless CMS text segments with real context from your website, several Crowdin Store app updates, support for Figma Buzz, and more.

Dubbing Studio Now Supports Video Dubbing

A few months ago, we launched Dubbing Studio, offering game developers technology to synthesise AI voices in both the source and target languages. Today, we're excited to share a big update: it now supports video dubbing.

This means you can now localize everything -- all your files and all your videos -- in one place. You don't need a separate tool for video anymore.

How Video Dubbing in Crowdin Works

Here's a simple look at what this update lets you do:

Simply upload your video to get an AI-powered transcript of the dialogue.
If you already have a transcription, you can also upload an existing .srt file.
You translate all the dialogue inside the familiar Crowdin Editor.
For now, we integrate with ElevenLabs to generate AI voices. You can choose the voice for your video, music, and sound effects. (By the way, Crowdin would clone the voice of every speaker via ElevenLabs right after you upload the video and use those voices for dubbing.)
The app automatically spots and follows different speakers in the video, keeping your translations clear and organized.

Who is this for?

Game localization (dub in-game cutscenes, trailers, and promotional videos).
Marketing & Sales (localize product demos, customer testimonials, and campaign videos).
E-learning (translate and dub your educational courses).

Vibe-Coding of Apps: Create Any Crowdin App with AI

This update marks a huge leap forward for everyone using Crowdin. Our platform has already evolved into a fully customizable ecosystem, with over 700 apps, including integrations, custom QA checks, formats, and AI tools.

Now, with the Vibe-Coding tool created by our team, you can go even further.

Need a feature that doesn't yet exist? Just build it yourself, no waiting, with little to no coding skills required. Create custom localization tools, automate your daily tasks, and more.

How it works:

Using a simple interface and AI chat, describe what you need in detail, functionality, purpose, and expected behavior, then wait until AI generates a custom app based on your prompt.

You'll be able to deploy, test, and refine multiple versions of your app and use it right inside your Crowdin project.

During the beta, everything is free to try, so you can explore, experiment, and shape the next generation of Crowdin apps. Your feedback will be the most valuable part of this experiment, helping us shape the future of app creation at Crowdin.

Crowdin Automator: Let Your Projects Run Themselves

The next major release of this month is Crowdin Automator, which helps your team save time by handling routine work automatically. You can set up simple "if this, then that" rules to assign tasks, send notifications, update files, or trigger complete AI localization workflows.

It works across your entire workspace or for specific projects. You decide when the rule runs, after certain events (like file translated or task created), on a schedule, or manually.

Crowdin Automator can cover cases like:

Creating and assigning tasks as soon as new files appear - even choosing the best linguist based on workload or SLA.
Sending reminders for overdue tasks.
Cross-admin notifications - when one admin performs an action (like creating a task), other admins can automatically receive alerts, even if they’re not directly involved.
Setting due dates dynamically with AI based on word count, priority, or users' availability.
Auto-configuration of new projects - set default workflows and permissions automatically when a new project is created.

Here's a sneak peek of how it looks:

A separate article with real automation examples and a full demo video is coming soon.

AI Translation Alignment: Match Source and Translations

When using older TMS tools or separate tools for different content, it's hard to know if all your texts are fully translated or if recent updates in the source text are reflected across all languages. That often leads to missing or outdated translations and extra stress for the managers.

With Crowdin, you can keep all your content (product UI, documentation, help articles, and marketing materials) in one place and instantly see which languages are complete and up to date.

In order to achieve this, Crowdin needs to retain the latest version of your source content, as well as all previously translated content. This is a great concept and works super well, except for the migration. When clients switch from a traditional TMS to Crowdin, it can be difficult to upload content translations to Crowdin.

To simplify your content move to Crowdin, we've introduced a new Translation Alignment app, that uses AI to align your source and target texts as you upload translations. It makes this app the fastest way to bring existing translations into Crowdin.

Use Case: Your team is migrating from another TMS to Crowdin and needs to upload existing translations so that each source string correctly matches its translated counterpart.

How It Works: Upload your source and translated files; the app then automatically matches each source string with its corresponding target. It works even if your strings in the file are not in the right order or the number of source and target strings does not match.

To use the app, install it > choose an AI prompt. You can either use a pre-written prompt or customize your own in the AI settings.

Real-World Example: We aligned a 672-word English-to-Spanish .docx file using the GPT-4.1 model at a total cost of only €1.36.

The app supports non-key-value formats, including .md, .html, .xml, and more.

Website Context Extractor by Crowdin

Translating website content built on a Headless CMS poses the same challenges as localising a software UI. There are lots of small text segments that are often difficult to translate without knowing where they will be used on the website. The new Website Context Extractor by Crowdin solves this problem.

Think of it as Crowdin Context Harvester, but tailored for websites and headless CMS content. The app crawls your site and uses AI to provide text segments with real context, so translators or the AI itself can see how each piece fits within the full page, and instantly generates accurate, high-quality translations.

The extractor has two key components:

A website crawler that collects and maps text snippets to their actual on-page usage.
An AI-powered assistant that analyzes the content and automatically adds contextual descriptions for each string.

You can run the app in two modes:

Manual mode, where you provide a URL (to your whole website or a separate page), select an AI model (for now, we found that GPT-4.1 works the best), and customize the prompt as needed. You can also filter strings by label or date, and optionally use Request modification (for example, to let the app crawl protected pages). After extraction, you can either apply context updates instantly or review them manually.
Webhook mode that automatically triggers the agent whenever a new file is uploaded or updated in Crowdin. Here, you can also enable auto-pre-translate, so every new string is instantly enriched with context and translated.

Translation Savings Report Options: by Currency or Percentage

The Translation Savings Report in Crowdin Enterprise now has two modes: by currency or by percentage.

Previously, if a custom rate template with a set currency was chosen, savings were always shown in that currency. Now you can also calculate savings in percentages, even when no template is selected.

To do that, choose a default Net Rate Scheme, which defines how much is saved depending on match type or edit distance. For example, a 100% match now means 85% savings, while a 90% match gives 45%. More details are available in the description of the Default Net Rate Scheme.

If no template is selected, Crowdin will use this default scheme automatically, ensuring that savings are calculated correctly instead of being based on edit distance only.

Figma Plugin: New Versions and Support for Figma Buzz

We've released new versions of the Crowdin Plugin for Figma (v85-v88). These updates include improvements to string fetching, updated key naming for "Element text," a new "Skip locked elements" filter option, and several bug fixes to make localization faster and smoother.

With the launch of Figma Buzz, Crowdin now fully supports it as well. This means your brand templates and design assets can be localized immediately, helping your creative teams maintain consistency across markets.

Learn more about connecting Figma and Crowdin:

Try Crowdin Plugin for Figma

Crowdin Store

SurveyMonkey: a new app for translating surveys.
Clojure EDN: enables translation of EDN (Extensible Data Notation) files in Crowdin.
Resend.com: a new app for translating your email templates from Resend.
HelpDocs: added language mapping in app settings.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: added ignore pattern option.
Intercom: choose whether to push only published/draft translations.
Kevel: specify translatable fields for individual campaigns.
HubSpot CMS: ability to disable content segmentation.

Agile Localization Podcast with Brave, Webflow and Riskified

New episodes of the Agile Localization Podcast are live:

Brave – with Andy Andersen on scaling localization for 50+ languages.
Webflow – with Brett Domeny on building localization into a no-code platform.
Riskified – with Kim Tran on managing large-scale multilingual content efficiently.

Listen to the stories behind how these teams organize, scale, and improve their localization workflows.

Other Small Improvements and Handy Features

A few smaller updates to make localization in Crowdin more convenient:

Added native support for comments in .plist and .stringsdict files, so translators can keep full context without losing developer notes.
The Translation upload report now shows how many strings were added, approved, or skipped for each file. You'll also get a link to Service Logs with full details, including possible issues such as mismatched string IDs or missing files.
In Crowdin Enterprise, you can now select a whole project group at once, and all its projects will be included automatically.
Branch merge flow and summary are now clearer -- added, removed, and conflicting strings are shown in one view. You can also review string history, open strings for context, and labels now merge correctly between branches.
View CDN usage stats per project for better visibility and control over your resources.
Save only approved suggestions to TM via API

External Tools

GitHub Action v2.12.0 (Now outputs the pull request URL, its number, and indicates whether a new pull request was created or an existing one was reused.)
Java API Client 1.29.0, 1.30.0
Go API Client v0.17.0
.NET API Client 2.40.1
PHP API Client 1.19.0

React i18n with i18next: Expert Tutorial with Code Examples

azeem-sarwar — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

React i18n isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore; it’s something users expect. According to Global Multilingual CX Survey, 68% of people would switch to a brand that speaks their language. This means that about two out of three users might leave your app or website just because it doesn’t feel familiar.

Yet internationalization can feel messy. What library should you choose? What is the best way to structure JSON files? What about performance, plurals, RTL text, routing, and lazy loading?

This guide will show you how to set up i18next for React i18n from start to finish. Then, it shows how to scale your workflow using Crowdin, including GitHub/GitLab sync, QA checks, and Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, so you don’t rebuild for every copy change.

What You Will Learn:

Foundations: What i18n is in React, and how it prepares your code for later localization.
Library Choice: i18next vs. React-Intl - when to use which.
Hands-On: Install, configure, and ship i18next + react-i18nex with clean JSON.
Advanced: Interpolation, plurals, <Trans>, language detection, lazy loading, router.
Scale Up: Replace manual file passing with a TMS, automate with Crowdin (repo sync, translate JSON files, QA, OTA, and use AI for localization).

What is i18n in React?

Internationalization (i18n) in React means setting up your application so that it can display content in multiple languages without requiring you to rewrite the code each time you add a new language.

To set this up properly, you’ll want to:

Move all the text visible to the user out of components and into simple translation files (usually JSON).
Ensure dates, numbers, and currencies are automatically formatted to match each user’s locale.
Make sure your app supports plural forms, gender variations, and text direction (for example, right-to-left for Arabic).
Add a language switcher so people can change the app’s language whenever they want.

Once you’ve done this, your app is then ready for localization (l10n); the actual translation process can happen in parallel with your development work.

Choosing the Right React i18n Library: i18next vs. React-Intl

When you start internationalizing a React app, one of the first choices you’ll face is which i18n library to use. This decision affects flexibility, bundle size, and your overall development workflow.

Most teams narrow it down to two main options: i18next (with react-i18next) or React-Intl (FormatJS). Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison.

Criteria	i18next	React-Intl
Approach	Key-based messages in JSON and rich plugin ecosystem (detectors, backends)	ICU Message Syntax
Plurals & Interpolation	CLDR-based plurals, interpolation, `<Trans>` for rich content	ICU plurals, rich ICU formatting components
React Bindings	`useTranslation`, `<Trans>`, suspense-friendly	`<IntlProvider>`, `<FormattedMessage>`, hooks/API
Loading	Many backends (HTTP, chained, etc.), namespaces, and lazy loading	Typically bundles message JSON per locale
Ecosystem	Detectors, HTTP backends, chained fallback; massive community	Mature docs and tooling; great ICU ergonomics
Best Fit	Most React apps needing flexibility, plugins, or gradual adoption	Teams preferring strict ICU syntax and FormatJS tooling

Why i18next Is a Standard for Most Projects

Due to its scalability, flexibility, and smooth integration with react-i18next, i18next has become a favorite among React developers. With over 6.3 million weekly downloads and 9.8K stars on GitHub, it's definitely one of the most feature-rich libraries out there.

Why developers choose it:

Plugins: It's easy to add fallback logic, HTTP backends, and language detection.
Namespaces: Only load translations when required and keep them arranged by feature.
Developer Experience: The useTranslation hook feels natural in React, while <Trans> safely handles mixed markup and variables.

Together, i18next + react-i18next combine the translation engine and React bindings for a smooth, production-ready setup.

When to Consider React-Intl (FormatJS)

React-Intl, part of the FormatJS suite, uses ICU message syntax and works best for teams already using ICU across products.

You might prefer React-Intl if:

Your organization has already standardized ICU message formatting.
You want explicit message components like <FormattedMessage> for consistency.
You’re contributing to a codebase that uses FormatJS tooling.

It’s a reliable, well-documented choice, but its stricter structure can feel limiting for small or fast-moving teams.

For this guide, we will be implementing i18next. Let's get started!

Step 1: Project Setup and Installation

Installing Dependencies (`i18next`, `react-i18next`)

Before translating anything, you need a working React app and the right i18n tools. Let’s create a new project from scratch using either Vite (recommended) or Create React App, and then configure i18next for translations.

Option 1: Create a New Project with Vite (Recommended)

Vite provides faster builds, cleaner configuration, and is widely used in modern React projects.

npm create vite@latest react-i18n-demo -- --template react-ts

Option 2: Create a New Project with "Create React App"

If your team still uses Create React App, the setup looks almost the same.

npx create-react-app react-i18n-demo --template typescript

Install i18n Dependencies

Next, install the core translation engine and its React integrations.

cd react-i18n-demo
npm i i18next react-i18next i18next-browser-languagedetector i18next-http-backend

This is what each package does:

i18next is the main translation engine that handles languages, pluralization, and formatting.
React-i18next: it’s a layer just for React that has hooks like useTranslation and the <Trans> component.
i18next-browser-languagedetector: This package automatically finds out what language the user prefers using browser, cookies or localStorage.
i18next-http-backend: It gets your translation JSON files straight from /public/locales/.

Create the i18n Configuration File

Now set up i18next so it knows where to load translations and how to detect the active language.

Create a new file at src/i18n.ts and add the following code:

import i18n from "i18next";
import { initReactI18next } from "react-i18next";
import LanguageDetector from "i18next-browser-languagedetector";
import HttpBackend from "i18next-http-backend";

void i18n
  .use(HttpBackend)
  .use(LanguageDetector)
  .use(initReactI18next)
  .init({
    fallbackLng: "en",
    supportedLngs: ["en", "fr"],
    ns: ["common", "home"],
    defaultNS: "common",
    backend: { loadPath: "/locales/{{lng}}/{{ns}}.json" },
    detection: {
      order: ["querystring", "cookie", "localStorage", "navigator"],
      caches: ["localStorage", "cookie"]
    },
    interpolation: { escapeValue: false },
    react: { useSuspense: true }
  });

export default i18n;

Explanation:

fallbackLng sets a language that will be used if the main language is not available.
supportedLngs shows the languages that your app can work with.
ns (namespaces) lets you put translations into groups based on their features.
backend.loadPath tells i18next where to look for your JSON files.
escapeValue: false stops text from being double-escaped because React already does that.

Connect i18n to Your React App

Import the configuration once in your entry file so i18next initializes before your components load.

import "./i18n";
import React from "react";
import ReactDOM from "react-dom/client";
import App from "./App";

ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById("root")!).render(<App />);

Now your app is ready to use translations anywhere through useTranslation() or <Trans>.

Structuring Your JSON Translation Files

After you configure i18next in your project, it requires translation resources to function. Translations are usually stored as JSON files, with one for each language and namespace.

Inside your public directory, create a locales folder if you haven’t already.

Then add language subfolders for each supported language, such as:

Each JSON file contains key–value pairs where the key is the translation identifier, and the value is the text displayed to users. Here’s a simple example:

{
  "title": "Crowdin",
  "nav": { "home": "Home", "pricing": "Pricing" },
  "helloUser": "Hello, {{name}}!",
  "items_one": "{{count}} item",
  "items_other": "{{count}} items"
}

and

{
  "brand": "Crowdin",
  "nav": { "home": "Accueil", "pricing": "Tarifs" },
  "helloUser": "Bonjour, {{name}} !",
  "items_one": "{{count}} article",
  "items_other": "{{count}} articles"
}

Best Practices

Keep your JSON flat or only two to three levels deep. Deeply nested keys can get confusing.
Use consistent key names across all languages to prevent missing translations.
Follow pluralization rules (_one, _other, etc.). i18next automatically handles plural logic for each language.
Group related strings into namespaces like common, home, or dashboard to make it easier to load and navigate through the translations.

Once these files are in place, i18next will automatically load the correct language and namespace at runtime based on user preferences and configuration.

Step 2: Core Translation Techniques

You can start translating text in your React components now that i18next is set up.

This step is all about three important things that every React developer should know: how to use the translation hook, how to group strings into namespaces, and how to make a language switcher.

Using the useTranslation Hook for Basic Text

The useTranslation() hook is the easiest way to show translated text. It gives you access to the t() function, which finds translation keys and gives you the right text.

Here’s a quick example:

import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";

export function Header() {
  const { t } = useTranslation();

  return (
    <header>
      <h1>{t("brand")}</h1>
      <nav>
        <a href="/">{t("nav.home")}</a>
        <a href="/pricing">{t("nav.pricing")}</a>
      </nav>
    </header>
  );
}

When the language is set to English, users can see "Home" and "Pricing". When you switch to French, the text instantly changes to "Accueil" and "Tarifs" without having to reload the page.

You can also pass variables with the t() function. For instance:

<p>{t("helloUser", { name: "John" })}</p>

Renders: Hello, John!

Or in French: Bonjour, John!

Managing Namespaces for Code Splitting and Organization

As your app gets bigger, you will probably need to translate a lot of different parts, like the dashboard, settings, and navigation.

i18next lets you group translations into namespaces instead of putting them all in one big file.

For instance: public/locales/en/common.json public/locales/en/dashboard.json public/locales/fr/common.json public/locales/fr/dashboard.json

You can then tell i18next which namespaces to load for a component:

import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";

export function Dashboard() {
  const { t } = useTranslation("dashboard");

  return <h2>{t("welcomeBack", { name: "John" })}</h2>;
}

This method makes translation files smaller and allows lazy loading, so you can load only the namespaces your component needs when they are required. This makes things easier to read and faster.

Creating a Language Switcher Component

Let's now make a simple dropdown that lets users switch languages instantly. When the language changes, i18next automatically re-renders the translated content.

import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";

export function LanguageSwitcher() {
  const { i18n } = useTranslation();

  const handleChange = (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLSelectElement>) => {
    i18n.changeLanguage(event.target.value);
  };

  return (
    <select value={i18n.language} onChange={handleChange}>
      <option value="en">English</option>
      <option value="fr">Français</option>
    </select>
  );
}

Place this component anywhere in your layout, like in the footer or header. i18next automatically saves the user's choice when they switch languages (thanks to the language detector plugin) and updates all the translated text on the page.

Step 3: Handle Dynamic and Complex Content

Working with Variables and Interpolation

Most apps show changing information, such as usernames, counts, or dates. i18next uses interpolation instead of string concatenation, where values replace placeholders inside translation strings at runtime. public/locales/en/common.json

{
  "welcomeUser": "Welcome back, {{name}}!",
  "unreadMessages": "You have {{count}} unread messages."
}

Usage in component:

import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";


export function DashboardHeader({ name, count }: { name: string; count: number }) {
  const { t } = useTranslation("common");


  return (
    <>
      <h2>{t("welcomeUser", { name })}</h2>
      <p>{t("unreadMessages", { count })}</p>
    </>
  );
}

i18next automatically replaces the {{name}} and {{count}} placeholders. This way, you can pass any variable, including strings, numbers, and even values that are already formatted (like dates).

How to Implement Pluralization Correctly

Different languages have different rules for plurals. You may only need singular and plural forms in English, but in other languages, there can be many more.

i18next knows which forms to use for each locale because it follows the CLDR standard.

{
  "task_one": "{{count}} task remaining",
  "task_other": "{{count}} tasks remaining"
}

and

{
  "task_one": "{{count}} tâche restante",
  "task_other": "{{count}} tâches restantes"
}

Usage:

<p>{t("task", { count: 1 })}</p>   // → “1 task remaining”
<p>{t("task", { count: 5 })}</p>   // → “5 tasks remaining”

No need to write if-else statements by hand; i18next chooses the right plural form based on the language and the count.

Translating HTML and React Components with the `<Trans>` Component

When you need to translate text that has links, bold text, or inline React elements in it, string concatenation or dangerouslySetInnerHTML would be messy and unsafe. That's why i18next has the <Trans> component just for this.

{
  "welcomeMessage": "Welcome to <1>Crowdin</1>, <2>{{name}}</2>!"
}

Usage:

import { Trans } from "react-i18next";

export function Welcome({ name }: { name: string }) {
  return (
    <p>
      <Trans i18nKey="welcomeMessage" values={{ name }}>
        Welcome to <strong>Crowdin</strong>, <span>{name}</span>!
      </Trans>
    </p>
  );
}

How it works:

The <Trans> component takes the numbered tags (<1>, <2>, etc.) in your translation string and replaces them with the matching React elements in your code. You can keep your text in translation files and still control how it looks in JSX this way.

Building a Production-Ready Workflow

The Bottleneck of Manual File Management

It may seem easy to manage translations in a React app at first. You just need to keep a few JSON files in your /locales folder, send them to a translator, and add the new strings when they are ready. But as your app grows and more people work on the same codebase, manual localization quickly turns into a mess.

This is what happens when teams get bigger:

Developers share .json files back and forth through email or chat.
Translators work on outdated copies while engineers add new keys.
Git merges lead to conflicts and missing translations.

Every little change to the UI makes developers have to re-export files, change language codes, and recheck keys. There is no central visibility, so no one knows which translations are missing, outdated, or still needed.

Another big problem is that translators often don't have enough context to do their jobs properly. Since they usually don't know where a string is being used in your React components or what kind of element it is, like a button, heading, or tooltip. This often leads to the wrong tone or text that doesn't fit.

That’s exactly the kind of problem a Translation Management System (TMS) like Crowdin is built to solve.

Automate Your React i18n Workflow with a TMS

A TMS replaces your manual file management with an automated, centralized workflow. Instead of sharing JSON files via email, you connect your repository once, and Crowdin syncs everything for you.

Crowdin is a modern localization software built for continuous integration. It detects new translation keys automatically, provides translators with context-aware interfaces, and pushes completed translations back to GitHub or GitLab with zero manual steps.

This kind of automation makes your React i18n setup truly production-ready. Whether you need to translate JSON files or manage entire front-end frameworks, Crowdin keeps your localization pipeline as automated as your deployment workflow.

You can even use AI for translation to speed up your project while still allowing human review and QA checks.

Connect Your GitHub or GitLab Repository for Continuous Localization

It only takes a few minutes to set up continuous localization with Crowdin:

Use Crowdin GitHub or GitLab integration to connect your repository.
Pick branches to track, for example, main and develop.
Add translation paths such as /src/locales/en/common.json.
Enable two-way sync so that Crowdin can automatically get new keys and send translated files back to the repo as es.json, fr.json, and so on.

Now, when you push a change to your React project repository, Crowdin will automatically update the translation project for the translators. And once they are done, Crowdin automatically opens a pull request with the new files. You don't have to upload files by hand or guess what to do.

How a TMS Empowers Translators with In-Context Tools

Translators often work blind. They see keys like welcome.title and button.submit, but not the page those strings belong to.

Crowdin’s In-Context Localization Tool overcomes this issue. It injects a live translation layer into your React app, which lets translators see and change text right on the UI they are translating.

This method makes it less likely that there will be mistakes in tone, layout, and gender/plural use. It also makes translation reviews go faster because every change is checked against the context. The result is fewer bugs, faster releases, and a better user experience across all languages.

<Aside type="tip"> Want to see how In-Context feature works? Visit our Demo page. </Aside>

How to Use Crowdin to Manage and Translate JSON Files

Crowdin works with i18next JSON structures right out of the box. It can find new keys on its own and connect them to the languages in your project. Meaning that there is no need to edit by hand.

Example JSON file:

{
  "welcome": {
    "title": "Welcome to our app",
    "description": "Start exploring your dashboard below."
  },
  "actions": {
    "getStarted": "Get Started"
  }
}

Crowdin syncs the translation dashboard when a new string is added. Translators can then use the web interface to make changes, and the system will send the new JSON files back to your repository.

Because Crowdin understands the React i18n ecosystem, you can also add advanced language features:

React i18n changes the language dynamically, so you can use i18next.changeLanguage() to switch languages right away.
Use a React i18n language detector to find the user's locale automatically.
Use React i18n get current language to get the current locale.
Use React i18n lazy loading to load translations only when needed to speed things up.
Use React Router i18n to make sure that changes to the language are reflected in the URL structure (example.com/en/dashboard).

This process makes sure that every string in your React app is always up to date, translated in context, and sent to users without you ever having to touch a JSON file again.

Also, watch this 5-minute demo showing a React website plugged into a real localization pipeline created by our community.

Advanced React i18n Techniques

Integrating i18n with React Router for Localized URLs

When using React Router, you can add the language code directly in the URL. For example, https://example.com/en/dashboard. This makes sure that each route knows what language it is in and helps with SEO.

import { BrowserRouter, Routes, Route, useParams } from "react-router-dom";
import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";

function Dashboard() {
  const { lang } = useParams();
  const { t, i18n } = useTranslation();

  // React i18n change language dynamically
  useEffect(() => {
    i18n.changeLanguage(lang);
  }, [lang, i18n]);

  return <h1>{t("dashboard.title")}</h1>;
}

export default function App() {
  return (
    <BrowserRouter>
      <Routes>
        <Route path="/:lang/dashboard" element={<Dashboard />} />
      </Routes>
    </BrowserRouter>
  );
}

This setup makes it so that the language changes automatically when the user goes to a different language path. You can also use the React i18n language detector plugin to automatically set the preferred locale.

Best Practices for Lazy Loading Translation Files

Use React i18n lazy loading with i18next-http-backend. To stop loading all the language bundles at once.

import i18n from "i18next";
import { initReactI18next } from "react-i18next";
import HttpApi from "i18next-http-backend";

i18n
  .use(HttpApi)
  .use(initReactI18next)
  .init({
    lng: "en",
    fallbackLng: "en",
    backend: {
      loadPath: "/locales/{{lng}}/{{ns}}.json"
    },
    react: { useSuspense: true }
  });

export default i18n;

This setup only downloads translation files when the user changes languages. Use React Suspense with it to show a fallback UI while loading.

React Native i18n

Key Differences in Setup for Mobile Apps

Using i18n in React Native is similar to using it in React for the web, but there are some important differences. Unlike web projects, there’s no /public/locales folder or static file hosting in mobile apps. Instead, translation JSON files are either:

Bundled directly with the app at build time, or
Downloaded remotely from a server or TMS like Crowdin.

Instead of using the browser settings, React Native looks at the device settings to figure out what language the user wants to use. react-native-localize and react-i18next are the two most common tools for this.

Here's a simple example of how to set things up:

import i18n from "i18next";
import { initReactI18next } from "react-i18next";
import * as RNLocalize from "react-native-localize";

import en from "./locales/en.json";
import fr from "./locales/fr.json";

const resources = {
  en: { translation: en },
  fr: { translation: fr }
};

i18n.use(initReactI18next).init({
  compatibilityJSON: "v3",
  resources,
  lng: RNLocalize.getLocales()[0].languageCode, // auto-detect device language
  fallbackLng: "en",
  interpolation: { escapeValue: false }
});

export default i18n;

This setup makes sure that the app automatically matches the user's system language when it starts up. If that language isn't supported, it will fall back to English.

Using the Crowdin React Native SDK for Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates

It can take a long time for app stores to approve and publish mobile releases, which means updating translations can take a long time and cost a lot of money.

The Crowdin OTA JavaScript Client fixes this by letting you send Over-the-Air (OTA) translation updates. This means you can send new or fixed translations right away without having to resubmit your app.

To get started:

Install the Crowdin OTA JavaScript Client.
Initialize it with your project’s distribution hash.
Use the client's methods to fetch translation strings at runtime.

import OtaClient from "@crowdin/ota-client";

// 1. Initialize the client
const client = new OtaClient({
  distributionHash: "your-distribution-hash" // Additional options like language detection or custom CDN URL can be passed here
});

// 2. Fetch translations for a specific locale (e.g., 'en')
client
  .getStringsByLocale("en")
  .then((translations) => {
    // 'translations' is an object of key-value pairs for the requested locale
    console.log("Translations successfully fetched via OTA:", translations); // You would then integrate 'translations' with your chosen i18n library (e.g., i18next, react-intl)
    // Example: i18nInstance.addResourceBundle('en', 'translation', translations);
  })
  .catch((error) => {
    console.error("Failed to fetch OTA translations:", error);
  });

Localization is now always happening with OTA updates. Translators can send updates straight from Crowdin, and users will get the most recent translations the next time they open your app. There are no delays in the store or having to rebuild.

Conclusion

Most teams start by handling translation files by hand, adding JSONs, switching languages, and testing each screen by hand. At first, this method works, but as your app gets bigger and you add more languages, it becomes harder to keep up with.

That's where automation comes in handy. You can automate repetitive tasks by linking your project to a Management System (TMS) like Crowdin. This will give you a continuous localization workflow with version control sync, in-context translation, and Over-the-Air (OTA) updates for mobile.

To put it simply, great localization isn't just about the code. It's also about making a system that can grow, be updated easily, and speak the language of your users as soon as they open your app.

Additional Resources

FAQs

What is i18n in React?

In React, i18n stands for "internationalization", which means getting your app ready to work in more than one language and region. You save text in translation files (usually JSON) instead of hardcoding it into components. Then, at runtime, you use a library like i18next to show the text in the right language.

How to set up i18n in React?

To set up i18n in React:

Install i18next and react-i18next.
Create JSON files for translation (for example, /public/locales/en/common.json).
Initialize and configure i18next in src/i18n.ts.
In your app’s entry file, import the i18next config file
Use the useTranslation() hook or <Trans> component to display translated text.

The i18next React documentation has a full guide on how to set things up.

How to implement i18n in React?

There are three main steps to putting it into action:

Install i18next, react-i18next, and optional plugins like i18next-http-backend and i18next-browser-languagedetector.
Create your translation files in the /public/locales folder
In your React components, use the t() function to show strings that are specific to your language.

What is the best React i18n library?

i18next is the leading option in the industry (used with react-i18next). It supports lazy loading, plurals, interpolation, and language detection.

There are also other libraries:

React-Intl (FormatJS) uses ICU message syntax and integrates well with enterprise systems.
i18n-js is a simpler, lighter option that is often used in React Native apps.

React i18next vs i18n-js

Both libraries can help you make your React and React Native apps more localized, but they are not as flexible as each other:

react-i18next has advanced features like namespaces, HTTP backends, suspense integration, and compatibility with Crowdin.
i18n-js is a lightweight tool that works well for small or mobile projects that only need basic translation.

Choose react-i18next if you care about scalability and automation. i18n-js is a good choice for quick setups.

What is the best software for React localization?

The best React localization software is Crowdin, a full-featured Translation Management System (TMS). It automates your i18n workflow with:

Syncing repositories for GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
In-context editing for translators
Over-the-Air (OTA) updates for React Native
AI-assisted translations and QA checks

Crowdin takes care of file handling automatically, making it easier for developers to scale localization.

Hyper-Localization and Language Growth Managers at Brave

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When you think of Brave, you probably picture the privacy-first browser taking on Big Tech. But behind the headlines about ad-blocking and crypto-rewards, another kind of innovation is quietly transforming how Brave reaches over 100 million users across more than 50 languages.

That story starts with Andy Andersen, Brave’s Growth Product Manager for International Expansion, who's redefining what it means to scale global experiences in the age of AI. In his conversation with Stefan Huyghe on The Agile Localization Podcast by Crowdin, Andy shares how his team is weaving AI into localization to supercharge linguists' impact.

Listen to the new episode on:

Engineering Global Growth

Andy isn't your typical localization manager. With a decade of experience spanning both LSPs and tech giants like Tinder and Match Group, he approaches localization like a product problem, balancing growth, scalability, and user empathy.

At Brave, his mission is to help millions of users feel at home in the browser, regardless of where they live or what language they speak.

<Blockquote footer="Andy Andersen, Growth Product Manager of International Expansion at Brave"> We have roughly over 50 languages in our product. That scale alone means you can’t just throw more people at the problem. You have to build smarter systems. </Blockquote>

To handle that scale, they needed AI.

AI as a Tool, Not a Magic Switch

Andy's take on AI in localization is refreshingly pragmatic. He laughs at the idea that integrating an LLM is as easy as flipping a switch.

<Blockquote footer="Andy Andersen, Growth Product Manager of International Expansion at Brave"> There’s this tendency to think that you just open up the API key, attach it to your workflow, and let it go. That’s not a good approach. You need guardrails. </Blockquote>

At Brave, those guardrails start with content segmentation, carefully deciding which types of content benefit most from automation. Long-form website copy? Perfect for AI-assisted workflows. UI strings and paywall messaging? Still firmly in human hands.

The key is in prompt engineering. Brave builds custom prompts tailored to each content type and language. A JSON file might require a different AI setup than a marketing landing page, and every model is paired with a glossary, tone guidelines, and review process.

This thoughtful structure ensures that AI enhances speed and efficiency without compromising consistency. Otherwise, you'll spend more money on human review than you save on automation.

Speed Meets Scale

When used strategically, AI accelerates Brave's localization cycle. What once took a week can now be done in a day or two thanks to human review.

Andy points to Brave's massive website as a perfect example. Scaling that kind of long-form content manually would not be really cost-effective. Now, with prompt-driven automation and human review, Brave turns around new languages faster than ever before.

Why the Future Belongs to Language Growth Managers

Perhaps Andy's most interesting innovation isn't technical at all, but organizational. At Tinder, he built teams of Language Managers who served as bridges between in-market teams, HQ, and external vendors. At Brave, he's evolved that idea into a new role: the Language Growth Manager (LGM).

Think of an LGM as a mini-CEO for their language. As Andy explains, "My goal is for each Language Growth Manager to think like a growth strategist. They’re not just translating words. They’re asking, How do we grow this product for users who speak my language?"

That shift empowers linguists to analyze app-store performance, test conversion-rate hypotheses, and even propose UX copy changes that drive engagement. It transforms localization from a cost center into a growth engine.

Making Products Feel Native

Beyond speed and structure, Andy's team is obsessed with hyper-localization, making Brave feel like it was built for each market from the ground up.

That means going beyond literal translation to capture cultural tone, humor, and idiomatic nuance. "If something doesn't make sense, don't just translate it word-for-word. You actually want it natively written."

Hyper-localization also extends to app-store optimization (ASO), where Andy's team experiments with localized screenshots, keywords, and messaging in order to resonate with each market's preferences.

Final Thoughts From Andy

For all his enthusiasm about AI, Andy is clear about one thing: the technology is only as powerful as the people behind it.

<Blockquote footer="Andy Andersen, Growth Product Manager of International Expansion at Brave"> AI is not necessarily gonna replace people per se. I think it's gonna create specialists, people who are able to use the tools and leverage the tools to be much more efficient and highly specific in their training field. </Blockquote>

At Brave, those specialists are shaping the future of multilingual communication, combining data, creativity, and empathy to build experiences that feel personal to everyone, everywhere.

And if Andy has his way, the term Language Growth Manager might just become the new gold standard for global teams everywhere.

Andy’s Background

Andy Andersen is the Growth Product Manager of International Expansion at Brave, where he leads localization strategies across more than 50 languages for a user base exceeding 100 million. With over a decade of experience in the localization industry, including significant roles at Tinder and Speechify, Andy specializes in building sustainable international growth programs and scaling localization workflows. He has pioneered innovative approaches to team management, including the development of the Language Growth Manager role, which transforms traditional linguistic positions into strategic growth-focused roles.

Listen to the new episode on:

Vector Cloud: Use Brand Context for Better AI Translations

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In localization, context is king. But what if your most valuable brand context – the nuances, the terminology, the single creative phrases – was locked away? For too long, your AI models couldn't fully use that data.

Previously, we've relied on traditional Translation Memory (TM) fuzzy matches, often overlooking anything below 50% or even 10% similarity. Those “tiny matches” contain critical stylistic and terminological clues, but they rarely get displayed or used in our workflows.

Crowdin's new Vector Cloud app is here to change that, transforming AI translations, by enabling ai to use the most of available context.

In the fourth episode of Crowdin Power Up, host Stefan Huyghe and AI localization expert Dorota Pawlak dived into Vector Cloud. They demonstrated exactly what this is, how to set it up, and how to work with it to transform your AI translation workflows.

The Magic Pot of Context

Vector Cloud is a powerful new tool that uses a vector database to provide semantic, context-aware input to your AI translation models. It’s like a "magic pot". You can throw in any text you think might be useful – and the AI will pull out the relevant data to improve your new translations.

What makes it revolutionary?

Instead of just looking for exact string similarities, Vector Cloud uses semantic vector search. It understands the meaning and context of your content, retrieving relevant examples even if the text overlap is minimal.
You can upload any text file to Vector Cloud:
- Parallel texts
- Style guides (as a reference, even if they aren't a standard TM)
- Reference documents, even if they are monolingual
- Any other texts, even those with just a few important words or phrases.
By feeding the AI your preferred style, you make your translations more consistent with previously created content, matching terminology and tone. As our demos show, this also helps to generate more creative and fluent translations that go beyond the literal.

How does the Vector Cloud app work?

We'll try to answer this question as simply as possible, starting with the initial steps:

You send source content to the Vector Cloud app.
The application processes the files.
Embedding Provider (AI) processes the content.
Vectors are stored in a Vector Database.

When you use the AI Assistant or AI pre-translate in Crowdin, it triggers Vector Cloud. How it looks:

User interacts with Crowdin to do an AI-related action.
Vector Cloud searches the Vector Database. It’s looking to find the most relevant stored vectors.
The most similar historical content is fetched.
The app includes the found content and adds the result to the action.
The AI Assistant or AI pre-translate leverages that context to provide a more informed and accurate output.

That’s how this process can be visualised:

Now let’s move to the practical examples.

Vector Cloud in Action: Translation & QA

We've seen Vector Cloud in two compelling scenarios:

1. Improving AI Pre-translation

Without Vector Cloud, Agentic AI, while smart, can sometimes produce translations that are too literal.

For instance, translating "enjoy a home that adapts to you" for a smart home app literally might miss your brand’s creativity.

Before Vector Cloud: The translation was literal, missing the desired creative tone.
With Vector Cloud: By adding a style guide and target-language-only reference documents (showing the preferred style), the Agentic AI produced a translation that was more creative and natural-sounding, like “your home will become a space adapted to you”, perfectly aligning with the unique style guide.

2. Adjusting AI-Based Quality Assurance (QA)

Creative translations often trigger false positives in traditional QA checks because the AI is trained to flag literal deviations. Vector Cloud lets you fine-tune the QA process in the opposite direction.

Before Vector Cloud: An AI QA check flagged a translation that used the word "song" instead of "playlist" as inaccurate (even if the creative translation was approved in the brand's style guide).
With Vector Cloud: By uploading a reference text and a style guide that says to be "creative and transcreate", the AI model learned the desired style. When the QA check ran again, it found no issues, correctly marking the creative translation as accurate.

So now you can tell the AI "My text has to be creative", virtually eliminating false error flags on creative translations.

Get Started: Setting Up Vector Cloud

It's simple to bring this power to your projects:

Install the App: Find and install the Vector Cloud app from the Crowdin App Store.
Configure Embedding Provider: In the settings, add your API key for an embedding provider (like OpenAI) under the Extensions tab.
Content Sources: Select which existing Translation Memories and Glossaries you want to sync automatically.
Data Synchronization: Enable "Sync now" so any new entries in your TMs/Glossaries are automatically updated in Vector Cloud, keeping your context fresh.
Enhance AI Prompts: Enable the feature to let the vector database look through your data, pick the most relevant context (meaning, not just words), and add these extra clues to the Agentic AI prompt. This ensures the AI output matches your brand's preferred terminology, tone, or phrasing.
Upload Documents: Upload up to 10 custom files – style guides, manuals, parallel texts, etc. Supported formats include PDF, DOCX, CSV, and more.

What This Means for You

Vector Cloud is a huge shift in the localization world. For linguists, Vector Cloud lets you finally put your unique creative expertise to work with AI. You’re not just correcting literal errors anymore – you're the creative director, guiding the AI with all your knowledge and style preferences.

Product Localization: Strategies to Be Known Worldwide

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know that 76% of global consumers prefer to buy products that provide information in their native language, according to CSA Research? Brands seeking to expand globally should keep this in mind.

While many companies still believe an English version or simple translation is enough, the reality is different. A single-language product is invisible to the majority of the world’s users. You must localize your product for each target market.

Product localization requires a clear, strategic plan that combines:

technical readiness
cultural intelligence
workflow automation with AI localization tools

We’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of successfully localizing digital products. The guide will help your business stand out among local competitors. We will go over statistics, examples, and strategies you can add to your work processes today.

What Is Product Localization?

Product localization is a process of adapting a product to tailor it to the culture and language of international markets. Almost 80% of the global audience is not fluent in English. This makes localization essential for reaching a broader range of potential customers.

Digital product localization includes more than the translation process. Changing visuals and altering operating systems are also a part of creating a successfully localized product. The aim is to create a product tailored for the target market. A product that resonates with local values and connects with customers on a deeper level.

Localization is an ongoing process. It involves adapting the product to:

changes in market conditions
preferences of target customers

An effective product localization strategy ensures that the product meets the needs of the new market, creating a more meaningful connection with consumers.

Product Localization vs Internationalization (i18n) vs Translation

The translation process focuses on converting written content into foreign languages, maintaining the original meaning. Product localization involves adapting a product to meet the cultural and contextual needs of a target market.

Key differences include:

The main goal of translation is to convert written content into foreign languages, maintaining the original meaning (linguistic accuracy).
Localization (l10n) manages the entire process, including user experience, visuals, and cultural relevance. Localized content must consider language differences, cultural sensitivities, legal regulations, and other preferences.
Internationalization (i18n) is the process of designing and developing products to be adaptable to various languages and cultures before localization begins. For example, creating flexible code is key. It should allow easy future software localization for the new markets.

A product localization strategy integrates translation, internationalization, and localization. It helps to create a product that feels native to each target market.

4 Pillars of an Effective Product Localization Process

Effective product localization consists of four essential components:

Cultural and linguistic localization
Technical localization
Visual and UX localization
Compliance with legal regulations

Each component plays an important role. These pillars guarantee that the product resonates with new markets.

Pillar 1: Cultural and Linguistic Localization

Cultural and linguistic localization creates alignment with the local customs and norms of idioms, tone, and references.

Goal: Create a product that feels natural to the audience. Respecting cultural sensitivities and adapting expressions is vital. It helps companies prevent misunderstandings and build stronger user engagement.

Solution: Crowdin’s integrated glossaries and Agentic AI help linguists maintain the correct tone and reference established terminology, ensuring consistency across all language variants. This often requires a dedicated Localization Manager to oversee the process.

Pillar 2: Technical Localization and Internationalization

Technical adaptation is another vital pillar. It makes certain that the product is functionally ready for global markets.

Internationalization requires creating flexible code that can handle text expansion (preparing layouts for 20–30% text difference), diverse character encoding, and correct formatting for dates, times, and currencies (using ISO standards).
Crowdin Solution: Use tools like Crowdin’s CLI and integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Azure Repos. Such tools help automate the continuous synchronization of source files and translations, eliminating manual file management for developers and ensuring technical readiness at all times.

Here are some extra important parts of technical adaptation:

Optimizing performance to meet the bandwidth and infrastructure capabilities of different regions.
Testing the product for functionality in various languages. It is important to identify and resolve any issues that could arise from localization.

Pillar 3: Visual and UX Localization

User interface designs must be flexible. Key considerations for designing localized UI include:

Text expansion to make sure the product remains appealing and functional across multiple languages.
Localizing images, colors, and icons to match cultural preferences.
Enhancing user engagement by making the product feel more familiar and intuitive to local audiences.

Crowdin Focus: Crowdin’s design tool plugins Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD allow designers to test translated text directly within their mockups. In-Context Preview and Screenshot Tagging give translators the visual context they need to prevent translations from breaking the user interface.

Remember to tailor user experience design to local preferences. This adaptation also includes adjusting user flows, navigation logic, and interaction patterns to align with regional user expectations and reading norms (e.g., right-to-left languages).

Pillar 4: Legal and Regulatory Localization

Localizing products requires adherence to local laws. This pillar also includes regulations on data privacy and consumer rights. This is especially important when discussing intellectual property and advertising standards. Covering compliance with:

Local laws
Privacy policies (like GDPR)
Payment methods
Advertising standards, etc.

Crowdin Focus: Crowdin's advanced security measures, including ISO/IEC 27001 certification and GDPR compliance measures (including optional EU data centers for Crowdin Enterprise users), provide a secure environment for processing sensitive localization data.

Benefits of Implementing a Product Localization Strategy

Product localization strategy helps meet diverse market requirements and improve usability for target consumers. A well-implemented localization strategy can lead to a faster market introduction. This results in greater revenue and heightened customer satisfaction.

1. Removing Language and Cultural Barriers

Product localization offers several benefits:

Removes language and cultural barriers, strengthening the connection with the customer.
Cultural adaptation can prevent negative perceptions and increase customer acceptance of the product.
Integrating localization early in development. It shortens the timeline for entering new markets and improves acceptance rates.

Providing multilingual customer support is key to customer retention and enhances trust. Addressing cultural differences and preferences is vital. This way, the localization strategy ensures that the product resonates with the target audience’s identity and norms. As a result, it creates a more meaningful connection with consumers.

2. Accelerating Time to Market

Build in localization early for faster product releases. Align product development processes with market needs from the start. A common mistake is to begin the localization process too late.

Early integration of product localization can reduce time to market. This allows businesses to capture new target markets in an efficient way. We'll discuss design-stage localization later in the article.

3. Increasing Customer Base and Revenue

Product localization offers several benefits:

Increases customer base and satisfaction across diverse regions.
Makes products more relatable and easier for customers to understand. Result - increasing amount of sales.
Multiplies app downloads across different regions through app localization.
Boosts revenues by tailoring products to local standards.

By connecting localization benefits directly to core business metrics (e.g., increased revenue, reduced churn), companies can see measurable proof of its impact on global growth.

Types of Product Localization

While the principles of localization remain universal, the specifics vary depending on the type of product.

1. Software and SaaS Localization

Software and SaaS localization involves:

Modifying user interface elements
Ensuring compatibility with different cultural formats, like currencies and date styles

Effective SaaS localization requires adapting software products to fit the cultural, linguistic, and regulatory needs of specific markets. This process goes beyond linguistic localization.

Best practices for software localization include:

Using separate resource files for different languages. This process helps simplify management and avoid hard-coded elements.
Testing and quality assurance should be integrated from the start. It provides valuable insights and allows for the identification of issues early. This guarantees the final product works without any technical errors.

2. Mobile App Localization

Mobile app localization extends to:

UI text
Onboarding processes
Optimizing the mobile app store presence

This process involves not only linguistic localization. Adjusting app functionalities to meet local user preferences and regulations is also essential.

Here are the key points of app localization:

Designing with flexible text space. Different languages can vary in length, which may impact the app’s layout.
Localizing the app store listing. Localize your keywords and app descriptions. That leads to improved visibility and discovery in new markets.
Providing context to translators. This improves translation quality by allowing users to see how text fits within the app’s user interface.
Automating the localization process. It can help maintain quality and speed up workflows by integrating with the app’s codebase.

3. Website and Web App Localization

Website localization focuses on creating a UX that feels tailored to new markets. The process includes:

Language adjustments
Layout adaptations
Adapting content, visuals, and navigation

Effective website localization (the foundation of successful ecommerce localization) can enhance the likelihood of users making purchases by communicating in their native language.

Localizing user experience (UX) involves:

Adapting website design elements to meet the preferences of international users.
Testing localized websites. The process ensures that translations are accurate and that the UI functions properly for different languages.
Automating the localization process. An all-in-one localization platform can improve operations and cut errors by integrating with various multilingual Content Management Systems. For a practical example, see our guide on website translation with Crowdin.

6-Step Product Localization Workflow

The product localization process requires careful planning. An effective localization workflow involves several steps in this complex process:

Step 1: Define Your Global Strategy and Conduct Market Research

Start by establishing a clear global market strategy:

Identifying specific target markets. It allows them to tailor products to local preferences and regulations in the new market.
Conducting in-depth market research. It helps identify cultural nuances and consumer behaviors essential for targeted localization.
Understanding local competition and market dynamics. This is crucial to positioning a product in new regions.

Defining your global business strategy should be the first step in the localization process. It helps create a foundation for a localization process, adaptable to international markets.

Step 2: Localize at the Design Stage

Incorporating localization from the beginning of the design process is a must. It makes collaboration among designers, developers, and translators more effective.

Integrating localization during the design phase means translating user interfaces even before development. This way, you already get localized prototypes. Companies adopting design-stage localization can experience up to 90% faster feature rollout.

Crowdin plugins for Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD allow designers to preview localized UI and sync content without leaving their design tool. This helps create flexible designs that are ready for foreign languages from the outset.

Moreover, such an approach helps prevent costly design errors by ensuring easy UI adjustments based on translated text.

Gather feedback from user testing in native languages early in the development cycle. This will also help improve the user experience.

Step 3: Centralize and Automate with a Translation Management System

A Translation Management System (TMS) provides a centralized platform for managing translations. It optimizes translation efforts by:

Automating repetitive tasks
Improving translation consistency
Boosting translator productivity

Implementing a TMS like Crowdin can provide several advantages:

It can decrease project timelines by over 50% by automating manual tasks and enabling continuous localization.
Customizable and complex workflows help project managers efficiently set up, orchestrate, and track every stage of the translation process, including Source Text Review and QA.
Help cut scattered communication by consolidating all localization in one platform.

Step 4: Translate with Full Context

Localization requires adjusting idioms, humor, and cultural nuances to align with local expectations and preferences. To successfully handle this complexity, translators require full context, which is where Crowdin's advanced tools are unmatched.

You can choose from:

In-context preview: See exactly how the text fits into the live application or website.
Screenshot tagging: Links text strings directly to their location on product images for instant context.
Context Harvester: Gets contextual data from your codebase to enrich strings.
Agentic AI: Provides highly relevant, context-aware ai translation suggestions.

Choose from 10 AI providers to create a quick pre-translation draft. The translator's job is now to review translations and focus on true product localization.

To maintain quality, Crowdin equips translators with essential review tools:

Translation Memory (TM) & Glossaries instantly reuse approved phrases and manage official terminology across all projects.
Use Agentic AI to do complex tasks such as adjusting the tone of voice across the entire project or automatically adapting long text strings to fit UI limits.
In-Editor QA Checks automatically flag errors like typos or excessive text length, helping translators catch mistakes before approval.
Real-time Collaboration lets teams leave comments directly on the string, eliminating email chains and speeding up problem-solving.

With these integrated features, translators are no longer working in the dark. This improves the quality and speed of business translations.

Step 5: Perform Linguistic and Functional Quality Assurance (QA)

Linguistic quality assurance (LQA) checks the translation's accuracy, grammar, and cultural relevance to ensure a great user experience. Crowdin supports advanced LQA checks that automatically flag linguistic errors and adjust the project's tone.

Functional testing validates that localized content maintains usability. Additionally, verifying that user interface elements work as intended across all languages.

Don't forget about a well-defined style guide. It helps to maintain consistent terminology and brand voice across all translations.

Step 6: Launch the Product to a New Market and Iterate

The initial launch is just the start; successful localization is a continuous process.

Targeted Marketing: Launch localized campaigns to introduce the product to the new market.
Feedback & Iteration: Keep collecting user feedback after launching. This helps you refine features and verify that the product meets the local audience's preferences.
Continuous Localization: Use CI/CD integration to guarantee that all updates and new content are available in all target languages instantly.

Stay responsive to market changes and consumer preferences. This allows businesses to secure the long-term success of their localized products.

Extending Localization Beyond the Product

When a product speaks the local language, customers trust it more, leading to stronger loyalty. Extending localization beyond the product itself involves:

integrating localized content with various systems
ensuring that all customer touchpoints are relevant to the local culture

Integrating with Content Management Systems

Integrating with a Content Management System (CMS) is useful for synchronizing all multilingual web content. Crowdin acts as a central hub, providing integrations with top CMSs. These integrations help to avoid manual file transfers and guarantee that users receive consistent, up-to-date information across all languages.

<CardGrid columns={3}> <AppCard title="Contentstack" href="https://store.crowdin.com/contentstack" imgSrc="contentstack-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Contentful" href="https://store.crowdin.com/contentful" imgSrc="contentful-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Storyblok" href="https://store.crowdin.com/storyblok" imgSrc="storyblok-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Hygraph" href="https://store.crowdin.com/hygraph" imgSrc="hygraph-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Zapier" href="https://store.crowdin.com/zapier" imgSrc="zapier-icon-new.jpeg" /> <AppCard title="DatoCMS" href="https://store.crowdin.com/datocms" imgSrc="datocms-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="ButterCMS" href="https://store.crowdin.com/buttercms" imgSrc="butter-cms-app-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Prismic" href="https://store.crowdin.com/prismic-localization" imgSrc="prismic.svg" /> <AppCard title="Webflow" href="https://store.crowdin.com/webflow" imgSrc="webflow-logo.png" /> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/categories/cms" target="_blank"> More applications here </a> </CardGrid>

CMS localization involves adapting a wide range of content, including:

Long-Form Content: Blog posts, articles, and technical documentation. The core of content localization efforts.
Website UI Elements: Headers, navigation menus, and button labels.
Search Optimization: Page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt-text (metadata).

Effective localization requires this level of integration to maintain content quality and avoid inconsistencies across different local versions.

Localizing Marketing Materials

Adapting marketing messages is highly important for a product localization strategy. A tagline that works in one country can be meaningless in another.

To maximize your impact in a new market, focus on:

Adaptation: Sometimes you need a new brand identity, slogan, or entire campaign to connect strongly with local consumers.
Research: Dig deep with market research to truly understand local slang, humor, and consumer preferences.

It’s easy to manage your multilingual marketing (including all website copy, campaigns, and emails) inside Crowdin, which automatically synchronizes content with your marketing automation tools.

<CardGrid columns={3}> <AppCard title="ActiveCampaign" href="https://store.crowdin.com/activecampaign" imgSrc="activecamp-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Braze" href="https://store.crowdin.com/braze-app" imgSrc="braze-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="MailChimp" href="https://store.crowdin.com/mailchimp-app" imgSrc="mailchimp-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Iterable" href="https://store.crowdin.com/iterable-app" imgSrc="iterable-app-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="HubSpot" href="https://store.crowdin.com/hubspot-app" imgSrc="hubspot-cms-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Marketo" href="https://store.crowdin.com/marketo-app" imgSrc="marketo_app_logo.png" /> <AppCard title="SendGrid" href="https://store.crowdin.com/sendgrid-app" imgSrc="sendgrid-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Brevo" href="https://store.crowdin.com/brevo" imgSrc="brevo-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Sendpulse" href="https://store.crowdin.com/sendpulse" imgSrc="sendpulse-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Constant Contact" href="https://store.crowdin.com/constantcontact" imgSrc="constant_contact.png" /> <AppCard title="Moosend" href="https://store.crowdin.com/moosend" imgSrc="moosend.png" /> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/categories/marketing" target="_blank"> More applications here </a> </CardGrid>

Supporting Localized Customer Service

Customer service is often the critical stage for building long-term loyalty. When a user runs into a problem, providing support in their native language can be more useful.

Providing customer service in local language offers several benefits:

Builds trust and long-term relationships with customers.
Ensures that customers feel understood and valued.
Speeds the resolution of the problem.
Improves the experience with the product.

<CardGrid columns={3}> <AppCard title="Document360" href="https://store.crowdin.com/document360" imgSrc="document360-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Zendesk Guide" href="https://store.crowdin.com/zendesk-guide" imgSrc="zendesk.png" /> <AppCard title="Intercom" href="https://store.crowdin.com/intercom-app" imgSrc="intercom-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Freshdesk" href="https://store.crowdin.com/freshdesk" imgSrc="freshdesk.png" /> <AppCard title="Salesforce Knowledge" href="https://store.crowdin.com/salesforce-knowledge" imgSrc="salesforce-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Help Scout" href="https://store.crowdin.com/helpscout" imgSrc="helpscout-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Paligo" href="https://store.crowdin.com/paligo" imgSrc="paligo-app-logo.png" /> <AppCard title="Zoho Desk" href="https://store.crowdin.com/zoho-desk" imgSrc="zoho-articles-logo.png" /> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/categories/customer-service" target="_blank"> More applications here </a> </CardGrid>

To manage this content, Crowdin integrates with your Help Desk systems to keep all support articles, FAQs, and knowledge bases instantly localized and up-to-date.

Case Study: Ajax Systems

Security tech company Ajax Systems needed precise localization into 11+ languages.

By transitioning to Crowdin Enterprise and integrating Machine Translation tools, they adopted a hybrid workflow where human editors focused only on post-editing (MTPE).

This allowed them to:

Achieve 2 Times Faster localization turnaround.
Cut translation expenses by 3 Times.

This case demonstrates that combining Crowdin's automation with human expertise is the key to achieving fast and cost-effective product localization.

Summary

This guide has shown you the complete plan: from setting up your technical foundation (i18n) and managing cultural nuance to deploying multilingual content across every customer touchpoint.

The difference between slow, costly translation and rapid, continuous localization is simple: technology.

Stop losing potential revenue to manual spreadsheets and fragmented processes. By adopting a platform like Crowdin and integrating it early into your development cycle, you will:

Stay relevant by updating content instantly across diverse markets.
Eliminate developer bottlenecks and cut project timelines.

The journey to becoming a global brand requires a smart workflow. Start building that foundation today.

FAQ

What does product localization mean?

Product localization refers to modifying a product to align with the cultural and linguistic preferences of a target market. The process ensures it feels native to local users.

How long does a typical product localization project take?

The duration of a product localization project can vary. It depends on the complexity of the product and the number of target markets. Keep in mind, integrating localization early in the product development process shortens the timeline.

How do you localize an enterprise product?

Localizing an enterprise product involves several steps:

defining a global strategy
localizing at the design stage
centralizing and automating with a TMS
translating and reviewing with full context
performing linguistic and functional QA before launching and iterating.

What is an example of a localized product?

An example of a localized product is Netflix. It tailors its platform by producing region-specific content. The platform also offers language options to enhance user engagement.

How does localization impact business growth?

Localization can boost company revenue by:

tailoring products to local standards
increasing customer base and satisfaction across diverse regions
enhancing user experience and retention.

How Riskified Built a 396-Page Multilingual Site on a Budget

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In less than two years, Riskified went from having zero localized content to a fully translated, 396-page multilingual website, all without blowing the budget. Leading the charge was Kim Tran, Director of Digital Experience, who turned a complex global project into a masterclass in efficiency, collaboration, and smart technology adoption.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, hosted by Stefan Huyghe, Kim shared how her team at Riskified navigated everything from vendor selection and executive buy-in to cross-departmental collaboration and AI-assisted translation, achieving global reach with measurable ROI.

Listen to the new episode on:

From Zero to Global

Riskified’s digital experience team faced a challenging task: launch a multilingual website that could scale quickly, integrate with existing systems, and maintain brand quality across multiple markets.

Until recently, Riskified’s web presence existed only in English. But regional sales teams across Japan, France, Germany, and Latin America were pushing for localized content to better serve their markets. The demand was clear, but the execution would require careful planning, technical expertise, and leadership alignment.

Picking the Right Partner

When it came to choosing a translation management system (TMS), Kim had a clear list of must-have criteria:

Cost efficiency, staying within a strict budget.
Easy CMS integration, particularly with WordPress.
Integration to translate marketing materials (HubSpot Marketing Hub).
User-friendly interface for scalability and customization.
Reliable customer support that could respond quickly to issues.

After testing several leading TMS platforms, Riskified selected Crowdin, which checked all the boxes, and at a fraction of the cost of competitors.

<Blockquote footer="Kim Tran, Director of Digital Experience at Riskified"> Really important to me that we get the support that we need in the timely manner that we need. And you know we're very happy with Сrowdin and they have literally checked all our boxes have been a fantastic partner. </Blockquote>

The integration was also surprisingly smooth. The development team was able to connect Crowdin to WordPress with minimal friction. This allowed content to sync automatically for translation and deployment, a key win for scalability.

Crowdin is valued by Riskified because the platform provides assistance at every stage, covering the entire process: translation of the main page, the integrated HubSpot form, and the follow-up emails sent afterward. The complete workflow is fully supported.

<Blockquote footer="Kim Tran, Director of Digital Experience at Riskified"> So even if you translate the page, you still need to translate the form, and then of course, the form sends an automated email. So all that whole entire chain of workflow like also need to be taken into account. </Blockquote>

The Power of Collaboration

Executing a project of this scale required coordination across multiple departments. Kim’s digital experience team led the effort, supported by:

Regional sales teams, who validated translations and provided local insights.
Design and marketing operations, ensuring brand consistency across forms, emails, and automation workflows.
External translation partners, handling AI-assisted and human-reviewed translation cycles.

To manage complexity, Kim treated each language as a separate project with its own schedule and reviewers. This allowed the team to maintain control, set firm deadlines, and keep the project moving even when some regional teams fell behind.

<Blockquote footer="Kim Tran, Director of Digital Experience at Riskified "> I think about the translation now going forward, is that each language I think of them like a separate project. The reason is they are they each of them has their... unique requests that's different. </Blockquote> Regular communication was key. Riskified set up dedicated Slack channels for each language, weekly check-ins, and clear status updates to align everyone from developers to marketers.

Winning Over the Sharks

Getting buy-in from executives wasn’t automatic. Riskified’s marketing team had to pitch the project in a company-wide Shark Tank, competing for budget approval in front of leaders from sales, finance, and partnerships.

To make their case, Kim’s team presented data-driven ROI metrics: projected increases in web traffic, impressions, and contact-sales requests from localized markets.

The pitch worked. The project secured funding, and with clear KPIs in place, the marketing and digital teams had the mandate to deliver.

Overcoming Technical and Cultural Hurdles

No large-scale localization effort comes without surprises. Riskified’s first big challenge came from its Japanese site, which had been translated manually before Crowdin was implemented. When the new system went live, the team had to migrate and reconcile those translations, a task solved through close collaboration between Crowdin’s technical team and Riskified’s developers.

Language-specific quirks also tested the team’s agility:

Japanese required direct human translation because AI models couldn’t capture cultural nuance.
French needed extra review to ensure product terminology fit local expectations.
German, notorious for longer word lengths, broke several design components, forcing the dev team to adjust layouts for better text wrapping.

Results: 396 Pages and Counting

Riskified launched its first batch of localized pages, roughly 25 per language, in phase one. Within two months, they began seeing organic traffic and lead generation from international markets.

Today, the company has scaled to 396 localized pages, with plans for more as new digital reports and SEO-optimized content roll out in HTML format. Japanese continues to lead in engagement and conversion rates, validating the investment in full human translation.

Final Thoughts From Kim

Riskified continues to refine its hybrid translation model, using AI for speed and human reviewers for accuracy. The approach balances cost savings with quality control, an essential combination for a publicly traded company where every published word reflects on the brand.

The next phase includes AI-powered search functionality across all localized sites. Users can now type questions in their native language, and the system automatically translates and retrieves relevant answers.

Kim’s Background

Kim Tran is the Director of Digital Experience at Riskified, bringing over 15 years of expertise in web management and development across SaaS and insurance companies. As the project lead for Riskified's multilingual website initiative, she successfully orchestrated a complex localization effort involving multiple departments, external vendors, and regional teams. Her strategic approach to implementing Crowdin as their translation management system, while managing a strict budget and timeline, has resulted in significant growth in international markets, particularly in Japan.

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Elearning Localization: Key Strategies and Tools

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

To deliver effective training content to a global workforce or launch educational projects in new markets, organizations must overcome language barriers. eLearning localization is essential for making knowledge accessible to an international audience.

In this article, you will learn:

What is eLearning localization, and how does it differ from translation
What are the key benefits of eLearning localization
Why it’s important to adapt content to cultural differences
eLearning localization challenges and ways to solve them
Why Crowdin is the best solution when translating eLearning content
What are the future trends in eLearning localization
Steps to go global with multilingual courses

What is eLearning Localization?

eLearning localization is the process of adapting any type of digital learning material (such as an online course, a training video, or a quiz) from its original language into a target language, while also considering the cultural context. The main goal is to make the learning experience just as good for a learner in Japan as it is for one in the U.S.

Understanding eLearning localization vs. translation

You'll hear these two terms a lot, and they're closely related, but there’s a key difference.

Translation is the direct linguistic part. It’s simply converting the words from one language to another. Think of it as the basic word-for-word conversion.
Localization is the full package. It includes translation but also adapts the entire course to fit the cultural context of the new audience. This means changing everything from currency symbols and dates to the images, examples, and even the tone of the content. Localization leads to a better understanding for learners.

Types of eLearning Content Requiring Localization

Pretty much anything you use for online learning can and should be localized. This includes:

Online courses themselves, from simple modules to complex simulations.
Video and audio, whether you add subtitles or a full voiceover.
Interactive quizzes, buttons, and other clickable elements.
Any supporting documents, like PDFs or training manuals.
Multimedia courses that use graphics, animations, or embedded text.

The Role of Cultural Adaptation in Global Learning

Without cultural adaptation, you're at risk of a major learning failure. Imagine a course on teamwork that shows a casual group high-five – in some cultures, that’s not a common gesture. Localization catches these things. It ensures that:

Visual elements and images are appropriate and relevant.
Cultural nuances are respected, like avoiding certain colors that have negative meanings.
Humor, idioms, and metaphors are replaced with things that make sense to a native speaker.

5 Key Benefits of eLearning Localization

So why go to all the trouble? The investment in eLearning localization pays off in big ways, both for your learners and your bottom line. It’s not just a nice-to-have; it's a strategic move that helps you grow and succeed on a global scale.

1. Global Audience Reach and Accessibility

The most obvious benefit is simple: you can reach more people. The global eLearning services market size is projected to reach $842.64 billion by 2030. Translating your online courses makes your knowledge accessible to a larger audience. This gives you the opportunity to make more money.

For a company, this means you can provide high-quality training to employees in different countries. For a school, it means opening your doors to global learners and new markets. It’s about making your content available to anyone, anywhere.

2. Improved Learning Outcomes Through Native Language Delivery

Think about the last time you tried to learn something complex in a second language. It’s tough, right? You’re not just trying to understand the topic; you’re also trying to understand the language itself.

Research shows that people learn and remember information far better when it's in their native language. A translated course in a learner's first language reduces cognitive effort, helping them focus and absorb it more deeply. This leads to higher completion rates, better test scores, and real-world results.

3. Cost-Effective Training Deployment Across Markets

Developing a new training program from scratch for every country is expensive and time-consuming. You'd have to hire local trainers, create new materials, and manage different training schedules.

A much smarter approach is to create a single master course and then use an eLearning translation service to localize it for all your markets. This approach saves a huge amount of money and time, allowing you to deploy content without the logistical nightmare.

4. Compliance with Local Regulations and Standards

For regulated industries like healthcare or finance, compliance training is a legal requirement. When you operate in different countries, your training must meet local laws and standards.

eLearning localization helps you avoid legal trouble. It ensures all legal and regulatory information is clearly communicated in each language

5. Enhanced Employee Engagement and Retention

Investing in native-language training tells employees you value them and their growth. This sense of being valued and included boosts employee morale and engagement.

Because people learn more effectively in their mother tongue, you also get a more skilled and knowledgeable employee. Engaged and well-trained employees are more productive and more likely to stay with the company for the long term. This benefit alone can provide a big return on your investment, as it reduces the high cost of employee turnover and builds a more capable team.

eLearning Localization Challenges and Solutions

Localizing eLearning content isn't always easy. There are a few common challenges that pop up, but with the right tools and strategies, they're all manageable.

Challenge	Solution
Technical Complexity of Multimedia Translating videos and interactive elements while keeping timing synced.	Use a translation management system (TMS) that handles various file types and allows specialists to collaborate.
Maintaining Consistency Ensuring a large team uses the same terminology across all courses.	TMS with translation memories (for repeated phrases) and glossaries (for key terms).
Managing Projects at Scale Juggling hundreds of files and dozens of languages, leading to potential delays.	Use a centralized solution to automate tasks and track progress from a single dashboard.
Quality Assurance (QA) Preventing small errors that can ruin content credibility.	Use a platform with built-in QA checks and in-context review to ensure accuracy and cultural appropriateness.
Mastering Technical Workflow Manually exporting and re-importing text from eLearning tools.	Use a TMS that can handle common eLearning file formats like xAPI and HTML5 for an automated process.

Technical Complexity of Multimedia Content

Videos, audio, and interactive quizzes are the trickiest parts of eLearning translation projects. When you translate a video, you have to decide between subtitles and a new voiceover. Then you have to make sure the translated text or audio perfectly matches the timing of the on-screen visuals. Getting that right for multimedia courses with graphics and animations can be a real headache.

Solution: Use a translation management system (TMS) that can handle various file types. A system, like Crowdin, lets you manage all your scripts, videos, and graphics in one place. A TMS makes it easy for specialists, like localization managers and translators, to work together. Plus, it ensures everything stays perfectly in sync.

A new tool for eLearning video and audio translation is the Crowdin Dubbing Studio. This app offers an integrated, AI-powered solution that simplifies the entire audio localization process (video localization coming soon).

Crowdin Dubbing Studio simplifies professional dubbing, making it affordable for any team. The tool features a professional audio editor and uses AI with ElevenLabs integration. So with this app, you can generate voice, sound effects, and music in multiple languages. It uses translation memory, linking audio clips to source text, and integrating screenshots for context for better translation results.

Maintaining Consistency Across Multiple Languages

Imagine a training course for a new product where a key term is translated differently in five different language versions. That might be confusing. Keeping terminology consistent across all your multilingual courses can be a big challenge. Especially if you have a large team.

Solution: The best way to solve this is by using a TMS with translation memories and glossaries. A translation memory stores every phrase you translate. When that same phrase appears again, the system automatically suggests the previous translation.

A glossary acts as a dictionary for key terms. It ensures that "beta testing" is always translated the same way, no matter which professional translators are on the project.

Managing Translation Projects at Scale

Large-scale eLearning localization projects can quickly become overwhelming. You're juggling hundreds of files, dozens of languages, and a team of translators, reviewers, and project managers. Without a solid system, this can lead to missed deadlines and version control disasters.

Solution: A centralized, cloud-based TMS is a lifesaver here. It automates much of the manual work, like assigning tasks and tracking progress. A project manager can see the status of every single file in every language from one dashboard. A platform for translation management makes it much easier to scale your eLearning solutions.

Quality Assurance for Diverse Audiences

A mistranslation, no matter how small, can ruin the credibility of your eLearning content. You need to make sure the final product is accurate, culturally appropriate, and reads naturally to a native speaker. Manual checks are slow and prone to human error, especially when dealing with high-volume multimedia content.

Solution: Use a platform with built-in quality assurance (QA) checks. These tools can flag spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and terms that don't match your glossary.

Platforms like Crowdin let a local reviewer see the translated content exactly as it will appear in the course. This is called in-context review.

Mastering the Technical Workflow and File Formats

The last thing you want is a messy, manual process of exporting text from your eLearning tools and then re-importing it after localization. This is a huge time-waster and can lead to errors.

The real key to a smooth process isn’t about a single integration but about a platform that can handle the specific file formats your content lives in. eLearning courses, often built with standards like xAPI, consist of various files, including XML, HTML5, and JSON. A great translation management system can take a complex file, find all the text that needs translating, and put the finished translation back in the right place automatically.

This creates a workflow that connects your entire content ecosystem. For example:

Design Tools. Your course's text and visuals might start in a design program like Figma or Sketch. An integration here lets you pull that text for translation early in the process.
Website and Marketing Content. The descriptions, landing pages, and marketing copy for your course should also be translated to match. A Website Translator integration ensures all of this content is consistent.
Video Subtitles. If your course includes videos, a platform should handle subtitle translation. This ensures the translated text is synced with the on-screen action. You can see the wide range of tools for this on the Crowdin Store.

Essential Tools for eLearning Courses Localization

Handling eLearning localization projects without the right tools is like building a house with a hammer and a saw. It gets the job done, but it's a slow and painful process. Modern technology automates the tough stuff, making the entire process faster and accurate.

Translation Management System (TMS) Overview

TMS is the command center for your entire localization. A platform like Crowdin isn't just for translating. It's a hub where you manage projects, collaborate with teams, and keep all your content and resources organized.

A TMS gives you a bird’s-eye view, helping you:

Centralize Everything. All your source files, translated content, and reference materials live in one secure place.
Automate Workflows. It handles the boring tasks, like sending new files to translators and notifying reviewers, so you can focus on the big picture.
Track Progress. You can see exactly what percentage of a project is complete for each target language, giving you total control.

Here are some of the open educational projects on Crowdin. Explore them as a reference or join as a translator to help great companies become more accessible!

Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) Tools

CAT tools are the powerful engines inside the TMS that help translators do their jobs faster and more consistently. This is not the same as machine translation.

A good CAT tool includes:

Translation Memory. This is a database that remembers every sentence you've ever translated. If the same phrase appears again, the system suggests the previous, approved translation. It saves a huge amount of time and money, especially for eLearning materials with repeated phrases.
Terminology Management. This is essentially a smart glossary for your key terms, product names, or industry jargon. It ensures that “beta testing” is always translated the same way, no matter who's working on the project.
In-Context Editing. This feature allows a professional translator to see the text they're working on exactly as it will appear in the final course. They can see the surrounding images and layout, which helps them create a translation that fits perfectly and sounds natural.

<Aside>Crowdin is an all-in-one localization tool with CAT functionality.</Aside>

AI in eLearning Localization

AI localization is now a standard part of the translation process. It helps companies get their content to market much faster, reducing the time-to-market.

Here's what a modern localization platform can do with AI:

AI can analyze your source content to automatically identify what needs to be translated. It can extract embedded text from images or videos, saving hours of manual work.
AI-powered QA checks go beyond simple spelling and grammar. They can analyze the context, check for consistency with your glossaries and style guides, and even predict the quality of a machine translation before a human ever looks at it.
Modern AI models (like Agentic AI) can access contextual information about your project (screenshots, file names, or even a previous version of a course) to provide much more accurate and relevant suggestions.
A top-tier platform doesn't just use one AI engine; it can use many. You can choose the best provider for a specific target language and content type. Crowdin, for example, supports over 10 AI providers, giving you full flexibility. For enhanced security, you can use your own API keys, which gives you complete ownership and control over your data.

<Aside type="tip"> Achieving Up to 75% of Translations Ready for Publication with AI. Read our customer story. </Aside>

Cultural Localization

To make your eLearning content effective, you need to localize it. This is the process of adapting your content to the learner's cultural context. It’s about creating a connection, not just a conversion.

Visual Elements and Cultural References

Imagine you're taking a course on teamwork that shows a thumbs-up emoji to celebrate a successful project. While that's a positive symbol in many Western countries, it can be offensive in parts of the Middle East and Africa. That's a tiny example of a big problem.

Localization ensures that all visual and cultural elements resonate with your learners. This means you should:

Change Images and Graphics: Replace photos of people, settings, and clothing with images that reflect the local population and environment. For example, a business course for Japan might show people bowing, while a similar course for the US might show a handshake.
Adjust Symbols and Colors: Be aware of what colors mean in different cultures. While red might symbolize luck and happiness in China, it can represent danger in many Western countries.
Replace Idioms and Analogies: A reference to "hitting a home run" in a sales course won't make sense to global learners who've never heard of baseball. It should be replaced with a culturally relevant analogy, like "scoring a goal" in soccer, which has a wider global reach.

Different Learning Styles Across Cultures

Learning isn't universal. How people prefer to learn is often shaped by their cultural background and education system. Some cultures favor a more instructor-led approach, while others prefer interactive, group-based learning.

By understanding these differences, you can tailor your instructional design. This could mean:

For cultures that value authority and hierarchy, a more formal, lecture-based style may be more effective.
For cultures that are more collaborative, you might add more group exercises and discussion prompts.
For cultures that are more "hands-on", adding more interactive simulations and case studies can be beneficial.

Localizing Assessment Methods and Feedback Systems

Even your quizzes, tests, and forms need to be localized. The way you ask a question and the way you provide feedback can have a big impact.

Assessment Content. Make sure your questions use culturally relevant examples and scenarios. A question about US tax law won't be a good fit for a course in Europe.
Feedback Tone. The tone of your feedback should be adjusted. Some prefer direct feedback to help them improve, while others respond better to more encouraging feedback.
Response Formats. Ensure date formats, phone numbers, and currency symbols are all correct for the target language audience. For example, a date displayed as MM/DD/YYYY in the US should be DD/MM/YYYY in Europe.

Cultural Nuances in Instructional Design

The little things make a big difference. Instructional designers must be aware of subtle cultural nuances that can affect the learning experience. This includes:

Respectful Communication. The tone of a course for a US audience might be very casual and friendly. A course for a Japanese audience, however, might need a more formal and respectful tone to be taken seriously.
Role of the Learner. In some cultures, learners are expected to be passive recipients of knowledge. In others, learners are expected to actively challenge the instructor's views and engage in debate. Your course design should reflect these expectations to maximize training effectiveness.

By putting this much thought into cultural localization, you're doing more than just translating words. You’re building a bridge between your content and your learners.

Choosing the Right Localization Partners

Choosing the right partner is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your eLearning translation projects. The ideal partner combines linguistic expertise with deep technical knowledge of eLearning solutions. This isn't just about finding someone who speaks the language; it's about finding a strategic ally.

Professional Translators vs. Translation Agencies

You have a few options when it comes to who does the work.

Individual Translators. A freelance translator can be a good choice for small, straightforward projects. They might offer a lower cost but often lack the scalability and technical tools needed for large, ongoing eLearning translation efforts.
Translation Agencies. These are full-service providers that offer a complete solution, including project management, access to a network of linguists, and quality control. They are better equipped to handle complex and high-volume multilingual courses.
In-house Team. With a platform like Crowdin, your own in-house team can manage project translations. This gives you the control and tools of a powerful platform combined with the expertise of your own team.

<Aside> Crowdin has its own hand-selected base of Translation Agencies and Localization Experts. These companies work with Crowdin to provide all sorts of translation and localization services. </Aside>

Industry Expertise and Subject Matter Knowledge

For technical or specialized eLearning content, it’s important that your partner has subject matter expertise. A medical training course requires a translator with a background in healthcare. A software training module needs a linguist familiar with tech jargon.

Scalability and Project Management Capabilities

As your company grows, your partner should be able to grow with you. A platform-based solution lets you add new languages, manage more projects, and bring on new team members without a lot of hassle. The right partner will also have strong project management to ensure your projects are delivered on time.

Future Trends in eLearning Localization

The eLearning translation landscape is constantly evolving. AI, automation, and new technologies are changing how we localize content, making the process faster and more personalized than ever before. Here's what's on the horizon for eLearning translation needs.

AI Capabilities Will Become More Advanced

AI has already made a huge impact on translation processes, but the technology is still in its early stages. In the future, AI will be able to handle even more complex tasks. It won't just provide a draft translation; it will be able to analyze the cultural context, tone, and style of your eLearning content and make smart suggestions that are more accurate and nuanced. AI will become a truly collaborative partner, assisting human experts in creating perfect multilingual courses faster.

Curious about the tech that makes this possible? Read about the Best LLMs for Translation

Real-Time Translation and Live Learning Sessions

Live virtual classrooms and webinars are becoming the norm, and the demand for real-time translation is growing. Soon, AI-powered tools will offer live, on-the-fly captioning and voice translation for live learning sessions. This will allow people from different parts of the world to participate in the same training event, breaking down language barriers instantly and opening up truly global learning experiences.

Personalized Learning Experiences Across Languages

The next evolution of eLearning solutions will involve personalized learning paths that adapt to the individual learner. When combined with eLearning translation, this means courses will not only adapt to a learner's pace and skill level but also to their native language and cultural background. Imagine a course that automatically adjusts its examples and case studies based on where the learner is located, all while staying in sync with the master version.

eLearning Localization Checklist

After learning about the benefits and best practices, you might be ready to take the first step. Here’s a simple guide to help you begin.

Assessing Your Translation Needs and Goals

Before you do anything, you need a clear plan. Ask yourself a few key questions:

What are your goals? Are you trying to expand into a new market, train a global workforce, or simply increase accessibility?
Who is your audience? Identify your target learners. What is their native language? What are their cultural norms?
What content needs translating? You don’t have to translate everything at once. Start with your most critical eLearning content, like core training modules or key product tutorials.

Internal Capabilities vs. Outsourcing

You have a choice when it comes to who does the work.

Outsourcing is great for companies with a high volume of content or a need for a wide range of languages. It's a hands-off approach that can save time.
Building internal capabilities is a great option if you have a dedicated in-house team. A platform like Crowdin can empower your team with the tools they need to manage the entire localization process directly.
Most organizations use a hybrid approach, where a central team manages the project on a platform and works with a mix of internal linguists and external agencies or freelancers.

Localization Workflow and Timeline

A clear process is key to success. Here’s a simple workflow you can follow:

Prepare your files: Make sure all your source content is finalized and clean.
Upload to your platform: Import your content into a TMS like Crowdin.
Translate and review: Your translators do the work, and a local reviewer checks it to ensure quality.
Test the final product: Test the localized course with a small group of native speaker learners to catch any final issues.
Launch and measure: Deploy the course and track key metrics like completion rates and learner feedback.

Measuring Success and Continuous Improvement

Once your translated eLearning content is live, your work isn't done. Use learner feedback and performance data to see what’s working and what isn’t. By continuously refining your multilingual courses, you ensure they remain effective and valuable to your diverse audiences for years to come.

Conclusion

Go Global, Stay Local. The goal of eLearning localization isn't just to translate; it's to connect. By adapting your courses to different cultures and languages, you make your content relevant and effective for an international audience. This is how you grow your reach, improve learning outcomes, and build a global brand.

FAQ

How Long Does eLearning Translation Take?

The timeline varies a lot. It depends on the amount of content, the number of languages, and the complexity of the project. A modern TMS can greatly speed up the process compared to manual workflows.

How Do You Ensure Quality in Translated eLearning Content?

You need a multi-step process. First, use a professional translator who is also a subject matter expert in your field.

Second, always include an in-context review. This is a critical step where a local reviewer can check the translated text exactly as it will appear in the course.

Finally, use a translation management system with automated quality assurance checks. These tools can automatically flag errors, inconsistent terms, and formatting mistakes before a human even sees them.

Can Machine Translation Be Used for eLearning Content?

Yes, but it's best to combine it with human review. Machine translation provides a quick first draft, but a human expert is needed to ensure the final version is accurate and sounds natural to the learner.

How No-Code Platforms Like Webflow are Redefining Enterprise Scale and Localization

yuliia-makarenko — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When people think of no-code, they often picture tools for scrappy startups or DIY website builders. But what happens when no-code platforms mature and suddenly some of the world’s largest enterprises are running their global digital presence without writing code?

That’s the world Brett Domeny, Senior Group Product Manager at Webflow, lives in every day. In his conversation with Stefan Huyghe on The Agile Localization Podcast, Brett explains how no-code is no longer about quick fixes; it’s about giving development superpowers to everyone.

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No-Code Isn’t Just for Startups Anymore

One of the biggest misconceptions about no-code is that it can’t handle scale. Early tools were limited to pieces and parts, basic design changes, or simple drag-and-drop site builders. That led to the belief that enterprises still needed entirely custom-coded platforms to get flexibility and power.

Webflow’s approach challenges that idea. According to Brett, the company built its platform with three tiers in mind:

No-code for marketers and non-developers to build and iterate quickly.
Low-code for teams that want to extend functionality with small customizations.
Pro-code for developers who integrate advanced features or connect APIs.

This layered approach means enterprises can empower their marketing and product teams to move faster, while developers focus on strategic projects, not minor content updates.

Redefining Localization

Global enterprises can’t treat localization as an afterthought. For Brett, the key is recognizing that translation is just one part of a much larger picture of website localization.

Webflow’s philosophy is end-to-end localization, which spans three core areas:

Design and content localization: Brands can adapt layouts, images, and messaging per market instead of forcing one-size-fits-all templates.
Flexible translation workflows: Teams can use Webflow’s built-in tools or integrate with partners like Crowdin for advanced translation and review processes.
Hosting and delivery: Localized content needs to be SEO and AI-search friendly, with infrastructure that automatically generates sitemaps and delivers content globally.

Think of translation as a small circle within a much larger sphere labeled localization. Design choices, user experiences, and cultural context matter just as much as words on the page.

Crowdin + Webflow

If localization requires nuance, then extensibility is non-negotiable. Brett highlighted Webflow’s extensibility by default mindset. Instead of building one rigid solution, the platform provides APIs and connectors so companies can integrate best-in-class tools.

That’s where Crowdin comes in. Many global enterprises already rely on Crowdin for specialized translation workflows, so Webflow built a turnkey app for integration. Customers can sync translations between Crowdin and Webflow with just a few clicks.

For enterprise teams, that composability means freedom: choose the best tools, plug them together, and stay agile as needs evolve.

Balancing Short-Term Needs with Long-Term Vision

Product managers face a constant tension: deliver immediate customer value or invest in the North Star vision. Brett’s strategy is to balance both.

He describes it as hiking toward a destination. You need a sense of direction, but also the discipline to take the right immediate steps. Sometimes that means big foundational projects; other times, it’s quick wins that make workflows easier.

The rise of AI underscores this balance. Generative tools like ChatGPT are transforming how people search, consume, and interact with content. For Webflow, that means building features to ensure websites remain discoverable and compelling in an AI-driven world.

The Future of Enterprise No-Code

Looking ahead, Brett sees AI as the next major accelerant for no-code. Visual development tools abstract away code by letting users drag, drop, and customize. Generative AI is a new abstraction layer, one that translates natural language into complex actions.

For enterprises, that means two things:

Agility matters more than ever. Your website’s discoverability rules will change weekly as AI search evolves.
Experiences must feel intentional. If customers can get a generic answer from an AI, they need something richer when they land on your site.

Final Thoughts

No-code has moved far beyond quick fixes. Platforms like Webflow are enabling enterprises to scale globally, localize deeply, and stay agile in a world where AI, search, and digital expectations shift almost daily. The future belongs to companies that combine flexibility, extensibility, and intentional design, and no-code is quickly becoming their most powerful lever.

Brett’s Background

Brett Domeny is a Senior Group Product Manager at Webflow, where he has spent five years helping build innovative no-code solutions for web development. With vast experience in product management and platform development, he leads strategic initiatives focused on making development capabilities accessible to everyone. Brett specializes in enterprise-level no-code solutions, internationalization, and localization strategies, having helped shape Webflow's end-to-end localization approach.

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What's New at Crowdin: September 2025

diana — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This September release is packed with updates that make Crowdin more powerful, secure, and adaptable to how teams work today. The highlight is Vector Cloud, a new app that takes AI translations to the next level by grounding them in your own data. We’re also shipping a major upgrade to the Crowdin Plugin for Figma, several security-focused improvements like session timeout settings and stricter API token management, and new ways to support hourly-based payments with time logging and reporting.

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Introducing Vector Cloud: Next-Generation Context for AI Translation

We're excited to announce Vector Cloud, a new app that helps you adjust how AI accesses your translation assets to improve the expected translation quality.

The Problem with Traditional Matching

Our industry and Crowdin's native AI integration use RAG to pull relevant glossary terms and translation memory segments based on traditional fuzzy matching. However, this approach has limitations: segments below certain match thresholds (such as 10% matches) are excluded from AI prompts, even though they still contain 10% information about the kind of translations your company expects.

How Vector Cloud is Different

Vector Cloud uses semantic vector search instead of traditional fuzzy matching. Rather than looking for exact string similarities, it understands the meaning of your content and retrieves contextually relevant examples – even when there's no obvious string overlap. This means AI learns much more about what translations work for your specific organization.

Beyond Translation Memory

Vector Cloud supports multiple content sources:

Automatic sync with your TMs and Glossaries.
Non-parallel content: Upload monolingual reference materials in your target languages (style guides, marketing copy, product docs).
We plan to have an API that allows you to sync any type of content to the vector database. This might help AI show what kind of copy is acceptable in your company.

For example, if you have French content that isn't a translation – just how your company communicates in French earlier – Vector Cloud uses it to help AI understand your brand’s voice, terminology, and style.

Proven Results

Our earlier research showed measurable quality improvements when using vector databases for translation. Vector Cloud brings this technology directly into your workflow.

Best Use Cases

Ideal for documentation and document translation. Less impactful for UI localization, where context is typically shorter and more standardized.

The Vector Cloud app is available now in the Crowdin Store.

Crowdin Plugin for Figma: New Version

In September, we rolled out a major update to the Crowdin Plugin for Figma. Version 83 introduces a redesigned interface for a smoother experience, faster and more reliable screenshot uploads, as well as autosave and clearer reports to make managing translation strings easier. You can now also see which texts are linked to each translation string directly in the edit dialog, and more.

One important change: only one file can be selected at a time when sending translation strings. Along with that, the update delivers overall improvements in stability, speed, and consistency, and, by popular demand, full support for dark mode.

Crowdin Enterprise: Configurable Session Timeout

Unattended devices, shared computers, and malware that steal browser sessions all pose threats to corporate data stored in Crowdin. Today, we’re releasing a new security feature: configurable session duration.

This setting defines how long a Crowdin session remains active after the last user activity. If linguists or managers use Crowdin actively throughout the day, nothing changes. However, once Crowdin sits idle, the session will automatically expire after the configured time period.

Enhanced API Token Security Controls

Personal API tokens are powerful tools that enable automation and integration - but they also pose significant security risks. A stolen API token can grant unauthorized access to your projects, allowing attackers to modify translations, export sensitive data, or perform actions on behalf of legitimate users.

To help you better manage these risks, we're introducing API token controls for Crowdin Enterprise:

New admin capabilities:

Disable personal token creation: Prevent users from creating API tokens entirely.
View all tokens: See complete information about every API token in your Crowdin Enterprise (creation date, last used date, token name, and the user who created it).
Revoke any token: Immediately invalidate tokens when needed.
Enforce expiration policies: Require all API tokens to have expiration dates.

For non-admins:

Users can now set expiration dates when creating API tokens, ensuring tokens don't remain valid indefinitely

These controls provide visibility and governance over API token usage across your organization, thereby reducing the attack surface and limiting the potential damage from compromised credentials.

Many Crowdin customers maintain ISO 27001, SOC 2, and other security standards that mandate API key rotation and expiration policies. These new features provide the tools you need to meet compliance requirements — enforce token expiration, audit usage, and revoke access during incidents – all while maintaining workflow flexibility.

Time Logging and Time Spent Report

More and more teams are moving to hourly-based payments, especially now with AI making it harder to evaluate translation work by the traditional per-word model. To support this shift, we’ve added time logging in tasks (Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise). Any role can now record time directly within a task, with optional comments stored in the task’s comment section.

We’re also introducing a new Time Spent report, which calculates costs based on logged time using a base hourly rate. This provides managers with a clearer view of project budgets and ensures linguists are compensated more fairly when work exceeds simple word counts.

Currently, linguists are required to manually enter the time they spend. We expect a whole new set of apps and integrations that will allow you to automatically track and record time spent using multiple strategies.

Easier AI Debugging with Crowdin App

Last year, we rolled out the AI Debug app to give your teams more clarity when working with LLMs. Unlike traditional machine translation, where outputs follow a predictable pattern, LLMs can produce results that are inconsistent and often hard to explain.

That’s why you might need a tool like AI Debug, which saves both the request Crowdin sends to AI and the response it gets back – so you can quickly see where things went wrong and debug.

This month, the app gets a major upgrade. Before, you had to set up a separate provider in the app and lock it to one model. Now, all that is gone.

Once installed, the AI Debug app works instantly with no extra configuration, making troubleshooting faster. So, go and use it now to debug prompts (e.g., pre-translation, AI suggestion, QA check, AI Chat, Alignment) and AI Proxy.

Improvements to the Users page in Crowdin Enterprise

We've updated the Users page in Crowdin Enterprise to provide administrators with a better security overview and greater control over their team members.

The updated interface includes an "Active" status indicator in the "Status" column, which provides a clear view of who can access Crowdin. We recommend that administrators block users who are not actively using Crowdin Enterprise as a security best practice.

We've also added a new Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Status column that clearly indicates which team members have enrolled in 2FA, using color-coded indicators.

Also, user profile pages now include more security information, such as SSO/SAML provider details, 2FA methods configured by the user, and the number of API tokens created.

User provenance tracking has also been improved. You can now see exactly how each user joined your organization (invited by a specific person, joined independently, or added via API/SCIM). This data is also accessible through the API.

Additionally, we've refined the table interface by adding context menus for quick actions and improving responsiveness across different screen sizes. This makes user management more efficient for large teams.

AI: Clearer AI Activity Tracking, Prompt Management, Azure OpenAI

Activity items now clearly show when AI was used for translation. You’ll see an AI icon, along with the exact prompt and model applied.

Prompts created in a project (via Project Settings> AI) are now tied to that project only, rather than all projects. We’ve also added Prompt Metadata – showing when a prompt was created, last modified, and last used — available on the prompt edit page under Advanced Settings.

You can now use Azure OpenAI as a provider for Agentic AI, alongside OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini.

Context Harvester 0.8.0: Key Updates

This release of Context Harvester adds a new 'describe' command that leverages an AI agent to analyze your local repository and automatically generate comprehensive, translator-focused project descriptions. Furthermore, you can now filter strings for processing by their creation date using the new --since option, which accepts both natural language phrases (like "7 days ago") and specific date formats. The update also includes significant usability enhancements, such as displaying real-time API token usage in the progress bar and more.

New Agile Localization Podcast Episodes

This month, we've released 2 new episodes of Crowdin Podcast:

In the first episode, "Why Open-Source Wins at Enterprise Localization", we speak with Mathias Bolt Lesniak, Project Ambassador for the TYPO3 Association, to unpack how one of Europe's leading open-source, community-driven CMS platforms delivers enterprise-grade multilingual content at massive scale.
For our second episode, "Localization at Semrush", we sit down with Elena Sadchikova, Team Lead for Localization and UX Writing at Semrush, and Robbin van Schagen, Owner at TYPE Translations, to discuss how Semrush successfully scales localization operations across 55+ products, implementing continuous workflows and effectively balancing human expertise with AI.

Other Updates

Added a retry option in Pre-translate reports after errors.
Improved error messages in QA checks.
On the All Tasks page, you can now filter tasks (by assignee, creator, language, file, due date, status, etc.) and then jump straight to generating a Cost Estimate or Translation Cost report for the filtered tasks via the three-dot menu.
New activity type: User management. Track when users were added to projects, which permissions they received, and when accounts were blocked or unblocked. This is another step toward strengthening security in Crowdin.
New option in the Editor to sort strings by key.
In Crowdin.com, the profile and project pages now load much faster.
You can now mention a whole team in the Editor.
You can organize your navigation in Crowdin Enterprise similarly to Crowdin and customize the tab order and visibility (Project Settings > Customize Tabs).

Crowdin Store: Updates and New Apps

New Applications

JSON5: Provides dedicated support for processing files written in the JSON5 format.
Export Comments: Easily export all project comments, including those attached to strings, into a structured format for external review or processing.
Alibaba Cloud Model Studio: Integrate powerful machine translation models from Alibaba Cloud Model Studio directly into your Crowdin projects.

Connector and Application Updates

Dato CMS: Now includes the ability to skip specific fields during synchronization based on their identifier, giving you finer control over what content is sent for localization.
Cascade Importer: Added support for custom file formats.
Ditto: Application received an update to its API, adding support for updating variants.
Sender: Now allows the translation of transactional messages.
Settings Sync: Has been updated to include support for new configuration settings introduced after its initial release.

New episode of Crowdin Power Up

In the latest episode of Power Up, Dorota Pawlak and Stefan Huyghe showed updated AI tools. Highlights include new Agentic AI capabilities for handling bulk actions and editing source texts, the Context Harvester for automatically extracting and providing context from your code, and the Dubbing Studio app for creating AI-powered localized audio and video content.

External Tools

CLI 4.11.0: This version introduces the --xliff parameter to the crowdin file upload command, enabling the upload of offline translations, and adds the option to specify an optional destination for the translation upload command.
GitHub Action v2.11.0
Android SDK 1.15.0
JS API Client 1.46.1, 1.47.0, 1.48.0, 1.48.1, 1.48.2, 1.48.3
Java API Client 1.28.2

How to Localize a Website Right: Workflow and Tools

yuliia-makarenko — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

More than half of the global online consumers tend to choose products based on the brand and how it communicates its values to the person. A successful business is not only one that provides quality but also speaks and relates to the customer. Both figuratively and literally.

So, how can you make sure your e-commerce message sounds right with people all over the world? The answer lies in website localization.

Website localization is a complex process. But it will help you expand globally as well as connect with the target region. This article will cover what website localization is, the benefits of the process, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to localize a website. Let's get started!

Article Highlights:

Website translation is only one of the processes included in website localization. Such a complex process that also requires adapting local content to align with cultures and preferences. This allows to meet user expectations, and to create an authentic user experience.
Successful localization of web content enhances user engagement and conversion rates. This leads to increased trust and satisfaction among global audiences.
Utilizing AI and effective localization tools simplifies the process. It enhances accuracy and enables continuous updates. This ensures ongoing relevance in diverse markets.

What Is Website Localization?

Website localization is the process of adapting a website to a specific market's language and culture. Localization involves text translation and adaptation of currency, date formats, images, and payment options. The main goal is to provide the best user experience for each target market.

Language Translation as Part of Localization

Localization enables businesses to make their products more accessible and appealing to different regions. Providing options in multiple target languages is not enough. Your team must adapt the content to fit the cultural nuances of the local audiences. Localization covers:

Digital assets
Content
Channels
Social media posts
SEO
Legal and regulatory requirements

This approach impacts every aspect of the website, providing the best experience for users.

Language translation is a main part of localization. Providing content in different languages is important. It allows you to reach as many target audiences as possible. But site localization is a more complex multilevel process.

In summary, localization of websites is a powerful tool. It helps businesses connect with global audiences on a deeper level. Aligning with local cultural norms and preferences helps companies:

Enhance user experience
Boost engagement
Drive growth

Localization vs. Translation vs. Internationalization

Translation focuses on converting text from one language to another. But localization involves adapting the entire user experience to meet cultural preferences and expectations, including cultural differences.

Internationalization is the process of designing an adaptable website for international customers. The result – a website that adjusts to various languages and regions with no major changes.

Effective website translation and localization is a blend:

Accurate translation + Engaging localization = User satisfaction

Be mindful of cultural details such as preferences and localized keywords. Neglecting them can compromise search engine optimization and brand integrity. Thus, a successful website localization strategy must consider the differences between translation, localization, and internationalization to create a culturally relevant experience for users.

Benefits of Website Localization

You might be wondering, "Why not just use Google Translate?". We listed the main benefits of website localization that help businesses be successful in the local market. With business translation, companies can achieve improved UX and product appeal, and better SEO ranking.

Improved User Experience

Web localization improves the user interface experience. Tailoring website content to local preferences boosts user satisfaction and reduces abandonment rates. When users feel that a website speaks the same language and understands their context, they are more likely to engage and return.

By applying advanced website localization technology, businesses can:

Simplify their workflows
Provide consistency
Ensure accuracy and cultural relevance.

This creates a better user experience. Additionally, this approach ensures a more effective interaction across global markets.

More Attractive Product Appeal

Localization also allows for tailored messaging that enhances product appeal in local markets. This can lead to higher conversion rates. Businesses can increase trust and comfort among local customers and international visitors. Which leads to higher conversion rates with a localized version of their content by:

Offering region-specific preferred payment methods
Incorporating local cultural nuances
Adapting to local languages and the target region differences

Improved SEO Ranking

Moreover, web content localization can have a positive impact on multilingual search engine optimization. Businesses can drive more organic traffic by optimizing content for local search engines. This also enhances the effectiveness of marketing strategies.

Is It Time to Localize Your Website?

Determining the right time to localize your website is crucial for maximizing the impact of your efforts. Let's go over the main signals:

One clear indicator is when you start seeing a high volume of international traffic. If a large part of your website visitors are from foreign regions, it's a strong signal. Localization could improve their experience and increase engagement.
Another trigger is market saturation. Take notice if your target market is becoming saturated and growth has plateaued. In such cases, expanding into new markets through localization opens up new revenue streams.
Competitor behavior - your direct competitors are going multilingual. It's essential to keep up to maintain a competitive advantage.
Frequent support requests from international users. It showcases the necessity of localized content to better serve your local and global audience.
An adaptable product that transcends borders and has no profound connection to the place of production. For such companies, expanding to a foreign market will improve sales rates.

8 Steps to Localize a Website

Localizing an existing website involves several critical steps. This ensures the process is comprehensive and effective. Additionally, a localization solution can enhance this process.

Define Your Localization Strategy. Start by identifying your target markets. Make sure they align with your product localization strategy, then rank content for prioritized localization.
Prepare Your Website for Internationalization (i18n). Set up the technical foundation to support multiple languages and regional adaptations.
Choose Your Translation Method:
- In-house translators
- Freelancers
- Language Service Providers (LSPs)
- Hybrid approach
Select Your Technology Stack. Search for Translation Management Systems (TMS) and content management systems integrations. Since modern websites function like apps, apply software localization best practices to your code structure.
Translate and Localize Your Content. This is where the actual translation and localization work happens. For e-commerce websites, this step also includes localizing product descriptions, payment methods, and customer service options. The method differs based on the technology used to build the site, such as WordPress or Next.js.
Perform In-Depth Quality Assurance (QA). Conduct thorough testing to ensure translation accuracy and functionality.
Launch and Promote Your Multilingual Site. Make sure to promote your localized website to the target audience to maximize its reach. Focus on SEO by adapting meta descriptions, titles, and keywords to rank well in local search engines.
Continuous Localization. Keep updating your content to maintain relevance and accuracy.

Choosing the Right Localization Solutions

Utilizing a Translation Management System (TMS) is a must. It helps enhance collaboration and project management in website localization. AI-driven translation tools can further improve content management. They also automate various aspects of the localization.

<Aside type="tip"> Looking for a fast, no-code way to localize your site? Crowdin offers the Website Translator app. This solution allows you to translate and deploy your website content in minutes without touching the code. It's an ideal way for teams to quickly launch multilingual versions and continuously update content, making it perfect for marketing pages and rapid global expansion. For a detailed overview, see our guide on website translation with Crowdin. </Aside>

Automation tools like Crowdin offer integrations with design and development software. This helps with simplifying the localization steps. Such tools also include translation QA checks to ensure the quality and consistency of translations. By selecting the right localization technology, businesses can overcome common challenges. Another benefit - enhancement of their localization workflows.

Creating a Localization Workflow

Two common approaches to localization workflows are the waterfall and continuous (agile) methods. The Waterfall approach is the more structured option with set deadlines and limited available changes on the way.

At the same time, the agile approach is best suited for constant ongoing updates; it is more of a continuous process rather than a set-and-done project.

There are two website localization workflow parts: stakeholders and stages. No matter what approach you decide on, the stages of the workflow remain the same. The only difference is that the agile approach suggests a loop back to the start after QA. The main stages include:

Design (Figma) > Development (Git) > Content (CMS) > Translation (Crowdin) > QA > Launch

<Aside type="tip"> Did you know that Crowdin offers over 700 integrations with your everyday tools? Figma, GitHub, CMS integrations, and many more. Find your tool on the Crowdin Store. </Aside>

Successful website localization requires the involvement of several key stakeholders:

Developers
Product managers
Copywriters
Marketers
Professional translators
QA specialists

Collaboration among these team members is the foundation for a smooth and efficient localization workflow. It helps maintain high standards and helps avoid conflicts among stakeholders.

Each stage represents steps in the development of the concept to its realization:

In design, you outline the goals and the final result
In development, the team of developers makes the necessary website adjustments and so on.

Every stakeholder has its role in the dedicated stage. For example, copywriters in the translation stage, marketers in the content stage.

SEO and Keyword Research

Adding Hreflang tags is not enough for effective website localization. To optimize SEO for different regions and make the website visible to the local audiences, SEO localization is a must.

International URL Structures

There are 2 main international UPM structures: Subdomains and subdirectories. Let's take a closer look at these terms:

Subdomains are treated as separate websites by search engines. They allow strong regional targeting. Yet, at the same time, they need more SEO effort to build authority for each version.
Subdirectories share domain authority with the leading site. This makes them easier to manage and often more efficient for SEO.

For most businesses, subdirectories tend to be a more considerate choice. This is because they consolidate SEO value and are easier to maintain. Subdomains are a more useful option for large enterprises with independent regional teams.

Managing Multilingual Sitemaps

Each translated version of the website must come with a separate XML sitemap. When creating the robots.txt file, remember to reference each sitemap. Include hreflang annotations within the sitemaps. It helps indicate language and regional targeting to search engines. This improves crawl efficiency and indexing.

Canonicalization & Duplicate Content

Without proper canonical tags, multilingual sites risk being flagged for duplicate content. This occurs when similar pages exist in multiple languages. Here are some tips to avoid duplication:

Always set the canonical URL for each localized page.
Ensure the canonical points to the correct version of the page (not just the original language).
Pair canonicals with hreflang to help Google serve the correct version to the right audience.

Testing and Launching Your Localized Website

Testing is a major step in the localization process to ensure the functionality and effectiveness of adapted website content. Before launching a website adapted to the new markets, you must test every part. This includes checking for translation accuracy, UI functionality, and any technical issues.

Thorough testing not only helps identify and fix issues but also protects the brand’s reputation and ensures user satisfaction. Once testing is complete, the focus should shift to refining the localization and preparing for the launch.

Functional and Linguistic Testing

Functional testing verifies whether a localized interface accurately displays region-specific formats, such as dates and currencies. It also ensures that all proper website features work after localization.

Linguistic testing assesses if translations resonate with native speakers and adhere to cultural contexts. User testing, which involves observing real users as they interact with the localized content, provides valuable insights into usability and linguistic accuracy. This step is critical for ensuring both accuracy and usability of localized websites.

Make a Pre-Launch Checklist

A pre-launch checklist is important to ensure all adjusted website content meets quality and usability standards. This includes a final review of all localized content and conducting last-minute checks of functionality and cultural appropriateness.

Functional testing ensures that all features work as they should, while linguistic testing examines the accuracy and nuances of the local culture. Thorough testing before launch helps in identifying and fixing issues that could affect user satisfaction and website traffic.

Measuring Success and Optimizing

Measuring the success of your website localization strategy is necessary for ongoing optimization. Tracking metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) helps assess how well localized content resonates with local customers. Regular evaluation of localized websites can help identify necessary improvements and updates.

An effective post-launch marketing strategy involves:

Continuous monitoring
Adaptation to enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

Ongoing updates are essential. They keep localized websites aligned with changing market trends and user expectations.

Key Metrics and KPIs

Tracking user behavior and engagement metrics provides valuable insights. They provide data on the effectiveness of localized content and include:

Page views
Click-through rates
Conversion rates

Revenue from localized markets can also show the success of website localization. Increased sales always reflect positive results.

Customer satisfaction surveys in localized regions can provide critical feedback on the success of localization initiatives. By evaluating these metrics, businesses can assess the return on investment and make informed decisions for future strategies.

Continuous Improvement

User behavior changes over time. This is why content may need to be updated to provide a better experience. Try implementing feedback pop-ups and other contact forms. It ensures that recurring issues in localization are addressed and improved over time.

Gathering regular feedback from users helps:

Identify specific localization issues that need addressing.
Highlight areas for improvement in localized websites. It is done through regular analysis of metrics and user feedback.
Ensure content remains relevant and competitive.

Localization Industry Best Practices

We have compiled a list of what to do and what not to do when adjusting your website to fit the local market. This will help you avoid common mistakes and implement beneficial processes.

Use subdirectories for most multilingual sites to consolidate SEO authority.
Implement hreflang tags (or sitemaps with hreflang) to guide search engines.
Maintain glossaries and style guides to ensure brand voice consistency.
Localize not only text but also images, videos, and CTAs.
Optimize for local search intent (keywords, cultural relevance, payment methods).
Test localized pages with native speakers for accuracy and user experience.
Automate updates with continuous localization workflows for faster releases.

Don’t rely on machine translation only without human review.
Don’t mix several languages on the same page (it confuses both users and search engines).
Don’t ignore canonical tags – they prevent duplicate content issues.
Don’t use automatic redirects based on IP; let users choose their language.
Don’t forget about technical SEO basics: site speed, mobile performance, and structured data.
Don’t overlook regional differences in legal requirements, currencies, and units.

Budgeting for Localization and ROI Framework

Effective budgeting for localization is crucial. It ensures that businesses allocate adequate resources for website translation and new market content adaptation. A comprehensive assessment from the localization partner should include:

Total costs associated with setup
Maintenance
Updates
Ongoing optimization

This helps in making informed financial decisions. Such decisions ensure long-term success and sustainable growth in international markets.

Estimating Localization Costs

The cost of localizing a website can vary, considering the number of target languages and regions. Effective budgeting for localization encompasses various expenses that can impact translation costs. Using translation memory tools can help reduce costs. This is due to the reuse of previous translations, particularly for repetitive text.

Urgent localization projects tend to incur higher localization costs. This is because of the need for accelerated timelines. Additionally, design adjustments, such as layout modifications and image translations, are significant components of the localization budget.

Localization quality assurance (LQA) is essential to ensure functionality and accuracy after localization is completed.

Calculating ROI

Calculating ROI for localization efforts is essential. It provides an understanding of the effectiveness of the investment. Key metrics that illustrate the business impact of localization are:

Increased localized traffic
Higher conversion rates
Improved user engagement
Shorter buyer journeys

Using these metrics allows businesses to illustrate the return on investment. This makes a compelling case for the resources allocated to localization.

AI in Website Localization

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the website localization industry by enabling:

More efficient and accurate processes
Optimized localization workflow
Reduced turnaround times
Improved consistency in translations

A great example is Crowdin’s AI translation tools. You can use these to create quality translations that are linked to your business requirements.

The ongoing development of AI technology suggests a different future. In the future, web localization will become even more effective, impacting global reach.

As AI continues to evolve, it promises to improve efficiency and translation accuracy. This will make localization more cost-effective and impactful.

AI-Powered Translation Tools

AI translation tools can provide real-time translation of the text, reducing the time needed for localization. These tools have revolutionized the translation landscape by:

Automating processes that were once manual
Enhancing the efficiency of machine translations
Allowing companies to localize content more quickly through human translation.

Using AI-powered localization tools not only saves time. It also helps maintain consistency and accuracy in the translated content.

The main winners of this trend are businesses that adapt their content in multiple languages. Such a tendency ensures quick, accurate, and appropriate translations.

For example, Crowdin provides a suite of AI features for localization, integrating with 10+ top AI providers like OpenAI, Gemini, Claude, and Grok.

Crowdin's AI tools include:

Context Harvester: An AI tool that analyzes your codebase and project files to automatically find and provide context for translation keys. This helps both human and AI translators understand the intended meaning of a phrase.
Agentic AI: A conversational AI assistant that can be instructed to perform complex tasks, such as adjusting the tone of multiple strings or fixing gender-neutral language issues.
AI Pre-translation: An automated tool that uses AI to pre-populate translations for new content, drastically speeding up the initial localization process.
Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA): An AI-powered tool that automatically performs quality checks on translations, helping to catch errors and maintain consistency before human review.

How to Solve Context Gap in Website Localization

One of the biggest challenges in website localization is that translators can see only small content blocks in isolation, without the context.

To solve this problem and ensure high-quality translations, Crowdin created 2 apps: one designed for human linguists and one optimized for AI-driven workflows.

Tool	Primary User	Context Type	Mechanism	Key Benefit
Website Context Viewer	Linguist	Visual, Live Page	Renders the live web page directly inside the Crowdin Editor via URL.	Provides visual context for high-quality translation, especially for short strings.
Website Context Extractor	AI	Textual, Automated	Crawls your site to locate strings and attaches descriptive metadata.	Helps AI models better understand context for more accurate pre-translation.

For Human Reviewers: Website Context Viewer

This app is the solution for blind translations. Instead of guessing if a word is a button, a header, or a metadata tag, linguists can see the actual live website while they work.

When a project manager or an integration (like the WPML Companion or CMS connectors) passes URL information to Crowdin, Website Context Viewer displays the webpage side-by-side with the editor. This allows linguists to see exactly where and how their text appears on the page. This improves translation quality for website content.

Note: This app works with any context source. For headless CMS integrations, your engineering team must map content blocks to their corresponding URLs during file upload.

For AI Workflows: Website Context Extractor

Website Context Extractor focuses on automating context for AI. It helps AI models understand the context of content blocks by using a web crawler to locate where a text string appears across your site. It then generates and attaches textual context descriptions to the strings.

This approach is perfect for workflows that rely on AI Pre-translation. Such context helps reduce the risk of AI hallucination and improves translation accuracy.

Post-Launch Strategies

Continuous localization is key to updated information being displayed on localized websites by:

Making immediate updates after new content is made
Ensuring the relevancy and accuracy of the displayed data
User engagement and satisfaction analytics for highlighting improvement areas

To keep localized content, it is essential to collect user feedback. Additionally, constant data monitoring allows you to keep high user satisfaction.

Monitoring User Feedback

Collecting customer feedback is necessary for improving user experience. It allows for accurate distribution of localization efforts and to locate shortcomings.

Collecting user insights through surveys can reveal satisfaction levels with the localized content. For example, localization allowed a SaaS provider to reduce churn rates and improve customer retention through tailored support and documentation.

Regular Updates and Maintenance

To keep up with the trends, all localized content should be monitored and timely updated. Additionally, review all written content to ensure appropriate language norms are in place and culturally relevant.

Regularly scheduled content reviews help ensure accuracy and relevance. It allows for minimizing the risk of outdated information.

Conclusion: Start Your Website Localization Today

Take your website language localization to the next level with Crowdin’s comprehensive localization management platform. Request a demo or start a free 14-day trial to experience the benefits of an advanced localization platform.

Crowdin’s tools are designed to help you manage translations and adapt your content to different markets effectively, positioning your brand to engage a global audience successfully.

Other useful resources to check out:

FAQ

What is website localization?

Website localization is the process of adapting a website to a specific target market's language, cultural norms, and technical requirements. This goes beyond simple translation by tailoring every aspect of the site. This includes language, visuals, currency, and local references.

How do I know if it's time to localize my website?

It's time to localize your website if you:

notice significant international traffic
receive frequent support requests from users outside your country

What tools can help in the localization process?

Using tools like Translation Management Systems (TMS) and AI-driven platforms. Software such as Crowdin can enhance your process of localization. Embrace these resources to make your workflow smoother and more efficient.

How can I measure the success of my localization?

To measure the success of your localization efforts, focus on tracking:

user engagement
conversion rates
customer satisfaction
revenue from localized markets

By analyzing these metrics, you can assess the impact of your strategy and make informed improvements.

What are the benefits of using AI in website localization?

Using AI in website localization speeds up the process while ensuring consistency and accuracy in translations. This empowers you to focus on strategic initiatives that enhance your brand.

How can I use AI to translate my entire website accurately?

AI website translations are a great tool since you can translate large pieces of content into a local language within minutes. To ensure accurate translations, opt for localization platforms that have AI trained for these types of tasks. Another step is human post-editing. Such an approach ensures quick and nuanced website translation.

How can I ensure brand voice consistency across ten different languages?

To ensure brand voice consistency, your translation team should follow style guides and specific guidelines to gain an understanding of the company's message. You can also use localization platforms like Crowdin. It allows for managing terminology and checking for potential inconsistencies.

Do I need to localize my website's images and videos?

Of course! Website localization encompasses more than text translation. It is also the change of visuals and multimedia content.

How long does a typical website localization project take?

The duration of the project depends on several factors. The main ones are differences between the local and target markets, as well as the project's scale. Waterfall workflow projects take from 3 weeks to several months. But agile workflows take much less time since changes are not as significant and are continuous.

What is the best website localization software for an enterprise?

There are many robust solutions available on the market. One of the best ones is Crowdin Enterprise, which provides such essential tools as:

AI and human translation workflows
Team collaboration
Glossaries and style guides for brand consistency
Automation for continuous website updates

New Agentic AI Features, Overview of Context Harvester and Dubbing Studio

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Localization often takes a lot of effort, so saving time on manual tasks lets you focus on quality. In a recent Crowdin Power Up episode, host Stefan Huyghe and AI localization expert Dorota Pawlak introduced new features that make your Crowdin workflow smarter and more efficient.

Keep reading to discover how these platform updates will:

Eliminate ambiguity by automatically flagging unclear strings.
Handle bulk actions like a pro with simple text commands.
Automate workflows for tasks you perform every day.

You'll see how these new tools help translators who are ready to embrace the future of AI-powered localization.

Check the full episode on YouTube.

Let Agentic AI Do the Busy Work

Agentic AI is no longer just a translation tool. Now, it acts as a conversational partner that can take care of repetitive tasks with just one command.

Here are some cases of how you can use it within your work:

Use Case 1: Flag Unclear Strings (Before You Translate)

Before you even start translating, you can use Agentic AI to identify strings that need more context.

In the Agentic AI chatbox, use a simple prompt like: "Review the source strings and add a comment to any that are unclear."
The AI reviews the strings, checks keys and code for hints, and adds comments inside the platform to any strings it finds unclear.

You won’t need to translate first and then ask your client for clarification. Getting answers up front saves a lot of time and helps you avoid extra work.

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin offers 50 free prompts per month for Agentic AI. Try it out today </Aside>

Use Case 2: Perform Bulk Actions with Simple Commands

Imagine the client sends you a bunch of updated source strings and asks you to update them and the translations, too. You don’t have to filter and edit strings by hand anymore. The AI can handle it for you.

Remove Approvals: If you need to review a file again after a source text update, you don’t have to unapprove each string one by one. Just tell the AI to remove approvals from all strings in the file, and it will quickly set them back to "translated" status.

Edit Source Strings: When a client sends you source updates, you don’t need to update them one at a time. Just copy the list of changes, paste it into the chatbox, and tell the AI to make the corrections. The AI will update your source file for you.

Use Case 3: Create Custom Modes for Repeated Tasks

For tasks you do often, you can set up your own modes to teach the AI new rules. This way, you won’t have to repeat the same instructions each time.

In the Agentic AI chatbox, click "Add custom mode"
Provide a name for your mode, e.g., "TM Check"
Add instructions, such as: "Always check for Translation Memory matches before suggesting a new translation."
When you choose your custom mode, the AI will follow your rule automatically. This keeps your work consistent without extra effort from you.

<Aside type="tip"> Check the first episode of Crowdin Power Up on How to Master Context, Tone, Text Lengths & User Roles with Agentic AI, or read our blog post. </Aside>

Automate Context with Context Harvester

One of the biggest pain points in localization is missing context. Translators often have to guess the meaning of short, ambiguous strings. Context Harvester is a new feature that tackles this problem head-on.

Context Harvester uses Agentic AI to automatically analyze your project’s code. It identifies how strings are used and extracts valuable context.

Instead of manually uploading screenshots or writing notes about a string’s usage, the Context Harvester pulls this information for you. For example, it might identify that the string "Authorize" is used as the title of a button that initiates a login process.

Here's the example of the AI generated context for each string:

This tool will be useful for developers and localization managers, as it greatly reduces the number of questions from translators and ensures higher-quality translations from the start.

It is also incredibly useful for workflows with AI pre-translation, as the added context provides more accurate initial translations.

Create AI-Powered Dubbing with Dubbing Studio

Looking to localize your audio content? The new Dubbing Studio tool makes high-quality, professional dubbing accessible to everyone, from game developers to content creators.

How does it work? Let’s see step-by-step.

Step 1: Create a Scene

Within the Dubbing Studio app, you can import your audio strings and lay them out on a timeline. You can add different tracks for voices, sound effects, and music.

Step 2: Select AI Voices

Crowdin’s Dubbing Studio, powered by ElevenLabs, offers a wide range of natural-sounding voices across more than 70 languages. You simply select the voice you want for each character.

Step 3: Localize with Translations

Once you have your strings translated in Crowdin’s editor, Dubbing Studio automatically pulls them in. You just need to assign the new AI voices for the translated tracks, while keeping your sound effects and music tracks intact.

Step 4: Download and Use

Once your new audio is generated, you can download the localized asset and use it in your project – be it a game, a video, or an e-learning course.

Watch the episode dedicated to the Dubbing Studio app:

Wrapping Up

The future of localization lies in a partnership between linguists and AI. These new Crowdin features demonstrate how AI can automate repetitive tasks, provide missing context, and even handle audio localization.

List of the Best LLMs for Translation: Choosing the Right Model

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

There’s a big variety of Large Language Models, but which one to consider for your tasks? This guide provides a comparison of the top large language models for translation, information about how top LLMs differ in speed, cost, and the list of supported languages.

You will also explore how to build an effective localization strategy and get insights about a hybrid approach of using different LLMs for different tasks, depending on your needs.

<Aside title="Note"> This list is current as of September 2025 and is based on publicly available models. This landscape is rapidly evolving, and other models may become available soon. This is just our opinion, and we aren't emphasizing that you need to change your provider or your workflow. </Aside>

So, stay with us to discover how Crowdin offers flexibility in selecting various LLMs within a single platform.

What are Large Language Models?

LLMs, or Large Language Models, are programs that understand and create text. They're trained on a huge amount of information from the internet and books, so LLMs have learned how human language works. This allows them to do things like write stories, answer questions, and, of course, translate.

Translators and managers use LLMs for:

Speed – LLMs generate fast first drafts, saving time for the translator to edit.
Consistency – They help maintain the same words and style for large projects.
Quality Control – Translators check and fix the AI's work, focusing on a natural and accurate final product.
Assistance – LLMs suggest different phrases and help with difficult research.

Let's dive into the latest Large Language Models available on the market.

GPT-5 family

The GPT-5 family from OpenAI is designed as a tiered solution. It has a larger context window of up to 400,000 tokens, which improves its ability to maintain consistency across long documents. Furthermore, GPT-5 has been trained to have a lower hallucination rate. Some benchmarks show it is up to 45% less likely to produce a factual error compared to GPT-4o.

GPT-5 Model Comparison for Translation Needs

	GPT-5	GPT-5-mini	GPT-5-nano
Ideal for	Deep reasoning, complex tasks, and high-stakes content like legal or medical documents. It is also the best choice for agentic workflows and long-form content.	General-purpose translation and high-volume, moderately complex tasks like website content and product documentation. Offers a strong balance of performance, speed, and cost.	High-volume, low-risk content, such as social media feeds and real-time chat. Perfect for initial drafts and simple tasks like text classification.
Cost	Most expensive. Approximately $1.25 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens.	Cost-effective. Approximately $0.25 per million input tokens and $2.00 per million output tokens.	Cheapest. Approximately $0.05 per million input tokens and $0.40 per million output tokens.
Speed	Designed for deep reasoning, which may involve a more thorough, slower process.	Offers a performance increase over older models while providing a balance of speed and quality.	Fastest model, optimized for ultra-low latency.
Supported Languages	Over 95 languages	Over 95 languages	Over 95 languages
Context Window	Up to 400,000 tokens, enabling it to process and maintain context across entire books or large technical manuals.	The context window is not explicitly stated in the provided text for this model, but it is implied to be smaller than the flagship model.	The context window is not explicitly stated, but it's the smallest in the family, optimized for speed over long-term context.
Key Strength	Superior reasoning and lower hallucination rate. Excels at complex, multi-step tasks with greater reliability.	Offers a balance of performance, speed, and cost, making it the ideal choice for the majority of translation needs.	Optimized for ultra-low latency and minimal cost, making it the most efficient choice for simple tasks.
Hallucination Rate	Lowest in the GPT-5 family, crucial for high-stakes tasks.	Higher than the flagship model, but still suitable for general-purpose use.	Highest of the three models due to its smaller size, reflecting the trade-off for speed and cost.

GPT-5: The Flagship Model

This is the most capable model in the GPT-5 family, designed for deep reasoning and complex tasks.

When to Use GPT-5 Model for Translation:

High-Stakes and Nuanced Content: Use GPT-5 for translating legal documents, medical reports, or high-value marketing campaigns where a single misinterpretation can have serious consequences. Its superior reasoning and lower hallucination rate are crucial here.
Complex Agentic Workflows: If your localization process involves multiple steps – such as analyzing a technical diagram, extracting the text, translating it, and then placing it back into a new image – GPT-5 is the best choice. It can handle these multi-step tasks with greater reliability than its smaller counterparts.
Long-Form Content: With a context window of up to 400,000 tokens, it can process and maintain context across entire books or large technical manuals, ensuring terminology and style consistency.

Cost: $1.25 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens. GPT-5 is the most expensive.

GPT-5-mini: The Workhorse Model

This model offers an excellent balance of performance, speed, and cost. It’s ideal for the majority of a company's localization needs.

When to Use GPT-5-mini Model for Translation:

General-Purpose Translation: GPT-5-mini is a good choice for the bulk of your website content, UI strings, and product documentation. Its quality is great, and it provides a noticeable performance increase over older models without the premium cost of the flagship GPT-5.
High-Volume, Moderately Complex Tasks: For projects that require both speed and good quality, such as translating a large number of knowledge base articles or customer support tickets.

Cost: $0.25 per million input tokens and $2.00 per million output tokens. This makes it cost-effective for enterprise-scale operations.

GPT-5-nano: The Speed and Cost Champion

This is the smallest and fastest model in the GPT-5 family, optimized for ultra-low latency and minimal cost.

When to Use the GPT-5-nano Model for Translation:

High-Volume, Low-Risk Content: Use nano for translating content where speed and cost are the primary concerns. Examples include social media feeds, user-generated content, or real-time chat.
Initial Drafting: It can be used for a very quick, machine-generated first pass on a large document, which a human translator can then refine.
Simple Tasks: For simple tasks like text classification (e.g., categorizing customer reviews by language) or short-form summarization, nano is the most efficient choice.

Cost: $0.05 per million input tokens and $0.40 per million output tokens.

Recommended Strategy for Translation

An effective strategy for using GPT-5 for translation isn't about choosing a single model, but about using a combination of models.

Critical Content: Use GPT-5 for your most important, high-value translation work, such as legal or creative content. It provides maximum quality and a lower hallucination rate, which is crucial for a localization manager's key responsibility: delivering accurate and culturally appropriate content.
High-Volume Content: Use GPT-5-mini for the bulk of your general translation needs, where you need a balance of quality, speed, and cost.
Low-Risk Content: Use GPT-5-nano for basic, high-volume translations where minimal cost is the main concern.

This approach helps localization teams optimize their workflow and budget.

Gemini 2.5 family

The Gemini 2.5 family from Google represents a leap forward in AI, especially for translation. Gemini 2.5 was built from the ground up to be natively multimodal. It can process and reason over text, images, video, and audio simultaneously. Because Gemini 2.5 models can "think" and reason, they produce more accurate translations.

Choosing the Right Gemini 2.5 Model for Your Translation Tasks

	Gemini 2.5 Pro	Gemini 2.5 Flash	Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite
Ideal For	High-stakes and nuanced translations, complex reasoning, long-form content, multimodal tasks involving video and images.	High-volume, low-latency tasks, general-purpose translation (websites, UI), and moderately complex projects.	High-throughput, cost-sensitive, and low-latency tasks, such as real-time chat, basic translations, and initial drafts.
Cost (per 1M tokens)	Most expensive. Input: ~$1.25 Output: ~$10.00	Cost-effective. Input: ~$0.30 Output: ~$2.50	Cheapest. Input: ~$0.10 Output: ~$0.40
Speed	Optimized for deep reasoning, resulting in a slower response time.	Provides a balance of speed and quality, suitable for high-volume, low-latency applications.	The fastest model, optimized for ultra-low latency and real-time use cases.
Supported Languages	Over 40 languages, improved accuracy for non-English languages.	Over 40 languages	Over 40 languages
Context Window	Up to 1 million tokens, allowing it to process and maintain context across entire documents or video/audio files.	Up to 1 million tokens, capable of handling large inputs for cost-efficient processing.	Up to 1 million tokens, maintaining the long-context capability for high-throughput, low-cost tasks.
Key Strength	Enhanced reasoning, high accuracy, and best-in-class performance on complex benchmarks like mathematics and coding.	The optimal model for price-performance balance, offering strong capabilities at a reasonable cost.	The most cost-efficient model in the family, with a focus on speed and throughput.
Hallucination Rate	Lowest in the Gemini 2.5 family. The model is designed for high accuracy and provides the most reliable factual responses.	The hallucination rate is higher than the Pro model, but it is still considered to be low and suitable for most general-purpose tasks.	Highest in the Gemini 2.5 family due to its optimization for speed and cost over deep reasoning and factual accuracy.

Gemini 2.5 Pro: The Most Capable

Gemini 2.5 Pro is Google's flagship model, representing the peak of their AI technology.

When to Use Gemini 2.5 Pro Model for Translation:

Complex Reasoning and Nuance: It excels at understanding and generating complex language. This makes it the best choice for translating legal texts, medical manuals, and creative content.
Massive Context: With a context window of up to 1 million tokens, it can process and understand entire documents, videos, or codebases. This is a solution for maintaining consistent terminology and style across a long document.
Multimodal Tasks: Gemini 2.5 Pro is natively multimodal. It can take in text, images, video, and audio and provide a text output. This makes it invaluable for localizing videos, screenshots, or any content with mixed media.

Cost: $1.25 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens for prompts up to 200k tokens, with prices increasing for larger inputs.

Gemini 2.5 Flash: The Speed and Cost-Effective Choice

Gemini 2.5 Flash is a lightweight, efficient model built for speed and high-volume tasks.

When to Use Gemini 2.5 Flash for Translation:

High-Volume, Low-Latency Tasks: It's the ideal model for real-time translation in applications like chatbots, customer support, or live video conferencing, where speed is more important than absolute perfection.
Cost-Efficiency: Its lower price makes it the best choice for translating large volumes of non-critical content, such as user-generated reviews, internal emails, or social media feeds.
"Good Enough" Quality: It is capable of most general translation needs. It's an "workhorse" model for the majority of a company's localization needs.

Cost: $0.30 per million input tokens and $2.50 per million output tokens.

Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite: The Cheapest Option

Flash-Lite is a variant optimized for the absolute lowest cost and highest throughput.

When to Use Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite for Translation:

Bulk Translation: Use this model for simple, high-volume tasks where cost is the main concern, like internal documents or basic texts.
Limited Budgets: It provides a great entry point for smaller projects or for teams on a very tight budget.

Cost: $0.075 per million input tokens and $0.30 per million output tokens.

Recommended Strategy for Translation Needs

The best approach to localization isn't using a single Gemini model, but a strategic mix of models.

Critical Content: Use Gemini 2.5 Pro for your most important, high-value translations.
High-Volume Content: Use Gemini 2.5 Flash for the bulk of your general translation needs, where you need a balance of quality, speed, and cost.
Low-Risk Content: Use Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite for basic, high-volume translations where minimal cost is the main concern.

A tiered approach helps you match the quality and cost to each task, which optimizes workflow and budget.

<Aside title="Case Study"> Up to 75% of Translations Ready for Publication with AI – Polhus Localization with Crowdin </Aside>

Lara Translate

Unlike general-purpose LLMs, Lara is an AI model trained by Translated on a massive dataset of 25 million real and professional human translations. This focus allows it to excel in three key areas:

Human-Quality Output: It provides highly accurate and natural-sounding translations with a lower rate of errors.
Contextual Understanding: It maintains consistent terminology and style by analyzing entire documents, not just isolated sentences.
Document Translation: Lara keeps context, tone, and brand terms consistent across DOCX, PPTX, and other common formats. All with secure handling.
Adaptability: It offers specific features like translation styles (Faithful, Fluid, Creative) and glossary management, which are important for professional workflows.

Lara Translate Features and Performance

	Lara Translate
Ideal For	Individuals, businesses, and enterprises needing high-quality, secure, and context-aware translations. It's particularly well-suited for legal, technical, and marketing content.
Speed	Exceptionally fast (real-time translations), with 99% of translations completed in 1.2 seconds. It is reported to be faster than general-purpose LLMs.
Key Strengths	Near-professional quality, deep contextual understanding, ability to explain translation choices, multiple translation styles (Fluid, Faithful, Creative), and privacy features (incognito mode, encrypted translations).
Supported Languages	Over 200 languages
Supported File Formats (for document translation)	Over 50 different file formats supported for all possible needs (docx, docm, xlsx, xlsm, otp, odp, pptx, pptm, pdf, csv, xml, json, mif, idml, xliff, srt, txt, and many more).
Cost	It offers a Free plan. Paid plans include a Pro plan at €9/month and a Team plan at €29 per user/month, with custom enterprise solutions also available.
Key Features	Context-aware translations, instant document translation (preserving formatting), real-time conversation interpretation, language detection, ambiguity flagging, and an API for developers.

When to Choose Lara Over Traditional LLMs?

While general LLMs like GPT and Gemini can translate, Lara Translate is a specialized tool optimized for the task.

Choose Lara Translate when you need:

Higher Accuracy: Trained on billions of translated texts, it excels at handling specific terminology.
Time-to-Market and Scale: This model is designed for high-volume and real-time translation. It can process large documents and batches much faster than a standard LLM.
Workflow Integration: It supports 50+ file formats and integrates with localization platforms, offering a complete solution for businesses.
Enhanced Security: It provides a secure, privacy-first approach with features like encrypted "incognito mode" translations.

Lara Translate is perfect for translating big projects and specialized content. It's the best tool when you need speed and accuracy while keeping your data private.

Claude 4 family

The Claude 4 models from Anthropic are a major step forward for AI localization. The Opus model is the most expensive, but its high cost is justified. It's built for critical and complex tasks that require deep reasoning, accuracy, and reliability.

The models are also designed with a "Constitutional AI" framework to ensure safe and ethical outputs, making them a great choice for sensitive content. Claude 4 can process entire documents or codebases while maintaining accuracy.

Claude 4 Model Comparison for Translation

	Claude 4.1 Opus	Claude 4 Sonnet
Ideal For	High-stakes content (legal, creative), advanced coding, and complex, long-running agentic workflows.	General-purpose translation, high-volume content, and day-to-day tasks where a balance of speed and cost is key.
Cost (per 1M tokens)	Most expensive. Input: $15 Output: $75	Most cost-effective. Input: $3 Output: $15
Speed	Slower, output speed of 44.3 tokens per second.	Faster, output speed of 61.8 tokens per second
Supported Languages	Strong multilingual support across a wide range of languages, with a focus on deep reasoning and nuance in non-English texts.	Strong multilingual support, offering a balance of speed and quality for a wide range of language pairs.
Context Window	A large context window of 200,000 tokens (with a beta for 1M tokens), ideal for digesting entire documents or codebases.	A large context window of 200,000 tokens (with a beta for 1M tokens), offering a deep memory for long documents at a lower cost.
Key Strength	Unrivaled deep reasoning and long-term memory make it the best choice for high-stakes, analytical work.	The optimal model for price and performance, delivering near-Opus quality at a fraction of the cost.
Hallucination Rate	Lowest in the Claude 4 family. Designed for superior factual accuracy and reliability, especially in complex, multi-step reasoning.	Low and reliable for most tasks. It may have a slightly higher rate than Opus, but still provides high-quality output.

Claude 4.1 Opus

Opus is Anthropic's flagship, most powerful, and most expensive model. It's designed to handle complex tasks and deep, analytical thinking.

When to Choose the Claude 4.1 Opus Model:

High-Stakes Content: Use Opus for legal documents, medical translations, or creative marketing campaigns where a single mistake could be very costly. It excels at understanding nuanced context and delivering highly accurate, fluent translations that require minimal post-editing.
Complex Workflows: Opus is designed for multi-step, agentic tasks. It can handle a translation project that involves reading multiple source documents, synthesizing information, and then generating a single, cohesive output.
Long-form Documents: While Sonnet and Haiku also have large context windows, Opus's superior reasoning and long-term memory make it the ideal choice for translating entire books or extensive manuals.

Cost: $15 per million input tokens and $75 per million output tokens. This is five times more expensive than Sonnet.

Claude 4 Sonnet

Sonnet is the middle-ground model, offering an excellent balance of performance, speed, and cost. It's the most widely used model in the Claude family, handling the majority of general-purpose tasks.

When to Choose the Claude 4 Sonnet Model:

General-Purpose Translation: Sonnet is a great choice for the bulk of your localization work, such as translating website content, user interface text, or knowledge base articles. It provides a quality boost over older models without the high cost of Opus.
Cost-Efficiency: For companies with a large volume of content to translate, Sonnet's lower price makes it the most practical option. Many companies use a "hybrid" approach, using Sonnet for 80% of their content and reserving Opus for the most critical 20%.
Integration and Speed: Sonnet is optimized for high-volume, lower-latency tasks. It's a fantastic fit for real-time applications like chatbots or for translating large batches of customer support tickets.

Cost: $3 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens.

Recommended Strategy for Translators

The choice of the best Claude 4 model for localization isn't a one-size-fits-all solution; it's about a strategic workflow.

Because the Opus model comes with a premium in cost due to its superior reasoning and reliability, it is best reserved for your most critical tasks. This includes high-stakes legal, medical, or creative content where a single error could be costly.

For the vast majority of your day-to-day translation work, including website content and general documents, the more affordable and faster Sonnet model provides a balance of quality, speed, and cost-efficiency.

By adopting this tiered approach, you can maximize the value of the Claude 4 family while keeping your budget in check.

Meta's Leading Models: LLaMA 4 family and NLLB-200

At Meta, the landscape is defined by two key players: the versatile LLaMA 4 family and the specialized NLLB-200 model.

Let’s break down their unique strengths and help you decide which is the right fit for your business.

A Quick Comparison: LLaMA 4 Maverick, LLaMA 4 Scout, and NLLB-200

	LLaMA 4 Maverick	LLaMA 4 Scout	NLLB-200
Ideal For	Creative and nuanced content, and handling multimodal inputs like images and video.	Deep analysis of extremely long documents, where consistency is critical.	High-volume, cost-effective translation across a massive number of languages.
Output Speed	High. ~142 tokens/sec.	High. ~114 tokens/sec.	Varies widely, but typically low for general use.
Supported Languages	Excels in a dozen core languages but has a foundational understanding of 200+.	Same multilingual capabilities as Maverick, with a focus on deep, long-form analysis.	A true specialist designed for high-quality translation across 200 distinct languages.
Cost	~$0.19-$0.49 per 1M tokens.	~$0.10 input/$0.50 output per 1M tokens.	The model is free to use; cost is for hardware only.
Core Strength	Balance of intelligence, speed, and cost for general-purpose use.	The ability to "remember" and reason over entire books or codebases.	The single model that provides high-quality translation for 200 languages.
Context Window	1 million tokens	10 million tokens (Industry-leading)	Up to 512 tokens
Hallucination Rate	Low. ~4.6% in a controlled test.	Low. ~0.58% in a controlled test.	Lower for high-resource languages, but can be higher for low-resource languages.

LLaMA 4 Maverick: Your Go-To for Creative and Nuanced Content

LLaMA 4 Maverick is a reliable and efficient model. It's built for complexity and nuance, making it the perfect choice for projects that require a sophisticated touch.

Creative Excellence: If you need to translate marketing copy, adapt a brand's tone of voice, or translate complex prose, Maverick's superior reasoning and creative capabilities are a huge advantage.
A Multimodal Game-Changer This model can understand both text and images. This is a game-changer for localizing visual content like product diagrams, instructional screenshots, or video subtitles – a task that's historically been quite challenging.
Practicality: While it’s a premium model, its performance-to-cost ratio is good. It offers the kind of power you'd expect from a top-tier generalist model.

LLaMA 4 Scout: The Ultimate Specialist for Long-Form Content

Where Maverick is the all-around athlete, LLaMA 4 Scout is the marathon runner. It's built for one specific, incredibly demanding task: handling exceptionally long documents.

Unparalleled "Memory": Its defining feature is a massive 10-million-token context window. This means it can maintain consistency across an entire book, a full legal contract, or a sprawling technical manual–a feat that's simply not possible with other models.
The Power of Consistency: For industries like publishing, law, or technical documentation, ensuring consistent terminology is critical. Scout’s ability to maintain context over thousands of pages makes it the ideal tool for these high-stakes projects.
Remarkably Efficient: Despite its incredible context window, Scout is designed to be highly efficient, making it a surprisingly cost-effective solution for its specialized purpose.

<Aside type="tip"> You can add LLaMA 4 manually to Crowdin as a custom AI provider. This requires you to use the API and configure it within your Crowdin workspace settings. You will need to obtain an LLaMA 4 API key and set up a custom prompt to connect the two services. </Aside>

NLLB-200: The Champion of Linguistic Diversity

NLLB-200 ("No Language Left Behind") is an AI model specifically designed for machine translation. Its primary goal is to provide high-quality translations for a massive number of languages, particularly those that are often underrepresented. The NLLB-200 excels in language pair translation, providing high-quality results for 200 different languages.

Wide language coverage: NLLB-200 is unparalleled in its breadth, with a single model capable of translating across 200 different languages. For software localization teams that need to support a vast number of languages, including low-resource ones like Høgnorsk or Icelandic, NLLB-200 is the best, and often only, choice.
Cost-Effective by Design: Since it's an open-source model, you're not paying a per-call fee. You're only paying for the computational resources to run it, which can lead to savings at scale.
A Reliable Workhorse: This model is a specialist, trained specifically in translation. This focus means it has a very low hallucination rate, providing reliable, high-quality output for a wide range of content, from customer support tickets to internal documents.

<Aside type="tip"> Check our guide on how to connect NLLB-200 to Crowdin. </Aside>

Making the Right Choice for Translation Strategy

The best model from Meta depends on your core objectives:

If your focus is on premium quality, creative content, and multimodal tasks, LLaMA 4 Maverick is your partner. It's the best general-purpose tool on the market.
If your project demands absolute consistency across massive documents, LLaMA 4 Scout is the specialized solution that will give you an unparalleled advantage.
If your priority is cost-effective, high-volume translation across a diverse set of languages, NLLB-200 is the unmatched champion.

Alibaba Qwen

As a model developed by a Chinese company, Qwen consistently shows superior results in Chinese-English translation, with a deeper understanding of cultural nuances and idioms. It also excels in other major Asian languages such as Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese, where it often outperforms competitors.

Alibaba Qwen Model Comparison for Translation

	Qwen-MT	Qwen-Plus	Qwen-Turbo & Qwen-Flash
Ideal For	High-volume, high-stakes content like legal documents and professional documentation.	Moderately complex, everyday translation tasks, such as website content and knowledge bases, where a balance of performance and cost is needed.	High-volume, low-risk content, such as real-time chat, user-generated content, or a first draft for human post-editing.
Supported Languages	A specialist model with a strong focus on Asian languages that supports 92 official languages.	A versatile model with strong multilingual capabilities, supporting over 100 languages and dialects with marked improvements in translation.	Optimized for efficiency across a wide range of languages.
Cost	Competitive. Input: ~$0.16 to $2.46 Output: ~$0.49 to $7.37	Balanced. Input: ~$0.40 Output: ~$1.20	Cheapest. Input: ~$0.10 to ~$0.16 Output: ~$0.28 to $0.49
Speed/Latency	Extremely fast and efficient due to its specialized architecture, achieving rapid translation processing. It is designed for high-concurrency environments.	Balances performance with speed, offering a responsive experience for most enterprise applications.	Fastest models, optimized for low latency and high throughput for real-time applications.
Context Window	The Qwen-MT model has a context window of 4,096 tokens.	The stable version has a context window of 131,072 tokens.	The context window is optimized for efficiency.
Hallucination Rate	Low. This model is specifically trained on a massive dataset of professional translations, resulting in a low rate of errors and high fluency.	Reliable for most tasks. Its advanced training and human preference alignment help reduce factual errors.	Optimized for speed and cost, with a higher propensity for errors or hallucinations on complex, nuanced tasks.
Key Strength	A highly accurate and fluent specialist model for machine translation, with superior performance in Chinese and other major Asian languages.	An excellent all-around model that provides a strong balance of performance, speed, and cost for a wide range of tasks.	The most cost-effective and fastest models, ideal for real-time and high-volume needs.

Qwen-MT: Machine Translation

Qwen-MT, built on the Qwen3 foundation, is a specialist machine translation model from Alibaba. It is specifically trained on trillions of multilingual and translation-specific tokens. This model uses reinforcement learning to improve its accuracy, fluency, and idiomatic expression.

Qwen-MT is The Best for:

High-volume, high-stakes content, such as legal and professional documentation, where quality is paramount.
Translation for major Asian languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese requires a deeper understanding of cultural nuances.
Maintaining consistent translation of brand names and technical terms through features like terminology control and domain prompts.

Cost: Input: ~$0.16 to $2.46 per million tokens. Output: ~$0.49 to $7.37 per million tokens.

Qwen-Plus: Balanced Performance

Qwen-Plus is a versatile, middle-tier model in the Alibaba Qwen family. It offers a strong balance of performance, speed, and cost for localization. It supports over 100 languages and dialects with a large context window, making it suitable for a wide range of tasks.

Qwen-Plus is The Best for:

General-purpose translation, such as website content, UI strings, and knowledge base articles.
Moderately complex projects that require a balance of performance and cost.
Multilingual tasks, with a particular focus on Chinese and English, but strong support for other languages.

Cost: Qwen-Plus is cost-effective, with pricing around $0.40 per million input tokens and $1.20 per million output tokens.

Qwen-Turbo & Qwen-Flash (Speed & Cost)

Qwen-Turbo and Qwen-Flash are the fastest and most cost-effective models in the Qwen family, optimized for ultra-low latency and high-volume throughput. They are designed for straightforward translation tasks where speed and minimal cost are the main priorities.

Qwen-Turbo & Qwen-Flash are The Best for:

High-volume, low-risk content, such as real-time chat, social media feeds, and user-generated content.
Initial drafts for human post-editing.
Real-time applications where speed is more important than absolute perfection.

Cost: Qwen-Turbo pricing is approximately $0.05 per million input tokens and $0.20 per million output tokens. Qwen-Flash has a tiered pricing structure, with a minimum cost of $0.05 per million input tokens and $0.40 per million output tokens.

Hybrid Approach for Alibaba Qwen Models

As we mentioned above, the most effective strategy for translation is not to choose a single model, but to use a hybrid approach that uses the unique strengths of each Qwen model.

For High-Value Content: Use Qwen-MT for mission-critical, high-stakes translation where professional quality is essential.
For General Content: Use Qwen-Plus for the majority of your general translation work, where you need a strong balance of performance and cost.
For High-Volume Content: Use Qwen-Turbo or Qwen-Flash for high-volume, low-risk, or real-time tasks where speed and minimal cost are the main priorities.

By adopting this tiered strategy, localization teams can get the right level of quality for each task, while optimizing their workflow and budget.

<Aside type="tip"> Alibaba Cloud Model Studio is now avalable on the Crowdin Store! Install and try it now. </Aside>

Build a Multi-Model Strategy with Crowdin

The ideal strategy for translation is not to rely on a single, all-purpose model, as each LLM has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The most effective approach for continuous localization is to adopt a flexible, hybrid workflow that allows you to use the right tool for the right job. All of this is possible with a platform like Crowdin.

On Crowdin, you aren't locked into a single provider. The platform acts as a central hub where you can connect, manage, and switch between various AI engines – including GPT, Gemini, Claude, and specialized models like Lara – to suit different content types and project needs. This allows you to:

Experiment and Compare: Easily test and benchmark different LLMs with your specific content to see which one provides the best results for quality, tone, and cost.
Create a Tiered Workflow: Use a high-cost, high-accuracy model like Claude Opus 4 for critical content, a balanced model like Gemini 2.5 Flash for your general website content, and a super-fast, low-cost model like GPT-5-nano for real-time chat or user-generated content. If you need a professional translation for critical and sensitive texts of documents, you can even use a specialized model like Lara for professional and highly nuanced translations.
Optimize for Quality and Budget: By adopting this multi-model strategy, you can get the best possible translations for each part of your project while optimizing your budget and maintaining full control.

Moreover, Crowdin allows you to integrate a custom AI model. This gives you a lot of control. You can train the AI on your company's specific words and style, which is perfect for things like technical manuals or legal documents.

With Crowdin, you have the flexibility to build a powerful and efficient localization pipeline tailored to your unique requirements.

FAQ

What is the best LLM for translation?

There is no single "best" LLM for all translation tasks. The ideal approach is to use a hybrid strategy that uses different models for different needs. For example, a high-quality model like GPT-5 can be used for critical content, while a faster, more cost-effective model like GPT-5-nano or Gemini 2.5 Flash can handle high-volume, low-risk content. If you need both speed and professional quality, with customised solutions (glossaries and TMs features included), then Lara is the best choice.

Why use a multi-model approach for translation?

A multi-model strategy allows you to optimize your workflow and budget by using the right model for the right task. This approach ensures you get the necessary quality for each piece of content while managing costs and maintaining efficiency. Platforms like Crowdin allow you to connect and switch between various AI engines to suit different content types and project needs.

Which LLMs are the most cost-effective for translation?

For high-volume, low-cost translation, you should choose models that are optimized for minimal expense. Examples include GPT-5-nano, Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite, and the Qwen-Turbo & Qwen-Flash models. For professional high-level localization with medium-low volumes, Lara is a good option. Open-source models like Meta NLLB-200 are also a very cheap option, as the only cost is the computational resources to run them.

What is a "context window" and why is it important for translation?

The context window is the number of tokens an LLM can process at once. A larger context window allows the model to maintain consistency across long documents, such as books or technical manuals. This is a key challenge in translation, as it helps ensure that terminology and style remain consistent throughout the entire text. The Scout variant of Meta LLaMA 4 has an industry-leading context window of 10 million tokens.

Content Localization Best Practices

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Adapting and localizing your content is crucial for success. It helps businesses connect with global audiences that do not speak other languages. With global growth as your goal, сontent localization and a comprehensive TMS are a must. Without them, you won't be able to expand your reach and impact worldwide.

This comprehensive guide covers:

key definitions
strategic translation workflows
step-by-step implementation processes
measurement techniques
expert recommendations to help localize your content.

You'll discover how localizing content:

drives higher engagement and conversion rates
builds trust with global audiences
increases revenue in foreign markets.

Key Takeaways for Content Localization Success

Content localization is an important strategy for achieving global business success. Localized content delivers higher engagement rates than generic translations.

5 critical success factors:

Comprehensive cultural adaptation goes beyond translation. It also includes style guides, technical, and visual elements.
Localization is a systematic process. It relies on proper planning, native expertise, and quality assurance protocols.
Strategic content prioritization. Focus resources and content localization efforts on high-impact materials that influence customer decisions.
Data-based continuous measurement and optimization. Collect local market feedback and performance metrics.
Long-term commitment. Dedication to understanding and serving local audiences' authenticity

The evidence of localization's importance is overwhelming. Businesses that invest in a comprehensive localization strategy achieve:

Superior market penetration
Customer engagement
Revenue growth in international markets.

How to Start Creating Localized Content?

Start building your solid content localization strategy today to capture these competitive advantages. Begin your localization journey by:

conducting thorough market research
auditing existing content for localization potential
partnering with experienced localization services providers

Remember that successful localization includes more than content translation. It requires ongoing investment in cultural understanding and local market relationships.

Content Localization and Its Importance for Global Growth

Content localization is the process of adapting content to fit the cultural, linguistic, and regional preferences of specific target markets. It is much more than translation. Localizing content also requires attention to:

currency formats
imagery and visual elements
cultural references
local context, specific to the global audiences

76% of consumers prefer to buy products with information in their native language. The data is according to CSA Research. This makes a solid localization strategy critical for global business success. By localizing your content, businesses can:

reach global audiences
support global growth
ensure their messaging resonates across diverse markets

Investing in content localization leads to 1.5-2x higher conversion rates. This is the data compared to businesses using generic translated content. The evidence is clear: localization is essential for serious international market participation.

Understanding Content Localization: Key Concepts and Definitions

Let's review some of the key definitions and concepts. This will help businesses better understand all aspects of the localization processes. It is also essential for connecting with global audiences on a deeper level.

Core Definitions

Localization (l10n) of content encompasses cultural and linguistic adaptation beyond translation. It also includes:

currency symbols
date formats, imagery
color symbolism
cultural references that resonate with local audiences.

Localization ensures your target audience experiences content as something created for them. This way, international audiences are more related to the product. Result: higher conversion rates in a specific market.

Other key terminology includes:

Translation: Converting text from one language to another language
Internationalization (i18n): Preparing source content for localization
Transcreation: Creative translation focusing on emotional impact and cultural nuance
Localization services: Professional providers offering comprehensive cultural adaptation

<Aside type="tip"> Understand that localization involves translation but extends far beyond linguistic conversion. It improves your strategy's effectiveness and prevents costly cultural missteps. </Aside>

Concept Relationships

Content localization connects to:

The relationship flows as a system:

Content localization strategy → Cultural relevance → Trust building → Increased engagement and conversion rates → Global market success

Effective localization integrates with:

This connection ensures your localization efforts align with broader business objectives. At the same time, maintaining brand consistency across multiple markets is essential.

Adjusting KPIs

Here's what's important when measuring the success of your localization efforts. Core market key performance indicators (KPIs) may not be appropriate for new markets. Businesses should adjust metrics to fit the local audience. Rather than relying on standard conversion rates, focus on brand awareness and customer engagement.

Industry-Specific Localization Considerations

Many industries use their unique terminology. Additionally, they have established norms and regulations, and have user expectations. Precise attention to various aspects of localization is vital. It aids to ensure quality adaptation of the product or service. Let's take a closer look at industry-specific considerations:

E-commerce:

UI
technical files and documents
adapting time, date, and currency to local formats
compliance with local buying habits.

Learn more about e-Commerce marketing localization from our dedicated blog post.

Finance:

compliance with the local regulations
usage of the industry jargon and terms
secure user data storage.

Healthcare:

attention to the medical terms
compliance with the healthcare regulations of the foreign country
local nuance consideration when talking to patients.

Cultural Localization Beyond Translation

A successful global content strategy requires more than accurate translation. True localization means adapting your content and experiences. These should fit the cultural context of each market. Such a process ensures that your brand feels natural and relevant to local audiences.

Understanding Cultural Nuances and Context

Every culture has unique communication styles, idioms, humor, and sensitivities. What sounds persuasive in one language may come across as rude or confusing in another. Effective localization requires an understanding of these nuances. Choosing the right tone, formality level, and storytelling techniques to build authentic connections.

Localize Visual Elements

Imagery, color, and design choices can mean different things worldwide. The color that symbolized joy in Western culture. Yet, in Asian countries, associations cannot be as joyful. To resonate with the locals, you must adjust imagery, graphs, and other visuals.

Localizing User Interface and User Journey

A good user experience depends on more than translated text. Date formats, currencies, address fields, and even navigation flows should reflect local norms. Tailoring the user interface (UI) and user journey (a key component of product localization strategy) helps remove friction. It makes your digital products feel intuitive in every market. It makes your digital products feel intuitive in every market. For specific techniques, review our best practices for UI localization.

Addressing Local Market Preferences

Buying habits, preferred payment methods, and communication channels vary across regions. Consumers may prefer WhatsApp or WeChat over email. In others, credit cards are less common than digital wallets. Understanding and adapting to these preferences impacts conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Creating Relevant Messaging

Cultural resonance is the ultimate goal of localization. Messaging should reflect local values, aspirations, and lifestyles. To match what matters most to local audiences, this may mean adjusting:

slogans
promotional campaigns
product positioning

Locals perceive brands that succeed here not as outsiders, but as trusted partners.

Understanding Local Audiences

A successful localization strategy begins with a deep understanding of your local audiences. This means going beyond surface-level demographics. Uncover the unique preferences, behaviors, and cultural nuances that define each target market.

Start with Global Market Research

The process of localization should always start with thorough market research and analysis of:

how your intended audience consumes content
what resonates with the locals
what local expectations shape their buying decisions

Work with Local Experts

To create content that connects, it’s essential to engage local experts. They can provide insights into cultural subtleties and help you avoid common pitfalls. Gather feedback from these local experts and leverage data analytics. It will allow you to refine your localization strategy. It helps ensure your messaging aligns with the values and interests of your audience.

Understand your Global Audiences

Businesses can boost their international engagement and conversion rates. How? By localizing your content to reflect the language, cultural background, and needs of each market.

A solid localization strategy requires a deep understanding as a foundation. Knowing your local audiences and using that knowledge throughout the localization process.

Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Content Localization Process

You don't know where to start – we're here to help. We have prepared a step-by-step guide to help you get started with localization.

Step 1: Market Research and Content Localization Strategy Planning

Market Research

Conduct a comprehensive market analysis, including:

language preferences
cultural nuances
competitor strategies
regulatory requirements for your target regions.

This foundation prevents costly mistakes. It also ensures your localization strategy aligns with local market realities.

Market prioritization checklist:

Revenue potential and market size analysis
Cultural complexity assessment
Competitive landscape evaluation
Legal and regulatory requirements review
Available localization resources assessment

Create a Customer Persona

Create detailed audience personas for each target market. Incorporate cultural insights, content consumption patterns, and preferred communication styles. Understanding your intended audience beyond demographics improves localization effectiveness.

Outline Your Strategy and Goals
Develop a comprehensive localization strategy document. It should contain clear objectives, timelines, success metrics, and budget allocations. This document guides decision-making throughout the localization and ensures stakeholder alignment.

Step 2: Content Audit and Localization Preparation

Prioritization

Perform a thorough content inventory, categorizing materials by priority, complexity, and localization requirements. Not all existing content requires equal localization investment. Focus resources on high-impact materials that influence customer decisions.

Content prioritization framework:

Top priority: Product pages, landing pages, checkout processes
Medium priority: Blog content, marketing collateral, social media posts
Lower priority: Internal documentation, secondary support content

Style Guides and Guidelines

Create comprehensive style guides, glossaries, and brand guidelines for each target market. These resources ensure consistency across your localization team. Additionally, they maintain brand integrity while adapting to local contexts.

Step 3: Execute Localization and Quality Assurance

Work with Local Experts

Start localization by using native speakers with subject matter expertise and cultural knowledge. Professional localization services provide linguistic accuracy. At the same time, ensuring cultural appropriateness and local market relevance.

Quality Assurance

Establish multi-stage quality assurance protocols:

Linguistic review: Grammar, syntax, and terminology accuracy
Cultural validation: Appropriateness and local context verification
Technical testing: UI functionality validation with localization testing.
Market feedback integration: Local expert and customer input incorporation

Track Progress

Deploy localized content through appropriate channels with proper tracking and monitoring systems. Use KPI specific to each local market to measure success and identify optimization opportunities.

Collect Customer Feedback

Create feedback loops with local market teams and customers for continuous improvement. Regular feedback collection enables iterative refinement of your localization efforts.

<Aside type="tip"> Learn how global brands like Brave and Riskified are hadling their content localization. </Aside>

Best Practices for Effective Content Localization

To achieve long-term global success, businesses must treat localization as an ongoing strategy. Not a one-time project. We have compiled a list of best practices. These will help your business resonate with the locals.

Building a Successful Localization Team

A dedicated team is the foundation of effective localization. This includes:

project managers
translators
editors
cultural consultants

They must work together to align content with local expectations. Having a clear workflow and defined roles ensures consistency and quality at scale.

Working with Native Speakers and Local Experts

Native speakers bring cultural insight that goes far beyond word-for-word translation. Collaborating with local experts is essential. It ensures your messaging reflects the tone, idioms, and cultural norms of the market. Such attention makes your content authentic and relatable.

Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Languages

While adapting content for local markets, it’s essential to preserve your brand’s voice, values, and identity. Style guides, glossaries, and translation memory tools help maintain consistency. This promotes unified brand association across all markets, regardless of language.

Optimizing Translation Workflow Efficiency

Efficiency is key when localizing large volumes of content. Leveraging technology optimizes the process, reduces errors, and shortens time-to-market. Main technology includes:

translation management systems (TMS),
AI-powered localization tools,
centralized content platforms

Continuous Improvement and Feedback Integration

Localization is a continuous process. It is never a completed process. Several processes allow you to refine your strategy over time:

gathering user feedback
monitoring performance metric
staying updated on cultural shifts

Regular audits and updates ensure that your localized content remains relevant.

Content Localization Software: Tools and Technology

Leveraging content localization software is essential. It enables the management of localization complexities. Especially when dealing with many language versions and large-scale localization efforts. A robust translation management system (TMS) allows you to:

manage workflows
automates repetitive tasks
facilitates collaboration among localization teams

Such a platform ensures that your content strategy remains efficient and scalable.

Localize Your Content with Crowdin

The right localization software is a must. With it, businesses can maintain consistency and accuracy across all multilingual content. This reduces the risk of errors and saves valuable time. Several tools help optimize the translation workflow, including:

translation memory
machine translation platforms
integrated project management systems

This, in turn, makes it easier to update and manage content for different markets.

Translation Memory

Translation memory keeps track of all translations with localization software terms. Crowdin will showcase suggestions for previous translations. It is better to additionally re-check them, but your team will still save lots of time and money.

Machine Translation Process

Another helpful tool from Crowdin is machine translation. It will help localize your content. You can translate a vital piece of information, even without a translator.

<Aside type="tip"> Check out the list of 5 best MT software. </Aside>

Alignment with Goals

Incorporating content localization software, such as Crowdin, into your global marketing strategies:

improves quality and speed
supports better alignment with your business objectives.

By investing in the Crowdin localization software, you can:

enhance your localization efforts
deliver a great user experience across all language versions
achieve greater impact in international markets.

Overcoming Cultural Barriers in Localization

Navigating cultural barriers is one of the most challenging aspects of localization strategy. You must focus on creating content that resonates with your target audience. It’s crucial to understand and respect:

cultural nuances
traditions
values

These are the factors that shape their perceptions and behaviors. A good localization strategy involves more than translating words. It requires cultural sensitivity and a commitment to authenticity.

Avoid Common Mistakes

Working with local experts and conducting thorough market research are key steps. It helps with:

identifying potential cultural pitfalls
ensuring your content is both relevant and respectful.

Cultural sensitivity training for your localization team is also important. It can enhance your ability to create content that avoids misinterpretation or offense.

Consider Cultural Nuances

It’s important not to compromise quality by:

relying on automated translation tools alone
overlooking the importance of cultural adaptation

By prioritizing cultural nuances and engaging with local audiences, businesses can:

build trust
credibility
lasting relationships

Managing Costs in Localization

Managing costs is a vital component of any localization. Striking the right balance between quality and budget requires a strategic approach. It will help leverage technology and expertise without sacrificing quality or cultural relevance.

Choose the Right Tools. A good localization strategy incorporates cost-effective solutions. These allow to manage the localization process and reduce expenses, and include
- translation memory tools
- machine translation platforms
- project management systems
Understand your Global Audiences. Localize your content by collaborating with experienced localization teams. Additionally, conduct comprehensive market research. These processes ensure accuracy, engagement, and tailoring of the content to target audiences.
Track Performance. Use data analytics to track performance and make informed decisions. It helps maximize ROI. It also ensures the focus of the localization efforts on high-impact areas.

By managing costs and maintaining a commitment to quality and culture, businesses can:

create localized content that drives engagement
boosts conversion rates,
support sustainable growth worldwide.

All these without compromising on the standards that matter most.

Common Content Localization Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1. Treating localization as simple translation without considering cultural context and local preferences. This approach often results in technically correct but culturally inappropriate content. Such content fails to engage local audiences.

Mistake 2. Equal content localization instead of prioritizing high-impact materials based on:

customer journey analysis
business objectives

Resource allocation should focus on content that influences conversion decisions.

Mistake 3. Neglecting technical aspects. These include UI adaptation, date formats, currency symbols, and right-to-left language support. These technical elements have a high impact on user experience quality.

<Aside type="tip"> No compromising of quality assurance for speed or cost savings. Avoid these mistakes by: - establishing clear localization standards - partnering with experienced language service providers

maintaining regular communication with local market experts. </Aside>

Real-Life Content Localization Success Story

Case Study. How Polhus used Crowdin’s AI and DatoCMS integration for website localization.

Starting Situation. Polhus updated their website design which mostly consisted of sweedinsh-native content. To ensure they can reach international users and maintain high quality across markets, they had to localize their website. For this specific project, the company mainly focuses on localizing the website text.

Implementation Steps:

Glossary translation. The initial step before working on the website content was to translate all terms within the glossary. This allows for keeping translation consistency throughout all texts.
Localization workflow set up. This process included several vital steps that ensured quality translation of the text.
- Integration with DatoCMS. By integrating Polhus’ content management system through the Crowdin app, the company could synchronize all website content for translation.
- AI Translations. Crowdin’s AI pre-translation feature, with the use of the OpenAI (ChatGPT 4) model, delivered the translations, 75% of which did not require any adjustments from the professionals.
- Human Review. The team of experts rewrote the AI-generated translations, only 25 of which needed improvement.

Results achieved:

75% of AI-generated content was publish-ready
ensured glossary consistency across all translated text
$80,000 was saved on contact localization
posting-ready content within days

This success demonstrates how a comprehensive localization strategy extends beyond translation. It encompasses consistency, technical integration, and customer experience optimization.

Future Trends in Localization

The future lies in technology. With its rapid development, the center of localization will be around automation tools. Such tools will ease the process of translation and content adaptation.

Here's the list of the most vital localization trends:

AI development. AI has integrated every part of our lives, including localization. It will be further used to:
- automate translation workflows,
- keep track of the progress and performance metrics
- help create more efficient content.
Real-time translation. New technologies will allow for instant translation of any content. No matter how big or complex it is. This will shorten the time spent on localization of content. Which, in turn, will allow to enter the global markets quicker.
Personalization. Creating personalized content is already the main selling point for every industry. The focus will contribute to creating culture-sensitive products and services. There will be more and more attention to the local nuances and relevance.

Final Thoughts

Content localization is no longer optional for businesses aiming to grow. It is a strategic necessity. By going beyond translation and adapting content to local cultures, businesses can:

create stronger connections
improve customer experiences
drive global success.

Next Steps for Implementing Localization Strategy

Begin by auditing your existing content and identifying priority markets:

Build a dedicated localization team or partner with local experts
Establish style guides to maintain brand consistency.
Invest in translation management tools to optimize your workflows
Set up systems for regular feedback and updates.

The Competitive Advantage of Localized Content

Companies that invest in localization gain a distinct competitive advantage. They’re seen not as outsiders. But as brands that understand and respect their customers’ culture. This leads to:

higher engagement
stronger brand loyalty
greater global market share

FAQ

What’s the difference between translation and localization?

Translation converts text between different languages. While localization is about cultural content adaptation for specific markets, including:

imagery
colors
currency formats
cultural references
local context

How much does content localization cost?

Professional localization services range from $0.10-$0.30 per word for translation. Be mindful of extra fees for cultural adaptation, technical implementation, and quality assurance. Total project costs depend on content volume and complexity.

Which content to localize first?

Focus on high-conversion content. It includes product pages, landing pages, checkout processes, and customer support materials. These impact buying decisions and user experience quality the most.

How do you measure localization success?

Track local market KPI, including:

engagement rates
conversion rates
customer satisfaction scores
time on page
revenue per visitor
market penetration

Should I localize visual elements?

Yes, localizing visual elements in target regions is essential. Including imagery, colors, symbols, and design layouts improves cultural relevance and user engagement.

How Semrush Localizes 55+ Products Without Losing Quality with Elena Sadchikova and Robbin van Schagen

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When your company grows from a single flagship product to 55+ tools, one challenge becomes unavoidable: how do you keep localization fast, accurate, and consistent across all of them?

That’s exactly the problem Semrush has solved. In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Elena Sadchikova, Team Lead for Localization and UX Writing at Semrush, and Robbin van Schagen, Owner at TYPE Translations and former Semrush localization team member, to discuss how Semrush scaled its localization operations without sacrificing speed or quality.

Listen to the new episode on:

From Translation to Team Leadership

Both Elena and Robbin began their careers as translators. Like many in the industry, they gradually transitioned into project management and then into leadership roles.

Elena now leads a team of localization project managers and UX writers at Semrush, guiding localization across dozens of products.
Robbin recently shifted from Semrush’s internal localization team to independent consulting, helping companies set up and optimize localization processes.

Their shared foundation in linguistics gives them a deep appreciation for the balance between automation, process, and human nuance.

Continuous Localization Across 55+ Products

Scaling localization for a company like Semrush isn’t a matter of “translating faster”. It requires building continuous workflows that plug into product development cycles.

Here’s how Semrush does it:

Cross-functional teams: Each product has its own product team and a dedicated localization point of contact.
Continuous workflows: Whenever source content is created or updated, it’s automatically pushed to Semrush’s translation management system (TMS).
Shared resources: Glossaries and translation memories ensure terminology stays consistent across all 55+ tools.
Alignment across stacks: Different product teams may use different tech stacks or formats, but the localization team works to unify processes and create scalable workflows.

The result? Weekly product releases and frequent updates across dozens of tools without bottlenecks.

Balancing Speed and Quality

With so many moving parts, how do you decide when to prioritize speed over depth?

It depends on the situation:

Minor fixes: Speed takes priority. Trusted linguists who know the product well can quickly deliver accurate updates.
Major releases: Quality comes first. Multiple review cycles, translation QA processes, and back reports ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

This tiered approach keeps Semrush agile while maintaining high standards for customer-facing content.

Humans Plus AI

AI and machine translation (MT) inevitably entered the discussion. Elena shared Semrush’s framework for deciding when to automate and when to keep humans in the loop:

High impact + high visibility → Full human translation and proofreading.
High impact + low visibility or low impact + high visibility → Machine translation + human proofreading.
Low impact + low visibility → Fully automated translation with spot checks.

Robbin added that while MT has improved, especially for European languages, it still struggles with humor, nuance, and cultural adaptation, which are important for marketing copy. For that reason, campaigns and high-stakes messaging remain firmly in the hands of human translators.

QA and AI Evaluation

To ensure AI outputs meet quality standards, Semrush runs large-scale tests, comparing different MT engines and measuring edit rates.

A 10-15% editing rate is considered acceptable.
Larger languages (Spanish, French, German) perform better due to larger training datasets.
Smaller language (Dutch, for instance) leave more room for improvement.
Asian languages have improved dramatically in recent years, but still require human oversight.

Both Elena and Robbin agreed: the future will likely see AI handling most static, low-stakes content, while specialized human translators focus on high-value, culturally sensitive work.

The Tech Stack That Powers Localization

A big part of Semrush’s success comes from its smart use of technology, particularly Crowdin. Key integrations include:

Figma: Designers no longer need to insert translations manually.
GitHub & GitLab: Integration with developer workflows.
Marketo: Smooth handling of marketing assets.
Google Drive & Slack: Streamlined collaboration and file management.
Zapier: Flexible connections with project management tools like Linear.

These integrations cut down manual work, reduce errors, and save countless hours.

Final Thoughts

Semrush’s journey shows that scaling localization doesn’t mean lowering standards. With the right mix of automation, human expertise, integrations, and leadership, it’s possible to deliver high-quality translations at speed, even across 55+ products.

For localization professionals, the message is clear: the future isn’t just about translating faster; it’s about building agile, scalable systems that combine technology with human judgment.

Elena’s Background

Elena Sadchikova is Team Lead for Localization and UX Writing at Semrush, where she oversees a team of localization project managers and UX writers managing content across 55+ products. With a strong linguistic background as a former interpreter and translator, Elena has successfully scaled localization processes for one of the world's leading SaaS platforms.

Robbin’s Background

Robbin van Schagen is an independent localization consultant with vast experience in the SaaS industry, including five years at Semrush's localization team. Starting as a translator before transitioning to project management, Robbin specializes in helping companies establish efficient localization processes, with particular expertise in marketing localization and AI implementation.

Listen to the new episode on:

JavaScript Localization: Setup, Tools & Best Practices

sanjeev-singh — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When you initially develop an application, internationalization of that app or website doesn't come to mind. Eventually, however, you discover a substantial untapped audience blocked by the language barrier. Consider that there are people who only understand their native language and originate from different countries, such as Poland, England, the USA, and Mexico, who are accessing your App or Website. How will they understand the services or products you are offering? Here, JavaScript Localization comes into the picture.

Let me tell you why we need it.

According to statistics, more than 76% of online buyers prefer to purchase a product if the description is in their native language. At the same time, 40% of them do not prefer to buy from websites only in English.

JavaScript localization is one of the most effective ways to adapt your entire application into a language users can easily understand.

What you will master from this guide:

What is JavaScript Localization, and why use it?
Comprehensive knowledge of JavaScript Localization and its Implementation.
Perfect tool selection and workflow optimization.
We’ll walk through some of the best JS Localization tools, including i18next, FormatJS, and more.
How to handle date/time and localized content.
An advanced tool integration with Crowdin.
Get the best production-ready practices.

Understanding the Fundamentals

Let’s dive in and start understanding JS Localization in detail:

JavaScript has been one of the most widely used and popular programming languages for over a decade for creating web, mobile, and desktop applications. Not only that, it's also used in building some more data-centric and real-time data-intensive applications. According to W3Techs, more than 98.9% of the websites on the frontend use JavaScript.

What is JavaScript Localization? Key Features and Concepts

JavaScript localization is the process of building applications that support multiple native languages for different regions and countries. With localization, users experience the entire application in their native language, which encompasses translated text, date and time formatting, localized number systems, text direction support (for right to left languages like Arabic), and managing localized content.

Building an application aiming at a global audience makes localization essential, not an optional feature. Almost every tech giant, such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon, uses robust localization mechanisms built for their apps to serve their audience worldwide.

Two standards that are important for developers to localize their applications. We have to follow them in order:

Internationalization (i18n) - It ensures that the application is ready to localize for different languages or regions. This i18n is used for separating the presentation layer from business logic to support a multi-locale localization workflow.

Localization (l10n) - Localization takes that whole internationalization-specific code or architecture, and then adapts it for a specific country or region. Here, locale-specific formatting takes place.

You can add files for each locale as follows:

en-US.json, - for USA
fr-FR.json, - for France
ja-JP.json, - for Japan

Each file will contain the right words and settings for the architecture developed for localization. Learn more about i18n vs l10n in detail.

Locale - Locale is something that distinguishes not only the language but also cultural conventions, such as measurements, used in specific regions. We define the locales in .json files to ensure accessibility in any environment, so they’re environment-agnostic and reusable.

Difference Between JavaScript Localization and JavaScript Translation

JavaScript translation is limited to converting text. It focuses only on words, messages, and phrases visible to users, without addressing region-specific adaptation.

JavaScript localization was discussed in detail earlier. Here is the table differentiating between JavaScript Translation and Localization:

Aspect	JavaScript Translation	JavaScript Localization
Focus	Language (text only)	Language, culture, format, visuals
Scope	Limited to words and sentences	Complete Adaptability (dates, numbers, images, colors, etc.)
Goal	Comprehension	Naturalness and cultural appropriateness
In JavaScript	Depends on translation files (e.g., JSON, PO files)	Many options - Libraries, AI-Based tools
Example	"Hello" → "Bonjour"	"Hello, $10.00 Jan 1" → "Bonjour, 10€ 1 Jan"

Why Localization Matters

The localization market is already large and getting bigger: from $6.27B in 2025 to about $19.18B by 2035 - roughly 11.8% growth each year.

One more thing is there – if you provide a localized feel to a product, then there is a big opportunity to sell it because their cultural context matches their vibe.

A few key components to keep in mind before adapting localization:

Pick one market where you see some initial traffic and potential
What is the first thing to localize - I would say currency and taxes, and checkout options for better flexibility to the users.
Keep your brand tone intact across all the regions.

User Experience Improvements - Recent metrics show that localized applications have more engagement:

Users spend more than 40% more time on websites that are in their native language.
Another report says that more than 65% of e-commerce users are more likely to buy their stuff from native language-based websites.

SEO Benefits - Localized websites have a few key advantages:

They rank higher in local native searches and assure the user’s intent.
User intent-based search is now a factor in all search engines like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo.

Competitive Advantage:

Companies that adopt localization have demonstrated significantly better growth rates and a first-mover advantage, capturing 30-40% of the market.
Manual localization needs constant attention. If you rely on hard coded strings instead of translatable strings, your codebase becomes difficult to manage.

Here, I'm going to cover a couple of points, and these will help you understand why you should go with the automation way of doing localization instead of manual localization.

Challenges of Doing Localization Manually:

1. The Hardcoded String Makes Application Maintenance Hard

Here are the major issues that initially don't feel like a problem unless your application goes enormously big!

Code duplication - impacts on translations.
Every time a new locale is added, it increases the deployment issues.

2. Context Loss = Poor Translations

Region to region, the meaning of the same word changes.
Polysemy makes the translation more complex, incorrect, and inconsistent.

3. Version Control

Merge conflicts occur when multiple locale-specific files are pushed concurrently.
Merging branches creates multiple language divergences, yet another issue for developers.

4. Manual Extraction Wastes Dev Time

Resource allocation - allocating developers to a non-core development task wastes their time.
Manual language-specific data extraction breaks development workflows.

5. Inefficient Communication Gaps

Sharing translation-related files via email/Slack doesn't help in keeping the record.
Tracking is nearly impossible. Figuring out what is done or pending is another problem.
People might work on different file versions.

6. Integration Errors, Delays & QA Bottlenecks

Manual syncing often means missing or inconsistent translations until late in testing.
Easy to miss a few parts in the app for translation.
Manually checking every translation across multiple languages is overwhelming.
Testing complexity grows as more languages are added.
Bad translation can lead to delays in product launch or the sending of updates.

JavaScript Localization Project Setup

Before directly moving towards the system and setup, let's do some planning for the multilingual architecture of the application. We need to identify the target locales, business goals, conversion potential, UI elements, technical requirements, and a couple of other things. Let’s understand these things in detail:

Foundation: Checklist

Target Locales

Research about the target countries where your application is used the most.
Know your competitors and see what languages they are supporting.
Target revenue and user engagement in specific markets, and always keep in mind:
User Engagement, Conversion Potential, and Expected Revenue.

Audit Content

Make a list of all the user-facing elements (buttons, menus, CTAs).
Spot the content that requires cultural adaptation, like text embedding, or region-specific formatting (dates, currency conversions, measurements, etc.)

Technical Requirements

Check if there are any existing internationalization libraries used in the project.
Audit the codebase to check for hardcoded locale-based logic that might cause issues later.
Database Schema Review
APIs should be adaptable to accept language headers and locale-based routing.
Bundling strategy to split the code based on locale (fr.chunk.js)
Configure the CDN for handling locale-specific assets to improve performance.
Subdomain approach to assign the locale-based content (yoursite.com/en, yoursite.com/fr, yoursite.com/jp)

Timeline and Resources Required

Make a proper estimation for development ( coding + translation )
Buffer time for unexpected issues.
Plan testing for every language that you implement
Avoid repetitive tasks by using automation tools.
For better translation, work with native speakers.

File Based Localization and Project Structure

This approach is known as file based localization. We create JSON or language files to store translation messages. File based systems utilization let's you add new languages without touching the code.

Key Points to Consider:

Organize translation files into a separate folder. Inside the folder, split the file according to the element structure of your project. Code, translations, and configuration.
Clear folder structures to make the collaboration process easier between developers and translators.
Avoid mixing translation logic with business code.

Folder Structure

src/
├── locales/
│   ├── en/
│   │   ├── common.json
│   │   ├── navigation.json
│   │   ├── forms.json
│   │   └── errors.json
│   ├── es/
│   │   ├── common.json
│   │   ├── navigation.json
│   │   └── forms.json
│   ├── fr/
│   └── de/
├── utils/
│   └── i18n.js
├── components/
└── hooks/
    └── useTranslation.js

Set up the HTML File and Language Attributes

While the html file configuration, it is crucial to set the correct lang and dir attributes. In vanilla JavaScript or framework roots, make sure your doctype html declaration is correct and the html page reflects the current locale.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" dir="ltr">
  <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
    <title>JavaScript Localization App</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="root"></div>
  </body>
</html>

This setup helps web crawlers better understand the user's language.

Before & After Code Examples

The best way to get an understanding of internationalization is from the hardcoded translation to a properly implemented localization. We have shared a comparison by showing a small React component code where we demonstrate how the hardcoded string dynamic, localized, scalable component. Check out the second localization-ready code and how we have implemented the localization inside the component:

Problematic Hardcoded Approach

// ❌ Before: Hardcoded strings create maintenance nightmares
const WelcomeComponent = () => {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Welcome to our amazing app!</h1>
      <p>Please select your preferred language from the menu above.</p>
      <button>Get Started Now</button>
    </div>
  );
};

Localization-Ready Implementation

Here we are using the useTranslation hook from the React i18next library to translate any component props that are coming to the component.

// ✅ After: Structured, maintainable localization
import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";

const WelcomeComponent = () => {
  //Translate function 't'
  const { t } = useTranslation("common");
  // const locale can be retrieved here if needed

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{t("welcome.title")}</h1>
      <p>{t("welcome.description")}</p>
      <button>{t("actions.getStarted")}</button>
    </div>
  );
};

Corresponding Translation File Structure

This is the structure for sending data to the component from this particular JSON file. From this data, the component will understand what the title description and the action would be. And it will be presented in a localized manner in the component.

{
  "welcome": {
    "title": "Welcome to our amazing app!",
    "description": "Please select your preferred language from the menu above."
  },
  "actions": {
    "getStarted": "Get Started Now"
  }
}

Essential JavaScript i18n Libraries Comparison

The JS ecosystem offers many libraries for internationalization and localization that have their pros and cons, and we have to decide which one is best for our project requirements. Understanding of these libraries helps in making decisions for the best-suited library to use that meets long-term project goals as well as best project architecture.

Library	Size	Framework Support	Features	Learning Curve	Best For
i18next	34KB	Universal	Full-featured	Moderate	Large applications
FormatJS	45KB	React-focused	ICU Message Format	Steep	React apps with complex formatting
Lingui	15KB	Modern frameworks	Developer-friendly	Easy	Developer experience priority
Vue i18n	28KB	Vue.js	Vue ecosystem	Easy	Vue.js applications
Angular i18n	Built-in	Angular	Native integration	Moderate	Angular projects

Lingui: Developer Experience Champion

Lingui is a localization framework for JavaScript projects. It is framework-agnostic and can be used with technologies such as React, Next.js, Vue, and Svelte.

Key features of Lingui:

Size and Performance: The core library is less than 2KB gzipped, and with React components, it's an additional 1.4KB gzipped. It is designed to be lightweight, and developers can load only the necessary messages for the active language.
Clean and Readable Code: Lingui offers a direct way to manage translations within the codebase, which can contribute to cleaner and more maintainable code.
ICU Message Format Support: It supports the International Components for Unicode (ICU) Message Format, a standard for handling complex grammatical rules like plurals, genders, and ordinals.
Rich-Text Support: The library provides support for rich-text, allowing for the inclusion of components and HTML tags within translated strings.
AI-Friendly Localization: The localization formats used by Lingui can include context for strings, which can be used to improve the accuracy of machine and AI-assisted translations.
Active Community: Developers can find support and ask questions on the project's Discord and Stack Overflow channels.

Macro-powered development experience

import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
import { I18nProvider, Trans } from "@lingui/react";
import { i18n, dynamicActivate, defaultLocale } from "./config/i18n";
import LanguageSwitcher from "./components/LanguageSwitcher";
import "./App.css";

function App() {
  const [locale, setLocale] = useState(defaultLocale);
  useEffect(() => {
    dynamicActivate(locale);
  }, [locale]);

  // Handle language switching
  const handleLocaleChange = (newLocale) => {
    setLocale(newLocale);
    dynamicActivate(newLocale);
  };

  const user = { name: "Ben Robins" };

  return (
    // i18n provider wraps: To provide translation context
    <I18nProvider i18n={i18n}>
      <div className="App">
        <header className="App-header">
          {/* Language Switcher for changing the active locale */}
          <LanguageSwitcher currentLocale={locale} onLocaleChange={handleLocaleChange} />

          {/* Main Code Area */}
          <div>
            <div>
              <h1>
                <Trans id="greeting" values={{ 0: user.name }}>
                  Hey, {user.name}!
                </Trans>
              </h1>
              <p>
                <Trans id="motivational.message">
                  Right now, the technological space is changing a lot, and we are seeing more
                  demand for AI stuff. There are so many things that are right now being done by
                  artificial intelligence using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other LLMs. But still,
                  there are human needs that we can utilize all of them to make something better.
                  Let's build something great.
                </Trans>
              </p>
            </div>
          </div>
        </header>
      </div>
    </I18nProvider>
  );
}

export default App;

<Aside title="Read more"> Check out our guide on How to Localize JavaScript and React Apps with Lingui </Aside>

i18next: The Most Commonly Used Solution

With over 8.8 million weekly downloads and 8.2K stars on GitHub, it is one of the best libraries with enormous functionalities. i18next is one library that I can recommend for smaller to bigger enterprise-level applications.

Key Features of i18next:

i18next is versatile, and it offers architecture support to vanilla JavaScript, React, Vue, Astro.js, Next.js, Angular, and Node.js environments seamlessly.
It offers an ecosystem through which you can add plugins made on top of it and add additional features as per your needs.
Namespace organization capabilities - this is used for logic-based separation of translations, components, or application sections.
For complex interpolation, it uses translation function chaining and context-dependent translations.

i18next Implementation Example

import i18n from "i18next";
import { initReactI18next } from "react-i18next";
import HttpBackend from "i18next-http-backend";

i18n
  .use(HttpBackend) // Load translations from server
  .use(initReactI18next) // Pass i18n down to react-i18next
  .init({
    lng: "en",
    fallbackLng: "en",
    debug: process.env.NODE_ENV === "development",

    interpolation: {
      escapeValue: false // React already escapes
    },

    backend: {
      loadPath: "/locales/{{lng}}/{{ns}}.json"
    },

    // Namespace configuration
    ns: ["common", "navigation", "forms"],
    defaultNS: "common"
  });

export default i18n;

FormatJS: React's Powerhouse

Another arsenal, and this is for React.js. With over 1.7 million weekly downloads, it is one of the most popular libraries for internationalization. It is one of the best fits for the React ecosystem and one of the most advanced libraries that supports pluralization, date/time formatting, and more.

Key Features of FormatJS:

Date, Number, String Formatting
Extraction and Translation Management
ICU Message Support - includes pluralization, gender, and other rules
Rich text and Nested Formatting are also supported
JSON Management
Integration with Modern techs like React, Next.js, React Native

Advanced Formatting Capabilities:

import { FormattedMessage, FormattedNumber, FormattedDate } from "react-intl";

const ProductCard = ({ product, user }) => (
  <div>
    <FormattedMessage
      id="product.welcome"
      defaultMessage="Hello {name}, you have {itemCount, plural, one {# item} other {# items}} in your cart"
      values={{
        name: user.name,
        itemCount: product.quantity
      }}
    />

    <FormattedNumber value={product.price} style="currency" currency="USD" />

    <FormattedDate value={product.availableDate} year="numeric" month="long" day="2-digit" />
  </div>
);

Selection Criteria Framework

It is very important to select a particular internationalization library. Here I am going to share a couple of criteria to evaluate any library and check if it aligns with your project and team capabilities.

Project Size and Complexity: Enterprise-level applications benefit from i18next's enormous feature set and the plugin ecosystem. The smaller projects can utilize one of the robust and most performing libraries, Lingui. Small, yet powerful, and supports almost all features.
Framework Compatibility: React projects gain significant advantages from FormatJS's specialized React integration, while Vue applications naturally benefit from Vue i18n's template-first approach.
Team Expertise Level: Teams new to internationalization often find Lingui's macro approach more intuitive, while experienced developers appreciate i18next's flexibility and power.
Performance Requirements: Applications prioritizing minimal bundle sizes benefit from LinguiJS's 2KB footprint, while projects needing extensive formatting capabilities justify FormatJS's larger bundle.
Long-term Maintenance Considerations: i18next's mature ecosystem and comprehensive documentation support long-term maintenance, while framework-specific solutions may offer better integration but potentially longer migration paths.

Localization Implementation Methods & Advanced Techniques

Now we are going to see some code samples that will walk you through how things work in particular frameworks or vanilla JavaScript. How you can utilize native APIs, other libraries like i18next and LinguiJS, as we have discussed earlier in the document.

We have discussed multiple libraries earlier; one more option that we can use for localization, the browser's native API. With Native APIs, we can utilize the browser's built-in API that supports internationalization and convert the language according to the user's region.

Leverage the `Intl` Object for Date and Number Formatting

Right now, the browsers are getting smarter every passing day. All modern browsers support internationalization via the Intl namespace. Intl, an in-built namespace offered in JavaScript. It works well with Browsers that are updated after 2017. So, if you are on the latest version of any browser (whether it is Safari, Chrome, or Mozilla), it will give you the best results.

Core Features That You Will Get with `Intl` Objects

Built-in locale detection and number formatting.
Format dates and time for different languages.
Handle monetary values and format units, Unicode support.
Pluralization support.

Here are some code samples that show how it works:

1. Number & Currency Formatting Using `Intl`

const formatCurrency = (amount, locale, currency) => {
  return new Intl.NumberFormat(locale, {
    style: "currency",
    currency: currency,
    minimumFractionDigits: 2,
    maximumFractionDigits: 2
  }).format(amount);
};

console.log(formatCurrency(7564.56, "en-US", "USD"));
console.log(formatCurrency(7564.56, "de-DE", "EUR"));
console.log(formatCurrency(7564.56, "ja-JP", "JPY"));

// Unit formatting & pluralization
const distanceCalc = new Intl.NumberFormat("en-US", {
  style: "unit",
  unit: "kilometer",
  unitDisplay: "long"
});

console.log(distanceCalc.format(1.5)); // "1.5 kilometers"

2. Date and Time Formatting Using `Intl`

const formatDate = (date, locale, options = {}) => {
  const defaultOptions = {
    year: "numeric",
    month: "long",
    day: "numeric",
    weekday: "long"
  };

  return new Intl.DateTimeFormat(locale, { ...defaultOptions, ...options }).format(date);
};

const now = new Date();

console.log(formatDate(now, "en-US"));
console.log(formatDate(now, "fr-FR"));
console.log(formatDate(now, "ja-JP"));

const rtf = new Intl.RelativeTimeFormat("en-US", {
  numeric: "auto",
  style: "long"
});

console.log(rtf.format(-1, "day"));
console.log(rtf.format(2, "hour"));
console.log(rtf.format(-3, "month"));

‘Intl Namespace’ is supported by more than 98% browsers and has global coverage. For legacy browsers, we can use intl-polyfills with FormatJS. With Polyfills, we can provide a consistent behavior of ‘Intl’ across all environments.

Framework Integration: Locale Switcher and Active Locale Management

The localization principle for all the technologies and frameworks is fundamentally the same. But every technology is approached with its own set of tools. Leveraging framework-specific libraries helps developers make more performant, manageable, and developer-friendly apps. Here are a couple of examples to go through:

React with react-i18next

React apps benefit from the react-i18next library. It handles loading translations well, manages the active locale, and makes sure localized messages render correctly.

import { Suspense } from "react";
import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";

function App() {
  const { t } = useTranslation("common");

  function UserProfile() {
    const { t, i18n } = useTranslation("profile");

    const user = {
      username: "Sam",
      description: "AI-focused full-stack developer."
    };

    const toggleLanguage = () => {
      i18n.changeLanguage(i18n.language === "en" ? "es" : "en");
    };

    return (
      <div className="user-profile">
        <div className="language-toggle">
          <button onClick={toggleLanguage}>
            {t("switchLanguage")} ({i18n.language === "en" ? "Español" : "English"})
          </button>
        </div>

        <div className="profile-card">
          <div className="profile-avatar">
            <span>{user.username.charAt(0).toUpperCase()} </span>
          </div>

          <h1>{t("title")}</h1>

          <div className="profile-info">
            <div className="username-section">
              <label>{t("username")}:</label>
              <span className="username">{user.username}</span>
            </div>

            <div className="description-section">
              <label>{t("description")}:</label>
              <p className="description">{t("userDescription")}</p>
            </div>
          </div>

          <div className="profile-footer">
            <small>
              {t("currentLanguage")}: {i18n.language.toUpperCase()}
            </small>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    );
  }

  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div className="loading">{t("loading")}</div>}>
      <div className="app">
        <UserProfile />
      </div>
    </Suspense>
  );
}

export default App;

Vue.js Implementation

Vue 3 has its own Composition API for Internationalization. With the help of this API, you can change the languages without even reloading the page. Not only that, but it also offers language settings to the entire application. In the earlier versions of Vue, we had to write more code, but now this one is coming up with a better organization and clear separation of the code files.

import { useI18n } from "vue-i18n";
import { computed, watch } from "vue";

export default {
  setup() {
    const { t, locale, availableLocales } = useI18n();

    // Reactive locale switching with persistence
    const currentLocale = computed({
      get: () => locale.value,
      set: (newLocale) => {
        locale.value = newLocale;
        // Update html lang attribute for SEO
        document.documentElement.lang = newLocale;
        document.documentElement.dir = getTextDirection(newLocale);
      }
    });

    // Automatic RTL detection
    const getTextDirection = (lang) => {
      const rtlLanguages = ["ar", "he", "fa", "ur"];
      return rtlLanguages.includes(lang.split("-")) ? "rtl" : "ltr";
    };

    // Watch for locale changes
    watch(locale, (newLocale) => {
      updatePageMeta();
    });

    const updatePageMeta = () => {
      // Update page metadata for SEO
      document.title = t("meta.title");
      const description = document.querySelector('meta[name="description"]');
      if (description) {
        description.setAttribute("content", t("meta.description"));
      }
    };

    return {
      t,
      currentLocale,
      availableLocales
    };
  }
};

Next.js: How to Fetch Translations and Manage Localized Content

Next.js provides sophisticated internationalization, routing, and server-side rendering support that optimizes SEO and initial page load performance. The following examples show how to handle locale detection and return the correct form of the dictionary:

<Aside title="Read more"> Check out our guide on Next.js Internationalization (i18n) </Aside>

import { NextResponse } from "next/server";
import { match } from "@formatjs/intl-localematcher";
import Negotiator from "negotiator";

const locales = ["en", "es"];
const defaultLocale = "en";

function getLocale(request) {
  const header = request.headers.get("Accept-Language") ?? undefined;
  const headers = { "accept-language": header };
  const languages = new Negotiator({ headers }).languages();
  return match(languages, locales, defaultLocale);
}

export function middleware(request) {
  const pathname = request.nextUrl.pathname;
  const missingLocale = locales.every(
    (locale) => !pathname.startsWith(`/${locale}/`) && pathname !== `/${locale}`
  );
  if (missingLocale) {
    const locale = getLocale(request);
    return NextResponse.redirect(new URL(`/${locale}${pathname}`, request.url));
  }
}

export const config = {
  matcher: ["/((?!_next|.*\\..*).*)"]
};

Dictionary Loader:

import en from "./dictionaries/en";
import es from "./dictionaries/es";

const dictionaries = {
  en: en,
  es: es
};

export async function getDictionary(locale) {
  return (dictionaries[locale] || dictionaries.en)();
}

English translations:

const en = () => ({
  name: "User",
  userName: "Sam",
  description: "AI-focused full-stack developer."
});

export default en;

Spanish translations:

const es = () => ({
  name: "Usuario",
  userName: "Sam",
  description: "Desarrollador full-stack centrado en IA."
});

export default es;

Language Switcher Component:

"use client";

import { useRouter, usePathname } from "next/navigation";

// Language Switcher Component
export function LanguageSwitcher({ currentLang }) {
  const router = useRouter();
  const pathname = usePathname();

  const languages = [
    { code: "en", name: "English", flag: "🇺🇸" },
    { code: "es", name: "Español", flag: "🇪🇸" }
  ];

  const switchLanguage = (newLang) => {
    // Correctly constructs the new path for Next.js app router.
    // Assumes the language code is the first segment after the domain.
    const segments = pathname.split("/");
    // This part is the most critical fix.
    // It creates a new path by replacing the language segment.
    const newPath = `/${newLang}${segments.slice(2).join("/")}`;
    router.push(newPath);
  };

  return (
    <>
      <span style={{ fontWeight: "bold" }}>Language:</span>
      {languages.map((lang) => (
        <button key={lang.code} onClick={() => switchLanguage(lang.code)}>
          <span>{lang.flag}</span>
          {lang.name}
        </button>
      ))}
    </>
  );
}

Layout Component:

import { Layout } from "@/components";

export default function RootLayout({ children, params }) {
  return <Layout lang={params.lang}>{children}</Layout>;
}

Page Component:

import { getDictionary } from "@/lib/dictionaries";
import { LanguageSwitcher, ProfileCard } from "@/components";

export default async function Home({ params }) {
  const { lang } = params;
  const dict = await getDictionary(lang);
  return (
    <div>
      <LanguageSwitcher currentLang={lang} />
      <ProfileCard dict={dict} lang={lang} />
    </div>
  );
}

How AI is transforming JavaScript Localization?

While AI is booming, here is the solution that provides AI-powered localization of JavaScript code. Let me introduce you to one of the industry leaders - Crowdin. Utilization of such tools can help you localize your content faster than ever.

Crowdin: Developer-Focused AI-Powered Localization Platform

Crowdin is one of the top platforms that offer AI-powered localization. Crowdin enables devs and business owners who want their apps, websites, games, and documents to be multilingual. It provides AI-supported automation.

With over 100K+ projects worldwide and over 3 million registered users, Crowdin becomes the first choice. Crowdin supports more than 100 file formats and 700+ app integrations that include HubSpot, GitHub, GitLab, Figma, and many others.

Crowdin facilitates multilingual operations of enterprise-level applications like Microsoft, GitHub, GitLab, etc.

Key Features of Crowdin:

Cloud-Based SaaS
AI
Integration Libraries
Continuous Localization
Advanced Localization and Translation Management Tools
High-Security Standards
GitHub/GitLab/BitBucket Integration

How to Use Crowdin to Localize a JS App Using Crowdin CLI?

Crowdin CLI is the best tool for handling translation files, uploading sourse files (JSON for example), and the file based workflows automation. Crowdin offers APIs as well, but CLI is more streamlined, and because it's a command line, localization workflows and environment setup become easier for developers.

What is Crowdin CLI?

Crowdin CLI is a tool that works in the command line and works on cross-platform, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Crowdin CLI is a developer tool that helps in creating and managing translation files using the CLI. Crowdin CLI is open-source and available for everyone to use.

While the Crowdin CLI can be used with various CI/CD tools, the Crowdin GitHub Action is a specialized tool that uses Crowdin CLI to automate localization workflows directly within a GitHub Actions environment. This provides a more integrated experience for projects hosted on GitHub, allowing you to automatically synchronize localization files and even create pull requests with new translations, ensuring all changes are reviewed before being merged.

How to install and use Crowdin CLI in your project?

You can also follow the official Crowdin CLI documentation. This is the best for everything related to Crowdin CLI. Now, I’ll also walk you through how you can use it:

Here is how the whole workflow works:

Your Project ➜ Crowdin CLI ➜ Upload Source File ➜ Get the Translation Done ➜ Download Translated Files ➜ Deploy

Step 1: Install Crowdin CLI on your system. For JS, it's recommended to install with npm. You have other options as well, like brew, choco, Docker, etc.

npm install -g @crowdin/cli

Step 2: Create a configuration file in the root of your project:

crowdin init

Here is how it will look:

"project_id": "projectId"
"api_token": "personal-access-token"

"preserve_hierarchy": true

"files":
  [
    {
      "source": "/locales/en/**/*.json",
      "translation": "/locales/%two_letters_code%/%original_file_name%"
    }
  ]

Step 3: Get Your Credentials

Project ID: Found in your project settings
Personal Access Token:
- Anyone can generate a token. Manager-level access is required for managing projects.
- Go to Account Settings
- API
- Personal Access Token

Step 4: Verify that your configuration is correct.

crowdin status

Step 5: Upload the source file (eg, English language files)

crowdin upload sources

It used file matches /locales/en/**/*.json, then upload to your Crowdin Project, only once you need to make sure that preserve_hierarchy is true.

Step 6: Get the translation done

Once you have uploaded the file, translation will be done from the Crowdin end.

Step 7 Download the translated files

crowdin download translations

This will create language-relevant files like:

locales/es/folder1/strings.json (Spanish)
locales/de/folder1/strings.json (German)
locales/fr/folder1/strings.json (French)

Simplest workflow with Crowdin CLI:

# 1. Upload new or update files that need to be translated
crowdin upload sources
# 2. Check how much translation is done
crowdin status
# 3. Download the latest translations
crowdin download translations

Crowdin and Trustpilot: Localization Case Study

Let me introduce a big brand that actually uses Crowdin as its localization platform, Trustpilot. A well-known review platform worldwide.

Company: Trustpilot

Industry: Online Customer Review Platform

Markets Served: Trustpilot is the major player in the review system, which serves in 7+ main languages. One thing is really important to know here because it's a reviewing platform, so it is a customer-facing platform. That means it gets more and more reviews from customers, which means a broader audience is posting text on the platform.

Initial Situation: After a couple of Trustpilot launches, it grows so quickly. The demand for credible proof of trust becomes essential for almost every small to big brand. This demand starts coming from every region. One thing required to make reviews feel local. Traditional workflows require separate localization of UX writing, which always gives issues in the long term.

The Localization & UX Challenge

Initially, Trustpilot’s localization flow was a mix of manual and little automated — separated translators for different languages, processes are aligned, and content is growing enormously, so backlogs in the content part.

Manual file handling
Slow-moving forward to regional markets

<Blockquote footer="Ida Giersing, Head of Localization and Copywriting, Trustpilot"> Sometimes, our team is referred to as the ‘translation team’ – but I see localization as so much more than translation. We need to bring attention to how good user experience may mean different things in different markets – merely translating content can never be enough. </Blockquote>

Why Crowdin: The Major Turning Point

After getting enormous demand, quality content becomes a priority, and then Crowdin comes in with a solution.

Automate integrations - Crowdin localization support almost in every possible manner, from localization of the content to website content, marketing copy, Zendesk kind of support, and more.
Enable scale and quality - The problem of handling a high volume of content is also handled by Crowdin very easily. It's an AI-based Localization platform for JavaScript and not even JavaScript, but for almost all languages, making it a versatile, quality-focused, and ready-to-use platform.

Quantitative Results

Total Language in which Trustpilot Localized: 7
Crowdin Integrations: Crowdin offers integration with GitHub, and it also helps in translating marketing copies.
AI/MT Utilization: It's a combo of artificial intelligence, along with humans in the loop for quality assurance.

Stat Highlights

Stat	Approach & Impact
Languages supported	7 Consumer languages
	More than Dozens (expanding global access)
Crowdin integrations	GitHub, Zendesk, supporting UI, marketing, and more
MT/AI content coverage	Up to 90% support for any content type
Process focus	Combined localization with UX

Conclusion: Best Time to Use Localization for Your JS Apps

JavaScript localization is an avoidable problem for businesses that are targeting globally or are planning to target global markets. This can become your investment for the future that will help you in gaining users’ trust, a first-mover advantage, and open new opportunities to scale. Adopting modern technology-based platforms like Crowdin can turn your codebase into multilingual applications in no time. Crowdin ensures quality by looping humans in the system and quantity by using AI - a real localization engine that will boost your business revenue.

Useful links

FAQ

What is localization in JS?

In simple words, localization is a way to map the content languages according to the region from which visitors see the application, software, website, etc. Localization is all about adopting or, in other words, converting the whole system to a regional system, like we’ll have to convert:

Language,
Culture-based formatting,
Date/time formatting,
Measurements and other conventions for each user. To make everything feel native.

How do I localize a JavaScript app?

There are two steps involved in localizing your JavaScript application:

You have to internationalize it first using i18n, which tells whether your application infrastructure is ready for localization.
Then you have to use another standard that is called localization l10n.

With the combination of these two, here are a couple of more things we need.

Translation file
JavaScript Libraries like i18next, LinguiJS, or platforms like Crowdin.

Then, after, we have to go around the locales in which we want it to work.

What is the difference between language and locale?

Language conversion can only change the vocabulary or grammar, so you can convert one word to another. But in locale, this not only uses languages to convert, but we also have to change the region-specific formats. So a date might be written differently in French, and it might be written differently in Japanese.

Why not just use Google Translate?

The first thing that I have seen with Google Translate is that it doesn't work properly on intent-based content. If you have written something, then in Google Translate, it might convert it to something else, and the meaning will also be different. Not only that, there are some nuances, accuracy problems, and context issues. This is the only problem that can be solved with the human-in-loop, and who knows about both languages.

Are there any legal/regulatory reasons to localize?

The short answer is yes, many countries want the software to be worked into their language, let's say Germany, China, Indonesia, Brazil, India, and others.

How Open Source Wins Multilingual at Enterprise Scale with Mathias Bolt Lesniak

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

If you’ve ever tried to scale a multilingual CMS across departments, regions, and regulatory environments, you know the pain: bolt-on translation plug-ins, scattered workflows, and expensive “customizations” that age badly.

In this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sits down with Mathias Bolt Lesniak, Project Ambassador for the TYPO3 Association, to unpack how one of Europe’s leading open-source, community-driven CMS platforms delivers enterprise-grade multilingual content at massive scale.

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Start with Open Source, Then Pick Your CMS

Mathias flips the usual vendor comparison on its head: don’t start by comparing individual platforms; start by deciding open source vs. closed. Open source delivers digital sovereignty: you own your roadmap, your data, and your future.

Once you’ve made that call, TYPO3 stands out inside the open-source universe for its deep, native focus on multilingual and multisite capabilities. That’s a crucial distinction. In the enterprise, multilingual can’t be a plugin; it needs to be part of the core.

<Blockquote> If you're an enterprise, go for a content management system that has core support for multilingual features, because one of the things you don't want to do in a large, complex CMS installation is to have to deal with different implementations of multilingual. </Blockquote>

Why “Core Multilingual” Beats Add-Ons Every Time

Enterprises often treat localization as a costly checkbox, something to minimize rather than operationalize. That mindset leads to fragile stacks where every team does multilingual differently. TYPO3’s core approach gives you one consistent model, from content modeling to language variants to update diffs, so teams translate what changed instead of re-translating everything.

That change-diff capability is a quiet superpower. When the source string shifts by a line, translators see exactly what changed and only fix what’s needed. At scale, that discipline trims cost, reduces risk, and shortens release cycles.

Real-World Complexity

Need proof? TYPO3 powers the University of Vienna across roughly 1,200 websites, spanning 32 languages and hundreds of thousands (even up to a million) content items. It’s a perfect storm of size + governance + multilingual sophistication, and it runs on TYPO3’s built-in language and site features rather than duct-taped extensions.

Community Translation Done Professionally

Open source doesn’t mean “amateur hour”. In fact, TYPO3’s localization quality is strong because the people translating often use the software daily. The workflow centers on Crowdin's localization services:

TYPO3 core and public extensions live in Crowdin.
Community contributors translate; language leads review.
TYPO3’s localization servers cache approved strings in XLIFF, then deliver them to instances automatically.
Enterprises can blend the public layer with private Crowdin projects, ideal when you need proprietary modules or terminology kept in-house.

It’s the best of both worlds: a living public glossary for shared UX strings, plus private control for brand-sensitive content.

Design for Culture

A frequent enterprise failure mode is to stop at translation. Mathias stresses cultural adaptation: tone, examples, reading direction, and grammar rules. Code must reflect that reality. Even pluralization differs: French handles zero differently from English; Arabic flips layout direction. TYPO3 bakes these considerations into both content and interface localization so teams aren’t hacking exceptions downstream.

Editors Are the Real Stakeholders

Procurement cycles tend to prioritize IT and marketing, but editors live with the results. Put them in the room early. Editors need intuitive workflows for switching languages, reviewing diffs, and pushing updates without breaking structure. If you want sustainable multilingual operations, optimize for the people who touch content every day.

AI: Faster, not “Set and forget”

Yes, AI is changing localization. TYPO3 agencies already integrate DeepL and similar engines to auto-draft translations with a click. But the job isn’t finished at machine output. Enterprises still need human QA for voice, cultural resonance, and risk mitigation. AI accelerates velocity; people ensure fitness for purpose.

Sustainable Governance Matters

A final reason TYPO3 succeeds at enterprise scale: governance. The TYPO3 Association oversees strategy and invests in the core. The TYPO3 GmbH (a for-profit subsidiary) provides commercial services like LTS support, certifications, and partner programs, feeding resources back into open source development. That structure gives enterprises a safety net (funding and accountability) without sacrificing community momentum.

Final Thoughts

Open source wins multilingual at enterprise scale when multilingual is native, workflows are transparent, and governance is sustainable. TYPO3’s deep integration with Crowdin, structured content model, and community-backed quality make it a serious alternative to big-ticket proprietary suites, especially for governments, higher education, and export-driven industries where language and culture aren’t optional.

Mathias’ Background

Mathias Bolt Lesniak is the Project Ambassador for TYPO3 Association, one of Europe's leading open-source content management systems. With nearly two decades of experience working with TYPO3, he brings vast expertise in multilingual content management and open-source enterprise solutions. As a key figure in the TYPO3 community, Mathias has been instrumental in advancing the platform's localization capabilities, particularly in supporting smaller languages and cultural adaptations.

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What's New at Crowdin: August 2025

diana — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In August, we delivered 365 updates and completed 523 tasks. We've presented audio generation and localization with the Crowdin Dubbing Studio. We also continue to enhance our AI tools. Our Agentic AI is now smarter, with new capabilities for editing source texts, adding and managing comments, while the Context Harvester now gathers context with much more accuracy.

This release features new integrations with leading AI models and editor updates, including a new UI for localizing non-text file formats (e.g., images and videos), a new way to switch between files, and more.

Crowdin Dubbing Studio (Beta): Create and Translate Audio Assets

Until now, professional audio localization was something only the biggest game studios and media companies could afford. Voice actors, studios, and audio engineers are the reasons why most video games are localized into 10–15 languages in text, but only 3–5 in audio.

AI will soon be capable of changing that.

Crowdin Dubbing Studio (integrates with ElevenLabs) is our new AI-powered application for creating and translating audio assets. The goal is simple: let teams bring their characters and stories to life in more languages, without compromising on quality.

It’s one of Crowdin’s AI-powered localization tools that enables teams to create, edit, and translate audio without the need for a recording studio. You can generate voices, music, and sound effects, or work with existing recordings and scale them to more languages.

Key benefits available right now:

Professional editing with a clear, multi-track timeline.
AI voice and sound generation in multiple languages.
Context-aware translation, linking audio directly to your Crowdin texts.

More to come:

Today, we integrate with ElevenLabs, and in the future, you’ll be able to connect other models and tools that best fit your quality, price, or language needs.
We’re working on AI-assisted video dubbing, so you’ll be able to sync the source and translated video transcriptions in Crowdin and ElevenLabs to produce high-quality video dubbing.

This is only the beginning. Check out the guide on the Crowdin Store (Dubbing Studio app) or watch the demo video to see how Dubbing Studio works. We recommend using the latest version, v3, to get the best results. Give it a try and let us know your thoughts.

Context Harvester 0.7.0

We've completely re-engineered our Context Harvester, and it's now smarter than ever. Instead of just searching for text, it now uses an agentic AI approach to find and deliver context with a whole new level of precision. Previously, the harvester would simply find files with matching text and send them to the AI.

Now, the AI acts like an agent, using tools like grep to precisely locate where a string is used in the code and understand its usage, for example, whether it's a component name, a prop, or part of a validation. This provides a much deeper, code-aware context for AI and translators. We've also improved string filtering, allowing you to use more advanced options like filtering by word count.

We recommend using the Crowdin Context Harvester for all UI localization projects. It doesn't matter whether the translation is done by humans or AI; having more context about where every key is used in the UI improves the speed at which translations are created and the expected quality.

Read more about Context Harvester updates.

Expanded Agentic AI Tools

We've enhanced our Agentic AI with new tools to give you more control and efficiency. Our Agentic AI can now edit source string directly within your project, which is especially useful for quickly fixing errors or improving the context of the original text.

The AI can now manage comments, and also add comments to strings that require clarification.. You can also ask the AI to edit or delete existing comments, to keep your project notes clean and up-to-date. For example, you can request that the AI review your entire project and automatically add comments to any strings it thinks need a context check.

New AI Model Integrations

We've integrated the latest AI models, including Claude 4.1 Opus and GPT-5.

Crowdin Editor Updates: File tree panel, Label handling, Asset Editor

A new file tree panel replaces the old file dialog, allowing you to manage content and files directly in the editor.

We’ve also improved label handling: labels shown as context are now clickable. Hovering over a label displays related items, and clicking it sets it in the advanced filter while clearing any previous selections. Selecting another label replaces the previous one, allowing quick filtering by a single label.
The Asset Editor has been redesigned to give you more space for previews, letting you see content on a larger part of the screen. Plus, you can now preview audio and video assets directly in the editor. Moreover, you can now add references as well.

"Translations Modified" Filter for Proofreading Tasks

Proofread tasks now have a filter in string filters which allows you to focus on strings that were recently modified. This is especially useful for teams using TM or AI pre-translations, allowing them to quickly create tasks for fresh content without including older translations.

New Post-Editing Payment Scheme for Vendors: Cost Savings from AI Translations

We are introducing a new payment model for proofreading tasks created on Crowdin.com with our vendor Crowdin Language Services. This model rewards high-quality translations.

For example, if a client provides enough context for the strings, such as screenshots, a term base, or text descriptions, they will receive a high-quality AI pre-translation. In this case, the proofreading will require minimal changes. As a result, users can receive a refund of up to 70% of the proofreading cost.

However, the base rate will increase, and the price for proofreading tasks requiring significant edits will be equivalent to the price of a new translation. Refunds will be credited to the Crowdin Managed Balance for future service orders on the platform.

We plan to apply a similar approach with other vendors as well.

DeepL Glossary Improvements and New API v3

We’ve improved Crowdin’s integration with DeepL MT to make glossary usage more accurate and flexible. In addition, all DeepL calls have been upgraded to API v3, improving compatibility and overall performance.

Crowdin Store

Cascade Importer: What we've seen multiple times is a resource file containing long chunks of text. For example, the entire Terms of Service could be the value of one property in JSON. Previously, Crowdin would import it as one segment, which made it extremely difficult for humans to manage. A less extreme case is a CSV file where every cell contains an email template.

This app allows you to configure a cascade importer for your files. With this app, you can now import a CSV file, and every cell will be processed as an HTML file. You can also import a JSON file, where each property is a Markdown file.

Auto Lock Inactive Users (Enterprise only): An important security feature, this application allows you to lock forgotten accounts (e.g., ex-employees, old contractors, and more). This will not only speed up the process of cleaning up your organization but also ensure stronger security and compliance for audits that require inactive account management.

If you use Personal API tokens from service accounts, ensure you whitelist them. This will prevent the tokens from becoming inactive if the associated user is locked, as API tokens owned by locked users will stop working.

Contentful 2.0: The app now imports the full entry as a one file. This helped us synchronize content more quickly. However, for now, since we have transitioned from the MD file format to XML, no preview is available. Preview functionality will be added later. To use the updated version of the app, please delete the old one and install the new Contentful app release from the store.

Marco Translator (Enterprise only): A new integration with a large language model (LLM) based machine translation system developed by aidc-ai, designed and optimized for the specific demands of e-commerce and business content translation. The system leverages deep learning techniques to understand the nuances of business language, industry-specific terminology, and cultural contexts, providing translations that are not only linguistically correct but also commercially effective. Available as an MT for your projects.

Strapi: Added image localization, DateTime synchronization, and a job status check.

Customer.io: Now includes the possibility to upload existing translations.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Now you can upload the Push notification assets and work with them.

Crowdin API: Source Text Review (Enterprise Only)

We’ve extended the Crowdin API to support Source Text Review for Enterprise clients. This stage is becoming increasingly popular among customers, but until now, it was only accessible through the UI.

Currently, the API works directly with files, so you can’t easily filter Corrected Strings. Available API methods include:

list corrections
add correction
delete correction
get correction
restore correction

These endpoints are only accessible to managers.

For more details, see the Crowdin API documentation.

Other Updates

Offline translations are no longer allowed by default for new projects.
Better tasks overview – Tasks tab is now pre-filtered to Open tasks. Also, added the filter to filter tasks on their creation date.
Crowdin Store update: store now has dark mode, improved filters, and various UI/UX refinements for a smoother, more consistent experience.
Changes to project access settings on Crowdin. Moderated joining is always active in private projects. Task-based access is exclusive to projects with moderated joining active.

New Podcast Episodes

This month, we've released 2 new episodes of the Agile Localization Podcast.

In the first episode, "Why AI Still Needs Us with Marco Trombetti", we sit down with Marco Trombetti, the co-founder and CEO of Translated, to discuss the evolving role of humans in a world increasingly powered by AI.
For our second episode, "Why Proactive Translators Drive Localization Success", we speak with Simona Kisser, technical translator and software localization specialist, about how proactive translators can take the lead and become key drivers of localization success for any business.

External Tools

This month, we released new versions of:

CLI 4.10.0 (adds file context in crowdin.yml and fixes branch handling, YAML re-init, and soft-match file updates. More details available Crowdin CLI documentation)
GitHub Action v2.10.0
Figma plugin version 82
iOS SDK 1.12.2
Java API Client 1.27.4,1.27.5, 1.28.0

How Freelance Translators Thrive in Agile Localization with Simona Kisser

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Speed and accuracy in localization can mean the difference between delighting a user and losing them entirely. Agile localization has transformed how language professionals work.

But while much of the focus has been on enterprise tools and large-scale vendor operations, freelance translators are carving out their own space, leveraging technology to deliver high-quality results while building lasting client relationships.

On a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Simona Kisser, a technical translator and software localization specialist, to talk about the evolving role of freelance linguists. From the importance of context to the art of balancing speed and quality, Simona shared practical insights from over a decade in the field.

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Why Context Is a Translator’s Best Friend

One of Simona's strongest messages is that translation quality depends on context. Too often, translators are given isolated strings without the background to interpret them correctly.

In software localization, a single word like Start could mean "start the program" or "go back to the start", two different instructions. Without seeing the user interface (UI) or knowing the intended function, translators are forced to guess, which risks errors and poor user experience.

Localization platforms like Crowdin have made strides here, embedding UI previews, screenshots, and character limits directly into the translation environment.

Mastering Placeholders, Variables, and Tags

Technical translators frequently work with placeholders that must remain intact while still fitting the syntax of the target language. For languages like German, where sentence structure differs significantly from English, this requires careful reordering of the text.

Simona stresses that placeholders must not only be preserved but also placed naturally. Having access to tools that make placeholders visible and editable in context saves time and avoids awkward phrasing.

Favorite Features for Quality and Consistency

While translation memory (TM) and glossaries are standard tools, Crowdin's search functionality is one of Simona's favorites. It allows her to quickly locate previous translations of tricky phrases, even across projects from different years.

She also enjoys being able to see translations in other languages, not copy them, but to spark inspiration. Sometimes reading how a Spanish or French translator solved a problem helps her find the perfect German equivalent.

For brand consistency, in-context glossary integration is crucial. Instead of sifting through spreadsheets, translators can see approved terminology for each string instantly. Crowdin also shows how often a term has been translated in different ways, helping teams align on the best choice.

Building Long-Term Client Relationships

For freelancers, strong relationships are built on responsiveness, reliability, and care. Simona often starts as "just the translator," but over time, she becomes a trusted part of the product team.

One example: when translating product names from English to German, she noticed that measurements in inches wouldn't resonate with German users. Instead of translating literally, Simona suggested alternatives, sparking a conversation within the client's team about how to better localize product names for the market. It’s this proactive approach that keeps clients coming back.

Freelancers vs. Agencies

While agencies can offer scalability, working directly with a freelancer has distinct advantages for clients:

Direct communication without a middleman, leading to faster clarifications.
Consistency: The same person handles all translations, ensuring tone and terminology stay aligned.
Product familiarity: Over time, the translator develops deep knowledge of the product and brand.

Freelancers must also plan for scalability by maintaining a trusted network of peers to handle overflow or emergencies. This ensures clients are never left stranded if the freelancer is unavailable.

Key Takeaways for Freelance Translators

Push for context: UI previews, screenshots, and background details improve both speed and quality.
Master the technical side: understand placeholders, variables, and platform features.
Be proactive: ask questions, flag issues, and suggest improvements to source copy.
Build trust: reliability and care turn one-off jobs into long-term partnerships.
Leverage technology: use glossaries, TM, and cross-language inspiration to stay consistent.
Plan for overflow: maintain a network to ensure client needs are always met.

Final Thoughts

Freelance translators in agile localization are more than just wordsmiths; they're integral team members bridging cultures, markets, and technologies. Embracing the tools, workflows, and relationships that agile demands allows translators like Simona to prove that independent linguists can thrive and even lead in this landscape.

Simona’s Background

Simona Kisser is a freelance technical translator and localization specialist with over 10 years of experience, specializing in software localization and technical translations from English to German. With a background in industrial engineering and specialized translation training, she has developed expertise in delivering high-quality technical and software translations while maintaining brand consistency across markets.

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What Is a Model Context Protocol (MCP)?

yuliia-makarenko — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a technology that allows you to connect large language models (LLMs) to external, dynamic data sources and tools to provide more contextual information.

Unlike Retrieve Augmented Generation (RAG), which accesses static documents, MCP connects to live resources that change constantly, such as code repositories or content management systems. This dynamic access helps LLMs provide more accurate and context-rich outputs. MCP usage can reduce "hallucinations" in which the AI generates incorrect information.

Key Benefits of MCP for Translators

MCP offers several key benefits, especially in the context of translation and localization:

Improved Context and Quality. By connecting to external sources like a mobile app's code, MCP provides translators with the necessary context to make better translation choices. This is useful for short, ambiguous strings, where the meaning isn't clear without additional context.
Reduced Hallucinations. Accessing specific, real-time data helps prevent the LLM from producing generic or incorrect outputs, leading to higher-quality translations.
Faster Research. Instead of manually searching for context, a translator can ask the AI to find the relevant information, such as checking the app's code for a specific key, saving time and effort.

MCP Use Cases for Localization

Code Repository Integration

An AI can check the source code in a GitHub repository to understand how a short string is used in a mobile app. In a finance app, an AI might translate the ambiguous string "blind mode" as "focus mode" after finding context in the code.

This is because the code explains that the feature's purpose is to hide errors and enable focused work.

UI/UX Design Platforms

The AI can check if a translated string will fit correctly inside a UI element, such as a button, on a Figma design file.

Website Localization

To improve website localization, an MCP server could connect to a company's multilingual CMS, like HubSpot, Contentful, Webflow, or Zapier, to provide real-time context. This ensures that translations match the real-time context of the website.

Help Center Content

An AI can access a company's help center (like Intercom, Freshdesk, or Salesforce) for context when translating a technical term or phrase. This ensures that support documentation is translated accurately.

Game Localization

For game localization, MCP can connect to a game's repository to give translators live context on new strings. That helps to maintain the game's tone and character voices.

Drawbacks of Model Context Protocol In Translation Projects

While MCP has many advantages, it's not a perfect solution for every situation.

Setup Complexity: Setting up MCP integrations requires a significant amount of effort and isn't a simple "plug-and-play" process. You must create precise, customized rules to guide the AI, as a general rule won't work for every project.
Slower Performance: AI translation using MCP tends to be slower because the model has to connect to and retrieve information from external servers. This slowness can also lead to increased token consumption, which can raise costs if used for every string.
Experimental Phase: Crowdin MCP is still in its experimental phase, and the servers it relies on aren't always reliable. As the technology matures, it is expected to become faster, more reliable, and potentially more cost-effective.

How to Add Model Context Protocol to Crowdin

MCP is a part of the Agentic AI app. To add an MCP server to Crowdin, follow these steps: install the Agentic AI app, navigate to the settings, go to the MCP tab, and click "Add server".

Currently, Crowdin offers two servers: GitHub and Zapier, but you also have the option to add a custom one.

After adding a server, it's essential to set up user rules to guide the AI on how to use the MCP.

To use MCP, simply interact with the Agentic AI in the chat by writing a precise prompt. For example, you could write a prompt like: "Help me find the best translation for the 'Blind mode' and provide an explanation on the context you've found and why you decided to translate this string this way". This allows the AI to access the configured MCP to find the correct context and suggest a translation.

To get started with MCP in Crowdin, watch the second episode of the Crowdin Power Up series. You will learn how to set it up and write precise user rules that help save tokens and money.

If you are interested in Agentic AI in localization, check out our first episode and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Crowdin's MCP Server

Crowdin localization software also offers its own MCP server, which connects AI agents like Claude and Cursor to your Crowdin workspace. That allows you to manage your entire localization workflow by using a conversation with an AI.

Use AI prompts to check project progress, assign tasks, or apply translations. The server is a hosted service, so no setup is required. Learn more technical information about the Crowdin MCP Server.

Final thoughts

While MCP is a young technology, it holds promise for improving translation quality by giving LLMs access to real-time, dynamic information. As this feature matures, it has the potential to become an essential tool for translators and localization teams.

What is Agentic AI and How Does it Change the Localization Process

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What if there was a way to make AI in localization not just faster and more cost-effective, but also smarter? Enter the Agentic AI era, which transforms how we approach translation and localization.

In this article, we'll explore:

What Agentic AI is.
How it differs from earlier AI versions.
How Agentic AI works.
Its impact on the localization industry.
Crowdin's approach to Agentic AI (features, examples, and how it helps translators).

What is Agentic AI?

Imagine an AI that's not just another text generator, but a true teammate – one that can understand your goals, plan how to reach them, do tasks, and even learn from its experiences. That's Agentic AI. It’s an autonomous AI system designed to achieve better results with little human help.

Crowdin Agentic AI can translate a word like "service" correctly by analyzing your app's code to understand its context. For example, it knows if "service" refers to a pricing plan or to customer assistance. It can choose the correct translation for each case without you having to intervene.

It's called Agentic because the AI has "agency" – the ability to act independently, reason, and achieve goals with very little human help. Unlike earlier AIs that just react to prompts, an agentic AI can use tools to complete multi-step tasks, operating as a smart agent.

How Agentic AI Differs from Previous Versions

So, how does Agentic AI stand out from earlier AI?

Feature	Traditional AI (e.g., Rule-based MT)	Generative AI (e.g., LLMs)	Agentic AI (Crowdin's Approach)
Core Capability	Executes predefined rules	Generates content based on patterns	Achieves goals autonomously
Interaction	Rigid, fixed commands	Reactive to prompts	Proactive, goal-driven, conversational
Decision Making	None, follows rules	Limited, based on learned data	Independent, adaptive, plans actions
Learning	Minimal, manual updates	Continuous, from vast datasets	Continuous, from feedback & environment
Context	Very limited	Broad, but often single-turn	Deep, multi-turn, project-specific
Tool Use	None	Limited, requires explicit prompting	Extensive, autonomous tool integration
Role in Localization	Basic translation, word-for-word	Content generation, preliminary translation	Full workflow orchestration, intelligent assistance

Traditional AI

Think of old rule-based systems and early machine translation. Traditional AI follows strict, predefined rules. It does specific tasks but can't adapt or make independent decisions.

Generative AI

GenAI is great at creating content based on what it's learned (text, images, code). But it’s still mostly reactive to prompts. They lack long-term memory and are unable to proactively initiate multi-step tasks.

Generative AI translates better when you give it context. For instance, in one experiment, an AI model achieved 49% segments not requiring editing, outperforming a leading MT engine at 29%.

Agentic AI

This is the next step. Agentic AI uses the power of Generative AI but adds autonomy, goal-driven behavior, and adaptability. It can:

Understand its environment.
Reason about a task and make a plan.
Act on its own to follow that plan, often by using other tools.
Learn and adapt from feedback, getting better over time.
Remember information and context across many tasks.

See the difference: GenAI can translate a sentence. Agentic AI can localize an entire software application, fix QA issues, and connect with your development tools to get more context.

How Agentic AI Works

Agentic AI works in a way much like how people solve problems. It's a system where different parts work together:

1. Perception

The AI first gathers information. Its most exciting feature is its ability to get context directly from your project's code repository. It also reads source files, checks translation memories, glossaries, style guides, and screenshots.

2. Reasoning and Planning

Using an LLM as its "brain", the AI processes this information. It understands what you want to achieve (e.g., "translate this app formally", "make sure all marketing is gender-neutral") and creates a step-by-step plan.

3. Action and Tool Use

It can "take action" by using other tools or software. In localization, this might involve:

Working with a translation management system like Crowdin.
Seeking context by analyzing the surrounding source materials.
Accessing a translation memory or glossary.
Running/Conducting QA checks based on rules.
Adjusting text length for user interface limits.
Rewriting content for specific tones or styles.

4. Learning and Adaptation

After doing a task, the AI checks its results. If a human translator corrects something, the AI learns from it, improving its strategies for future tasks. This continuous learning makes its outputs more accurate over time.

How Agentic AI Affects the Localization Industry

Agentic AI is changing the localization industry in a big way. It's moving us from manual, reactive processes to automated and very efficient workflows.

Speed and Scalability

Imagine launching new website product pages or iOS app updates in multiple languages almost instantly. Agentic AI can handle huge amounts of content, allowing for quick market entry and real-time content updates. Companies using AI-powered tools for content creation have seen time savings of up to 50%, with some social media teams saving as much as 60 h/month.

Better Quality and Consistency

Agentic AI learns from your project's context and from a linguist's feedback. This allows it to create translations that are accurate and consistent in tone, style, and cultural relevance. It acts like an "always-on consultant" for your brand rules.

Elevating the Roles of Translators and Localization Managers

The arrival of Agentic AI is changing the nature of translators’ work. They are moving away from translating to proofreading and adjusting AI prompts. The industry is shifting from paying translators per word to paying them hourly, reflecting their changing role. Instead of manual tasks, Agentic AI allows localization managers to focus on adjusting the AI and overseeing the workflow

Content Adaptation

Imagine content being built with localization in mind from the start. Agentic AI helps with "agentic localization", a process where content is adapted early in the creation process. This approach is key to reducing a product's time-to-market.

Cost Efficiency

Agentic AI introduces a new expense for companies – a subscription cost for AI tokens. While it's tempting to think of this as a direct path to cost savings, it's more accurate to view it as a trade-off.

<Aside title="Note"> When you chat with an Agentic AI, each message uses a certain number of tokens. To keep costs down and get the best results, it's helpful to be precise with your prompts and avoid unnecessary words. </Aside>

Cost savings are not always immediate. They may only be realized after a company has invested time in training the AI and finding the right model for their specific needs. The most immediate and certain benefit, however, is a notable increase in translation speed and efficiency. Check our research on AI translation cost.

AI Assistant vs. Agentic AI in Crowdin

These tools look similar, but if you dig deeper, you will see the difference. We created a comparison table, AI Assistant vs. Agentic AI, so you can understand it deeper.

Feature	AI Assistant	Agentic AI
Autonomy	Reactive to direct, single-step prompt.	Plans, reasons, and executes multi-step tasks to achieve a goal.
Goal Decomposition	Cannot break down complex goals; executes one instruction at a time.	Can decompose a high-level goal into sub-tasks (e.g., Check QA, then change tone).
Supports MCP	No	Yes
Results	More generic results.	Uses deep project context (MCP, glossaries, TM) and can use Max Mode for increased "thinking" time.
Contextual Awareness	Limited to the current string/basic editor context.	Extensive awareness of the entire project, QA settings, user rules, and external files.
Speed	Faster	Can be slower due to multi-step planning and tool-calling.
Cost	Cheap. Uses fewer tokens per simple request.	Costly. Uses more tokens due to complex reasoning and multiple steps.
Requires Prompt	Yes. Requires explicit prompt for every action/request.	No. Can operate with an initial high-level goal, then acts autonomously.
Chat-Based Interaction	Yes	Yes
Integration with LLMs	Yes	Yes

To sum up: If you need quick and cheap results, use the AI Assistant. For better-quality translations, try using Agentic AI.

Crowdin's Agentic AI: Your Smart Localization Partner

Crowdin's Agentic AI isn't just another pre-translation tool. It's a dynamic, context-aware partner that simplifies complex tasks and improves localization quality.

Here's how Crowdin's Agentic AI helps:

1. Deep Project Context

Crowdin's Agentic AI has access to all your project information. It understands your file setup, uses existing translation memory entries, automatically checks glossaries, considers approval ratings, and even reads code and UI details. This rich context helps the AI make accurate translation suggestions.

2. Conversational Interface

Forget complicated commands. You can talk to Agentic AI in plain language. Need to change the tone of all text from formal to informal? Just ask. Want to ensure gender neutrality in your marketing copy? A simple request does it. It's like chatting with a smart assistant right in your Сrowdin Editor.

3. Context-Aware Automation & Validation

AI can check translations against your project's QA rules, making sure they're correct before delivery. It can also approve translations with one click, saving many hours.

4. Mastering Text Lengths and Style

For UI localization, character limits are often a problem. Agentic AI, guided by your User Rules, makes fitting translated text into strict length limits efficient and accurate. You can also define User Rules to teach the AI your preferred style, ensuring consistent output.

5. Working in Layers

Agentic AI offers a flexible "layered" workflow. You can fine-tune translations step-by-step and add context anytime. Max Mode lets the AI "think through" tool results more deeply, re-check its outputs, and plan next steps, leading to even more accurate results.

Flexible AI Providers and Models

At the core of Crowdin's Agentic AI is a flexible system that lets you integrate with a variety of AI services. You're not locked into a single provider. Within the Providers section, you can configure access to leading AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini using your own API keys. This is a crucial feature for data privacy and control. It means your data remains yours, and you maintain direct ownership of your usage and costs.

Once you've set up your providers, the Models section gives you granular control over which specific AI models you want to use.

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Crowdin's Agentic AI supports with Model Context Protocol. MCP enables direct, structured communication between AI agents and the Crowdin platform.

This protocol allows AI to fetch project data, submit translations, perform QA, and gather context in real-time. Crowdin currently offers integrations for GitHub and Zapier, but you can also add your own custom MCP integrations.

<Aside title="Note"> MCP is currently in an experimental phase and is not a magic solution for all problems. Setting up the integrations requires a lot of effort and isn't a "plug-and-play" solution. To get good results, you must carefully guide the AI with precise, customized rules. Without proper guidance, you risk slow responses and useless results. </Aside>

Check out our video to see MCP in action.

How Agentic AI in Crowdin Can Help Localization Managers

Boosted Efficiency. Agentic AI automates repetitive tasks, from initial translation to QA checks.
Improved Quality. The AI provides context-aware translations by leveraging existing data. This leads to more consistent and accurate content that maintains your brand's voice.
Faster Scalability. Managers can expand localization efforts to new languages and high-volume projects without needing a proportional increase in human resources.
Data-Driven Insights. AI continuously learns from human feedback and market data, helping managers adapt and refine translations to create a stronger local appeal.
Strategic Focus. AI allows localization managers to shift from task-oriented roles to being strategic leaders who oversee the entire localization workflow.

Conclusion

The age of Agentic AI in localization is here, and it's transforming the industry.

Crowdin's Agentic AI is designed to be your smart partner, simplifying complex tasks and freeing you to focus on what truly matters. This is about a new world for localization. AI doesn't just follow prompts; it understands your goals and actively works to achieve them. The result is a process that's smarter, faster, and more effective than ever before.

FAQ

What does "Agentic" mean in the context of AI?

In AI, "agentic" means the system has agency—the ability to act independently. This kind of AI can reason, plan, and take its own initiative to achieve specific goals, all with very little human supervision. Unlike earlier AIs that just react to prompts, an agentic AI can use tools to complete multi-step tasks.

What can Agentic AI in Crowdin do?

The AI can access your code repository to understand the context of the text it is translating, ensuring more accurate and natural translations.
It can adjust the length of sentences and refine the tone to be more friendly, less technical, or to match specific brand guidelines.
Agentic AI can perform various QA checks to ensure translations are consistent, accurate, and free of common errors.
It can automatically pre-translate content to provide a strong first draft, which significantly speeds up the localization process.
It maintains Model Context Protocol servers, ensuring that the AI has continuous access to the necessary data to understand and act on the context of the content.

Is Agentic AI secure for sensitive content?

Data security is first. Crowdin prioritizes security by giving you control over your data. You can use your own API keys for leading AI providers, which means you maintain ownership and privacy. Critically, Crowdin has secured contracts with its AI partners to ensure that your data is not used to train or improve their AI models. That guarantees that your information remains confidential.

How to Expand Your Digital Business Globally

lara-translate — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Expanding your digital business across borders might sound complex, but it's more possible than ever. Despite this, fewer than 1% of U.S. companies currently sell overseas. That leaves a massive, largely untapped opportunity for digital-first businesses willing to take the leap.

But going global isn’t just about being online. It’s about connecting with real people, in different countries, on their own terms. That means understanding how they browse, buy, and engage (and shaping your business around that). Translation alone won’t cut it. You need experiences that feel truly local.

Let’s break down what it takes to build a sustainable, scalable global expansion strategy in today’s digital economy.

Understanding the Global Digital Marketplace

The digital marketplace is vast, fast-moving, and culturally diverse. Businesses that want to grow internationally must first recognize that going global means more than duplicating their current website in another language.

User behavior varies by region. For example, mobile-first markets like India or Nigeria may need lighter, faster digital products, while desktop-heavy countries in Europe may expect richer experiences. Payment methods, customer support expectations, and even how users interact with content all shift from region to region.

This is where cultural intelligence matters. To engage global audiences, you need to understand what motivates them to act, what builds trust in their market, and how to adapt your offer to fit local values and expectations.

Building Your Global Expansion Foundation

Solid international growth starts with research. Before entering new markets, take the time to analyze local demand, legal requirements, consumer behavior, and competitive landscapes.

Rather than going wide right away, start narrow. Focus on two or three markets where your product solves a real local problem. Learn from that initial expansion, then scale from there.

On the tech side, cloud-based infrastructure is key. You need systems that scale with you, give you real-time performance insights across regions, and let you stay agile as conditions shift. This kind of foundation ensures you’re not just present in other markets — you’re set up to succeed in them.

Mastering Multilingual Digital Marketing

Reaching a global audience means more than just translating your headlines. Multilingual digital marketing is about cultural alignment.

What works in one market may not resonate elsewhere. Humor, tone, colors, imagery, even design patterns — all of it needs to reflect local preferences. In China, your brand might thrive on WeChat or Xiaohongshu. In Germany, success may come from Google Ads and local SEO (read our article to learn more about multilingual SEO).

You’ll also want to localize your messaging, not just translate it. This includes adapting calls to action, refining value propositions, and reworking visuals to reflect what “professional,” “friendly,” or “reliable” looks like in that culture.

Partnering with native speakers or local experts makes all the difference here.

Technology Solutions for Global Scaling

To scale globally, your tech stack must support localization from day one.

E-commerce platforms (eg. Shopify or WooCommerce) offer built-in international capabilities. These include currency conversion, payment options suited to local markets, and shipping integrations.

You’ll also want to invest in multilingual CRMs, analytics dashboards, and customer support tools that help you track and respond to behavior across languages and time zones.

Crucially, you’ll need a reliable localization workflow. Lara Translate, for example, gives you business-ready real-time translations, while preserving tone and meaning. Pair it with Crowdin to manage localization workflows, streamline handoffs between teams, and launch updates in every language simultaneously.

The Role of Professional Translation in Global Expansion

Expanding a digital business globally means translating a lot of business content. But not all content is created equal. A user guide needs a different tone than a landing page. Marketing copy needs to inspire, while legal terms must be precise.

That’s why professional translation is so important. While AI tools can speed up workflows, human translators still bring essential insight. Like knowing which phrases work culturally, or how to avoid a misstep that could damage your brand.

High-quality translation helps you build credibility in new markets. It shows respect for your audience. And it plays a critical role in onboarding, engagement, and retention.

Lara Translate: Built for Business Growth

Lara Translate isn’t just another translation tool. It’s built for companies looking to grow fast without sacrificing quality. Lara is an AI Translation tool created by Translated. Lara comes from Translated’s experience with ModernMT, the leading MT according to IDC, Gartner, and CSA Research, and is its natural evolution.

Unlike general-purpose translators, Lara is trained on business content. Originated from ModernMT — the first commercial application of Transformer technology, later made famous by ChatGPT — Lara understands brand tone, handles complex terminology, and preserves clarity in every language. Whether you’re launching a new feature, creating onboarding emails, or updating help docs, Lara helps you get there faster and with reliability.

It’s also built to integrate into your workflow. When paired with platforms like Crowdin, Lara Translate becomes part of a larger localization strategy that’s automated, consistent, and ready to scale.

Navigating Challenges in International Markets

Going global comes with real challenges and it’s better to anticipate them early.

Start with regulations. Every region has its own data privacy laws, consumer protections, and business licenses. You’ll need legal and technical systems in place to stay compliant.

Next, payments. Preferences vary: some markets rely on digital wallets, others on bank transfers or even cash on delivery. Your checkout needs to offer options that feel familiar and safe to your users.

Then there’s customer experience. A message that sounds clear in English might fall flat (or offend) in another culture. Invest in training your support team, work with local partners, and continuously gather feedback to avoid missteps.

Measuring Success and Optimizing Performance

Once you’re live in new markets, how do you measure what’s working?

Look beyond revenue. Track customer acquisition cost by region, retention by language, and engagement by channel. Are localized campaigns performing better? Which countries are converting most efficiently? What content gets shared most often?

A/B testing across languages takes more effort, but it’s worth it. Different headlines, offers, or imagery may work better depending on the audience. Use data to iterate and improve. Not just translate your way forward.

Strategic Steps for Sustainable Global Growth

Global growth isn’t a sprint. The most successful companies take a phased, structured approach.

Start with markets where language, culture, and infrastructure are closer to your own. Use these as learning grounds. From there, gradually expand to more complex or distant regions.

Strategic partnerships can help you enter markets faster — especially if those partners bring local knowledge or access to existing audiences.

And don’t forget talent. Hiring locally or working with consultants in key regions will give you insider insights that no spreadsheet can deliver.

Building an International-Ready Organization

To scale globally, your internal team must evolve too.

Set up workflows that support asynchronous collaboration across time zones. Use tools that localize content without duplicating effort. Build brand guidelines that explain tone and formatting across languages.

Customer support should be in place before you launch in a new region. That means local hours, local languages, and local empathy.

Data privacy and compliance must also scale with you. Tools like Lara Translate are built with these needs in mind, helping you deliver localized content that respects both culture and regulation.

Going global isn’t about being everywhere at once. It’s about showing up in the right way, in the right places, with the right message.

Localization is what connects your big ideas with real people. And with the right tools and mindset, any digital business (no matter the size) can take that step confidently.

FAQ

Is it really possible for small businesses to go global?

Yes. With today’s cloud-based tools, localization platforms, and digital marketing strategies, even small teams can reach global audiences without needing massive resources.

Is translating my website enough to succeed in a new market?

Not quite. Translation is just one part. Real success comes from localization: adapting your entire customer experience—from language and visuals to tone and content structure.

How do I choose which markets to expand into first?

Start where you see traction or demand. Look for markets where your product solves a clear local need. Start small (2–3 markets) and grow from experience.

What role does multilingual marketing play?

It’s essential. Multilingual marketing helps you speak to audiences in ways that build trust. It goes beyond language to include cultural tone, local platforms, and customized campaigns.

What technologies support global digital expansion?

Tools like Shopify, HubSpot, Lara Translate, and Crowdin make it easier to scale your business across regions—covering everything from content localization to customer support and performance tracking.

This article is about:

Key strategies to grow your digital business across global markets
The importance of localization and multilingual marketing in user engagement
How platforms like Lara Translate and Crowdin support global scaling
Building the tech, team, and processes you need for sustainable international success

5 Best Machine Translation Software

yuliia-makarenko — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The world is overflowing with content, and much of it needs translation. The global machine translation market reflects this trend, growing rapidly and projected to reach around $4.8 billion by 2032.

Localization managers always struggle to balance translation speed, quality, and cost. That’s why picking the right MT software is important for creating efficient and affordable translation workflows.

This guide compares the 5 MT engines, focusing on quality, speed, and customization, to help localization managers make informed decisions.

Machine translation software is a computer program that automatically translates text or speech, primarily using Neural Machine Translation (NMT) for more natural results.
Top MT Engines: DeepL Translator, Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, Amazon Translate, ModernMT.
Choosing the Right Tool: Consider language support, cost-effectiveness, customization needs, and integration capabilities with existing systems like a Translation Management System (TMS).
Centralize MT Management: Crowdin acts as a centralized platform that allows localization teams to connect, manage, and use various MT engines from a single interface.

How We Evaluated the Top MT Software

Our research on top machine translation tools focuses on several criteria critical for localization managers:

Translation Quality & Accuracy: We look at how well the software translates, especially for nuanced, technical, and industry-specific content.
Language Coverage: The list of supported languages is a key consideration for global operations.
Customization & Adaptability: The ability to train the MT engine with your specific terminology, style guides, and domain-specific data, as well as its flexibility to adapt to real-time feedback.
Integration Capabilities: How easily the software integrates with existing translation management systems (TMS).
Cost-Effectiveness & Scalability: The pricing model, overall value, and how well it handles varying volumes of translation, from small projects to enterprise-level needs.
Unique Features & Best Use Cases: Distinct advantages each tool offers, and for what specific scenarios or industries they are best suited.

Based on these criteria, we've compiled a detailed comparison to provide an at-a-glance overview of each engine's capabilities.

Top Machine Translation Software: Comparison Table

Feature/Software	Google Translate	DeepL Translator	Microsoft Translator	Amazon Translate	ModernMT
Core Technology	NMT (with LLM-style models in Advanced API)	NMT + Next-Gen LLM	NMT (Natively Neural) + LLM Reformulation	NMT	Adaptive NMT (Human-in-the-Loop)
Key Strengths	Broad language coverage, speed, accessibility	High accuracy, nuance, context, natural flow	Video translation, enterprise compliance, "no-trace" data	Scalability, AWS ecosystem integration, formality control	Real-time adaptation, document-level context, data sovereignty
Primary Use Cases	General text, web localization, chat, subtitles	Professional, business, sensitive content (legal, finance, tech)	Video localization, enterprise training, global team collaboration	Large volume text, web/app localization, cross-lingual comms	Enterprise, customer service, e-commerce, content localization
Language Support	249 languages	36 languages	179 languages	75 languages	200 languages
Customization	Custom models, HTML retention, transliteration	Glossaries, formal/informal tone, Clarify feature, CAT tool integration	Custom Translator (domain-specific models), document alignment	Formality control, custom terminology, Active Custom Translation	Dynamic adaptation, HITL, document-level, glossaries, API
Document Translation	Supported (HTML, text, API)	Yes (PDF, Word, PPT), editable files	Yes (video, TMX, XLIFF, TXT, DOCX, XLSX)	Yes (text, HTML, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, XLIFF)	Yes (batch translation)
API Availability	Yes (Cloud Translation API)	Yes	Yes (Azure service)	Yes (AWS service)	Yes
Data Privacy	No ownership of API content, no training (API)	No training for Pro; GDPR compliant	"No-trace" policy; HIPAA, ISO, SOC, FedRAMP compliant	May store/use for service/improvement; no PII for targeting; encryption	No training with client data; ISO, GDPR, CCPA compliant
Pricing Model	Free (first 500k chars/month); $20/M chars (500k-1B)	Free (50k chars/month); Pro from €24.99/M chars	Free tier (2M chars/month), Pay-as-you-go, from $10/M chars	Free tier (2M chars/month), Pay-as-you-go, from $15/M chars	from $15/M chars
Avg. Processing Time	0.22 seconds	0.51 seconds	0.26 seconds	0.33 seconds	0.36 seconds

Reviewing the 7 Best Machine Translation Software Solutions

1. DeepL Translator

DeepL Translator is a specialized AI platform focused on high-precision translation and communication. It offers text translation, real-time speech translation, and AI writing tools. DeepL Translator is highly valued in industries such as healthcare, logistics, and finance, where precision and data privacy are important.

Technology & Approach: DeepL Translator combines cutting-edge Neural Machine Translation (NMT) technology with a next-generation Large Language Model (LLM) infrastructure. This hybrid approach enables precise contextual understanding, leading to nuanced and natural-sounding translations by analyzing larger text sections.

Accuracy & Quality: DeepL consistently produces translations with higher retention of tone and technical specificity, often reducing post-editing time. A 2024 Forrester study highlighted that DeepL delivered a 345% ROI for global companies, reducing translation time by 90% and workload by 50%. Its average processing time is 0.51 seconds.

Language Support: 36 languages.

Customization & Integration Capabilities: DeepL Translator offers customization, including glossaries for consistent terminology (up to 30,000 entries in 16 languages for some users). It provides formal/informal tone options, as well as a "Clarify" feature. It supports text and editable file translation (PDF, Word, PowerPoint) and integrates via API and CAT tools.

Pricing Models & Tiers: DeepL Translator is free for 50,000 characters per month; €24.99 for a million characters per month.

Data Privacy & Security: For DeepL Pro users, texts are deleted immediately after translation and are not used to train neural networks. DeepL is GDPR compliant.

Best For: Professional and sensitive content (e.g., legal, finance, tech) for high accuracy, nuance, natural flow, and data privacy. Ideal for organizations prioritizing quality for a focused set of languages.

2. Google Translate

Google Translate (GT) serves over 600 million users, processing an estimated 100 billion words daily. It’s designed for widespread accessibility, real-time chat translation, and website localization. It particularly excels in translating factual content, especially for high-similarity language pairs and shorter texts.

Technology & Approach: GT's framework integrates Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Neural Machine Translation (NMT). Post-2016, GT shifted from word-for-word translation to a more sophisticated neural method that evaluates entire sentences, reportedly reducing errors by 55-85% across major language pairs. The Cloud Translation API offers access to Google's recent high-quality LLM-style translation model for advanced enterprise applications.

Accuracy & Quality: Google Translate delivers accurate translations for factual content and frequently used, linguistically similar language pairs (e.g., English-Spanish), often achieving 90% accuracy.

While effective, it exhibits limitations in capturing subtle nuances, achieving natural fluency, or handling complex content in low-resource languages or specialized domains, often resulting in more literal translations. It’s one of the fastest MT engines, with an average processing time of 0.22 seconds.

Language Support: 249 languages.

Customization & Integration Capabilities: The Cloud Translation API provides customization options, including creating custom models for long-form content. It preserves HTML markup during translation and offers transliteration functionality for specific languages.

Pricing Models & Tiers: first 500,000 characters per month - free; 500k to 1 billion characters per month - $20 per million characters.

Best For: General text translation, quick understanding of foreign content, web localization, and initial drafts where broad language support and speed are prioritized over subtle nuances.

3. Microsoft Translator

Microsoft Translator uses advanced Neural Machine Translation to provide text translations. It's especially strong for enterprise, offering features to customize translations for specific industries.

Underlying Technology & Approach: The NMT approach allows Microsoft Translate to analyze and translate entire sentences, rather than just individual words, leading to more coherent and natural-sounding results. For text translation, the NMT models are continuously refined, ensuring high-quality output across their supported languages.

Translation Accuracy & Quality: While generally effective for understanding different languages, user reviews suggest that translations may not always be perfectly accurate, indicating a need for post-editing for critical content. In comparative benchmarks, it demonstrated fast processing times, averaging 0.26 seconds.

Language Support: 179 languages.

Customization & Integration Capabilities: A key feature is Custom Translator, which allows users to create neural translation systems tailored to their specific industry terminology by uploading previously translated documents. This can improve quality (5-10 BLEU points or more) by reflecting domain-specific style.

Pricing Models & Tiers: Microsoft Translator offers a free subscription tier for up to 2 million characters per month. Additionally, it operates on a pay-as-you-go model, starting at $10 per million characters.

Best For: Enterprises requiring robust, secure translation solutions, particularly for multimedia content like video localization, global team collaboration, and training materials, with strong customization needs for industry-specific terminology.

4. Amazon Translate

Amazon Translate is a neural machine translation service from AWS designed for fast, high-quality, affordable, and customizable language translation. It excels at translating large volumes of text, localizing websites and applications for international users, and facilitating cross-lingual communication. It can deliver more than 50,000 words per 1 hour.

Technology & Approach: Amazon Translate utilizes Neural Machine Translation with deep learning models. It analyzes the complete context of a phrase for more accurate output. Amazon Translate supports both real-time and batch translation capabilities and continuously improves with new and expanded datasets.

Accuracy & Quality: Amazon Translate delivers smooth and reliable translations, scoring well in readability and clarity, though nuanced or creative texts may require minor refinements. User experiences indicate occasional ungrammatical sentences or struggles with idioms and complex language. It is one of the fastest, averaging 0.33 seconds per translation.

Language Support: 75 languages.

Customization & Integration Capabilities: It provides formality control for six target languages. Custom terminology ensures consistency for brand names and unique phrases.

The Active Custom Translation feature adapts translations to specific industries without requiring custom model training. It supports various document formats and integrates with other AWS services via its API.

Pricing Models & Tiers: a free tier for the first 12 months up to 2 million characters/month; Standard text translation costs $15.00 per million characters.

Data Privacy & Security: Amazon Translate may store and use text inputs solely to provide and maintain the service and to improve its quality and other Amazon AI technologies. This means the content is utilized for the continuous improvement of the customer experience, including the development and training of related technologies. Users should be aware that their data may contribute to the general improvement of the service.

Best For: Businesses heavily invested in the AWS ecosystem, requiring scalable solutions for high-volume text translation, website/application localization.

5. ModernMT

ModernMT is a machine translation engine renowned for its dynamic adaptation, improving from corrections and learning from the entire document's context. It serves large organizations for enterprise translation, customer service, e-commerce, and content localization, providing a high-speed, cost-effective solution.

Underlying Technology & Approach: Its core is a "Human-in-the-Loop" (HITL) innovation, where human revisions continuously improve the model in real-time. A key feature is "document-level translation", which considers the full document's content, enabling continuous learning from human corrections.

Language Support: 200 languages.

Customization & Integration Capabilities It offers real-time dynamic adaptation, learning from corrections and document context. It integrates with CAT tools and proprietary software via a powerful API, providing features like glossary integration and stylistic customization.

Pricing Models & Tiers: from $15 per million characters.

Data Privacy & Security: ModernMT has a strong focus on privacy and security. It guarantees client translations are never used to train its baseline engine or other clients' engines. It employs state-of-the-art encryption and holds ISO 27001:2013 certifications, fully complying with GDPR and CCPA.

Best For: Businesses seeking continuously improving, customized, and highly secure translation with document-level context for customer service, e-commerce, and content localization.

To provide a practical perspective on how these MT tools perform in real-world scenarios, we created a user experiment.

User Experiment: Translating Mobile Banking UI with MT

To see how MT tools perform in real life, we ran an experiment. We translated 116 text strings from a banking app UI (English to Ukrainian). Important: The tools received these strings without any extra context, like "Button: Log Out" or "Current Balance Label: Current Balance". This mimics how UI text often gets translated.

A native Ukrainian speaker, a regular banking app user, reviewed the translations string-by-string from all MT providers.

Overall, translations were good and understandable. But some had "rude mistakes", and others just didn't sound natural. Here are the results, from fewest to most mistakes:

MT Tool	Number of mistakes (Out of 116 strings)	Percentage of Mistakes
Google Translate	7	~6.03%
DeepL Translator	12	~10.34%
ModernMT	12	~10.34%
Microsoft Translator	19	~16.38%
Amazon Translate	21	~18.10%

Key Takeaways: This test shows that MT tools perform differently, especially in specific areas like banking. Translating without full context (like a button's visual placement) likely affected results. Even with good overall comprehension, rude mistakes and unnatural phrases appeared. Without UI context, a word like “Transfer” can be easily misinterpreted.

This highlights why human review (post-editing) is still important for user-facing content like mobile apps. Precision and a natural tone are crucial for user trust.

Some organizations prefer a hybrid approach that combines machine translation speed with structured localization workflows and expert human safeguards. In such cases, partnering with language service providers like Milengo can help centralize custom-trained MT engines, automate workflows, manage terminology, and ensure full-cycle localization quality across technical, marketing, and software content.

How to Choose the Right MT Software for Your Needs

Selecting the ideal machine translation software is a critical decision. With a diverse landscape of tools available, let’s take a look at the key factors:

1. Language Support

Beyond simply checking if a language is supported, evaluate the depth of quality for your target languages. Do you need highly nuanced translations for major European languages (e.g., DeepL), or broad coverage for a vast array of less common languages (e.g., Google Translate)? Consider if the tool excels in your primary language pairs and if it handles regional variations or specific dialects important to your audience.

2. Cost-Effectiveness & Scalability

Assess the pricing model (pay-as-you-go, subscription, free tiers) against your projected translation volumes. For high-volume needs, a cost-effective solution like Amazon Translate or a token-based API from an LLM might be more economical. Ensure the pricing scales efficiently with your growth, avoiding unexpected costs as your needs expand.

3. Customization & Adaptability

Does your industry have specific terminology, brand voice, or stylistic preferences? Look for software that allows for customization through glossaries, translation memories, and custom model training (e.g., Microsoft Custom Translator, ModernMT's dynamic adaptation). The ability to adapt the MT engine to your unique content ensures higher quality and reduces post-editing effort.

4. Integration Capability

A standalone MT tool provides limited value. The best solutions integrate seamlessly with your existing translation management system (TMS), like Crowdin. Smooth integration minimizes manual tasks, automates workflows, ensures data consistency, and allows for centralized control over your entire localization pipeline. Consider if the tool offers a robust API and pre-built connectors to your preferred platforms.

By carefully evaluating these factors against your specific business requirements, you can select an MT solution that not only meets your current needs but also supports your future global expansion strategies.

Crowdin: All Machine Translation Software in One

For localization teams, the challenge isn't just choosing the right machine translation software, but effectively integrating and managing multiple engines within the workflow. Crowdin is a localization platform that allows you to connect, manage, and leverage various MT engines – including all the ones we've discussed – from a single interface.

Crowdin combines powerful features in a single, user-friendly interface, that allows you to build a complete AI localization workflow. Crowdin uses AI in two main ways: AI Pre-translation automates the initial translation of content to save time. And Agentic AI, which acts as a smart assistant that can perform complex tasks, such as ensuring translations are within context and adjusting their tone.

With over 700 integrations, the platform connects with your existing tools to automate content synchronization and delivery. Its highly customizable workflows allow you to define and manage every step of the translation process, from source text review to QA checks.

To further improve accuracy, Crowdin provides all kinds of context – including screenshots, in-context previews, and glossary terms – giving translators the information they need to deliver accurate translations.

With Crowdin, you can:

Centralize MT Management: Easily connect and configure multiple MT engines, eliminating the need to juggle different accounts and platforms.
Optimize Quality and Cost: Test and compare the performance of various MT engines for different content types and language pairs to ensure optimal quality at the best possible cost.
Ensure Consistency: Apply glossaries, translation memories, and style guides across all MT outputs, maintaining brand voice and terminology consistency.
Security & Control: Provide your own API keys for various AI translation engines, giving you direct control over usage, costs, and the handling of your data through your own established agreements with those providers.
Gain Insights: Monitor MT usage and performance to make data-driven decisions about your translation strategy.

<Aside title="Note"> Crowdin offers its own Crowdin MT, which is available for free use. Crowdin's Neural Machine Translator uses Crowdin Global TM to provide more accurate translation suggestions. This feature is available for projects where Global TM is enabled, or during a trial period. </Aside>

By bringing all your machine translation capabilities under one roof, Crowdin empowers localization teams to accelerate time-to-market, reduce overall translation costs, and maintain high quality across all multilingual content.

FAQ

What is machine translation software?

Machine translation (MT) software is used to automatically translate text or speech. Modern MT, primarily Neural Machine Translation (NMT), uses neural networks to understand entire sentences for more natural and accurate translations.

Is DeepL really better than Google Translate?

"Better" depends on your goal. DeepL generally offers higher quality and nuance, especially for European languages, often reducing post-editing. It scored 8.38 in benchmarks. Google Translate (7.90 benchmark score) excels in broad language coverage (249 languages) and speed. Choose DeepL for nuance and quality, Google for breadth and speed.

What machine translation providers does Crowdin support

Crowdin supports a wide range of machine translation providers, including DeepL Translator, Google Translate, Amazon Translate, Crowdin MT, Google AutoML Translation, Intento MT Hub, Microsoft Translator, Adaptive ModernMT, Globalese, Custom MT Engines, XL8, Cloudflare Workers AI, Fireworks AI, Together AI, Systran, Microsoft Custom Translator, Tencent Machine Translation (TMT), KantanMT, ModernMT, Bohemicus, Azure Transliterate, Braille Translator, FunTranslations, TAUS QE & APE, and MTrans.

Moreover, Crowdin also allows you to integrate your own custom machine translation engine.

Is there anything better than DeepL?

While DeepL leads in general translation quality and nuance, other tools might be "better" for specific needs. For example, Google Translate (249 languages) and ModernMT (200 languages) offer wider language coverage. Microsoft Translator specializes in video localization. Amazon Translate is highly scalable for AWS users. \n

See relevant posts on this topic:

Why AI Still Needs Us with Marco Trombetti

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

If AI can translate entire websites in seconds, where does that leave human translators? According to Marco Trombetti, Co-founder and CEO of Translated, we're just getting started.

In this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, hosted by Stefan Huyghe and powered by Crowdin, Marco breaks down why the future of translation isn't a battle between man and machine, but a collaboration where the best of both worlds shines.

From adaptive MT to specialized models like Lara, Marco shares how AI and humans can elevate each other, especially in a multilingual, multicultural world that demands both speed and nuance.

Listen to the new episode on:

The Magic Happens at the Intersection of AI and Human Insight

Translated's motto, "We Believe in Humans", isn't just branding. It's a philosophy baked into every decision Marco and his team have made since 1999. While many tech companies rush to automate, Translated takes a more symbiotic approach, building tools that help professional linguists do their best work faster.

Their latest innovation, Lara, is a custom model trained specifically on professional translation data. Unlike generic LLMs, Lara is grounded in 25 years of human feedback, complete with annotations, commentary, and even translator-revisor debates. This rich, structured data enables Lara to reason through translations instead of simply predicting probable word sequences.

Not All Content Deserves the Same Translation Approach

Marco explains why finding the right balance between AI localization and human involvement is critical and contextual. Take a customer review on an eCommerce platform. It may be more believable if translated quickly by AI, preserving the imperfections of the original. But for a global campaign slogan like "Just Do It", deep cultural research and human creative talent are irreplaceable.

<Blockquote footer="Marco says"> Every type of content deserves a matching level of investment. </Blockquote>

That's why we need a continuum of translation services, from raw machine output to high-touch human adaptation, and everything in between.

Why Quality Looks Like It’s Falling, But Actually Isn’t

Here's a counterintuitive truth Marco shares: the average translation quality is going down because we're translating so much more. Before automation, only high-value content was translated. Now, thanks to MT, companies can localize millions of user reviews, messages, and listings that were previously out of scope.

As a result, quality appears to drop. But in reality, the standard for professionally localized content is rising. And as localization gets more efficient, companies reinvest in quality where it matters most: UI, onboarding flows, and marketing copy that drives conversions.

The Unfair AI Gap in Lesser-Resourced Languages

While AI shines in English and a handful of high-resource languages, the gap is vast for the rest of the world. Marco estimates it would take 500 years for Swahili to reach the same amount of training data as English, unless we intervene.

The solution? Human translators.

Every human-translated Swahili sentence generates new, high-quality data. It keeps the language relevant in global tech ecosystems and ensures brand consistency across markets.

Language Pros Hold the Key to Better Language Models

One of the most powerful insights in the episode? The language services industry is sitting on a goldmine: decades of clean, structured, bilingual data.

While LLMs have been trained mostly on English web content, the language industry has high-quality translation memories, glossaries, and QA discussions in dozens of languages. Marco sees a massive opportunity for LSPs to play a leading role in shaping multilingual, multicultural language models.

However, there's a catch: to stay relevant long-term, the industry must evolve from text-only to multimodal content and from static datasets to learning through interaction, just like humans.

Final Thoughts From Marco

AI is not the end of localization; it's the start of a bigger playing field. As Marco sees it, AI is a reflection of humans. A tool to elevate their work, not erase it. The future of localization isn't binary. It's a fusion of data and culture, speed and nuance, machine learning and human spirit.

Marco’s Background

Marco Trombetti is the CEO and founder of Translated, a pioneering AI-powered localization company established in 1999. As a visionary leader in language technology, he spearheaded the development of groundbreaking solutions, including MateCat, ModernMT, and most recently, Lara, an innovative AI model specifically trained on professional translation data. Marco is renowned for successfully combining AI advancement with a human-centric approach, embodied in Translated's motto "We believe in humans."

Listen to the new episode on:

What's New at Crowdin: July 2025

diana — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In July, we delivered 441 updates and completed 249 tasks. Agentic AI received custom modes, multi-tab support for handling multiple requests simultaneously, a Max Mode toggle for deeper information processing, and a fullscreen tools. Native AI configuration was simplified with clearer prompts and better shortcut management. Pre-translate now lets you choose any project language as the source, exceptionally useful when translating to multiple closely related languages and dialects via AI. A new QA check flags outdated translations where source text changed but translations didn’t. The editor now supports selecting multiple files for batch actions. We’ve now got over 700 apps in the Crowdin Store, and a few more updates to go with it.

Agentic AI: Custom Modes, Fullscreen Tools, and Cost Awareness

The latest Agentic AI updates make it easier to understand how models work, reduce unnecessary costs, and adjust the interface to better fit your workflow.

What’s new:

Multi-tab support: We've had a question about what linguists are supposed to do when AI handles their requests. One way to answer this question is to submit more requests to the AI. Now, it's possible to have multiple tabs in Agentic AI to handle requests from linguists in parallel.

Max Mode toggle: An experimental feature that lets the model think harder but uses more resources, so it costs more.

Fullscreen tools view: Click the icon at the top right to see tool settings and results clearly. This is useful if a linguist wants to see what output tools are provided.

Custom modes: AI has difficulty selecting the appropriate tool when provided with many options. Modes are like "roles" on a team. For example, you can have a "Context Harvester" mode, a "QA Manager" (an AI with a set of tools to verify translations), or a "Translator" role.

Custom shortcuts: Once a linguist has figured out the most effective prompt for each file in a project, they can save that "conversation starter" as a shortcut. Then, they can click on the shortcut each time they switch files.

Image upload: Upload images by button, drag & drop, or copying and pasting (Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V). This is another way to provide context to the AI right in the chat. Take a screenshot of the website you're translating or the UI of the app you're working on. This is especially useful if the project manager did not provide any screenshots.

Crowdin MCP

We’re excited to announce Crowdin MCP – a new protocol that enables direct, structured communication between AI agents and Crowdin.

Unlike traditional REST APIs, MCP is designed specifically for agent-based workflows. It allows AI to fetch project data, submit translations, perform QA, or gather context, all in real time and without manual triggers. Find out more about what is MCP and how it can improve your translation workflow.

This opens the door to building autonomous AI agents that integrate into your localization process. Whether you’re experimenting with custom LLM-based tools or deploying production-grade AI systems, Crowdin MCP gives them a native way to interact with your content and workflows.

Project Manager: Oversees project progress and coordinates the team.

Prompt examples: "Show me project progress," "Assign this task to John," "Generate weekly report"
Developer: Manages source files, builds, and integrations.

Prompt examples: "Check build status," "Update file structure"
Translator: Focuses on translation and linguistic tools.

Prompt examples: "Find similar translations," "Check glossary terms," "Apply translations"
Asset Manager: Handles glossaries and translation memory.

Prompt examples: "Add terminology," "Update translation memory," "Export glossary"
Admin: Manages users and system configuration.

Prompt examples: "Add team member," "Set permissions," "View security logs"

Crowdin Achieves Carbon Neutrality

We're pleased to announce that Crowdin is now carbon neutral. Following a comprehensive emissions audit by Askel Sustainability Solutions OÜ, we offset our greenhouse gas emissions through the purchase of certified emission reduction (CER) credits from the UN Clean Development Mechanism. Our offsets support the Corredor dos Senandes wind power project in Brazil, which generates clean renewable energy.

This milestone represents our commitment to building a sustainable company as we help millions of users localize their products globally. We plan to maintain our carbon-neutral status moving forward and continue investing in verified emission reduction projects that create positive environmental impact.

More Flexible Pre-translate Options

You can now choose any language in your project as the source language when running pre-translate, whether you're using MT or AI.

This gives you more control over how translations are generated. For example, you can now use an existing high-quality translation in a related language (like Polish) as the base for AI-generated output in another (like Czech), instead of relying on the original source language, English, for example.

In the Pre-translate via AI option, the original source content is passed as context, helping improve translation quality and relevance even further.

Native AI Configuration Update: Better Prompt Handling and UI Clarity

Over time, with many updates, the AI settings became more complex to use. In this update, we focused on simplifying and clarifying the interface so you can work with AI faster and efficiently.

What’s changed?

We revamped the AI Settings section:

Custom placeholders are now called snippets and moved to a separate tab for a cleaner UI.
Key features like Pre-translation, Editor AI Assistant, AI QA Check and AI Alignment have clearer default prompt options.
Prompt creation no longer requires selecting a provider; all active AI models are listed with clear labels, and recommended defaults are pre-selected.
Shortcut management in the editor is simplified with inline labels and easy creation/deletion.
Bug fixes and permissions were improved, and a quickstart wizard now guides new users through AI setup.

These changes make Crowdin AI easier to understand and use, helping you speed up localization without unnecessary complexity.

Token & OAuth App Management in Crowdin

We’ve made it much easier to manage tokens and OAuth apps in Crowdin.

Now you can quickly identify which token or app is which. For example, you'll see the beginning of each token (like 15b61a24…), so it’s easier to recognize without opening each one. Search and filtering are now available too, helping you stay organized.

New QA Check: Outdated Translations

We’ve introduced a new QA check to help spot outdated translations, something our users have been requesting for a while.

It automatically highlights strings where the source text has changed, but the translation hasn’t been updated accordingly. This makes it much easier to catch potentially inaccurate translations and keep content consistent.

The check is off by default, but you can enable it in your QA settings.

Editor: Select Multiple Files

You can now select multiple files in the Editor by using Shift or Ctrl/Cmd to pick exactly what you need.

This makes batch actions like assigning translators, exporting files, or changing statuses much faster.

Crowdin Analytics: Task Reporting Improvements

We introduced several improvements to reports, so now you can use new global filters for task reports by date range, language, task type, and task status (in Task Cost). Also, there is grouping by project at the organization level, a major extension that helps analyze performance per project.

Some new indicators that are available from this month:

Throughput (words): total words in completed tasks
On-time Delivery Rate: % of tasks delivered on time
Average Overdue Time
Active Work Time

Crowdin Store Updates

Kevel: Translate all your ad content from Kevel with Crowdin using AI-powered features, WYSIWYG preview and auto content synchronization.
IATE App: A new integration providing easy access to IATE terminology, so you can view IATE dictionary interface directly within Crowdin Editor.
Contentful: Our devs made some improvements to reduce long file loading times and enhance tag filtering. Plus, you can now select specific spaces and environments to work within, with search and filters applying only to those spaces. Folder loading speed in the file tree has been optimized, and file listings after filtering now accurately reflect the selection.
Multi-Translation Columns App: We added the ability to set max length limits for columns.
TAUS QE Connector: Now has an option to select between Production and Sandbox URLs for more flexible environment management.
Apple String Catalog Exporter: Includes an ability to change the extraction state for better control over string exports.

Other Updates

This month we also shipped a number of small but practical improvements, here's a quick overview of the most useful ones:

Added glossary support in Lara integration.
Improved XL8 integration; a new option to use sibling segments for extended context. When enabled, surrounding segments are included to improve translation quality. Note: this may increase API usage and cost.
TypeScript file format updates: Now placeholders at the end of a string are correctly imported, and all placeholders are automatically highlighted in the editor.
The file list now includes total word count as a tooltip when hovering over the string count so there is no need to open each file individually to access this information.
When adding translations via the API, it is now possible to attribute the origin of the translation. This is useful if AI is used for translations outside of native Crowdin features and users want accurate reports about AI performance.
The “Preview in browser” option has been removed due to low usage. Its original purpose (to give you a comprehensive view of the content) is now actually can be fully covered by the Grid View in Editor.

Crowdin Power Up and New Podcast Episode

This month, we released two new episodes of the Agile Localization Podcast and launched the first video in our new Crowdin Power Up series, that is created to help you better navigate AI in localization.

Crowdin Power Up: AI Series

A short, practical video to help you stop fighting AI and start using it’s strength. Here, in our first Power Up episode, Stefan Huyghe and Dorota Pawlak showed you how Agentic AI improves your localization workflows. You’ll learn how to manage context, control tone, handle text lengths, and set up your own rules. New Podcast Episodes The Power of Middleware in Localization with István Lengyel, Founder and CEO of BeLazy What Big Brands Get Wrong About Localization with Aaron Presley, Co-founder and Sr. Localization Architect at OnPurpose Studio

New Podcast Episodes

The Power of Middleware in Localization with István Lengyel, Founder and CEO of BeLazy
What Big Brands Get Wrong About Localization with Aaron Presley, Co-founder and Sr. Localization Architect at OnPurpose Studio

External Tools

In July, we delivered new versions of:

Figma plugin Version 81 (includes new ability to select the duplicate detection strategy, and to create branches from the plugin settings.)
CLI 4.9.0 (introduces a reworked init command with interactive project and pattern selection, and securely stores your token in $HOME/.crowdin.yml. New bundle commands allow cloning and deleting bundles.)
Android SDK 1.14.0
GitHub Action v2.9.0
JS API Client 1.45.1, 1.46.0
Context Harvester 0.6.0
.NET API Client 2.39.0
Java API Client 1.27.1, 1.27.2

How to Master Context, Tone, and Text Lengths with Crowdin's Agentic AI

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the Crowdin Power Up series. Your guides for this journey are Stefan Huyghe and Dorota Pawlak, an AI for localization consultant. They're here to help translators and PMs use Crowdin's most recent AI features.

Get ready for a practical tour of Crowdin's AI. We'll show you how Agentic AI improves your localization workflows. You'll learn how to manage context, control tone, handle text lengths, and set up your own rules.

For a deeper dive, you can watch the full video on YouTube, and we've included some key highlights within this article.

Understanding Crowdin's Evolving AI Landscape

AI in localization isn't static, and neither is Crowdin's approach. In the first episode, Dorota walks us through the evolution of Crowdin's AI tools. She shows how they've progressed to meet the demands of modern localization workflows.

From Basic to Agentic: 3 Phases of AI Evolution

Crowdin's journey with AI can be understood in three distinct phases:

Basic Plugin Integration. Initially, Crowdin offered a fundamental integration with tools like a basic ChatGPT plugin. This allowed users to perform simple tasks within the AI editor, such as talking to an assistant to rephrase a translation or make it shorter.
Native Large Language Model Integration. The second phase brought native large language model (LLM) integration directly into Crowdin. This offered users the flexibility to choose from different LLM providers. It enabled more control, allowing users to write or customize prompts for specific AI functionalities like AI pre-translation, AI proofreading, or AI-based QA.
Agentic AI. We are now in the third and most advanced phase: Agentic AI. This evolution is likely the closest we'll get to how future professionals in the translation field will operate.

Let’s see how it differs from previous versions.

The Key Differences of Agentic AI

Content Adjustment and Validation: Agentic AI can adjust and validate your content, not just translate it.
Cross-Segment Work Unlike tools that might operate on a single string or sentence, Agentic AI can work across all segments, encompassing a whole file or even an entire project.
Contextual Decisions: The AI can make intelligent decisions to achieve better translation quality.
Dynamic Workflows and Real-Time Adjustments: You can provide information about your target audience, preferred style, or tone directly in the chatbox.
Conversational Advantage / Working in Layers: Agentic AI introduces a flexible "layered" workflow where you can improve translations step-by-step and add context anytime, turning a strict process into an ongoing chat.
Guiding AI with User Rules: User Rules allow you to set up the AI's preferences, ensuring it always uses your preferred approach across all your work. Now there’s no need to tell it what to do every single time.
Mastering Text Lengths: Agentic AI, guided by your User Rules, makes fitting translated text into strict length limits efficient and accurate.
Enhanced QA Checks: Agentic AI helps ensure translations are accurate, on-style, and error-free.

This means that translators are no longer getting a tool to do a task, but an assistant capable of intelligent support.

Agentic AI in Action: Dynamic Workflows and Real-Time Adjustments

Agentic AI changes how Crowdin handles context. Now you can give important information directly in the AI chat.

Adding Context with Agentic AI: The Interactive Approach

Imagine needing to adjust a translation based on a new style guide or ensuring consistency with visuals. Agentic AI makes this easy:

Real-time Context Provision: You can provide information about your target audience, preferred style, or tone directly in the chatbox, immediately guiding the AI's decision-making.
Referencing External Files and Screenshots: Upload screenshots or reference external files directly into the Agentic AI interface to ensure consistency with existing visuals.

This interactive, chat-based approach provides all necessary context directly to Agentic AI. This makes translations more accurate, consistent, and fast. As Dorota explains, this feature is like having a chat with your own AI assistant. It boosts productivity, especially for large texts and tight deadlines. It also ensures your brand's voice is perfectly matched.

Changing Translation Tone with Agentic AI

For marketing, getting the right tone in translation is often a big challenge. A translation might be accurate, but it feels too formal for your target audience. Crowdin’s Agentic AI makes adjusting the tone across an entire project remarkably simple and fast.

The Challenge: Imagine you have a marketing website that has been translated, but the tone is too formal. Manually changing every instance to an informal tone is a tedious process, as it involves more than just replacing pronouns. It requires rewriting text, using different verb forms, and adapting phrases.

The Agentic AI Solution: Instead of manual rework, you can simply call upon Agentic AI.

Step: You provide a direct, natural language prompt to the AI, such as: "Can you please change the style the tone in all strings from formal to informal?". No coding is involved; it's like having a conversation.
Process: The agent then analyzes all segments, considering translation memory matches, and formulates suggestions.
Outcome: After reviewing the AI's suggestions to ensure they align with your needs, you can run the tool. Crowdin will update all strings in the editor to reflect the new, informal tone.

Linguists can use this feature to quickly adapt content to fit specific styles and brand voices. Agentic AI greatly reduces the manual effort for these tasks.

Making Text Gender Neutral with Agentic AI

Making a whole text gender-neutral takes a lot of work. Agentic AI simplifies this process, allowing you to maintain a consistent, gender-neutral tone.

The Challenge: After initial translation, you might realize your text needs to be gender-neutral. Manually reviewing and rewriting phrases for gender neutrality, especially in languages with grammatical gender, can be time-consuming.

The Agentic AI Solution: Agentic AI can be instructed to modify your translations for gender neutrality with a straightforward prompt.

Step: You can ask the AI to "rewrite the translations and make sure it's gender neutral". The AI will analyze the text, string by string.
Process: The AI provides suggestions for changes. After verifying the suggestions, you can implement them across the entire text.
Outcome: Crowdin updates the translations in the editor to reflect the gender-neutral language. The AI provides a summary of the changes it implemented, explaining its reasoning.

Performing QA Checks with Agentic AI

Translation Quality Assurance is an important phase in localization. Agentic AI helps your translations be accurate, on style, and error-free. It's a powerful first defense to catch issues right away.

The Challenge: Traditional QA methods can be time-consuming. Simply asking an AI to "check for QA issues" might provide generic results. To get valuable feedback, the AI needs clear instructions.

The Agentic AI Solution: With Agentic AI, you can tell it exactly what QA problems to look for. This provides you with useful and focused insights.

Step: Instead of a generic request, you can tell the AI in detail what to look for. For example, you might ask it to "verify if the existing translation is free from QA issues", specifically requesting it to find "mistranslations or incorrect use of tone and style".
Process: The AI reviews string-by-string, looking into translation memory matches and verifying against your specified criteria. It can identify problems such as mistranslations (e.g., "above" translated as "below"), punctuation errors (e.g., a missing period), or a mix of formal and informal language within the same text.
Outcome: The AI provides suggested corrections and a summary table for easy review. It then asks for your permission to update all translations with its suggestions.

Adding Context During QA: Tailoring to Your Audience

Agentic AI also allows for dynamic context injection during the QA process. This is particularly useful if you didn't initially provide context about your target audience.

Step: You can ask the agent to "verify if these sentences match my target audience" and then describe your target audience directly in the chat. For example, you might explain that you want user-friendly, informal language.
Outcome: With Agentic AI, you can tell it exactly what QA issues to look for. This gives you useful, focused insights. It provides suggestions on how to make the translation more suitable for your audience. It can even update the entire translation to reflect these preferences.

Guiding AI with User Rules

Crowdin's Agentic AI offers a way to keep translations standardized over time. User Rules let you set up the AI's preferences, ensuring it always uses your preferred style and approach across all your work.

Teach Agentic AI Your Style

User Rules apply to everything you do, while Project Rules are for specific projects. This means you can guide the AI without telling it what to do every single time.

Before User Rules: First, a German mobile app text is translated by AI without any special rules. The AI picks a default, which is often formal. Even if it's correct, it might not sound right for a friendly app.

With User Rules: To get an informal tone for the app, you can set up a new User Rule.

Step: Go to Agentic AI settings, add a rule called "informal tone". This tells the AI to "always translate mobile apps with an informal tone".
Outcome: After clearing old translations, the AI translates the text again. This time, it uses the new rule, giving you informal translations right away. The AI confirms it used the informal tone and even spots minor issues.

Changing Text Lengths with Agentic AI & User Rules

Fitting translated text into strict length limits, like for app buttons or headlines, is a common challenge. Manual adjustments are time-consuming. Thankfully, Crowdin's Agentic AI, guided by your User Rules, makes this process efficient and accurate.

You can easily set User Rules to control text length. For example, you can tell the AI: "Ensure translations for mobile app UI are concise, within 10% of source length".

In this video segment, we demonstrate exactly how this works:

The Challenge See a German app translation that's too long for its UI.

Step: Watch as we quickly create a new User Rule instructing the AI to prioritize conciseness for UI elements.
Outcome: Observe the AI reprocess the text. It intelligently rephrases and condenses the translation, making it fit perfectly, all while maintaining quality. The AI even confirms its adherence to the length rule.

Master Crowdin AI for Great Results

You've learned how Crowdin's Agentic AI helps with context, tone, and text length, all guided by your rules. Now, let's see how these features work together to make your localization truly powerful.

All Features Working Together

Think of Crowdin AI features as a team. Your user rules direct this team. When they work in sync, you get perfect translations every time. For example, AI can make text informal and ensure it fits a small button, all at once. This teamwork makes your localization consistent and exactly how you want it.

Your AI, Your Way

You are the conductor. You tell the AI what to do using your rules and guidance. This means Crowdin AI doesn't just automate; it works your way, ensuring high quality and adherence to your brand's unique voice.

Big Benefits for You

Faster Work: Spend much less time on manual edits and checks.
Better Quality: Get consistent, error-free, and on-brand translations from the start.
Quicker Delivery: Launch your content faster than ever before.
Empowered Team: Your linguists can focus on creative work, not repetitive tasks.

The Human Touch Remains Key

Remember, Agentic AI is your intelligent assistant, not a replacement. Your expertise is important for setting rules, reviewing output, and continuously refining the AI. It's a true partnership where human smarts guide AI power.

What Big Brands Get Wrong About Localization with Aaron Presley

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When you think about global brands like Nike, it's easy to assume they've mastered the art of localization. After all, they have massive budgets, teams spread across continents, and every technical tool you can imagine. However, as Aaron Presley, Co-founder and Sr. Localization Architect at OnPurpose Studio, reveals in this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, even the biggest brands get some foundational things wrong about how they localize their content and systems.

In this wide-ranging conversation with host Stefan Huyghe, Aaron unpacks what makes or breaks a localization program, why it's rarely about the tools themselves, and why the real challenge lies in bridging the communication gap between developers and localization teams.

Listen to the new episode on:

Developers vs. Localization Teams

Aaron's journey into the world of localization is unusual. He started as a software engineer, fell in love with the messy nuances of language. Now he spends his time helping companies build scalable localization architectures. This gives him a unique perspective on why so many teams struggle to make localization truly agile.

One big issue? Engineers and localization professionals often talk past each other. Developers are wired to optimize for technical efficiency, while localization teams think in terms of linguistic nuance.

Code is a black and white thing. Human language is not black and white.

This disconnect can lead to fragile systems that break when you try to expand into new markets. For example, Aaron explains how a common misstep can make life miserable down the road.

The Pitfalls of Legacy CMS and TMS Integrations

When Stefan asks why so many enterprise localization teams hit roadblocks integrating big CMS platforms with translation management systems, Aaron doesn't hold back. He says the problem usually isn't the tech; it's how teams approach it.

Getting approved for AEM integration, for example, is more about navigating bureaucracy than writing complex code. Once you're through that gate, the technical part is relatively straightforward if you understand both worlds.

Aaron's advice? Localization folks should get more familiar with how CMS platforms handle content, while engineers need to understand the real goals of the localization frameworks they're plugging in.

What Big Brands Get Right and Where They Go Wrong

Having worked at Nike, Aaron saw firsthand how big brands build localization pipelines. He credits the brand's robust internal processes and regional experts with teaching him how to respect linguistic nuance in code.

But even with all their structure, big brands can get bogged down by too much process.

<Blockquote footer="Aaron says"> Large companies often create friction through unnecessary steps. They have the budget to get localization right, but sometimes they don’t realize how their own silos are fighting each other. </Blockquote>

His solution? Better communication, not more layers of approval. So much friction happens when people think they're working on the same problem but see it completely differently. The marketing team wants to nail brand voice, engineering wants to deploy fast, and localization wants to keep linguistic integrity. If they don't sync up early, the system design suffers.

The Must-Have for Agile Localization

So, what does a truly agile localization setup look like? Aaron says it boils down to a few essentials:

Continuous deployment: Non-technical people should be able to push translation updates without tapping a developer's shoulder every time. Integrations like Crowdin's GitHub sync make this simple.
Human-in-the-loop reviews: AI translation is great, but it's not the end-all. Some parts of your site, like high-visibility landing pages, still need human eyes to get the cultural context right.
Smart system design: Your codebase should be flexible enough to handle new locales and language variants without major surgery.
Open lines of communication: Engineers and localization teams need to work from the same blueprint. It's not about the tools; it's about the team wielding them correctly.

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin provides a central hub for all your team's communication. Learn more about Conversations. </Aside>

Final Thoughts From Aaron

One reason clients trust Aaron and his team at OnPurpose Studio is that they bridge the divide between code and culture. If there's one takeaway for big brands, it's this: system design is only as strong as the conversations behind it. Get your teams aligned, build with the right mindset from the start, and you'll save yourself countless headaches down the road.

Aaron’s Background

Aaron Presley is the Co-founder, Owner, and Sr. Localization Architect at OnPurpose Studio, where he specializes in helping companies optimize their localization tech stack and development processes. With a strong background in software engineering, including significant experience at Nike's globalization team, Aaron brings a unique perspective that bridges the gap between technical development and localization needs. His expertise spans complex integrations, including the recent development of an Adobe Experience Manager connector for Crowdin, demonstrating his ability to solve enterprise-level localization challenges.

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Business Translation: How to Translate Your Content Right

yuliia-makarenko — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Global business expansion unlocks incredible potential. But how do you effectively communicate with a global audience? The challenge is about translating your entire business to build trust and connection.

This guide will teach you what business translation is all about. You'll explore different types of content and discover smart strategies and useful tools. We'll also show you how Crowdin and its expert partners can help you translate your business successfully.

What is a Business Translation?

So, what is business translation? Forget the dusty dictionaries for a moment.

Business translation is the process of adapting all your business content from one language to another. This includes website content, marketing materials, legal documents, technical manuals, and product descriptions. The goal is to communicate clearly, boost international sales, and keep the brand consistent worldwide.

You see, it’s not just about swapping one word for another. That's a translator's job, sure, but a business translation goes way beyond. It's about ensuring your message lands with the same punch, the same feeling, and the same clarity in a new market as it does at home.

Here’s a quick example to make it clear: Imagine you have a marketing tagline like "Thinking outside the box". It's a common phrase for creativity in English, right? However, if you translate that literally into many other languages, it becomes nonsense. People might wonder what box you’re even talking about?

A good enterprise translation wouldn't just translate the words. It would find a culturally relevant way to express "innovative thinking" that makes perfect sense to the local audience. See the difference? It's about the meaning and the feel, not just the exact words.

4 Types of Business Translation

When you start translating your business, you'll find that not all translations are created equal. Different business goals, different types of content, they all need a unique approach. It's like having a specific tool for a specific job. You wouldn't use a hammer for a screw, right? Getting it right means knowing what kind of translation your particular content really needs.

Each type has its own set of rules, its own specific challenges, and needs a particular kind of care to get it right.

Marketing & Transcreation

Marketing translation is often more about transcreation – literally "creative translation". This means the linguist doesn't just translate; they recreate your message to evoke the same emotions in the new language. Think about catchy taglines, social media posts, or emotional ad campaigns. What sounds clever in English could fall totally flat, or even be confusing, if directly translated. It's about capturing the spirit of your marketing, making it feel like it was born in that new market.

Technical Translation

Then there's technical translation. It requires clarity, accuracy, and very specific terminology. This includes:

User manuals.
Product specifications.
Safety instructions.
Patent applications.
Technical website descriptions, etc.

Here, getting the words exactly right is critical. A misplaced comma or a wrong technical term in, say, a medical device manual, could have serious consequences. Linguists for these translations must be fluent in the language. However, they also need a deep understanding of the technical field involved.

Legal Translation

When it comes to legal translation, you absolutely cannot mess around. This covers:

Contracts.
Terms of service.
Privacy policies.
Patents.
Regulatory documents, etc.

Here, accuracy is a non-negotiable requirement. Even a tiny error or misunderstanding of a legal term could lead to massive problems, fines, or even lawsuits. Legal translation needs highly specialized linguists. These experts must understand the legal systems of the source and target countries.

Online Business Translation

Finally, let's talk about your online presence, which is often where the bulk of online business translation happens. You're translating all the text on your website, app, or software interface. But it also involves adapting the user experience (UX) to local preferences.

Think about date formats, currency symbols, how buttons are laid out, and even payment options. This type of translation combines:

Marketing creativity for public-facing pages.
Technical precision for menus and instructions.
Consideration for cultural nuances in digital design.

Business AI Translation: Good Start, But Not the Whole Story

Now, I know what you might be thinking. With all this talk about efficiency and global reach, what about AI translation? Tools like Google Translate or DeepL are pretty amazing, right? They've come a long, long way, and for getting the gist of an email or understanding a quick foreign phrase, they're fantastic. They're fast, often free, and can handle huge volumes of text in seconds. And yes, they absolutely have a role in the broader localization process.

But here’s the honest truth: for your actual business translation relying solely on AI translation just won't cut it. You need an AI localization strategy that combines AI and human expertise.

Where AI Hits Its Limits

Think about it: AI works by crunching massive amounts of data, finding patterns, and predicting the most likely translation. It's incredibly smart at language mechanics. But it doesn't have a heartbeat. It doesn't understand:

Cultural Nuance: AI doesn't get inside jokes, historical references, or how people actually talk in various regions. It can translate the words, but it misses the unspoken meaning.
Emotion and Tone: Your brand's voice carries emotion, doesn't it? AI struggles with sarcasm, empathy, humor, or the specific persuasive tone your marketing needs. It often produces text that sounds flat, generic, or even robotic.
True Context: While AI is getting better, it can still miss the bigger picture. It doesn't know if your "delivery" refers to a package, a speech, or a baby being born, without clear human-provided context. This can lead to awkward, confusing, or even harmful misinterpretations.
Brand Identity: Your brand has a unique personality. AI can't instinctively adapt that personality to resonate authentically in a new culture. That requires human creativity and cultural insight.

While AI is a powerful tool that can help speed things up and handle workaday tasks, it's not a magic bullet. It's like having a super-fast car, but you still need a skilled driver to navigate unfamiliar roads and get you exactly where you need to go safely. For critical, customer-facing content, the human touch is simply irreplaceable.

Recent Crowdin experiments show that providing context can boost GenAI translation quality for specialized content, with improvements up to 64.9% over basic methods.

Tips for Global Business Growth with Translation

What is the best way to make business translation effective, especially if you're a busy manager or SMB (small-medium business) owner? It might seem like a huge mountain to climb, but honestly, it’s all about taking smart, manageable steps.

For a successful global launch, consider these steps:

1. Don't Try to Do It All at Once

Do you think you need to translate everything into 20 languages overnight? Take a breath! Instead, pick your most promising new markets first. Maybe it’s just your core website pages, your best-selling product descriptions, or the onboarding flow for your app. Focus your initial efforts where they'll have the biggest impact, learn from those experiences, and then expand from there. It's about smart, calculated growth, not a mad dash.

2. Partner with the Pros: Beyond Just Translators

For specific tasks, individual freelance translators are excellent. But if you're looking to gradually expand your business, think about partnering with a localization agency. They can bring more to the table than just language skills. Agencies offer project management, cultural consulting, and often have a network of experts. They understand the whole picture, making sure your message always makes perfect sense.

3. Cultivate a "Localization-Ready" Mindset

Encourage your whole team, from product developers to content creators, to think globally from day one. When you're writing a marketing campaign, or even just naming a product, ask yourself: "How will this translate? Will this image be understood everywhere?" Designing with localization in mind from the very start can save you a ton of time, money, and headaches later on.

4. Smart Tech Usage

Use a localization management platform (LMP) like Crowdin to manage translations. LMP centralizes your content, creates Translation Memories, and manages terminology with Glossary. The platform integrates with machine translation for first drafts. Human linguists then refine these for cultural relevance. This blend of smart tech and human expertise makes the process faster and more affordable. Our next section will dive deeper into how to choose the right business translation software.

5. Listen, Learn, and Adapt

Once your localized content or product is out there, don't just set it and forget it. Actively seek feedback from your new audience. Are they confused by anything? Is something not quite landing right? User reviews, local customer support interactions, and market research are invaluable. It's an ongoing conversation, not a one-time translation job.

How to Choose The Right Translation Software

Selecting the right translation management system (TMS) is a critical decision for any business. A good solution helps you manage your content in one place. It automates workflows and ensures consistency and quality. When evaluating options, consider these key aspects:

Integration Capabilities

Your chosen software should connect with your existing tools, such as your CMS, version control systems (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket), design tools (Figma, Sketch), and marketing platforms. For easy and automated content synchronization, Crowdin is a top choice. It offers almost 700 apps and integrations, allowing for parallel localization. This means developers can continue their work while translators receive updates in real-time, preventing bottlenecks.

Features for Translation Efficiency and Consistency

Look for Translation Memory, which reuses past translations for consistency and cost savings. Also, check for Glossaries to manage approved terms. Crowdin provides both, allowing you to easily create, manage, and share these resources. It also offers In-Context preview for many file formats. Now translators see how their text will appear on your website or app. Screenshot feature provides important visual help. It helps minimize errors and improves translation quality.

Collaboration and Workflow Management

A strong platform encourages teamwork. It connects all involved, like translators, proofreaders, project managers, developers, and marketers. Crowdin offers real-time collaboration features, as:

Commenting.
User roles with granular permissions.
Customizable workflows.

This means your in-house teams, freelance linguists, and external agencies can work together on the same platform.

Support for Diverse Content and File Formats

The platform should handle various file formats without complex conversions. Crowdin supports over 100 file formats. This means less manual work to prepare files and a smoother process for adding content to your translation workflow.

AI and Machine Translation

Modern localization heavily relies on AI and Machine Translation (MT) for speed and efficiency. The ideal software integrates these technologies while allowing for essential human oversight. Crowdin supports a wide range of AI providers, including OpenAI (ChatGPT), Google Gemini, DeepL, and Amazon Translate. This allows you to choose the best-fit AI for your needs. You can also bring your own API keys for enhanced data privacy and control.

With AI in Crowdin, you can:

Generate initial translation drafts.
Automate quality checks.
Summarize the text.
Rephrase the content.
Adjust tone and style.
Limit characters for strings (ensuring UI fit).
Add Context (e.g., via screenshots, string identifiers, file context).
Apply User Rules for customized AI behavior.

Scalability and Security

As your business grows, your localization needs will expand in terms of languages, content volume, and team members. The software must be scalable to meet these demands. Crowdin Enterprise is specifically designed for large organizations. It offers advanced security features, such as ISO/IEC 27001 certification, 2FA, IP allowlist, and SSO. Additionally, it provides comprehensive user management and unlimited number of projects and users.

This ensures your data is secure and your processes can scale without limits.

Examples of Professional Translation Companies

Crowdin has a hand-selected network of translation vendors and localization experts. These companies work with Crowdin to provide all sorts of translation and localization solutions.

These agencies are part of Crowdin's hand-selected network. They are chosen for their expertise in using the Crowdin platform to achieve excellent results.

Let's look at some of these key partners and what makes them stand out.

Translated

Translated combines advanced AI technology with deep human expertise to support global localization efforts. At the heart of their innovation is Lara, a proprietary large language model specialized in translation and localization. Lara enhances speed, consistency, and scalability across multilingual projects. Translated has a network of over 500,000 native translators and copywriters, covering 200+ languages and 40 areas of expertise. With more than 25 years of experience, Translated brings fully scalable processes and a team trained to work within the Crowdin platform, ensuring smooth management of agile translation workflows and continuous localization, powered by AI, by humans, or both.

Lionbridge

A global leader in language services. Lionbridge offers a wide range of translation and localization solutions, including using AI. Their Gengo platform provides quick, human translations for general business needs. Lionbridge works with Crowdin to manage large and ongoing translation projects.

Acclaro

Acclaro provides expert translation teams that help businesses achieve their localization goals. They are known for delivering quick, affordable, and high-quality translations in over 60 languages. They offer the benefits of a large agency with a friendly, client-focused approach.

e2f

e2f experts focus on localizing content for mobile apps and software, supporting over 75 languages. They provide "continuous translation" services. This means websites and apps stay updated even with frequent content changes. e2f focuses on fast, accurate localization with local teams and strict quality checks.

Beluga Linguistics

More than just a service provider, Beluga Linguistics created the Beluga Academy. This academy offers a course specifically for learning how to use Crowdin Enterprise. It provides hands-on training to help businesses use Crowdin's advanced features.

Tomedes

Thomedes offers professional translation services in over 120 languages, with a focus on quick delivery and 24/7 support. They provide a full suite of language solutions: translation, interpretation, and localization. These services extend to apps, games, websites, and software. They combine smart technology with a large network of linguists worldwide.

Argos Multilingual

Argos Multilingual has over 30 years of experience. They provide language solutions for tech, life sciences, HR, and finance companies. They specialize in creating ongoing translation and localization programs. To ensure quality content, they use new technologies, AI, and data.

BLEND

BLEND aims to help brands feel "native" in different markets. They use AI-driven technology and a diverse global team of linguists. They connect seamlessly with Crowdin to automate translation projects.

By working with these companies, businesses can maximize their use of the Crowdin platform.

<Aside type="tip"> Are you a localization expert or a translation agency that wants to partner with Crowdin? Check out our Partner Page </Aside>

Translation of Business in Practice

We've talked a lot about what business translation is, what it covers, and how to approach it. Sometimes, real-world examples help us understand better. It's one thing to hear about "cultural context," but another to see it in action with real words and ideas.

Business Translation to Spanish: More Than Just "Hola"

Let's take Spanish, for example. It’s spoken by millions across many countries, but it’s far from a single, uniform language. You can't just translate something into "Spanish" and expect it to work everywhere from Madrid to Mexico City to Buenos Aires.

Words Matter: Think about something as simple as "car". In Spain, it's typically "coche", but in much of Latin America, it's "carro". Or a "computer": "ordenador" in Spain, "computadora" or "computador" in Latin America. Using the wrong word won't break your business, but it might make your content feel a bit off, like you're talking at them instead of to them.
Tone and Formality: The use of "tú" (informal 'you') versus "usted" (formal 'you') can vary significantly. Some cultures are more formal in business communications than others. Get this wrong, and you might accidentally sound too familiar or too distant, impacting how trustworthy you seem.
Cultural References: Imagine a marketing campaign for coffee. In Colombia, it might emphasize family gatherings and rich traditions. In Spain, it might focus on quick, social breaks. Your visuals need to align with these distinct cultural experiences, not just the words describing the coffee itself.

Business Translation to Italian: The Art of Emotion

Italian communication often carries a certain warmth and passion. A direct, cold translation of a marketing message might lose its intended impact and come across as distant. You need to capture that sense of connection and flair.

Embracing "La Dolce Vita": The concept of "the sweet life" (la dolce vita) is deeply ingrained in Italian culture. Your marketing might need to evoke joy, beauty, passion, and quality of life, rather than just cold facts. It's about selling the experience your product brings, not just the item itself.
Formality with Flair: While formality ("Lei") is important in business, it's often paired with a certain human touch. A literal translation of a stiff English business email might feel too blunt or impersonal.
Local Expressions: Just like in English, Italian has countless idioms and common sayings. Using them appropriately can make your brand feel local.

Business Translation to French: Precision and Politeness

French business communication often emphasizes politeness, clarity, and more complex sentences than English. An overly casual or overly brief translation might seem rude or unprofessional.

The "Vous" vs. "Tu": Using the informal "tu" when "vous" (formal) is expected in a business setting can immediately make your brand seem disrespectful. French speakers pay attention to this.
Elegance in Marketing: French marketing often leans towards sophistication and elegance. A quirky or overly simplistic English ad might need to be refined to match this aesthetic, ensuring it feels chic rather than childish.
Avoiding Anglisms: English words sometimes enter French. However, a professional translator will always choose proper French equivalents. This signals respect for the language and culture, especially in formal business communication.

Business Translation to German: Clarity and Directness

German business communication is often very direct and values precision above all. While this might seem straightforward, translating humor or overly casual marketing can be tricky. It's about finding that balance where it's clear and efficient, but still culturally appropriate.

Facts Over Fluff: German consumers often prefer clear, factual information about a product. Overly flowery or vague marketing copy might be seen as less trustworthy.
Humor Can Be Lost: Jokes or highly ironic marketing can easily be misunderstood if directly translated. German humor often works differently, so it’s safer to adapt or avoid.
Data Privacy & Trust: Messaging around data privacy and security is incredibly important in Germany. This is because of strong local rules and what customers expect.

Beyond Words: How to Translate Other Business Elements

And remember how we talked about localization extending beyond just the words? Those non-text elements are just as crucial.

The Power of a Picture: Let's take the "thumbs-up" gesture. In most Western countries, it signals approval. Yet, if your marketing materials show this in parts of the Middle East or West Africa, you could accidentally flash an incredibly rude signal.
Dates, Times, and Units: If your tech specs list dimensions in inches and pounds, that's fine for the US. But if you launch in Europe, where everyone uses centimeters and kilograms, your customers will be scratching their heads. The same applies to dates: '07/08/2025' means July 8th in the United States, but August 7th in many other places.
Online Business Translation: Think about the actual design and layout of your website or app. If your product targets a right-to-left market, like Arabic, your entire interface needs to be mirrored. This includes navigation, buttons, and text flow. Some cultures prefer a very clean, spacious design, while others like to see a lot of information.

These examples really make it clear. "Translating your business" isn't just about words; it's about adapting every part of how you present yourself. That way, your presence feels authentic, respectful, and truly effective for customers everywhere.

Final words

To succeed worldwide, your business needs a smart plan. You need to understand new cultures and tailor your content for each audience.

Handling international challenges becomes easier when you partner with localization experts. Get your whole team to think globally from the start, and use smart tools like Crowdin.

In the end, good business translation is about always listening, learning, and changing. When you combine expert people with powerful technology, you're not just changing words. You're opening new doors, building trust with customers all over the world. Go global, and watch your business grow!

FAQ

What is business translation?

Business translation is the process of recreating your entire company's essence, including its brand's voice, products, services, and marketing messages. The goal is to adapt it for effective communication with people in another culture, not just a different language. It ensures your message carries the same impact, feeling, and clarity in a new market as it does at home. This process focuses on cultural relevance and meaning, rather than just exact word-for-word swaps.

What is a Business Translation Service?

A Business Translation Service helps companies adapt their content for global markets. Provided by language service providers or localization agencies, these services: Make sure that the business's entire message, brand identity, and UX resonate with target audiences.

Often involves specialized linguists with industry-specific knowledge.
Manage projects to make complex multilingual work smoother.
Offer cultural consulting for local preferences and sensitivities.
Maintain a consistent brand voice across all languages.
Help ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.

They often involve specialized linguists, project management, and cultural consulting.

What types of content require business translation?

Different kinds of content need different translation approaches. Here are the main types:

Marketing & Transcreation: This is for catchy slogans, social media posts, or emotional ads. The message is creatively remade to bring out the same feelings in the new language.
Technical Translation: Needed for clear and exact documents like user manuals, product details, safety guides, and patent applications. It needs linguists who understand the technical field deeply.
Legal Translation Important for legal papers like contracts, terms of service, and privacy policies. Being perfectly accurate is a must, as small mistakes can cause big problems.
Online Business Translation: This covers all text on your website, app, or software. It also means changing the user experience (UX) to fit local preferences, such as how dates, money, and buttons look.

Why Middleware Wins Every Time with Istvan Lengyel

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When you think about localization technology, your mind probably jumps to translation management systems (TMSs), CAT tools, or maybe flashy new AI features. But if there's one piece of the puzzle that quietly makes the whole engine run smoother, it's middleware.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Istvan Lengyel, Founder and CEO of BeLazy, to unpack why middleware is moving from an afterthought to a must-have for modern localization.

They dive into real-world insights on how middleware is democratizing access to scalable integrations, giving smaller LSPs the same power as industry giants, and why middleware might just become your single source of truth.

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The Problem with “One System to Rule Them All”

Istvan kicks off with a simple but powerful analogy: in the early days, companies looked for a single system to handle everything, the "Mac approach" to localization. It was neat, reliable, and simple, but also restrictive when needs changed.

<Blockquote footer="Istvan says"> Middleware has been overlooked because in localization technology, people were looking for the one system to use, and I think that it's becoming more relevant because these days, it's not so much the one system. </Blockquote>

Today's localization ecosystem is a mix of CMSs, marketing automation platforms, project management tools, TMSs, and more, all of which need to talk to each other. That's where middleware steps in.

Middleware: The Bridge, the Brain, and the Backup

What exactly is middleware in this context? Think of it as the invisible layer that bridges content platforms and TMSs, orchestrates workflows, and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Istvan outlines three essential traits of good middleware:

Scalability: it's built for production, not just experimentation.
Error Handling: because in the real world, things break.
Unified Configuration: so teams don't need to learn every system they connect to.

A great example? Crowdin itself acts as a middleware with a huge library of connectors, giving even small teams a unified way to plug into their content systems and keep translation flowing smoothly.

Solving the Real-World Chaos

Istvan’s company, BeLazy, takes this a step further. Its focus is on the business management layer, the part that no one wants to think about but everyone needs: dashboards, reports, vendor rules, and quality tracking across multiple systems.

As Istvan puts it, "People forget they’re working with people. TMSs have some reporting, but not enough when you have very specific vendor agreements or complex workflows."

By handling orchestration and normalization, middleware makes data comparable and useful for reporting. Suddenly, decision-making stops being guesswork and starts being strategic.

A Level Playing Field for Small LSPs

One of the biggest takeaways from Istvan's perspective is how middleware levels the playing field. In the past, only huge LSPs with big budgets could afford customer integrations. Now, small LSPs can tap into tools like Crowdin and BeLazy to create contactless, end-to-end workflows that can compete with what giants like Lionbridge are doing.

This is what democratization really looks like, not just cheaper software but smarter, flexible ecosystems that let anyone plug in the best-fit tools, connect them in smart ways, and automate the boring bits.

Integration vs. Reinvention: The Real Cost

Why not just build a shiny, all-in-one end-to-end system instead? Istvan breaks it down: "Reinventing an end-to-end system comes with big headaches: migration, completeness, scope. Integration is always a business problem, not a technical one."

In other words, integration lets you keep what works, plug in new tools as needed, and avoid lock-in. But he's quick to note that the ROI conversation shouldn't stop at upfront costs. Teams need to think about the total cost of ownership, especially as APIs and SaaS fees stack up. A smart middleware approach means teams stay agile without being held hostage by any single tool.

Middleware and AI: Better Together?

What about the AI? Istvan's take is refreshingly realistic: "AI depends on good data, and localization is still missing a lot of good data."

Still, the potential is there. BeLazy is already using AI in its Email Assistant module to automatically read project intake emails and extract details for project creation. Down the line, Istvan sees AI helping orchestrate more complex, exception-based workflows, especially when combined with well-structured metadata.

And it goes beyond translation. As orchestration layers get smarter, AI could optimize routing, identify bottlenecks, or flag unusual patterns across systems, all while middleware keeps the pipes flowing.

Final Thoughts From Istvan

Middleware might not be the flashiest part of your localization stack, but it's what holds the whole operation together. It's what lets you scale without losing your mind, plug in new tech as it comes along, and give small teams the same superpowers as the giants.

So, if you're serious about building a flexible, future-proof localization ecosystem, and you want to spend less time patching spreadsheets together and more time delivering value, take a page from Istvan's playbook: invest in middleware. Because in a world where everything needs to connect, it's the quiet bridge that wins every time.

Istvan’s Background

Istvan Lengyel is the Founder and CEO of BeLazy, a middleware solution provider specializing in localization technology integration. Istvan brings vast experience in translation management systems and a deep understanding of localization workflow optimization. Based in Spain, he has emerged as a leading voice in middleware solutions for the localization industry, focusing on creating seamless connections between content platforms and translation management systems.

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What's New at Crowdin: June 2025

diana — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In June, we closed 317 tasks and released 384 updates across Crowdin Enterprise and Crowdin.com. We added new AI models, improved prompts for Source Text Review, introduced Max Mode for Agentic AI, made the editor sidebar customizable, updated Crowdin Store apps, extended CLI functionality, and launched instant fallback in Website Translator using DeepL.

{/* more */}

Here's what's new at Crowdin this month.

Crowdin Analytics: New Reports, Redesign, and Export Options

The reports system in both Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise received a major update this month.

The entire Reports section and the Project Overview report have undergone a redesign -- now cleaner, more structured, and easier to navigate. New indicators have been added, and nearly every section now supports data export for further analysis.

New reports include:

Issues Report: Tracks how many issues were created and resolved over a selected period, broken down by type and language. Includes cumulative and average resolution time charts, plus top reporters and resolvers.
QA Check Issues Report: Includes a heatmap-style view and ability to filter by time, language, and status, showing how many QA issues exist per language.
Task Report (Enterprise only): Detailed task statistics, including task counts by status, type, language, and assignee. Includes execution time metrics (average, median, max, wait time), size (word count) filters, and pricing breakdowns (with support for multiple currencies).
Project Members Report: Shows trends in team composition, total members, new users, active contributors, pending invites, and blocked users.

Website Translator by Crowdin

We've rebuilt the Website Translator app. It's now faster, more accurate, and easier to integrate.

This tool helps you make your website multilingual even if it's not fully localization-ready. It automatically scans your site, syncs content with your Crowdin project, and pushes translations back, with no coding or manual extraction needed.

<Aside type="caution"> All old JS Proxy apps will be deprecated. To ensure a seamless translation workflow and access to the latest features, security updates, and performance improvements, we strongly recommend you migrate to our new official application by the end of 2025: Website Translator </Aside>

Main updates:

Automatically sync source and translated content
SEO-ready: translates meta tags
In-context preview directly on your site
Supports both server-side and client-side scanning
DeepL integration for instant translations (completely new). So, even if your new website content hasn't been translated in Crowdin yet, visitors will still see it in their language right away thanks to DeepL.
Fine-tune what gets translated via filters and CSS rules

If you want to localize a live site without rebuilding it, start here. More details and full setup instructions: Website Translator on Crowdin Store.

Major Upgrades to Agentic AI

This month, Agentic AI at Crowdin received one of its most significant updates. Below are the key improvements.

Max Mode

We've introduced a new Max Mode for Agentic AI. In this mode, the AI spends more time thinking through tool results, re-checks its own outputs, and carefully plans the next steps --- leading to more thoughtful and accurate outcomes.

Improved Communication & Interaction

Agentic AI is now more intuitive in how it responds to your prompts. It better understands the context and can include visual elements like diagrams, emojis, and more. One particularly useful feature: you can now edit your own messages mid-chat, and the conversation will adapt to your updated input, so there is no need to start over.

Smarter Context Management

Adding context just got easier. You can use the @ symbol or the new context icon (@) to bring in files, folders, or screenshots. This context is immediately visible in the chat and helps guide AI behavior in real time, making interactions more relevant and accurate.

Translation Flow Overhaul

You can now save AI-generated translations directly to the editor, unless you choose to keep things tentative.

Now, when the AI is about to perform something important (like changing an approved string), it will first ask for your confirmation via a "Run Tool" button. This helps prevent accidental changes and keeps you in control.

Automation & Control Settings

Agentic AI now features an Auto Run Mode, allowing certain tools to run automatically without requiring approval each time. You can choose how it works for different tools:

For Crowdin-native tools, you can turn on autorun to speed things up.
For third-party MCP tools, you can keep manual control if needed.

New "Providers" Tab

For translators who use external AI services, there's now a dedicated Providers tab. It lets you:

Add and manage your own API keys
Choose which AI models to enable or disable

Personalization with Rules and Memory

Two personalization features now make AI behavior more predictable and aligned with your needs:

Rules:

Project-level: defined by project managers
User-level: personal rules that apply across all projects

Memory:

When enabled, AI can recall user-specific instructions
Helps ensure consistency in tone, terminology, or process over time

Easier MCP Server Management

Crowdin continues to support custom MCP servers, but now also offers fast integration with officially supported ones. The first integrations are: GitHub and Zapier. More are expected to follow.

A smaller but useful update: the AI now also takes into account comments left on strings.

Crowdin CLI: Better Visibility with Pre-Translate Output

The latest update to Crowdin CLI (v4.8.0) introduces a small but highly practical improvement: enhanced output for the pre-translate command in --verbose mode.

You can now get a clear, structured summary of what was actually pre-translated.

For example:

$ crowdin pre-translate --method tm -l fr --verbose
✔️  Fetching project info
✔️  Pre-translation is finished (100%)
    - files: 5
    - phrases: 100
    - words: 1000
    - skipped: 6

Argument File Support for Complex CLI Commands

Crowdin CLI now supports argument files, allowing you to store command-line parameters in a separate plain text file and reuse them easily.

This is especially useful when:

You have a long list of CLI options.
You want to avoid issues with special characters (like quotes and spaces), especially on Windows.
You need to reuse the same configuration multiple times.

Just place each argument on a new line in a text file, and then run the command using @filename syntax. The CLI will load and parse the parameters from that file automatically.

This makes complex or repetitive commands much easier to manage, especially in automation scripts or cross-platform environments.

More details: Crowdin CLI Docs -- Argument File

Documentation Updates: More Language Code Details + LLM Support

The Language Codes page now lets you view additional code formats---2-letter, 3-letter, locale, Android, and macOS codes.

Also, Crowdin added support for llms.txt files (docs) -- a standard format tailored for large language models.

Customize Your Project Tabs

You can now reorder and hide tabs in the project navigation. Just go to project settings → Organize your navigation, then drag to rearrange or toggle visibility.

Hidden tabs won't be shown in the UI, but all their content remains safe and accessible. To access a hidden tab, simply go to Settings → Customize Tabs and click on the tab name. A simple way to declutter your workspace and focus on what matters.

LQA App: Multi-Project Reports & Custom Notifications

The LQA app now supports selecting multiple projects at once, making it easier to generate cross-project reports.

You can also add multiple email addresses to receive report notifications. Previously, only the project owner was notified. Now you can also specify additional recipients (e.g., managers) by listing their emails, separated by commas.

Integration Apps: Improved Settings Navigation & Context Menu

We've updated the UI of integration apps to make navigation faster and more intuitive. In the settings, you'll now find two separate tabs: General Settings and Sync Settings, helping you quickly locate and adjust what you need.

We also would like to introduce a new context menu, rolling out tomorrow -- initially in the Contentful and Akeneo apps, with broader availability coming soon. For now, it will let you quickly:

Expand folder
Sync a file or translations
Select target languages
Enable auto-sync for specific files

Some apps also will support Force Sync Translations.

Crowdin Store

Adobe Experience Manager Sync: App built and maintained by OnPurpose Studio to help you integrate Adobe Experience Manager with Crowdin. Contact their team for onboarding, installation support, service-level agreements, and regular updates.
Strapi app update: Now automatically transfers linked elements and preserves content relationships during sync.
Slack for Managers app: Now sends notifications for all comments, without filtering by issue type.
Pinned Apps UX: When an app is pinned, the header and back button are hidden for a cleaner interface. Unpinning is now only possible from the Integrations/Tools tab to prevent accidental changes.

TextDistil-KGMT: New app available for pre-processing and refining large-scale text before localization. To learn more and get started, contact edwin.trebels@LangOptima.com

AI Updates: New Models, Credal Support

New AI Models Supported: Crowdin now supports OpenAI o3-pro, OpenAI o1-pro, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Magistral.
Credal Secure AI: A new integration offering enterprise-grade AI with strong data privacy and compliance guarantees.

Improved AI Behavior in Source Text Review Mode

AI assistance has been available in Source Text Review mode (AI in Editor prompt type), but we've now adjusted the default prompt logic to better reflect this workflow. The updated prompt helps the AI focus on reviewing and improving source content, not translating it -- reducing confusion and irrelevant suggestions.

Editor Sidebar: Custom Tab Order

We understand that many users have been waiting for this -- the ability to manually customize the order of tabs in the editor's right sidebar. You can now rearrange tabs to better fit your workflow.

For example, you might want to move the AI Assistant tab down while bringing Comments to the top. This simple but powerful update helps you focus on the most relevant information faster, reducing unnecessary clicks and distractions.

Other Updates

The upload translations report now includes the names of triggered QA checks, so you can immediately see what needs to be fixed for a successful upload.
Importer Type in webxml Configurations: Developers can now specify the importer type as a property on XML nodes in webxml to flexibly control import logic without modifying the parser.
We've introduced a System (Auto) theme as the new default across all theme-supported areas --- including Crowdin, Enterprise, Editor, and the website
The comments icon in the right sidebar now shows a badge with the number of new comments, making it easier to track updates without manually checking each time.

The cell limit for XLSX v2 import has been increased to 2 million, allowing larger files to be processed without splitting or restructuring. Plus, we added the option to exclude hidden rows during XLSX import, giving more control over which data is brought in.
You can now export terms with the status DRAFT in TBX format.
There is now an opportunity to upload XLIFF files directly in the grid view for target languages
Crowdin Enterprise users can now filter strings in the editor by the number of approvals. The new Approvals count option lets you find strings with more or fewer approvals based on your set criteria.
You can now update the workflow template via API using the Edit Project method.

External Tools

This month, we delivered new versions of:

Java API Client 1.27.0
.NET API Client 2.36.0, 2.37.0, 2.38.0
Flutter SDK 0.8.0
GitHub Action v2.7.1, v2.8.0
Unity Plugin 0.10.1
Go API Client v0.16.0
JS API Client 1.45.0

A Deep Dive into Crowdin's Advanced Features with AI Expert Dorota Pawlak

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In today's digital landscape, efficient localization isn't just a luxury – it's a necessity for global success. Yet many organizations struggle with maintaining consistency, managing terminology, and ensuring quality across multiple languages. Enter AI-powered localization tools, which are fundamentally changing how we approach these challenges.

In this enlightening episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan welcomes Dorota Pawlak, a seasoned AI Localization Consultant with over 15 years of experience in technical translation and multilingual computing. Through practical demonstrations and expert insights, she reveals how Crowdin's advanced features are revolutionizing localization workflows.

Listen to the new episode on:

Or watch demo session with Dorota on YouTube:

The Evolution of AI in Localization

<Blockquote footer="Dorota explains early in the conversation."> The full potential of Crowdin is when you start using the AI features. </Blockquote>

But rather than presenting AI as a magic solution, she emphasizes its role as a powerful tool that, when properly configured, can enhance human expertise.

Fine-Tuning: The Game-Changer in AI Translation

One of the most impressive features demonstrated is Crowdin's fine-tuning capability. While many platforms offer basic machine translation, Crowdin's approach to customization sets it apart. Through real-world examples, Dorota shows how feeding high-quality translation memory data (800+ unique units) into the AI model ensures translations automatically align with established terminology preferences.

The cost? Just $3 for processing 800 units – less than a coffee at Starbucks, but with potentially massive returns in consistency and efficiency.

Practical Applications and Advanced Features

1. AI-Powered Quality Assurance

Dorota demonstrates how Crowdin's AI proofreader serves as an automated first-pass review system. Unlike traditional QA tools that only catch basic errors, this feature can identify subtle mistranslations and context-specific issues. For project managers, this means:

Reduced review cycles
More efficient use of human reviewers' time
Earlier detection of potential issues

2. Smart Style Guide Management

The custom placeholders feature represents a significant advancement in style guide management. Instead of manually updating hundreds of instances when guidelines change, teams can:

Centrally manage style guides across multiple projects
Automatically propagate changes through linked projects
Maintain consistency across different brands or departments

3. Seamless Design Integration

Through the Figma integration, Crowdin bridges the gap between design and localization:

Direct transfer of design elements to the translation platform
Automatic flow of translated content back into design files
Immediate visual validation of translated layouts

Practical Implementation Guide

For localization managers looking to implement these features, here's a strategic approach:

1. Start with Fine-Tuning

Begin with a high-quality translation memory (minimum 800 unique units)
Use date ranges to incorporate only recent updates
Monitor results and adjust as needed

2. Implement AI Proofreading

Configure custom prompts for your specific needs
Start with one language pair to test effectiveness
Gradually expand to other language combinations

3. Optimize Context Management

Use the context evaluation report to identify strings lacking sufficient context
Implement video preview for multimedia content
Leverage Figma integration for UI/UX projects

Looking Ahead: The Future of Localization

<Blockquote footer="Dorota notes"> There's always something new you can add to customize your project and customize your platform to your projects. </Blockquote>

This continuous innovation suggests we're only scratching the surface of what's possible with AI-powered localization tools.

The key is finding the right balance – using AI to handle repetitive tasks while allowing human experts to focus on creative and strategic decisions. As these tools continue to evolve, successful localization teams will be those who can effectively combine human expertise with AI capabilities.

Final Thoughts From Dorota

The conversation with Dorota Pawlak reveals that the future of localization lies not in replacing human expertise with AI, but in enhancing it. Through the strategic implementation of tools like Crowdin's AI features, organizations can achieve better quality, consistency, and efficiency in their localization workflows.

For localization professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve, the message is clear: embracing AI-powered tools isn't just about automation – it's abo

Dorota’s Background

Dorota Pawlak is an AI for Localization Consultant and Trainer based in Amsterdam, bringing over 15 years of experience in technical translation and multilingual computing. Her diverse background includes roles as a translator, localization tester, and university lecturer in website localization. Currently, she specializes in helping small and medium organizations optimize their localization processes through strategic AI implementation.

Dorota has made significant contributions to the field through her online courses, including the "Mastering Translation AI" course developed in collaboration with Crowdin. As an AgPass localization consultant, she guides organizations in effectively integrating AI solutions into their localization workflows while maintaining a balanced approach to automation.

Listen to the new episode on:

Build Scalable Localization Systems Without Becoming an IT Bottleneck with Daniel Finck

yuliia-makarenko — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Most localization teams are still juggling Excel exports, tracking content across various repositories, only to be told they’re holding up the release.

But what if localization could be seamless?

What if it integrated cleanly into your CI/CD pipeline, aligned with design and dev teams, and delivered quality without friction?

In a new episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sits down with Daniel Finck, Localization Manager, Consultant, and Solutions Architect at Loquatics Consulting, to explore how engineering-led localization setups can scale without turning localization into the next IT roadblock.

Listen to the new episode on:

The Real Problem with Internal Localization Workflows

Daniel doesn’t mince words: if you’re still relying on spreadsheet exports, it’s a sign your localization process is broken.

Manual handovers, unclear ownership, and siloed tooling are just the surface symptoms. The deeper issue is that most teams still treat localization as a reactive service, not a built-in system.

Product managers, IT teams, and marketing often operate within their own tooling ecosystems. Figma, GitHub, and CMS platforms without a shared pipeline. Localization, caught in the middle, becomes the bottleneck by default.

That’s where Daniel’s approach comes in.

The In-House Localization Playbook

Daniel outlines a playbook built on four essential principles:

Transparency
Integration
Ownership
Measurement

Let's break each one down.

1. Transparency Is the Foundation

Localization doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be visible. Daniel advocates for a traffic-light model that gives stakeholders clarity at a glance:

Green? The system is working.

Yellow? There’s a delay.

Red? Something’s blocked.

This transparency builds trust and reduces unnecessary back-and-forth. It also helps product owners make informed decisions: delay the release for better quality, or ship faster with trade-offs.

2. Integration Across Teams and Tools

Too often, content moves from design (Figma) to dev (GitHub) with localization inserted awkwardly in between.

Daniel suggests a better way:

Use your TMS (like Crowdin) as a shared hub
Integrate directly with tools like Figma and GitHub
Eliminate the Excel export/import loop entirely

The goal is for Localization to become part of the build, not an afterthought. Stakeholders don’t need to "handoff" content, they just use the system.

3. Take Ownership, Without Becoming IT

Localization teams should operate like an internal service provider: helpful, efficient, and visible, but not rigid.

Daniel advises setting up lightweight, self-service request forms (via Jira, Confluence, ClickUp, etc.) that automatically route localization tasks. This reduces friction and ensures all localization flows through one system.

It also prevents the "quick fix" mindset: marketing grabbing a native speaker for a banner, IT hard coding strings, or PMs bypassing the process, leading to broken UX and inconsistency across the board.

4. Measure What Matters

In engineering-led companies, metrics matter. Daniel recommends tracking localization KPIs that mirror business goals, turnaround time, translation reuse, bug rate, and even sales impact.

Localization doesn’t need to be “just a cost center”. With reporting dashboards and stakeholder-facing status updates, you can tie localization decisions directly to product performance.

Why This Matters for Agile Workflows

Traditional translation is linear. Agile is not.

Daniel’s experience shows that agile-friendly localization requires segmentation, automation, and validation, not a complete reinvention, but smart adaptation.

Using tools like Crowdin, you can:

Segment and pre-translate strings
Sync statuses back to your PM tool
Run validation workflows before strings go live
Let translators work in real-time with designers and developers

This makes localization compatible with sprints, not a blocker to them.

Security, Authority, and Getting Closer to the Source

One of Daniel’s strongest points: get as close to the source as possible. Every step between dev and localization is a risk, missed updates, old strings, and rework.

But that raises questions about access and control. Daniel walks through ways to establish localization authority without requiring language mastery, including:

Centralizing reviews and feedback
Flagging issues automatically
Using smart QA tooling to detect inconsistencies

Why Crowdin Makes This Possible

Daniel’s toolkit includes platforms like Jira, ClickUp, and Confluence, but his integration backbone is Crowdin.

What makes it work?

Figma integration – Designers can preview real translations in context
GitHub sync – Devs don’t need to manually upload or check-in files
Open API – Teams can create custom automations and status updates
Webhook support – Push updates to PM tools in real-time

Localization is embedded directly into product workflows, not layered on top.

Final Thoughts From Daniel

The best localization systems are the ones people actually want to use. -- Daniel says.

No more asking devs to upload files. No more chasing PMs for updates. No more hoping someone remembered to send over the latest copy.

Instead:

A shared system
Transparent reporting
Integrated tools
Clear accountability

That’s how localization earns a seat at the table and stays there.

Daniel’s Background

Daniel Finck is a Localization Manager, Consultant, and Solutions Architect at Loquatics Consulting, with deep expertise in game and entertainment localization. He specializes in designing lean, cross-functional workflows that connect dev, design, and localization teams, especially in Free-to-Play environments. Known for his hands-on approach and sharp reporting skills, Daniel brings together technical precision, language expertise, and business insight to help teams deliver at scale on time, on budget, and without the Excel chaos.

What's New at Crowdin: May 2025

diana — Fri, 30 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In May, we closed 192 tasks and released 430 updates across Crowdin Enterprise and Crowdin.com. The highlight of the month was Agentic AI – a new autonomous system for translation assistance, inspired by vibe coding. It plans, searches, and validates translations like a real team member. In the Crowdin Store, 7 apps were updated, including major improvements to Webflow, Shopify, DatoCMS, and Bilingual DOCX Export. Pre-translation just got faster, filters got more flexible, and AI got more context-aware than ever. Let’s take a closer look.

{/* more */}

Vibe Translation with Agentic AI from Crowdin

If you have developer friends or colleagues, you may have heard of vibe coding. It's an emerging trend in the software development world, where AI helps solve development tasks as if there were no code. This technique is becoming more useful and production-ready as time goes on.

We made one like that, but for translation needs. With this month's biggest update -- Crowdin's new Agentic AI -- we hope to introduce a smarter way to work with AI in localization projects. It's not just a tool that translates, it's an autonomous agent that can plan, search, and validate translations like a real team member.

This is what we call Vibe Translation. Inspired by "vibe coding". How does it work?

Most translation tools still work with plain prompts. You give it a string, it gives you a guess. A guess might be wrong -- AI could have made it better, but it was not presented with the context information it needed. Agentic AI is different. It's able to:

Access your whole project -- files, previous translations, glossaries, and approvals and the ability to interact with it.
Find product context automatically (from your websites, GitHub projects, Figma designs, CMS, etc.)
Check itself for logic/formatting/QA issues and fix them.
Adapt to your team's specific tools and rules using plugin-based logic (MCPs)

It doesn't rely on static prompts or one-time outputs. It works as a loop:
understand context → make a plan → validate the output → adjust if needed.

Now, let's talk more about what MCP is and why we think it's so important for localization. MCP is essentially an AI toolset. Previously, Crowdin would perform RAG and provide the AI with as much contextual information as possible and then expect a result.

Now, in addition to the existing context, we provide the AI with a toolset, or a set of MCP servers that the AI can use.

Below are a few experiments we set up and their outcomes for different types of projects:

1. Mobile app localization: iOS app whose code is hosted on GitHub.

We set up an AI agent using the GitHub MCP, allowing the AI to access GitHub now.

When a linguist working in the Crowdin editor encounters a key they are unsure how to translate, they can ask the AI for a suggested translation. The AI can then look at the mobile app's code and show the translator where the key is being used. We intentionally tested GitHub MCP on iOS because localization keys in iOS are technically not used directly in the code. They are used through a file with constants. For example, an "app.about" key would not show up in the code. Instead, the code would show an "appAbout" (or a different) key. This complicates context extraction, and our previous context extraction tool struggled particularly with iOS app context.

The following screenshot shows how the AI Agent with GitHub MCP addressed the issue.

Until recently, this level of quality context extraction was only possible by speaking to a human developer. Now, AI can do this for linguists, or even during automatic pre-translation in Crowdin.

2. Experiment with translating content from a headless CMS.

Translating headless CMS content presents challenges similar to UI localization. Often, small pieces of text are not connected to the context in which they are consumed or published. We configured AI Agent with SERP MCP and HTTP Fetch MCP. The first allows you to search the internet (or a particular website) for uses of a specific segment. The second allows the AI to read the entire page and understand where the text is used.

Context is key to quality translations.

The Reality Check

Setting up these MCP integrations required a lot of effort. It's not plug-and-play technology yet. There's also a performance trade-off. MCP-enabled AI translation is noticeably slower. Response times increase dramatically when the AI needs to fetch code from GitHub, search the web, and analyze pages before suggesting a translation.

Why We're Still Optimistic

Despite these limitations, we see this as major progress toward higher-quality AI translation. This approach mirrors how human translators work: they research the context and verify their choices. AI agents just do it faster, even with the current slowdowns.

Note: We’re currently preparing to launch a new category in the Crowdin Store: MCPs for localization needs. This category will grow over time. Right now, clients can bring their own Self-Hosted SSE MCPs, and soon the most popular MCPs will be plug & plan. So, we encourage everyone to start experimenting with MCPs today, rather than waiting for the official category launch. Ready to try it? We'd love to hear your feedback and ideas to keep improving it. Install Agentic AI on Crowdin.

Crowdin Store: App Updates

Here are the latest improvements to apps in the Crowdin Store:

LQA Reporting Across Projects
You can now generate LQA reports for multiple projects with a single API call. This is especially useful for teams managing many projects and needing consistent reporting.
Webflow Forms Sync
The Webflow translation app now supports syncing form content for translation in Crowdin.
DatoCMS Context Enhancements
Field and item names from DatoCMS are now included as context, helping AI and translators better understand what they're working with.
Improved Shopify Export
Translations are now mapped to language codes instead of list positions. This prevents mix-ups and makes the export process more predictable.
Multi-File Selection with Ctrl / Shift
You can now select multiple files using Ctrl or Shift. This speeds up partial syncs and reduces the number of clicks when you're working with lots of files. As usual, improvements in integrations roll out with a slight delay. Already available in Contentful, Webflow, DatoCMS, and Zendesk integrations.

New Import Feature in Bilingual DOCX App

The Bilingual Docx Export app now supports not only exporting but also importing DOCX files, with enhanced control over formatting during both export and import.

This is especially important for translators working with Asian languages, where standard spell checkers often do not function properly. While we recommend AI-based QA checks, many linguists prefer working directly in Microsoft Word. Their workflow typically involves translating in CrowdIn with basic QA, exporting the Word document, running spell check in Word, and then importing the document back.

Previously, the app only supported export, limiting this process. The new import capability enables a full two-way workflow with Word documents, significantly improving QA options for Asian language translations.

If your linguists have requested better spell checking tools for Asian languages, this app can meet those needs. We recommend considering the app installation.

Quick Pre-Translate for A File

We've added a faster way to pre-translate a single file. Just find the file you need, click the three dots menu, and choose Pre-translate. You can then pick your preferred method: Translation Memory (TM), Machine Translation (MT), or AI.

Download Filtered Terms

The new update allows you to download a filtered set of glossary terms based on specific criteria -- such as date range or status. This is useful when you want to review or work with a subset of terms offline or outside Crowdin.

Only Approved Translations Saved to TM

Choose to save only approved translations to your project's Translation Memory. This helps maintain higher quality and consistency by filtering out unreviewed or draft content. The option can be enabled in your project settings under the Translation Memory section.

Label Filter Logic: AND / OR Support

Thanks to our new update, you can now choose how label filters behave -- either match all selected labels (AND) or any selected label (OR). This applies both when filtering strings in the Editor and when creating tasks.

Filter Tasks You Created Together

You can now identify tasks that were created together in the same batch. This is useful for filtering and applying bulk actions to related tasks. Just open the task menu (three dots) and select Tasks Created Together --- they're grouped by batchId.

New on The Agile Localization Podcast

This month, we released two new episodes exploring where localization is headed and how to make AI content more efficient:

What's Next for Localization with Jourik Ciesielski

CTO of Yamagata Europe, Jourik Ciesielski, talks about how localization must evolve. He shares his take on redefining quality in the age of GenAI, improving QA processes, and why translation should focus on delivering complete user experiences.

Cut Your AI Content Costs by 50% with Steven Wiseman

Steven Wiseman, CRO at WritePoint, presents the Content Excellence Framework -- a method to boost the quality of AI-generated content while significantly cutting costs. He explains how to bring structure and consistency to AI workflows in real-world teams.

Listen to the episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

API Updates

QA Issues API: Added filters for specific files and tasks to make issue tracking more precise.
CroQL: You can now filter by BranchId to narrow down results by branch.
Pre-Translation Report API: New endpoint to generate reports after pre-translation. It shows segments that couldn’t be translated automatically, explains why, and helps identify issues before the full translation starts.

Other Small Updates

More context for Custom Code in workflows -- You now have access to additional data when writing Custom Code steps in workflow automation.
TM author visibility in Editor -- You can now see who added a translation from Translation Memory directly in the Editor.
Improved shortcode import for Markdown -- Better handling of shortcodes when importing .md files.
Unity Plugin update -- In the "Push string translations to Crowdin" dialog, there's now a checkbox "Auto approve imported", which lets you automatically approve translations as they're pushed.

External Tools

In May, we released new versions of:

JS API Client 1.43.0, 1.44.0
Java API Client 1.26.0
Python API Client 1.23.0
.NET API Client 2.35.0
Go API Client v0.15.0

What Comes Next for Localization with Jourik Ciesielski

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

When two Flemish tech minds reunite across the airwaves, you know it's going to be a great conversation.

In a special all-Belgian episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe welcomes Jourik Ciesielski, the CTO of Yamagata Europe and Founder of C-Jay International, for a deep dive into the state and future of localization.

Jourik isn't just a tech lead; he's a vocal advocate for reshaping the localization industry with smarter tools, stronger engineering, and a much-needed mindset shift.

Together, they tackle the big questions: What should quality really mean in a GenAI-driven world? How do we move beyond static rule-based QA? Why is it no longer enough to just translate words when you can shape entire personalized experiences?

Let’s unpack what’s coming next and why it matters.

Listen to this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast on:

GenAI Is Just Getting Started

Jourik kicks things off with a balanced take on generative AI: yes, it's revolutionary, but no, it hasn't quite arrived in full force within localization.

Why? Because the industry has a change aversion problem. But that's not the end of the story. In fact, it's just the beginning.

Jourik believes GenAI's biggest value lies not in replacing human translation, but in expanding what's possible across the entire localization workflow, especially upstream. Think content optimization, content classification, routing, and even generating release notes or blog posts from technical documentation.

It’s time to stop thinking of AI as “just another translator” and start seeing it as a partner in every stage of the content lifecycle.

Rethinking Quality Management from the Ground Up

If you've ever been frustrated by outdated QA rules throwing irrelevant errors at you, you'll love this part. Jourik is on a mission to modernize quality management in localization.

"Our current algorithms for QA in TMSs are obsolete," he says. They're rule-based, context-blind, and prone to generating a flood of false positives that human linguists must painstakingly wade through.

He proposes a smarter alternative: context-aware AI models that can evaluate translations dynamically, using customized criteria provided by the user. LLMs can understand what quality means for your specific organization and even adapt their output based on that context. Think of it as moving from a rigid rulebook to an intelligent assistant that understands nuance.

Human vs. Machine? That’s the Wrong Question

Let's make this clear: it's not a debate.

"Humans and machines can and should coexist," Jourik explains. "But the role of the human needs to evolve."

Human linguists aren't going anywhere, but their toolbox is changing. Jourik sees a huge opportunity for linguists to become prompt engineers, guiding LLMs with precise instructions and shaping the way AI interacts with content.

With their deep knowledge of tone, context, and audience, linguists are uniquely qualified to craft prompts that make AI smarter and more effective.

And when it comes to accountability? That's where humans still hold the line. Until we resolve that legal and ethical conundrum, human oversight isn't only necessary but also critical.

From Rule-Based to Outcome-Based

Jourik urges the industry to shift its mindset from perfectionism to performance.

Stop trying to get every dot and comma perfect. Instead, ask: how well does the localized content perform?

In other words, translation quality should be measured by outcomes, not checklists. Is the content driving engagement, conversions, or clarity? Then it's doing its job, even if it's not technically flawless.

Jourik gives a sharp example: A global company's high-traffic web pages should be translated by skilled humans and polished to perfection. But for the remaining 70% of low-traffic content? A decent machine translation might be more than enough.

Embracing the Next-Gen Toolkit

Jourik encourages localization pros to think beyond the text. AR, VR, and, especially, voice tech are areas of explosive growth, particularly in dubbing and multimedia localization. Automated tools are getting more sophisticated. Some now support full video-to-video localization with realistic emotion and intonation. However, most TMSs still don't let you start a localization project with a video file.

Jourik also makes a strong case for personalization. Today's LLMs can tailor the same piece of content for a C-suite audience or a group of five-year-olds. That kind of control is what will truly differentiate localization in the years ahead.

Preparing for the Road Ahead

So, what can localization professionals and organizations do now to prepare?

Jourik's advice is simple:

Invest in Engineering: LLMs aren't plug-and-play. They need prompting, fine-tuning, and custom integration. That means technical skills are more critical than ever. Even a basic Python course can go a long way.
Master Prompting: Every comma counts. Prompting isn't just a creative task; it's an essential skill set. And human linguists are in the perfect position to own it.
Shift the Mindset: Outcomes matter more than process. Don't get stuck in perfection loops. Get curious, get hands-on, and experiment with what AI can really do in your workflow.

Conclusion

The future of localization is something we need to actively build. Whether it's rethinking quality, balancing AI and human insight, or expanding into new media formats, one thing is clear: the old playbook won't cut it anymore.

From smart QA systems to agentic workflows, the localization industry is on the brink of a revolution. The only question is: are you ready to evolve with it?

Jourik’s Background

Jourik is the CTO of Yamagata Europe and Founder of C-Jay International, bringing vast expertise in language technology consulting, localization engineering, and market research to the localization industry. He specializes in AI integration, quality management systems, and workflow optimization for language service providers. Jourik's practical experience in developing sophisticated localization processes and evaluating market technologies makes him a trusted voice in predicting and preparing for industry disruptions.

Cut Your AI Content Costs by 50% with Steven Wiseman

yuliia-makarenko — Wed, 21 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Despite the advancements in AI, a SurveyMonkey study found that 31% of marketers have concerns about the accuracy or quality of AI tools. This isn't just about minor typos; it points to deeper issues like inconsistent tone, factual errors, and a critical lack of contextual understanding – all of which derail global content efforts and inflate localization costs.

What if you could slash your AI-generated content costs in half without sacrificing quality or consistency? This isn't just a hypothetical. In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sits down with Steven Wiseman, Chief Revenue Officer and Co-Owner at WritePoint, to unpack a framework that promises exactly that.

Dubbed the Content Excellence Framework, this method helps teams dramatically improve the quality of AI-generated translations and reduce localization costs across the board.

From structured blueprints to smart verification loops, Steven's approach isn't about chasing AI hype; it's about operationalizing AI content creation with clarity, control, and real business value.

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The Problem with AI Content Today

AI content often falls short because we're giving it vague prompts and expecting magic. The biggest issue? Lack of context and consistency. AI is like a super-intelligent employee who can deliver incredible results, but only if you provide clear instructions, backgrounds, and structure.

Many teams focus exclusively on prompt engineering, which Steven argues is just one small piece of the puzzle. Without structured input, a defined style, and a guiding framework, you end up with inconsistent outputs that require heavy human editing, especially when translating content into multiple languages.

Enter the Content Excellence Framework

To solve this, Steven introduces the Content Excellence Framework, built around four practical pillars:

Content Blueprints
Source Material Organization
Personas
Verification Loops

Let's break each one down.

1. Content Blueprints: Your AI's Instruction Manual

At the heart of the framework is the content blueprint, a less intimidating term for what's traditionally known as an "information model". Instead of overwhelming teams with 100-page documents, a content blueprint provides a practical, scalable way to guide content creation.

Think of it as an advanced style guide on steroids. It covers:

Types of documents you're creating
Preferred structure (e.g., standard table of contents)
Sentence style, tone, voice
Localization considerations (e.g., short sentences, graphics with callouts)
Terminology and glossary usage

Even a two-page blueprint can significantly improve AI outputs, and it’s a living document that evolves with each project.

2. Organized Source Material: Fuel for High-Quality Output

Next, Steven highlights the importance of gathering and organizing all available source content: product guides, Kira tickets, meeting transcripts, and even emails. Instead of letting valuable information scatter across tools, bring it together into an accessible, structured source file.

AI thrives when fed with rich, organized material. Often overlooked due to casual "how are you" chatter, transcripts can contain gold nuggets of user context and product insights. Feeding these into your LLM ensures more accurate and relevant output.

3. Personas: Train AI Like It’s Joining Your Team

AI isn't just generating content; it's taking on a role. Steven suggests building detailed personas for both the AI itself and its target audience.

AI Persona: Define what kind of expert the AI should act as: technical writer, compliance expert, multilingual translator.
Customer Persona: Specify the needs, expectations, and tone appropriate for your audience. Different personas may apply across markets, product tiers, or departments.

4. Verification: Don’t Just Trust — Verify

Here's where it gets clever. Before sending AI-generated content off for human editing or translation, run it through a second AI project using the same blueprint and persona. This acts like a peer review. It flags inconsistencies, formatting issues, and off-brand language before they snowball into costly revisions, especially helpful in multilingual workflows where translation errors can amplify inconsistencies.

Why It Matters for Localization

Too often, localization is treated as an afterthought, a costly, last-minute process that eats up time and budget. But as Steven puts it, "If somebody doesn't prepare for multilingual, they're going to pay for it later." By integrating AI localization considerations into the original content blueprint, teams can create AI-generated content that's already optimized for translation:

Clear structure
Simplified language
Consistent terminology
Minimal idioms or culture-specific references

Can You Operationalize This? Yes. Here’s How

Frameworks are great in theory, but how do you get buy-in from your team? Steven offers a practical rollout strategy:

Start Small: Create a simple, 1-2 page blueprint for a pilot project.
Show the "Wow" Factor: Compare content created with and without the framework. Let the difference speak for itself.
Phase Your Rollout: Begin with one team or content type, then scale up.
Let AI Help You Build the Blueprint: Use your LLM to suggest what's missing from the blueprint and update it dynamically as you go.

And if you're using localization platforms like Crowdin? The framework fits right in. Steven even suggests a future where localization tools include blueprint verification as a built-in feature.

Tip: Crowdin doesn't just host your content; it provides the robust features needed to implement Steven's framework at scale:

Content Blueprints: Leverage Crowdin's Style Guides and References App to define your AI's instruction manual, ensuring consistent tone, style, and localization considerations from the start.
Organized Source Material: Centralize all your valuable knowledge – from TMs to glossaries – within Crowdin. This rich, organized data fuels high-quality AI outputs and minimizes rework (learn more about Crowdin's features).
Verification Loops: Implement sophisticated AI-powered QA checks within Crowdin to proactively identify inconsistencies and errors in AI-generated content before it reaches human translators, drastically cutting down on revision costs.

Final Thoughts From Steven

While the promise of a 5-% cost reduction is headline-grabbing, the real win here is quality. Steven's framework elevates content from passable to professional, making AI a real partner in content creation, not just a shortcut. With structured input, clear blueprints, and smart verification, AI content creation becomes faster, cheaper, and better, not just in English but in every language your business speaks. So whether you're in localization, documentation, or content ops, it might be time to stop wrestling with prompts and start building a framework.

Steven’s Background

Steven Wiseman is the CRO and Co-Owner at WritePoint, bringing over three decades of expertise in documentation and content management. With a background spanning technical documentation and entrepreneurship, he has established himself as a thought leader in content excellence frameworks. Steven's practical framework for structured content has demonstrated significant improvements in content creation efficiency, reducing authoring time by 50-60%.

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What's New at Crowdin: April 2025

diana — Thu, 01 May 2025 10:00:00 GMT

In April, we closed 209 tasks and shipped 381 updates across Crowdin Enterprise and Crowdin.com. We introduced a new layout for the multilingual grid view in the Editor and made AI pre-translation faster and more context-aware. Task creation now supports automatic cost estimate reports, and we’ve added filtering and ignore options for integrations, useful if you have lots of content in your CMS. The Crowdin Store also saw multiple improvements, including new export formats and enhancements to existing tools.

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Multilingual (Grid) View: Compact and Default

The grid view of the Crowdin Editor has undergone a massive overhaul, and we're really happy with how it looks and feels in the end! As a result, the Editor now supports two layout modes for multilingual (grid) view: Compact and Default. First of all, the screen space is now used much more efficiently. This makes it a lot easier to manage keys or multiple languages.

We've reworked a lot of the way the editor is implemented, making the UI feel smoother, and it's now more configurable, allowing you to better adjust column sizes and visibility. For example, you can hide columns you don't need and fully customize the grid to match your workflow. Try it out and let us know what you think.

AI-Generated File Context Available at Prompt Settings

We've added automatic file summary generation as a built-in option for AI-assisted pre-translation. Our internal tests showed that including a file-level summary in the prompt improves translation quality by about 6% on average.

You'll now see a new checkbox in the AI prompt settings: "AI-Generated File Context."

When enabled, Crowdin will automatically generate a summary of the file to help the AI better understand the content's structure and intent. This can reduce vague or mismatched translations -- especially in longer or more complex files.

This feature is particularly useful for continuous translation workflows, where only a few new strings might be added to an already translated file (e.g., a Zendesk article getting an update). In such cases, the AI gets clearer context additions.

However, keep in mind that generating context consumes AI credits. We don't recommend enabling this option for UI localization projects with frequent, minor updates -- where the file structure rarely changes. In those scenarios, the cost increase likely won't result in noticeable quality gains.

Instead, for UI localization, we suggest using our File Context Extractor app to generate file context once and then periodically re-run it as needed.

AI Assistant in the Editor: Now with Quick Actions

We've made the AI Assistant in the Editor easier to use.

You can now send a translation directly to the assistant with one click -- no need to copy-paste text manually.
A new option also lets you preview the exact context that's being passed to the AI, so you know what it sees before it responds.

Small changes, but they make AI assistance faster and more transparent.

Faster AI Pre-Translation for Large Files

We've optimized how Crowdin processes large files during AI pre-translation.

The system now scales better, taking into account your OpenAI tier and usage quota when available -- so even large files are translated as fast as your provider allows.

No extra steps on your side. This is now available for all users. If you have a large volume of content and use one of the top AI provider tiers, AI pre-translation will be significantly faster.

Cost Estimate on Task Creation

You can now auto-generate a cost estimate report when creating a task -- just check the new "Create Cost Estimate Report" option. It ensures that before each translation order (when submitted via tasks), the scope and cost are clearly defined and locked in, and lets you see overall spending across projects with filters by status, language, assignee, and more.

A new organization-level report is coming soon. It will compile multiple cost estimates generated via this checkbox into a consolidated Summary Cost Report, designed to serve as primary documentation for your finance team.

Better Filtering and New Ignore Option in Crowdin Apps

We’ve added two new filters to integrations to help you quickly find relevant content when working with large volumes of data: New, Modified, and Never Synced.

We’ve also added an Ignore option available in the app’s settings, allowing you to exclude specific files or folders. This feature is already available for the Storyblok app and will roll out to other apps over the next month.

Other Small Updates

Here's what else is new:

Multi-project reporting in LQA app: You can now select multiple projects when generating LQA reports.
API enhancements: Bulk-add string translations, approvals, and comments via API for faster automation.
TM attribution: You can now see who added a translation to the Translation Memory directly in the Editor
Reset advanced prompt: A new "Reset to default" button is available under the advanced prompt input.
New AI models: Added support for O3, O4-mini, and Gemini 2.5 Flash models.
EU/US data center selection: When creating an organization in Crowdin Enterprise, new users can now choose between the EU or US data center regions Please note that if you choose the EU region, the number of available vendors will be limited compared to the US region.

Faster Access to Your Most Used Apps

We've improved how pinned integrations and tools are displayed in the UI, so you can access them with fewer clicks.

In Crowdin Enterprise:

Pinned integrations now appear right under the Dashboard.
Pinned tools are shown above the Tools tab in the sidebar.

In Crowdin.com:

Pinned integrations appear after the Dashboard section.
Pinned tools are displayed just before the Tools tab.

Crowdin Store Updates

Time in Status app now supports filtering by specific fields and lets you export data as CSV, making it easier to analyze workflow durations outside Crowdin.
Salesforce Localization Format: A new app that supports the two key Salesforce localization formats.
Contentstack integration now supports the "Non-Localizable" content setting.
Bilingual DOCX Export: A brand-new app that generates bilingual .docx files with source and target text in two columns.
Export Selected to XLSX: A handy editor extension that lets you export selected strings and their translations to a .xlsx file directly from the Editor. Perfect for teammates who need localization keys—with or without translations—but don’t work in Crowdin. This app lets you export exactly what they need, right from the Editor.

New Podcast Episodes

As always, new episodes of Agile Localization by Crowdin are out now. Tune in on your favorite platform.

Listen on:

External Tools

In April, we released the new versions of:

Figma plugin Version 80
iOS SDK 1.12.0
JS API Client 1.42.0
iOS SDK 1.12.1

Crowdin AI Gets Custom Placeholders and More Providers

We've made several practical updates to Crowdin AI based on how teams actually use it.

Added a Custom Placeholders tab. Now, you can define which parts of the text should stay unchanged (like variables or code snippets). This helps the AI avoid unwanted changes and keeps translations consistent, which is crucial for successful AI localization.
There's now a direct link to your account balance, so you can keep track of usage without digging through settings.
The list of AI providers has been expanded, and you now have access to every provider Crowdin product supports.
You can choose to run translations using Crowdin's credentials or switch to your own provider keys for more transparency and control over billing. We recommend using your credentials.

Breaking the Localization Barrier with Julio Madrid from Walmart

diana — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Localization can be a powerful catalyst for global business success (when done right). However, integrating it smoothly into product development remains a significant challenge for many companies. In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, Julio Madrid, a Localization Specialist at Walmart, shared insights about embedding localization early in product development, fostering cross-team collaboration, and harnessing technology to streamline processes.

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Localization by Design

Julio highlights that successful localization isn't just an afterthought; it should be an integral part of the product from day one. He refers to this proactive approach as "localization by design", which involves embedding internationalization and localization requirements at the initial stages of product planning.

Julio shares practical steps such as involving localization experts in initial planning meetings, reviewing wireframes, collaborating with UX designers, and ensuring UI designs accommodate language-specific requirements like text expansion and contraction.

The benefits of this proactive strategy are significant. Companies avoid expensive redesigns, reduce technical debt, and significantly accelerate their time-to-market internationally.

Creating Localization Ambassadors

One of Julio's passionate recommendations is to develop "Localization ambassadors" across different teams, including engineering, data science, UX, and more. These ambassadors act as evangelists who champion a global-first mindset throughout their organizations.

Julio underscores the importance of connecting localization efforts directly to revenue growth and international market potential. By doing this, he explains, companies of any size, from startups to Fortune 500s, can foster a culture where localization is not just tolerated but celebrated as a core component of strategic business growth.

Bridging Technical Knowledge Gaps

A common challenge Julio identifies is the technical knowledge gap between localization specialists and developers. Often, localization teams may lack technical insights, while developers may not fully grasp linguistic nuances.

To bridge this gap, Julio encourages localization specialists to familiarize themselves with basic programming concepts and technical jargon, allowing for more productive conversations and smoother collaboration.

He argues that when both teams realize they share the common goal of enhancing user experience, communication barriers quickly dissolve, enabling more effective teamwork and ultimately better products.

Smart Triage Systems for Agile Localization

Julio emphasizes the significance of prioritizing content through smart triage systems, particularly for frequent product updates common in agile environments. Not every piece of content has the same priority or impact on users. Julio suggests categorizing content clearly, differentiating critical, user-facing strings from less urgent content that can be localized post-launch.

Using this approach, companies can maintain fast-paced release cycles without compromising the quality or user experience of localized products. Julio emphasizes that smart prioritization can dramatically reduce delays and manage team stress effectively.

Balancing AI and Human Expertise

With AI increasingly reshaping localization workflows, Julio provides a balanced perspective. He sees AI and automation as powerful tools rather than magic solutions. Effective AI integration means pairing machine translation with human oversight, especially important for high-volume, low-risk content.

Julio argues that while automation dramatically accelerates workflows and reduces manual errors, human involvement remains crucial, particularly for quality assurance and nuanced localization tasks. By effectively integrating AI with human expertise, teams can maximize productivity without sacrificing quality.

Checkout Crowdin AI - one of the leading Localization AIs on the market!

Lessons from DevOps and Continuous Localization

Drawing inspiration from DevOps and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD), Julio advocates for treating localization similarly to software development processes. He identifies three main lessons:

Continuous Integration: Just as software developers continuously integrate and test code, localization should also be a continuous, automated process.
Automation and Tooling: Automating manual tasks like file handling and translation quality checks reduces friction, freeing teams to focus on strategic work rather than administrative tasks.
Feedback and Metrics: Adopting systematic metrics tracking helps identify bottlenecks early and continuously improves the localization process.

Streamlining the Localization Workflow

Julio praises localization integrations with tools like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. These integrations eliminate manual string extraction and integration steps, seamlessly embedding localization into development workflows. With integrations, updates that used to take days or even weeks now happen within minutes, significantly boosting agility and efficiency.

Conclusion

Julio's approach to localization represents a mature, thoughtful, and strategic framework that any business can adapt to improve its reach effectively. Embedding localization early, fostering cross-team collaboration, bridging technical gaps, prioritizing smartly, and balancing AI with human oversight helps companies break through common barriers and transform localization from a logistical headache into a strategic business asset.

Julio's Background

Julio Madrid brings over 20 years of expertise to the localization industry. With an academic background in geopolitics and Romance languages, Julio's unique journey began in intelligence work with the United Nations before transitioning to translation and localization. As the Localization Director and Founder of Kestaani Language Solutions since 2014, he has established himself as a thought leader in implementing agile localization practices and fostering cross-functional collaboration between product and development teams.

Codemod, Internationalization Software, and Conquering i18n with Alex Bit & Mo Mohebifar

diana — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:00:00 GMT

When startups dream of global expansion, they often envision the exciting possibilities of new markets and revenue streams. What they don't see is the complex web of technical challenges lurking beneath the surface of internationalization. In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Alex Bit and Mo Mohebifar, Co-founders of Codemod, to break down the challenges of i18n, the role of AI, and how automation can turn a daunting process into a manageable one. This isn't your typical high-level, buzzword-filled conversation. Alex and Mo are engineers at heart, deeply technical, battle-tested, and obsessed with building practical tools that solve real developer pain. They come armed with years of experience at companies like Meta, Brex, and Shopify, and they've built Codemod from the ground up to make large-scale code migrations faster, smarter, and less soul-crushing.

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1. Why Internationalization is So Hard

Internationalization sounds simple on the surface: translate your app and go global. But as Alex and Mo explain, it's anything but. The challenges start with a lack of experience. Many engineering leaders tackling i18n for the first time don't know how long it will take, which libraries to choose, or how to orchestrate the changes across multiple teams. And that's just the beginning.

Mo paints a vivid picture of what often happens: startups hardcode strings during the early stages of development, only to find themselves scrambling to support multiple languages just before a big funding round or international launch. The result? A mad rush to rewrite massive portions of the codebase in one quarter, juggling team bandwidth, merge conflicts, and performance hits.

2. How Codemod Automates the Hardest Parts

That's where Codemod comes in. Originally a term coined by Meta, a "codemod" is a code modification tool, essentially a script or bot that transforms patterns in your code based on the Abstract Syntax Tree (AST). Think of it like a super-smart find-and-replace, but for thousands of lines of complex code, across multiple teams and frameworks.

Alex and Mo have taken this concept and built an entire platform around it. Their goal? To make large-scale migrations, like internationalization, not just possible, but easy.

Codemod does the heavy lifting:

Scans your codebase to find hardcoded strings
Propose the right i18n libraries based on your stack
Transforms the code automatically, even handling tricky cases like sentences broken across multiple elements
Orchestrates the PRs, splitting them by code owners and limiting file changes per PR to keep everything manageable

It's automation at its finest. No more pushing tedious i18n tasks on already-overloaded engineers. Codemod's infrastructure makes it possible to run a clean, coordinated campaign, even across codebases with tens of thousands of hardcoded strings.

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3. AI as a Piece of the Puzzle

Codemod uses AI. But no, it's not just about throwing your entire codebase into ChatGPT and hoping for the best. Instead, they take an agentic approach, using AI where it's most effective:

Suggesting libraries and tools based on the structure of your code
Generating i18n keys for newly extracted strings
Automatically fixing small issues during transformation

AI is powerful, but Codemod combines it with compiler tech and a deep understanding of developer workflows.

4. Seamless Integration with GitHub and Crowdin

Codemod doesn't live in a vacuum. It's designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing tools, starting with GitHub.

You can:

Trigger scans directly from your GitHub repo
Generate and manage multiple PRs
Review, tweak, and accept changes through PR comments and AI assistance

Crowdin also plays a crucial role. Once Codemod finishes the technical transformation, Crowdin steps in to handle translations, supporting all major message formats like ICU, Fluent, and JSON. It's a perfect example of continuous localization in action, development, and translation moving in sync, without blockers or bottlenecks.

5. Advice for First-Time i18n Campaigns

For technical leaders just getting started, Alex offers some key insights:

Don't DIY: Avoid ad hoc solutions. Use mature libraries and tools from the start.
Automate early and often: Leverage automation to reduce manual effort and ensure consistency.
Think long-term: Internationalization isn't a one-and-done migration; it's an ongoing process. Invest in maintenance workflows.
Start with analytics: Codemod offers a free scan of your codebase to count hardcoded strings. It's a great starting point for planning your campaign.

Conclusion

Internationalization doesn't have to be scary. With tools like Codemod and Crowdin, what used to be a months-long headache can now be a streamlined, automated, and even enjoyable part of your development process.

So, if you're sitting on a mountain of hardcoded strings, or you're planning a global expansion, take a cue from Alex and Mo, don't go it alone. Automate it. Analyze it. Codemod it.

Alex and Mo’s Backgrounds

Alex is the Co-founder and CEO of CodeMod, bringing vast experience from his six-year tenure at Meta where he built automation platforms serving 70+ engineering teams. A passionate advocate for the future of software development and developer tools, Alex specializes in making code migrations and internationalization more efficient and accessible. His work at Codemod focuses on automating tedious coding tasks, allowing developers to focus on innovation while making enterprise-grade migration tools available to the broader development community. Mo serves as CTO and Co-founder of CodeMod, with over a decade of experience in building transpilers and code modification tools. Known for creating LabUp (an ES5 to ES6 modernization tool), VDAC, and React Forget, Mo brings deep technical expertise in code transformation and internationalization automation. His experience leading internationalization efforts at Brex has shaped CodeMod's approach to making complex code migrations more manageable and efficient for development teams worldwide.

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What's New at Crowdin: March 2025

diana — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 10:00:00 GMT

This month, we’ve successfully closed 283 tasks and deployed 375 updates. In this article, we’ll walk you through the latest features and enhancements, including the new AI-powered Context Evaluation Report, improved user management with group filters, and exciting updates to pre-translation and reporting. We’ve also added several new integrations, including ABBYY Vantage OCR, Prismic, Synthesia, Braze Campaigns & Canvas Translation, and updates to Webflow, Intercom, Slack, and Jira.

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Context Evaluation Report: A new AI-powered way to ensure better UI translation quality

UI localization is especially tricky for short texts that may have multiple valid translations, but only some of them really fit the intended context. Crowdin already offers plenty of tools like screenshots, in-context, and Figma integration, but now we're introducing another solution: an AI-powered Context Evaluation Report.

When installed, it adds a Context Evaluation Report option to your project's reports. You can specify what you'd like to check, such as the context quality in your Crowdin files or tasks or recently added keys. After generating a report, at-risk keys are highlighted so you can address missing or unclear context, export the findings, and then upload any improvements back to the crowdin.

For more information and a Getting Started Guide, visit the Crowdin Store application page.

Crowdin.ai Update & Open Registration

We’re excited to announce a major Crowdin AI update! This release is a major step forward for AI localization, bringing continuous screenshot collection (via CLI, SDK, and CI/CD), improved navigation, back-translation, and support of integrations. Intercom, HelpScout, and HubSpot content can now be fully AI-translated.

We’re also excited to launch registration, providing newcomers with access to Crowdin AI. However, this is an early beta, and we do not recommend production use for business clients.

Translation Upload Summary

Another update this month is the new translation upload report. After importing translations, the report will display how many strings have been imported, approved, and skipped (e.g., due to QA issues). This feature will help you track the progress of uploading your translations more efficiently and identify any potential issues right after the import.

AI Data Processing: Pre/Post Compile & Parse Processors

We’ve added the following processors:

preCompile: Can process the data before sending it to the AI.
postCompile: Modifies prompt and parameters after compiling data into prompt, can modify entire request including tools, request headers and more.
preParse: Processes the raw AI response before it’s parsed by Crowdin.
postParse: Handles and checks the parsed response.

These platform improvements would enable a number of new applications to improve AI integration in Crowdin. Some of the first apps to come would be

RAG of any complexity; by pre-processing requests, Crowdin apps would be able to augment them with data extracted from any third-party data provider or API;
MCP integration: While MCP will come with future updates, pre-post processing would allow some MCP integrations;
Data transformation before sending to the AI or after receiving from the AI; This includes all kinds of transformations needed to improve either context or control quality;

Run Pre-Translation with Duplicated Translations for Improved Quality Comparison

We’ve added an option to include duplicated translations during pre-translation. Now, when starting manually, you can check a box to add duplicates, which helps to compare the quality of different prompts or engines more accurately. This ensures that translations with no changes are counted, providing a clearer picture of how well a prompt performs.

Unity Plugin Update: Shared Entry Metadata Support

Unity recently introduced Shared Entry Metadata, and Crowdin’s latest Unity plugin update now fully supports it.

With this update, developer comments on strings in Unity are synced to Crowdin as Strings Context, giving translators and AI better context for more accurate translations. To use this feature, you need Unity Localization Package 1.5.4 or higher.

Crowdin Store

ABBYY Vantage OCR

The ABBYY Vantage OCR integration by Crowdin enables fast and easy conversion of image and PDF files into editable formats you can translate (DOCX/XLSX) using ABBYY's cloud OCR service. This helps you start localizing by transforming scanned documents and images into translatable text. Setup: Install the ABBYY Vantage OCR app, select the projects for OCR processing, and configure it in the "File Processors" section with your ABBYY Vantage credentials. For more details, visit the ABBYY Vantage OCR integration by Crowdin.

TAUS QE & APE for Crowdin Enterprise

The new TAUS QE & APE app for Crowdin Enterprise automates translation quality estimation and post-editing, improving translations with minimal manual effort.

TAUS app offers two key features:

QE (Quality Estimation): Sorts translations into good and bad quality.
APE (Automatic Post-Editing): Sorts translations and automatically improves bad-quality ones.

Once installed, the app can be configured in workflow settings to enhance translation quality.

Prismic Integration: Automated Content Localization

Prismic recently introduced a localization API, and Crowdin’s new Prismic integration fully supports it.

Previously, localizing Prismic content required manual exports and uploads. Now, thanks to the new API, our integration automates the entire process.

Syncs public content from Prismic to Crowdin for translation.
New translations appear as drafts, ensuring a controlled workflow.
Updates apply only to public content, with tracking in the Migration Release section.

Get the Prismic app here.

Synthesia Integration: AI-Generated Video Translation

The new Synthesia integration allows you to extract text from Synthesia-generated videos, translate it in Crowdin, and send translations back to Synthesia for video generation.

Imports video content into Crowdin for translation.
Returns translated text to Synthesia, which generates localized videos.

Get the Synthesia Localization app.

Braze Campaigns & Canvas Translation

This month, we’ve also launched a new integration app with Braze for translating an additional type of marketing content— Braze Campaigns & Canvas.

For translating email templates, please continue using the Braze app that was available earlier.

Workflow Path Filter for Crowdin Enterprise

Workflow Path Filter app automates content routing in the translation process by checking file paths against predefined wildcard patterns.

The app analyzes each string’s file path, compares it to the specified patterns, and determines whether it should proceed (match) or be excluded (no match).

This enables dynamic content distribution within workflows. For example, strings from one directory can be sent for AI pre-translation, while others go to human translators.

Webflow, Intercom & Slack and Jira App Updates

Here are the latest updates to several apps like:

Webflow: Now supports Component Properties.
Intercom: Now supports auto-sync feature.
Slack: New notification options have been added. You сan now choose from options to receive alerts when a language or project is fully reviewed or translated.
Jira: The app now allows you to select the subtask type.
MoEngage: The updated functionality allows translating drag-and-drop email templates.
Simple Term Extractor: We've introduced bulk actions for terms, enabled mass addition, expanded the table to display more data, and more.

Filter Users by Groups with Permissions Granularity in Crowdin Enterprise

We’ve added a new filter that lets you view users by their groups when Permissions Granularity is enabled. This allows you to easily see all users belonging to a specific group. Additionally, this feature is available in the User Management tab and can also be accessed via the API.

Easier Access to Your Favorite Apps

Your favorite selected apps are now available directly in the project's main menu, while the rest remain in the Tools section. To add an app to your favorites, simply go to Tools and click the star icon in the top-right corner of the app tile.

Other Small Updates

Saved Report Settings: Previously, report generation settings weren’t saved in templates, but now they are, making it easier to reuse your configurations.
Date Filter for Logs: A new filter by date has been added to the Webhooks Log and API Log, making it easier to navigate and find specific logs.
Improved Pre-Translate Speed: We’ve made several internal improvements to enhance the speed and performance of pre-translate (TM, MT, AI).
More Transparent QA Checks in Logs: We now display the specific QA checks that caused skipped strings during pre-translation, making it easier for you to identify and fix issues independently.
Updated Language Support for Google Translate: We've expanded the list of supported languages with 25 new additions.

New Versions of External Tools

This month, we released new versions of:

How Wordcrafts Is Revolutionizing Localization with Felix Bartz & Olli Gurtschmann

diana — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Localization is an ever-evolving field, and staying ahead requires innovation, adaptability, and an acute understanding of both technology and linguistics. In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Felix Bartz and Olli Gurtschmann, Co-founders of Wordcrafts, to discuss how their company is redefining localization, particularly for the Apple ecosystem.

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The Story Behind Wordcrafts

Felix and Olli's entry into the localization industry was somewhat accidental. Both studied technical translation at university and later found themselves working with software localization when Apple introduced the iPhone SDK in 2009.

Their careers began with Excel spreadsheets full of software strings, a cumbersome and inefficient way to manage translations. Through trial, error, and ingenuity, they navigated the complexities of localizing apps for Apple's ecosystem and, in doing so, built Wordcrafts.

Rather than being a traditional translation agency, Wordcrafts specializes in localizing apps for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and VisionOS. Their expertise is rooted in an in-depth understanding of both linguistic preferences and technical requirements, ensuring that developers and translators can work together seamlessly.

Overcoming Entrenched Habits in Localization

One of the biggest challenges in localization is overcoming resistance to change. As Felix and Olli explained, linguists and translators are often hesitant to adopt new tools, as switching can significantly impact their productivity and earnings. Many translators have fine-tuned their workflows, using familiar keyboard shortcuts and interface customizations to maximize efficiency. When a company introduces a new localization tool, it can be met with skepticism or outright resistance.

Felix highlighted that while change is inevitable, it becomes easier when translators see real benefits. If a new tool enhances workflow efficiency, improves automation, or reduces manual effort, linguists are more likely to embrace it. However, it is essential for organizations to provide adequate training and support to facilitate the transition.

The Importance of Intuitive Design in Localization Tools

Localization tools must cater to both developers and linguists, each with unique needs and workflows. Developers prioritize seamless integration with their version control systems, while linguists require an efficient translation environment that minimizes friction.

A poorly designed UI/UX can slow down the translation process, forcing linguists to spend more time navigating the tools rather than focusing on translation quality. One of the most common pitfalls is requiring excessive mouse interactions when linguists rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts. This inefficiency reduces productivity and increases frustration among translators.

Felix and Olli highlighted that a successful localization platform should balance two types of information:

Permanent Information: This includes the source text and target translation, which should always be visible and easily accessible.
Temporary Information: Features like concordance search, term glossaries, and QA tools should be easily tied when needed but should not clutter the main workspace.

Enhancing Collaboration with Integrated Communication Tools

One of the key innovations that Wordcrafts values in Crowdin is its integrated communication features. Traditional localization workflows often involve fragmented communication, with translators sending emails or external messages to clarify the context. This inefficiency can lead to delays, inconsistencies, and redundant questions.

With Crowdin's in-platform messaging system, translators can directly tag project managers or developers to resolve queries in real-time. This feature eliminates the need for external communication channels and ensures that all project stakeholders have access to the same information. Wordcrafts has found this particularly beneficial for managing projects with multiple languages, as it reduces the need for project managers to act as intermediaries between linguists and developers.

The Future of Localization and Conclusion

As the localization industry continues to evolve, Felix and Olli believe that customization and accessibility will play a greater role in shaping the tools of the future. Key considerations include:

Personalization: Allowing linguists to customize UI layouts, shortcuts, and preferred workflows.
Accessibility: Ensuring that tools cater to diverse user needs, such as offering colorblind-friendly interfaces and adjustable text sizes.
Enhanced Collaboration: Developing more robust communication features that facilitate direct interaction between developers, project managers, and linguists.
AI Integration: Leveraging AI translation for automated suggestions while still maintaining human oversight to ensure quality translations.

Wordcrafts is leading the way in localization by combining deep linguistic expertise with a strong technical foundation. Felix and Olli's focus on seamless integration, efficient workflows, and enhanced collaboration is setting new standards for how localization is managed in the Apple ecosystem and beyond. As localization continues to advance, the key to success lies in bridging the gap between technology and linguistics, something Wordcrafts has mastered with expertise and precision.

Felix and Olli's Background

Felix Bartz and Olli Gurtschmann are the Co-Founders of Wordcrafts. With over 15 years of experience in iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and VisionOS localization, they've been at the forefront of app localization since Apple first introduced their developer SDK in 2009. Both share a background in technical translation studies and have evolved from translators to industry innovators. Their unique perspective as both technical translators and business owners has helped shape their approach to creating efficient, translator-friendly localization workflows, making this conversation particularly relevant for LSPs and localization professionals looking to optimize their tooling and processes.

How UX Writers Can Make Localization Seamless with Willian Magalhães

diana — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Localization is often an afterthought in product design, but it shouldn't be. When done right, it can transform a product from a simple translation of words to a fully immersive and culturally relevant experience for users across the globe.

In a relevant episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe sat down with Willian Magalhães, a Senior Content Designer and UX Writer, to dive into the intersection of UX writing and localization. Willian reveals the biggest challenges in designing multilingual experiences, how localization impacts user engagement, retention, and business growth, and why breaking down silos between teams is crucial.

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The Intersection of UX Writing and Localization

Many assume that UX writing and localization exist in separate silos, but in reality, they are deeply interconnected. UX writers craft user-friendly content that guides users through a product, while localization ensures that this content resonates with users in different regions.

Willian highlights that UX writers don't need to be polyglots, but they must ensure that their content is scalable and adaptable for localization.

When UX writing aligns with localization best practices, companies can:

Maintain consistency in voice and tone across languages
Prevent cultural misinterpretations
Improve user engagement and retention
Enhance product accessibility for a diverse audience

Challenges in Designing Multilingual Experiences

One of the biggest challenges UX writers face when localizing content is maintaining the personality and tone of the product across different languages. English content often contains humor, idioms, and cultural references that do not always translate well into other languages.

For example, humor can be highly culture-specific. What's funny in English might not carry the same charm in Japanese or German. Likewise, metaphors and idiomatic expressions can be difficult to adapt. UX writers must be aware of these nuances and work closely with localization professionals to ensure that the essence of the message remains intact.

Another key challenge is design constraints. Languages like German often have longer words and phrases than English, which can break UI layouts. On the other hand, languages like Chinese and Arabic might require different text alignment. A well-localized product isn't just about translated words; it requires careful attention to design elements such as:

Character expansion and contraction (e.g., "Sign in" in English may expand significantly in German").
Text directionality (e.g., Arabic reads right to left).
cultural color meanings (e.g., red symbolizes prosperity in China but danger in Western cultures).

Integrating Localization Early in the Product Design Process

One of the most effective ways to streamline localization is by integrating it into the early stages of product design. (read more) However, many companies still treat localization as a final step, something to be tacked on after a product is fully developed. This approach can lead to delays, increased costs, and a frustrating user experience.

Willian highlights that localization professionals should be involved from the beginning. He suggests that UX writers, designers, and developers collaborate closely with localization teams to ensure that content is adaptable and scalable. Tools like Figma integrations allow localization specialists to see UI designs in real time, making it easier to provide context and recommendations.

Here's how teams can integrate localization early in the design process:

Include localization experts in UX design meetings. Treat them as partners, not service providers.
Use Figma or similar tools for real-time localization previews. Avoid surprises in the final stages.
Provide full context for translation teams. Screenshots, mockups, and design explanations ensure accurate translations.
Test localized content within the UI. This helps prevent text expansion issues and layout problems.

Demonstrating the Business Value of Localization

Many executives see localization as an expense rather than an investment. Willian offers strategies for advocating its importance to stakeholders. The key? Data.

Metrics such as user engagement, retention, and conversion rates can be used to showcase the impact of localization on business success. Companies that prioritize localization often see:

Higher retention rates: Users are more likely to stay when content is in their native language.
Increased conversions: Studies show that customers prefer buying from platforms that support their language.
Stronger brand perception: A localized product shows users that a company values its culture and identity.

Breaking Down Silos Between UX, Localization, and Development

A major obstacle to effective localization is the existence of silos between UX writers, localization professionals, and developers. These teams often work independently, which leads to misalignment and inefficiencies.

Willian suggests treating localization specialists as partners, not vendors. They should be actively involved in discussions about product goals and user experience objectives. Here are some key strategies for breaking down silos:

Encourage cross-team collaboration: Regular syncs between UX, localization, and engineering teams ensure everyone is aligned.
Foster a shared sense of ownership: Localization specialists should feel like contributors, not just translators.
Use shared tools and documentation: Platforms like Crowdin, Figma, and Jira can help streamline workflows and communication.
Educate stakeholders on localization impact: Providing training sessions and resources helps teams understand why localization matters.

Final Thoughts from Willian

Localization is not just about translation; it's about creating seamless, culturally relevant experiences for global users. As Willian highlights, UX writers play a key role in making localization successful by designing scalable, adaptable content that aligns with business goals and user needs.

Integrating localization early, fostering cross-team collaboration, and leveraging data to demonstrate its impact allows companies to unlock new markets, boost engagement, and create products that truly resonate across cultures. Whether you're a UX writer, designer, or product manager, embracing localization as a core strategy can set your product apart.

Willian's Background

Willian is a Senior Content Designer and UX Writer with over eight years of experience in technology and linguistics, focusing on user-centered, scalable content solutions for global audiences. With a unique background combining English linguistics and technology degrees, along with a decade of experience as an English teacher, Willian brings a distinctive perspective to the intersection of UX writing and localization.

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What's New at Crowdin: February 2025

diana — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

In February, we closed 238 tasks and completed 446 deployments and introduced AI-powered QA checks, added new AI provider integrations, and improved project management tools. Now, you can automate translation quality checks, use Grok, DeepSeek, and WatsonX as AI providers, and work with more flexible import/export options. We also released updates for integrations like Zendesk, Webflow, and Storyblok, along with improvements to project duplication and branch merging. Here’s a breakdown of everything new.

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Native AI-Powered QA Checks for Crowdin and Enterprise

AI QA checks are great for things that previously could only be validated by a human. For example, following a style guide, checking that translations are gender neutral, you name it.

Recently, we've seen translations of horror video games. By implementing AI QA checks (an important step in any modern AI localization workflow), it's now possible to verify that translations properly preserve the eerie atmosphere and frightening elements of the original experience.

How does it work?

You need to create a new prompt type, QA Check in the AI section.
This prompt type includes a new Evaluation Steps section, where you can define what the check will validate.
You can then turn on this check in Project Settings > QA Checks > AI-powered check (in Crowdin) /AI-based check (in Crowdin Enterprise).
Currently, AI-powered checks work only in Warning mode.
AI-based checks run asynchronously, like External QA checks, ensuring they do not block other QA processes.

Lara AI MT Integration

Crowdin welcomes Lara to our AI/MT provider integrations. We really like the concept and have enjoyed integrating Lara. We would like to see all MT engines become more like Lara in the future, e.g., accepting contextual information and instructions about what kind of translations a user expects. We would probably like to see even more ways to provide context to Lara, for example, at the segment level. We would love to hear your feedback on how it worked for your project and how both Lara and Crowdin integration could be improved.

Grok, DeepSeek, and WatsonX Supported as AI Providers

Based on your requests, we've expanded AI provider options. Now you can use native support for Grok, DeepSeek and WatsonX, but only with your own API keys.

Other Updates

Added o3 mini and GPT-4.5 support.
Integrated the newest Gemini models.

Crowdin Store & Apps Updates

Import Files for Selected Target Languages

Now, when importing files through integrations, you can choose which target languages to sync and skip the ones you don't need.

This feature is already available for Intercom and Storyblok, and more integrations will support it soon.

[New] Bulk Add Strings App

We've introduced the Bulk Add Stringsapp to make adding multiple strings to your Crowdin project easier.

With this tool, you can batch-add strings to your project files from a single screen. It also allows you to paste strings directly from spreadsheets, review them, and make any necessary edits before submitting.

You can find the Bulk Add Strings app in the Tools section of your project.

Project Duplicator App

Now, you can select the project type when duplicating a project. Previously, the Project Duplicator app automatically created a file-based project without the option to copy settings from a string-based project to another string-based project. Now it's fixed.

Zendesk Guide Improvements & Fixes

A new batch of improvements and bug fixes has been applied to the Zendesk Guide translation integration, ensuring better performance and stability.

For example, the app now runs on PostgreSQL for better stability. Plus, you can now choose whether to use the general default language or the Help Center-specific one.

Commercetools Connector

Now, in Commercetools app, JSON elements can be imported as separate files, providing more flexibility when working with structured content.

Klaviyo Integration Updates

A new filter for source files has been added. Previously, when a large number of files existed on Klaviyo's side, the app failed to load them, showing only a loading state. Based on customer feedback, we've added a date-based filter (since Klaviyo provides timestamps for each file), making it easier to select which files to sync.

Webflow App Updates

A new "Skip Slug" option has been added for pages, giving more control over which content elements are translated. To enable this option, go to the Webflow translation app settings and select Exclude page slugs from translation.

Storyblok Status Support

Now, the Storyblok integration supports Draft and Published statuses, allowing for better content management.

Set Custom Dates in Project Status Reports

You can now manually select a custom date range for the Project Status Report. Previously, the report period was limited to fixed options---day, week, month, or year. Now, you have the flexibility to set specific start and end dates as needed.

Track Your Position in the Top Members Report

The Top Members report now shows your position in the ranking. Below the main table, a new "Your Position" section displays your stats and ranking based on the current sorting. This helps you track your progress and see how much more you need to translate to climb higher on the leaderboard.

Branch Merging in Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise

For string-based projects, you can now merge branches with each other, not just into the main branch. Additionally, you can clone any branch, whereas previously, cloning was only allowed for the main branch. This gives more flexibility in managing project workflows and branch structures.

"Other Languages Translations" Prompt Setting Now Disabled by Default

We have disabled the "Other languages translations" option by default for both basic and advanced prompts.

After multiple experiments with transferring translations to related languages, we realized that this option does not always improve translation quality. Keep this in mind and enable it only if you are sure it will be useful and improve quality.

Nimzi on Crowdin's Research: How Context Improves AI Translations

This month, Nimdzi published an article about Crowdin's AI translation experiments and how adding context can improve AI-generated translations. The study showed that using reference materials (like past translations) can boost AI translation quality by up to 70% compared to regular machine translation.

We'll soon publish our own research with additional experiments and results. If you want to try Crowdin AI, leave your email to get early access.

Crowdin Enterprise Updates

OpenID Connect: Easier Access for Invited Users

We've added a new setting: "Allow Invited Registration Without Invitation Links."

When enabled:

Invited users can register without a dedicated invitation link.
Their email is verified by the OIDC provider.
Permissions are granted only if their email matches an entry on the invitation list.

To enable this, go to Organization Settings > Authentication > Authentication Methods > OpenID Connect and check "Allow Invited Registration Without Invitation Links."

Improved Pending Proofreading Tasks

Now, once the translation task is marked as done, the proofreading task will be automatically created in the vendor's organization.

Added "Fit Screen" for Screenshots in Crowdin Enterprise

We have implemented the Fit Screen mechanism for screenshots in Crowdin Enterprise, similar to what was previously done for Crowdin.com.

Other Small Updates to Crowdin Enterprise

API: Added endpoints for Group Managers and Group Teams
In-Context Language in "Download as ZIP": In the Translations tab, the "Download as ZIP" section now allows downloading a build for the in-context language

Other Updates

In February 2025, we've:

Brought back and redesigned progress in the editor due to your requests.
Updated YAML handling to retain and restore indentation, ensuring files are returned precisely as in the source.
Added the autocomplete shortcut to the shortcut configuration. Previously, it was only available in one editor view (Comfortable), but now it is visible across all views.
Released a new version of Markdown. Now it supports Admonitions in MkDocs, Hugo Shortcodes, improved previews, better exports with comments, and more.

Crowdin Agile Podcast: New Episodes This Month

This month, we released two new episodes of The Agile Localization Podcast:

"24 Languages, 2.7 Million Words: Inside Pipedrive's Localization Machine with David Edwards"
Host Stefan Huyghe talks with David Edwards, Group Design Manager of Internationalisation at Pipedrive, about continuous localization, managing multilingual content, and the role of automation in scaling localization efforts.
"Why Startups That Localize Early Win Faster with Didzis Grauss"
Didzis Grauss, CRO at Native Localization, shares insights on how startups can integrate localization from day one, balance AI automation with human oversight, and prioritize localization with limited resources.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe!

External Tools

In February 2025, we released new versions of:

24 Languages, 2.7 Million Words - Inside Pipedrive's Localization Machine with David Edwards

diana — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Localization has never been more essential or complex than it is today. Businesses aiming for global reach rely on seamless translations, localized interfaces, and culturally appropriate content to connect with diverse markets. However, despite all the advancements in localization tools, a critical gap remains: they often fail to meet the needs of buyers.

Localization at scale isn't for the faint of heart. With 24 languages, 2.7 million words annually, and over 400 developers producing content daily, Pipedrive has mastered the art of agile localization. At the helm of this monumental task is David Edwards, Group Design Manager of Internationalisation.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, David shared insights into how Pipedrive manages its vast and complex localization operations. From the importance of automation to working seamlessly with developers, here's a behind-the-scenes look at Pipedrive's localization machine.

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Continuous Localization: Scaling with Automation

Pipedrive operates in a dynamic environment, deploying new updates multiple times a day. Managing such a continuous flow of multilingual content required Pipedrive to embrace automation and scalability.

Central to their strategy is a continuous localization framework supported by translation management software (TMS). Crowdin, their TMS of choice, serves as the single source of truth for all translations. This platform ensures that content flows seamlessly from developers to translators and back into the product with minimal friction. Without such a hub, David notes it would be chaos.

Key to their success is a tight integration between Crowdin and their development pipelines. Every time a developer merges code, the TMS automatically synchronizes the new strings, ensuring translations remain up-to-date without disrupting the developers' workflow.

Tackling Linguistic Complexities

With 24 languages to manage, including complex ones like Estonian, Finnish, and Japanese, the team faces unique challenges.

Agglutinative languages, where endings are added to words, require flexibility and attention to context.
Languages like Japanese and Korean present challenges with character-based scripts, requiring careful handling of variables and links.

David credits much of their success to their trusted language service provider (LSP), which ensures high-quality translations regardless of linguistic complexity.

Quality Control in High-Speed Environments

Maintaining quality at scale is no small feat. Pipedrive employs a multi-layered approach to ensure their translations meet high standards:

Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Localization project managers ensure everyone, from translators to developers, understands their role in the process.
Screenshots and Context: Providing translators with visuals minimizes errors and ensures accurate translations.
Two-Person Review: Every translation undergoes a two-step process, with an editor reviewing and approving the translator's work before it goes live.
Regular QA Audits: External quality audits help identify areas for improvement, ensuring ongoing reliability.

This structured approach has allowed Pipedrive to achieve consistent quality while managing a high volume of translations. Over time, as the team has become more familiar with the system, the frequency of errors has decreased, allowing for more flexibility in quality control.

AI in Localization: A Work in Progress

Despite the hype around AI, Pipedrive has adopted a cautious approach to integrating it into their localization workflows. Initial experiments with AI-powered translations didn't yield significant cost or time savings for high-impact content like product localization.

However, AI has proven valuable for low-jeopardy content, such as their knowledge base, which operates autonomously in 19 languages. David sees immense potential for AI as its capabilities continue to improve. For now, Pipedrive focuses on balancing automation with human oversight, ensuring quality remains paramount.

Final Thoughts on Agile Localization Masterclass with David Edwards

David and his team at Pipedrive have transformed localization from a daunting challenge into a well-oiled machine. Through automation, clear processes, and a commitment to quality, they've built a scalable system capable of handling millions of words across 24 languages.

While challenges remain, Pipedrive's approach offers valuable lessons for anyone tackling large-scale localization. Their success is a testament to the power of agile localization and provides a masterclass in how to localize software. Whether it's integrating the right tools, maintaining visibility, or embracing AI thoughtfully, their journey proves it can be done right.

David's Background

Originally from the UK, David moved to Estonia and transitioned into the tech industry despite a background in national branding and national identity, which he studied during his PhD at the University of Glasgow. At Pipedrive, he oversees the localization of over 2.7 million words across 24 languages annually.

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What's New at Crowdin: January 2025

diana — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT

In January 2025, we closed 262 tasks and completed 462 deployments. Among the key updates, we introduced Crowdin.ai in beta, offering AI-powered localization aimed at indie developers, focusing on faster turnarounds. Additionally, the new Vector Memory App helps improve translation accuracy by using non-bilingual, relevant, translated files as reference. We also enhanced our Translation Costs and Cost Estimate reports by adding weighted word counts and more.

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Introducing crowdin.ai: AI-First Continuous Localization for Developers

<Aside type="caution">Crowdin.ai is no longer active and we do not accepting new requests.</Aside>

We're excited to announce our new product -- Crowdin.ai It's an ambitious experiment designed for indie developers, small teams, and any project that can accept a small risk of less-than-perfect translations in exchange for faster turnaround and reduced costs. We recognize that AI translations may not always be error-free, but after extensive experimentation, we believe we have developed a set of tools to make them reliably "good enough" for many real-world scenarios.

This is a very early beta, and we're still refining the experience. While AI-driven localization has potential, we see it as most beneficial for individual developers rather than teams (for now).

Why use crowdin.ai instead of just using AI in your IDE or LLM chat window?

Context for better results: When requesting translations, we provide the LLM with valuable context (for each key) extracted from source code and metadata - so it can produce more accurate translations.
Continuous, consistent localization: Crowdin.ai acts as an AI agent that runs in your CI/CD pipeline, delivering translations that are consistent with previous translations and your app domain each time you create new content in the source language.
Quality tools: Features such as back-translation preview in your language, bad context detection to predict potentially bad translations, and key-level editing (without knowing the target language) help developers find and fix errors quickly.
Upgrade to professional linguistic review: If one day you need the guaranteed quality or more localization tools, you can upgrade to a Crowdin.com account with one click.

Under the hood, Crowdin.ai uses the same LLM that you could use directly. The difference is that the AI agent has a growing set of tools designed specifically for software localization tasks.

Crowdin.ai can be used for all common content types involved in software development. All resource files produced by your tech stack (e.g., Android, iOS, web resource files), .md or .html files make up your docs. For now, it does not work with any of Crowdin.com's content connectors (such as HubSpot or Contentful).

It's completely free during the beta period (and will remain free for all beta users forever), but we operate on a bring-your-own model, which may introduce a cost for the use of AI tokens from the LLM provider.

Crowdin.ai is built on top of Crowdin.com, which means you would need to sign up for Crowdin.com, and some of the actions would be performed in Crowdin.com, such as API token generation and account security management. When you sign up for crowdin.ai, a special license will be issued to your crowdin.com account. Registration is currently closed. Please, fill out the form to receive an invite.

Use Vector Databases to Improve AI Translation Quality

During our internal experiments with AI, we discovered a way to improve translation quality using vector databases. The idea is simple: AI can produce better translations if it has reference texts from the target language to guide it.

Meet the Vector Memory App. It allows AI to use related content from similar files as a reference. Instead of starting from scratch every time, AI looks at past examples to improve accuracy.

For example, if you're translating a legal document, you can add a previously translated law as a reference. This helps AI better understand the style and context, leading to more precise translations.

We recommend using the app after consulting with our team. It's not ready for very large projects yet, but it's great for experiments. One of the best aspects of vector-based systems is that they don’t require translation memory. Reference files should be in the target language, but AI doesn’t require source documents.

How to use Vector Memory app to improve AI translation quality

Install the Vector Memory App
Head to the Crowdin Store, find the Vector Memory App, and install it.
Add Store
Go to app > Add Store. Upload files related to the topic of your current translation to the store. These should be good-quality translations of similar content, like a previously translated legal document if you're working on another legal text.
Set Up Your Prompt
Go to the AI section in Crowdin and create a new prompt. Important: Select Vector Memory as mode. If needed, you can add specific instructions the AI should follow in a prompt.
Connect the Store
While creating the prompt, choose the store to the prompt. This will allow the AI to pull context from those documents during the translation process.
Adjust Document Limits
Set the maximum number of documents the AI can reference. Based on our tests, we recommend starting with 4 documents for optimal results, but you can experiment to find the best setup for your needs.
Run the AI Translation
With everything set up, start your translation and let the AI use your reference materials to provide more accurate and context-aware results.

Introducing Weighted Word Count in Reports

This month, we've added weighted word/character/string counts to the Translation Costs and Cost Estimate reports.

Sometimes, you need to estimate the workload without linking it to costs. A common way to do this is by using weighted word count, which adjusts word count based on the effort needed for translation. The following is a brief description of how it works

Each segment type is assigned a weight:

100% Matches & Repetitions -- No editing, but requires reading to validate the translation (weight: 0.1-0.2)
Fuzzy Matches (high confidence) -- moderate effort (weight: 0.3-0.7)
Fuzzy Matches (low confidence) -- higher effort (weight: 0.8-1.0)
No Matches -- full effort (weight: 1.0)

For example:

500 words with 100% match × 0.1 = 50 weighted words

300 fuzzy matches (75--99%) × 0.5 = 150 weighted words

200 no matches × 1.0 = 200 weighted words

Total Weighted Word Count: 400

From now on, in Crowdin you can count weighted words, strings, or characters. The report will be calculated based on the unit selected in the report settings.

Crowdin Store: XAI Grok & DeepSeek for Localization

This month, we've added two tools you may already know, now available for integration into your translation process in Crowdin: XAI Grok and DeepSeek.

xAI Grok app: Integrate xAI's powerful AI models and use it to pre-translate content, or apply it in the Crowdin translation editor and perform tasks like terminology extraction and translation quality control.

DeepSeek guide: While Crowdin doesn't offer a dedicated DeepSeek integration, you can still use DeepSeek's AI models via Crowdin's OpenAI connector. Short step-by-step instructions are available at the Crowdin Store.

Editor: Small UI Tweaks, Faster Screenshots load, and Improved Filtering

We've made several improvements to the Crowdin Editor:

Faster Screenshot Loading -- Large screenshots can slow down the editor, so we now optimize them automatically for smoother performance. If you need to download a screenshot, it will be available in its original size, not the optimized version.
Cleaner File Names -- Uppercase letters have been removed, so file names in the editor now match those in the file tree.
Improved Advanced Filter -- The advanced filter now includes indicators showing how many filter options are enabled, and active options are highlighted in bold for better visibility.

Adaptation of QA Checks for Different Language Pairs

We've improved QA checks to work more accurately across different language pairs. Previously, QA checks expected certain symbols to match the source text, often following English punctuation rules, which didn't always fit other languages. Now, we've adjusted this to better accommodate language-specific punctuation and formatting rules for languages like Japanese, German, Arabic, and others, ensuring a more natural and accurate QA process. This update makes working with these languages easier and more efficient!

More Control Over Crowdin In-Context Initialization

We've updated the Crowdin In-Context tool to give you more control over when and how it starts in your project. You can now choose how In-Context is initialized using the start_type parameter:

default -- Works as before, starting automatically when the script loads.

manual -- A new mode that starts In-Context only when you call window.jipt.start().

This new manual mode gives you more control, making it especially useful for single-page applications (SPA) where you need to dynamically turn In-Context on or off based on user actions, delaying the start of In-Context until a specific event or user action happens, or preventing the automatic startup of In-Context if it should only run under certain conditions.

Additionally, you can use various methods to start, stop, and customize In-Context in real time to better fit the needs of your project.

For more details on the available methods, check out our In-Context Localization Documentation. This improvement is also important for customers who use In-Context not for actual translation, but for automatic screenshot capture during e2e testing.

Visibility for Failed Synchronizations in Integrations

We've improved how Crowdin Integrations handles failed file synchronizations. Now, if a file fails to sync, it will be clearly labeled to indicate that something went wrong. For example, in some cases, files get deleted on the integration side, preventing updates in Crowdin.

To keep you informed, we've added labels that show when a file was deleted. Soon, we'll also introduce a filter to help you quickly find all files that failed to sync, making it easier to track and troubleshoot this kind of synchronization issue.

Other Small Updates

Full native support for the new ChatGPT o3-mini model.
We've added language information in the "Proceeding Tasks" dropdown to make it easier to search for tasks.
We've added the ability to search API logs not only by application name but also by token name.
We've added Prompt IDs and AI providers to the UI in Crowdin Enterprise, making it easier to manage AI-powered workflows.
We've added an option to enable or disable the Top Members report in Crowdin Enterprise upon request.
Now, you can sync articles between Kontent.ai and Crowdin based on their status. Choose workflow steps in the app settings to sync only what's ready for translation, skipping drafts and reviews.
We have added the addToTm parameter to the Add Translation API method. This parameter allows you to specify whether the newly added translation should be included in the translation memory (TM).
Comments can now be added to plural forms in YAML files.

Crowdin Agile Podcast: New Episodes This Month

This month, we launched two new episodes of the Crowdin Agile Podcast.

"Why Localization Tools Are Failing Buyers and How to Fix It" -- Boryana Nenova discusses the challenges with current localization tools and how Crowdin solves them.
"10 Languages, Zero Stress: Inside Edwin Trebels' Localization Workflow" -- Edwin Trebels from the Philadelphia Church of God shares how his team handles multilingual content, automation, and transparency.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe!

External Tools

In January 2025, we released new versions of:

Go API Client v0.12.1, v0.13.0, v0.14.0
CLI 4.5.1, 4.5.2
GitHub Action v2.5.1, v2.5.2
.NET API Client 2.27.1, 2.28.0, 2.29.0
JS API Client 1.41.1
Java API Client 1.20.0, 1.21.0, 1.22.0, 1.23.0
Python API Client 1.20.0, 1.21.0
Context Harvester 0.5.2
Android Studio Plugin 2.2.0
PHP API Client 1.16.0
OTA Client JS 2.0.1

10 Languages, Zero Stress: Inside Edwin Trebels' Localization Workflow

diana — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 11:00:00 GMT

How do you manage multilingual content across ten languages, process over 6 million words annually, and still keep stress levels low? That's a question Edwin Trebels of the Philadelphia Church of God seems to have mastered.

In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, Edwin joined host Stefan Huyghe to share how his team leverages automation, collaboration, and cutting-edge tools like knowledge graphs to streamline workflows and maintain a culture of transparency.

Listen to this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast on:

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Streamlining Localization Through Automation

One of the key challenges in localization is managing repetitive, time-consuming tasks. Edwin identifies translation and editing work, along with communication and process management, as primary areas that can benefit from automation.

Automating processes such as content classification and workflow initiation allows his team to reduce the manual workload and ensure a smoother, faster localization process.

Nevertheless, Edwin is quick to point out the risks of over-automation. "You can also get into some system fragility where you have issues, especially when you're dealing with various components. One might be updated and, all of a sudden, the whole process breaks because of that.”

To mitigate this, Edwin's team builds notification systems via Slack to monitor workflows and troubleshoot issues in real time.

The Human Element in Automation

While automation is powerful, Edwin stresses the importance of preserving human oversight. Certain decisions, such as determining whether content should follow one workflow or another, still require human judgment.

"We are moving towards a world where more of that can be automated, where there is more further classification that can be automated through intelligent use of AI. But a lot of care is needed before fully automating these steps."

The balance between automation and human input ensures that the workflow remains efficient without compromising on quality or flexibility. For Edwin's team, the goal is not to replace human expertise but to enhance it, allowing translators and editors to focus on higher-value tasks.

Innovating with Knowledge Graphs

An exciting development in Edwin's workflow is the use of knowledge graphs. These tools use semantic techniques to structure unstructured knowledge, enabling more accurate and context-aware machine translation.

"Instead of having all these documents and all sorts of content, you can create a structured knowledge graph of all of that utilizing several semantic techniques."

For example, a knowledge graph can operationalize language across departments, supporting tasks from content creation to customer support. Moreover, by integrating knowledge graphs with AI-powered localization tools like AI proofreaders, Edwin's team achieves a level of precision and efficiency that traditional workflows simply can't match.

Maintaining Transparency and Accountability

Automation and innovation often come with the risk of losing visibility into workflows. To counter this, Edwin's team prioritizes transparency through detailed visualization and process management. "We use templating in Trello, where a card moves semi-automatically across the process."

For example, if one step in the workflow is slower than others, it becomes immediately evident, allowing the team to address the bottleneck proactively. Transparency is also crucial for managing the expectations of volunteer translators and editors. Edwin’s team maintains open communication with their volunteers, ensuring that deadlines are realistic and workloads manageable.

Lessons for Localization Teams

For organizations looking to optimize their localization workflows, Edwin offers this advice: start small and focus on incremental improvements. "Always look at your objectives first. What are you trying to accomplish?"

From there, break down the process into manageable steps and introduce changes gradually. Focusing on one improvement at a time helps teams to avoid overwhelming their resources and achieve sustainable progress.

Conclusion

With advancements like knowledge graphs and AI agentic workflows on the horizon, the future of localization is undoubtedly exciting.

However, as Edwin's experience shows, the key to success lies in thoughtful implementation and a deep understanding of both technology and human collaboration.

"Change is good, but it has to be managed wisely."

Edwin’s Background

As the Director of LangOps at the Philadelphia Church of God, Edwin leads the Language Operations Department, overseeing localization from English into ten languages and providing a range of internal language services to support multilingual communication. With 20 years of experience in localization, Edwin's leadership in 2023 enabled the team to translate and publish approximately 4.5 million words and interpret around 2 million words.

Listen to this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast on:

Why Localization Tools Are Failing Buyers and How to Fix It with Boryana Nenova

diana — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, host Stefan Huyghe is joined by Localization Consultant Boryana Nenova. They discuss the importance of shifting localization tools from translator-centric to buyer-centric, or at the very least, to be appropriate for both. Boryana dives into top features buyers demand in localization tools, why developers and linguists are clashing over localization tools, AI’s localization impact, and what localization tools are missing.

Listen to this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast on:

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From Translator-Centric to Buyer-Centric Tools

Historically, localization tools were built with translators in mind, prioritizing linguistic accuracy and quality. However, buyers have increasingly complex requirements that extend far beyond translation quality. According to Boryana, localization tools need to cater to both parties or, at the very least, focus more on buyer-centric features.

For buyers, connectivity and integrations are critical. Businesses today operate with plenty of tools, content management systems, email builders, marketing platforms, and more. Boryana highlights the importance of localization tools that seamlessly integrate with these systems to eliminate redundant processes and reduce manual work.

Tools that require minimal additional development, such as those that connect directly with Google Drive, Figma, or Git-based systems, stand out.

But while buyers prioritize efficiency and turnaround time, translators focus on quality. This fundamental difference in priorities is where most localization tools fail to strike a balance. As Boryana puts it, "Linguists want to handle the texts, while content producers or buyers want to have the text ready."

The Developer vs. Linguist Divide

Another tension Boryana highlights is the growing divide between developers and linguists in localization. As tools become increasingly developer-first, they often lose sight of linguistic needs.

Many modern tools are created by developers who lack a deep understanding of how translators work. As a result, they fail to address critical linguistic requirements like proper segmentation, parsing, and glossary management.

Developers, on the other hand, need tools that facilitate efficient integration into their workflows. This includes features like customizable parsing rules and seamless backward communication between tools. While developers focus on streamlining processes, linguists are left grappling with tools that don't align with their workflows.

The solution? Localization tools must bridge this gap by offering a more holistic approach that accommodates the needs of both groups.

What Buyers Really Want from Localization Tools

Here are the top features buyers demand:

Self-Service Localization. Boryana envisions tools that empower stakeholders to manage localization independently, reducing bottlenecks and manual interventions. This means enabling buyers to automate workflows, monitor progress, and even initiate localization tasks with the press of a button.
Analytics and ROI Tracking. Buyers need data-driven insights to make informed decisions about localization efforts. This includes detailed reporting on turnaround times, quality metrics, and budget allocation.
Security. As businesses scale and manage sensitive customer data, localization tools must meet strict security requirements. For example, tools that were good in 2018 may no longer align with today's security standards, encouraging businesses to upgrade.

The Role of AI in Localization

AI is the buzzword of the decade, and localization is no exception. From machine translation (MT) to automated QA, AI has revolutionized the speed and scalability of localization. However, Boryana cautions against over-reliance on AI, noting that while it can achieve 80-85% accuracy for widely spoken languages like French and Spanish, smaller languages still lag behind.

One gap she identifies is the lack of market-specific AI features. For instance, buyers often expect AI to seamlessly adapt to their industry-specific terminology or cultural nuances, but many tools fall short. Additionally, Boryana notes that while AI has made significant strides, the incremental improvements in recent years have been less dramatic, highlighting the need for better training and customization.

AI's integration into localization tools should also focus on contextual accuracy. Features like heat maps for market metrics and real-time previews of localized content can help ensure that translations resonate with target audiences. However, these innovations remain rare, leaving much to be desired.

Conclusion

Localization tools have come a long way. However, as Boryana points out, there's still significant room for improvement. At the same time, she envisions a future where tools combine the best of project management, analytics, and translation management into a single platform. Whether you're a buyer, translator, or developer, one thing is clear: the future of localization depends on collaboration.

Boryana’s Background

Boryana brings nearly two decades of expertise as a localization manager, having worked on both the buyer and vendor sides. With a background in linguistics, she has led end-to-end processes of content localization from planning and creation to QA and delivery, for large-scale multilingual apps and web products.

She specializes in optimizing workflows, setting up localization processes from scratch, and revamping existing systems to be efficient, automated, and sustainable. Her results-driven approach has made her a key part to localization teams at Zenly, PayPal, Cayetano Gaming and a trusted contractor in numerous localization projects.

Currently transitioning into Product Management while continuing to consult on localization projects, Boryana’s unique perspective blends practical experience with strategic insight.

Boryana Nenova on LinkedIn

Listen to this episode of The Agile Localization Podcast on:

Year in Review: Crowdin 2024

diana — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

As we wrap up this year, we'd like to take a moment -- between New Year's celebrations and family gatherings -- to look back at the progress we've made in 2024. From brand-new AI features to welcoming world-class clients, it's been a year of breakthroughs at Crowdin. We closed 3174 tasks from our task manager, so we have a lot to cover. Ready for a quick tour? Let's dive into the highlights that shaped 2024!

Crowdin Through Your Eyes

Educational Resources 2024: Free Courses from Crowdin

January:

Apps to Check for AI-Generated Content, SSO Enhancements

In January 2024, we kicked off the year by introducing new security features, such as login verification for new devices and the ability to add trusted devices, a feature that allows vendors to pre-translation using the client's Translation Memory(TM).

February:

Sequential Tasks, Crowdin's New Editor Themes, Custom Spellchecks and Properties

In February 2024, Crowdin introduced sequential translation and proofreading tasks, custom spellchecks and custom properties, a dark theme option for Crowdin Enterprise, and Crowdin's new Editor themes.

March:

Screens Translation, New AI section in Crowdin, Courses From Crowdin and freeСodeСamp

In March 2024, we presented Screens Translation, new features in Crowdin Plugin for Figma, like support for Dev Mode (included in Figma's paid version) and long-awaited native AI.

Back in March, we announced two free courses. One is our AI course, and the other, generously provided by freeCodeCamp, teaches how to localize websites and apps with Crowdin.

Our AI course is now a bit outdated, but we have just released a complete AI Localization Guide to help you master these new workflows. In the meantime, feel free to try the AI translator yourself, book a demo, or stay tuned for what's next.

April:

Redesigned Glossary Page in Both Products, Transfer Ownership Option in Crowdin Enterprise

In April 2024, recognizing the importance of having a convenient way to manage resources, we updated our Glossary page with UI enhancements and new features designed to boost productivity for project managers and glossary managers, making it easier to maintain terminology effectively. Plus, we presented the customer story "Linearity about Crowdin Storyblok App" and other updates.

May:

Crowdin Context Harvester CLI, Improvements to the TM Management Page

In May 2024, we presented one of the most exciting features/experiments -- Context Harvester CLI (video about the tool), which is basically AI providing context for localization keys from your code, making it super easy to enhance the quality of translations by providing this context to the AI itself, or your linguists. Besides this, we showed you a lot of improvements to the TM page, Crowdin CLI 4.0, and a new filtering and search option in Editor via AI/CroQL filter.

June:

New APIs and EU Data Residency Capabilities

In June 2024, we rolled out a few updates to AI, for example, the ability to send screenshots as a reference when requesting translations when using multimodal AI models such as GPT-4o. Updates also included enhanced user management in Crowdin Enterprise, announcement of AI Agents, and more.

August:

First AI Proofreading Agent, AI QA Checks, Daily Usage Statistics for OTA

In August 2024, alongside the exciting releases of the AI Proofreading Agent and AI QA checks, we introduced updates such as the JS Proxy and other app enhancements, the ability to pin apps and tools, set a default editor view, significant improvements to the in-context tool, and a mandatory expiry date for invitation links.

September:

Fine-Tuning Based on TM, Training Data Generator App, Draft Status for Glossary Terms

In September 2024, we made it easier to fine-tune because we added the ability to fine-tune based on TM, plus we created a Synthetic Data Generator. That month, we also showed draft status for terms in the Glossary, AI Match category in reports, new Crowdin Docs, and Developer Portal. We added and integrated a new API into the in-context interface to help you automate screenshot updating.

October:

New AI Terms Extraction Strategy, FIle Context in Editor

In October 2024, we launched a revamped Context Harvester CLI, new Crowdin Store apps, cross-review approvals, improved savings report visualization, and AI-powered multilingual terminology extraction for glossary refinement and pre-translation.

November:

Automated Screenshot Capturing for Web and Mobile, AI-Suggested Metadata in the Simple Term Extractor, Backtranslation App

In November 2024, we rolled out AI-suggested metadata in the Simple Term Extractor app, automated screenshot capturing for Web and Mobile, better AI proofreading, and enhanced LQA annotations.

December:

Reusable Placeholders for AI Prompts, AI Proofreader Now Available in Workflow Steps, ZenMode for Apps

Wrapping up this year, in December 2024, we released custom reusable placeholders for AI prompts, added AI Proofreader as a workflow step in Crowdin Enterprise, showed ZenMode for apps, and a remarkable case study showing how one of our clients, Polhus, achieved 75% ready for publication translations thanks to AI.

Mark Your Calendars for the Podcast

Make sure to follow us on social media (LinkedIn, X) not to miss the first episode.

Wrapping Up

While we've covered a lot, this isn't everything. Check out our monthly Product Updates blog posts to learn more about all of the new products and features we've released throughout this year, and don't forget to subscribe to Crowdin blog.

What’s New at Crowdin: December 2024

diana — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In the last release notes of the year, we're going to share exciting updates we did this month.

In December 2024, our team closed 214 tasks from the task manager and completed 383 deployments. It includes the ability to add AI proofreading as a workflow step in Crowdin Enterprise, reusable custom properties fields for AI prompts, and the ability to share limited access to integrations with ZenMode. We’ve also enhanced screenshot auto-tagging, brought pre-translation progress tracking on the project page, and introduced a free course to help linguists get started with Crowdin. Dive in to explore all the updates.

Custom Reusable Placeholders for AI Prompts

This month, we introduced a powerful enhancement to AI Prompts — reusable placeholders. These placeholders work like components in programming, allowing you to define reusable pieces of information or text. Previously, when setting up an AI Prompt, you had to manually fill fields like company description, project description, and audience description for each prompt. Now, these fields have been moved to the AI settings section, where you can create custom placeholders (of any type) and reuse them across multiple prompts.

This improvement simplifies prompt creation and maintenance. You can define and reuse specific parts of your prompts, making it easier to build and manage complex AI workflows. If a placeholder, such as a company or project description, needs to be updated, you only need to make the change once in the settings. This update automatically applies across all prompts that use the placeholder, saving time and ensuring consistency.

By centralizing these components, managing a large number of prompts becomes much more efficient, as you no longer need to update text in each prompt individually.

Beta: AI Proofreader Now Available in Workflow Steps

The AI Proofreader workflow step is in its early stages and is designed to simplify AI integration. We’re actively gathering feedback to expand its features and optimize your workflows.

Our research shows that AI proofreading is a great help in predictably improving the quality of AI translations. In our efforts to make AI translations predictably good, we're introducing the ability to add AI proofreading as a workflow step in Crowdin Enterprise.

There are several cases where AI proofreading improves quality:

It removes hallucinations very efficiently.
We've noticed that LLMs produce lower-quality translations when tasked with translating long chunks of text, and AI proofreader addresses this very well.
There are other cases where you need AI to be part of your workflow, not just available for ad-hoc proofreading tasks.

The workflow step comes as a feature of the AI Proofreader app. The app needs to be reinstalled to benefit from the new feature.

Featured Workflow Steps

We’ve introduced a new category in workflows. Now you can install add-ons, available as apps in our store, and add them as workflow steps.

Share Integrations and Allow ZenMode for Apps

It often happens that those who manage Crowdin integrations and those who need access to them are not the same people.

For example, a marketing team working in a CMS or marketing automation system might need to request translations right after creating new content. You could invite these team members to Crowdin, but if all they need is to request translations, the full set of Crowdin features can feel overwhelming.

That’s why we’re introducing ZenMode for integrations. Localization managers can now invite marketing specialists or content writers to Crowdin with access limited to the Integrations section only. We’ve also simplified the integration screen, showing the content ready for translation and the real-time translation progress of the requested items.

Please note that this feature is available exclusively in Crowdin Enterprise. For now, only apps like Intercom, Zendesk, Webflow, Contentful, and Amazon AWS s3 have this mode, and invited users will have manager-level permissions. In the coming months, we plan to introduce more granular roles and permissions.

Cost Estimate Report: Internal Matches Breakdown

The Cost Estimate report now includes a detailed breakdown of internal matches, offering greater transparency into your translation savings.

Custom Fields Filters and on Task Preview

Custom fields can now be displayed directly on the task board and visible on the task preview itself, so you no longer need to open each task to see key details. Additionally, we’ve added the ability to filter tasks by custom fields, making it simpler to find and organize tasks based on your needs.

Get Started with Crowdin: A Free Course for Linguists

We understand that for translators and linguists, transitioning to a new tool or getting familiar with localization software can be challenging, especially when it comes with a large number of features and customization options.

Instead of creating an account, clicking through all the buttons, or reading endless manuals, you can now simply take our free "Crowdin for Linguists: Everything you need to know" course. We've gathered the most important functions and steps that linguists use in their daily work, explaining я both basic and advanced functionalities. We hope this course will simplify your introduction to Crowdin.

P.S. If you're a manager and missed out, we've got a course specifically for you as well. Enroll in our course called "Localization Manager for Tech Company."

Case Study: Achieving Up to 75% of Translations Ready for Publication with AI

By integrating Crowdin with DatoCMS, Polhus achieved 75% ready-to-publish website translations, all made by AI. Yes, you read that right—75% required no edits. Explore how they automated localization and reached global audiences in our recent post about AI Translation at Polhus: How They're Using Crowdin.

Discover Our Newly Updated Blog

If you're reading this, you've probably already noticed the updated blog! It has a fresh, modern look, improved technical features, the option to switch between light and dark themes, a more efficient search, and many other advantages.

Improved Screenshot Auto-Tagging

Previously, the screenshot auto-tagging feature was unavailable for images larger than 4 MB. However, most screenshots captured on modern devices without optimization often exceed this size.

To make auto-tagging more accessible, we’ve increased the limit to 20 MB. Now, you can work with larger screenshots.

Other Small Updates

Updated the Webflow app to support their new API, enabling localization of components (currently in beta).
Added the ability to replace a workflow template via the "Edit Project" API method.
Enhanced the Directus app to improve functionality with the "content" field.
Improved support for the RESX format. To be more specific, we now support a wider range of REGEX flavors.
Upgraded the LQA app with better performance, support for XLSX templates, and a more intuitive UX.
Time-in-status App: new Select All Projects option.
In-context feature works with String-based projects.
Labels in project settings now support paging and bulk deletion operations.
Improved options for assigning and managing teams assigned to a project.

My Rate Template in Crowdin Enterprise

We’ve enhanced the rates feature to include account-level templates. Now, you can create and manage rate templates that apply across your entire account. To set up your rates, go to Account Settings > My Rates.

This update makes it easier for linguists to define their rates, ensuring consistent cost calculations and seamless communication with managers. Please note that managers do not have access to view these rates.

Pre-Translation Progress Tracking on Project Dashboard

We’ve brought back pre-translation progress tracking directly on the project dashboard. Plus, there will be real-time progress of multiple pre-translation tasks with separate progress bars for each.

Improved UX for the Pre-Translate Dialog at Crowdin Enterprise

We have updated the Pre-Translation dialog. All settings are now displayed on a single screen, removing the need for unnecessary clicks. This improvement makes configuring Pre-Translate simply faster.

External Tools Updates

CLI 4.4.1, 4.5.0
GitHub Action v2.5.0
JS API Client 1.40.0
Go API Client v0.11.0, v0.12.0
iOS SDK 1.10.0, 1.10.1
Android SDK 1.11.1
Python API Client 1.19.0
Figma plugin Version 78

Achieving Up to 75% of Translations Ready for Publication with AI – Polhus Localization with Crowdin

diana — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Polhus, used Crowdin’s AI and DatoCMS integration to localize their website. 75% of translations were AI-generated and ready for publication, saving $80,000 and hours of work. With AI and human review, they achieved high-quality translations for 1.6 million words in 7 languages. Curious about how they did it? Read the full story in this post.

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<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Company</th> <td>Polhus</td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Industry</th> <td>Prefabricated Wooden Houses</td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Role</th> <td>Anton Troedson, CTO</td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Results</th> <td> <ul> <li> Up to 75% of website translations were translated by AI and ready for publication without any edits, while 100% were reviewed by humans. </li> <li> Savings of approximately $80,000 and dozens of hours compared to traditional methods. </li> <li>7 languages, totaling around 1.6 million words.</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Tools</th> <td> <ul> <li> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/datocms" target="_blank"> Crowdin DatoCMS integration </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/pre-translation/" target="_blank"> AI Pre-translation </a> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Challenge: Scaling Multilingual Content for a Global Audience

Polhus recently launched a new website design, which included a complete overhaul of its Swedish content. To maintain quality across all existing markets, this redesign required redoing translations in all previously available languages.

For this project, they've localized the website's text. This includes product descriptions, specifications, checkout texts, first-page content, and articles. In total, CMS contains over 30 different data models, all requiring some degree of localization.

Solution: Crowdin's AI-Powered Workflow and DatoCMS Integration

Step 1: Translating the Company Glossary

Before starting with the website content, Polhus translated their glossary of specialized terms.

By defining key terms upfront, they ensured consistent use of technical language across all translations.

<Blockquote> We're in a special segment where there's a lot of technical words in each language, words that are important to get 100% right as they project our knowledge. Our glossary was the foundation. Once it was translated, we had a reliable base for the AI to work with, said Anton. </Blockquote>

Step 2: Setting Up the Localization Workflow (AI Pre-translation, CMS integration)

Integration with DatoCMS: Integrating Crowdin with Polhus' content management system through the Crowdin app for DatoCMS took just a few clicks, enabling fast synchronization of website content for translation.
AI Translations: Using the OpenAI (ChatGPT 4o) model, Crowdin's AI pre-translation feature handled the majority of the content. Depending on the language and content type, 75% of the translations remained unchanged after AI processing, with minimal adjustments made by proofreaders.

<Blockquote> 1.6 million translated words and your module synced them all back to DatoCMS without any hiccups. I'm speechless, Anton shared. </Blockquote>
Human Review: A team of 8 experts -- (mostly) internal and external professionals (linguists with expertise in the field Polhus works at)-- reviewed 100% of the AI-generated translations, focusing their edits on the 25% that needed improvement.

Results: Cost and Time Effective, High-Quality Translations

75% AI-Generated: OpenAI-powered translations were publication-ready for 75% of the content, requiring minimal adjustments.
Glossary-Driven Consistency: The pre-translated glossary ensured precise terminology throughout the localized content.
Human-Led Quality Assurance: 8 reviewers edited only 25% of the material, finalizing translations in record time.
Significant Savings: Polhus saved up to $80,000.
Rapid Turnaround: Initial translations were ready within a few days after setup, saving dozens of hours compared to traditional methods.

<Blockquote> With Crowdin, we've achieved a balance between automation and human expertise that ensures both speed and quality, Anton explained. </Blockquote>

Key Insights from the Polhus Workflow

Start with a Glossary: Translating the glossary first created a strong foundation for accurate and consistent AI translations.
Efficient AI Localization: Crowdin's auto-pre-translation feature enabled fast, high-quality translations for technical content.
Human Review for Perfection: A small, expert team reviewed and fine-tuned translations with minimal effort. It's essential to involve proofreaders who have expertise in the specific type of content you're working with to ensure accuracy and relevance.
CMS - Crowdin Integration: The DatoCMS app on Crowdin Store streamlined content synchronization and management.

What's New at Crowdin: November 2024

diana — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In November 2024 our team closed 246 tasks from the task manager and completed 398 deployments. This month, we’ve rolled out several new features and improvements aimed at making your work at Crowdin better.

You can now tag and manage strings meta information directly from the Screenshots tab, get AI-suggested metadata in the Simple Term Extractor app, and use Backtranslation app to check translation accuracy even when you don't speak the target language.

We’ve also introduced an automated screenshot capturing for Web and Mobile, better AI proofreading, enhanced LQA annotations in the LQA app, and more. Let’s explore these updates in detail.

Automated Screenshot Capturing Now Available in Crowdin

We're introducing a set of features to In-Context and Mobile SDKs that allow your team to fully automate screenshot generation.

With these, you can effortlessly capture, update, and upload screenshots to Crowdin, providing translators with accurate visual context without wasting hours of your time on this. We won't dive into technicalities in this post, but you can explore our step-by-step guides on automating screenshot creation available on the Crowdin Developer Portal (via Crowdin In-Context and via Crowdin Android SDK). The guide for iOS SDK is available too.

Taking screenshots of your product has always been a pain. It's even harder to update Crowdin screenshots as your product changes.

With the new SDK, engineers, and QA teams would be able to make maintaining Crowdin screenshots part of their existing e2e testing process. It would also mean that screenshots in Crowdin would exist for all parts of your product covered by e2e testing.

Adding Context and Max Length to the Strings from the Screenshots Tab

When you manage your project screenshots, you have a full context of where your strings are being used. With the latest update, you can now:

Update the string's textual context. This context is crucial for AI during pre-translation, and if you choose human translators, it helps them provide more accurate translations as well.
Set the maximum length (when you notice the text relates to a UI element with a character limit).

Backtranslation App: Translate Back, Verify Meaning

This month, we've launched the new Backtranslation app, designed to help you verify the quality of your translations, even if you're not familiar with the target language.

The app basically allows you to translate the text back into the source language using AI and check if the meaning has been preserved accurately. For example, if your project's source language is English and the translation is in French, but you're not fluent in French, you can use Backtranslation app which with the help of AI translates the French text back into English. This lets you easily verify if the meaning is correctly captured without needing to know French.

LQA App Update: Smarter AI-Powered Annotations

We've upgraded the LQA app (available for Crowdin Enterprise) to make annotations smarter and more efficient.

What's New?

Previously, annotations were automatically generated for all strings, which was time-consuming and often unnecessary. Now, you're in control:

Annotations on demand: Select strings and generate annotations only when needed.
Efficiency boost: Save significant time for linguists by focusing only on critical strings.

Why It Matters

Manual annotation has always been a bottleneck -- it's time-intensive and often costs more than the translation itself. With AI-powered annotations:

Translation and proofreading proceeds as usual.
A single click generates AI-powered annotations that can be submitted directly if they meet your quality standards.

The result? High-quality LQA reports without extra costs.

Simple Term Extractor Gets Smarter

Last month, we introduced AI-powered term extraction in the Simple Term Extractor app. This month, we've enhanced it further.

Now, the AI-powered extraction option (a key component of any advanced AI localization strategy) not only pulls the terms but also automatically fills in additional metadata (when possible), such as gender, description, part of speech, and more.

<Aside type="caution"> You may need to reinstall the application to take advantage of the latest updates. </Aside>

AI Updates: New Models and Pre-Translation Prompts

This month, we've added new models and updated the prompts. You can now use GPT-4-0613 for fine-tuning and the new Claude-3-5-Haiku-20241022 model from Anthropic. Additionally, we've improved both basic and advanced pre-translate prompts based on clients' feedback, ensuring that pre-translate now works even better.

AI Proofreading Agent Reacts to Changes in Translations

We've enhanced the AI Proofreading Agent to make it even more effective in managing translation quality. Now, it can also re-evaluate translations if changes are made after the approval.

When requesting another round of proofreading, you need to mention the agent (like you would mention a human proofreader). We also recommend providing context on what changed or specific areas to focus on. This ensures the AI can deliver the most accurate and helpful feedback.

Share File Context with Vendors

We've fixed an issue where file context wasn't being passed to vendors. Now, vendors can access file context directly in the Editor. This simplifies the process by providing vendors with essential file-level details without requiring repetitive comments on strings.

Selection for Pre-translate Option in the Editor

While working in the Editor, a manager can now choose to pre-translate an entire file, selected strings, or just the filtered strings without the need to select them individually.

One Integration Per App in Crowdin Projects

Previously, multiple users could set up separate integrations of the same app within a project. This often led to conflicts when these integrations worked simultaneously. To prevent such issues, each app will now be managed by a single user per project.

How It Works:

One app manager: A single user will be responsible for installing and managing an app within a project.
Access sharing: The app manager can grant access to other team members or managers as needed.

This update will be available for all integration apps until the end of next week.

Translate Glossary app: Easily Filter Non-Translatable Terms

We've updated the Translate Glossary app to simplify working with non-translatable terms. When translating terms using this app, if a term has Translatable = 'no', it will now be hidden and will not be translated.

Additionally, we've updated exports to include the "Translatable" attribute, so this information is visible in TBX and XLSX files. For TBX v3, terms marked as non-translatable will now automatically be hidden upon import when the concept is non-translatable.

Moderating Harmful Content in Crowdin

We're taking steps to ensure a safer and more respectful environment in Crowdin projects. Introducing a new Report button, website visitors can now take action if they encounter content that violates community guidelines or project rules.

Crowdin Enterprise

See Open Tasks First

Now, when accessing the 'Tasks' tab at the organization level, linguists will see only open tasks by default, eliminating the need to apply a filter each time (like it was earlier).

Control Over Security Settings

Admins can now manage security settings for accounts, like the ability to reset two-factor authentication.

Organization-Level Translation Costs Report per Project

The Translation Costs report at the organization level now supports grouping by project.

Translator Accuracy Report

A new Translator Accuracy report is now available. It allows you to track and evaluate the quality of individual translators' work.

Crowdin Store Updates

Better Fallback App: Better fallback application now respects project export options. If you have "Skip untranslated" or "Export only approved", the app will export accordingly.
Directus: Now you can configure non-translatable fields in the connector.
Bilingual Docx Export: It's now possible to choose between Docx and CSV export formats.
Intercom: You can now select the API server when connecting the integration.
Video Preview Enhancement: We've fixed a bug that caused the wrong video to display in the preview. The app now supports fetching the videoUrl from a file property, making it possible for enterprise users to set video links via the API. Additionally, a new "Setup in Video Preview" option has been added to the file context menu for quicker manual setup.

API and Other Small Updates

Submit Translations Without TM Addition: A new API option is now available for submitting translations without adding them to the Translation Memory.
List Strings on Workflow Step: A new method lets you list strings for a specific workflow step.
Glossary Search API: Simplify glossary term management with the new API for searching through your glossary. Check out the details in our documentation.
It's now possible to configure segmentation for long segments when uploading XLIFF and XLIFF 2.0.
Better admonition support in MD files.
Many integration applications have their own API for automated content synchronization. API references are now accessible in the right-hand panel of the Crowdin Store for apps that have them.

External Tools

CLI 4.4.0
Unity Plugin 0.8.0 (added the Update Option configuration on strings push)
Python API Client 1.18.1
Go API Client v0.9.0, v0.10.0
Java API Client 1.19.2, 1.19.3, 1.19.4, 1.19.5
JS API Client 1.39.1
PHP API Client 1.15.0
Android SDK 1.11.0

Localize Designs in Figma: A Complete Guide to Using the Crowdin Plugin for Design-Stage Localization

diana — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT

As we've already discussed in our previous post on design-stage localization, localizing at the design stage is crucial for companies working for a global audience. In many industries like SaaS, e-commerce, and mobile app development, products frequently need updates. Design-stage localization helps prevent design issues caused by varying text lengths and different language structures. With Crowdin for Figma, automated synchronization between the designers, developers and translators means faster time to market, as well as fewer bugs. Teams can ensure that translations are accurate and fit within the localized design.

Want to try it out for yourself? Let's take a look at how everything works. We're not yet diving into the technical details -- you'll find them here. For now, let's give you a high-level overview.

How Does Crowdin for Figma Work?

At its core, Crowdin Figma translation plugin allows design teams to integrate localization into their workflows without any unnecessary clicks. The plugin connects your design files in Figma to your Crowdin project, enabling easy synchronization of text elements, translations, and context. Here's a simplified breakdown of how it works:

Text export to Crowdin:

The plugin enables designers to select specific frames, components, or groups in their Figma files and push text elements directly to Crowdin. Alongside the text, screenshots are automatically sent (if you enable the Send Screenshots option), providing additional context for linguists. The plugin also uses a key naming pattern to generate keys for strings, ensuring consistent and efficient localization workflows.

Text integration from Crowdin:

While not the primary use case, the plugin also allows for the integration of Crowdin strings into Figma designs. Designers can pull real text, including translations, into their files instead of working with placeholders. This feature ensures that any updates made in Crowdin are automatically reflected in Figma, making it easier to preview localized designs.

Localization with context:

Translators receive more than just text strings --- they see the full context of how the text will appear in the design (e.g., button labels, and headers). This reduces errors and ensures that translations fit naturally into the design. It's vital as different languages take up different spaces.

Improved development process:

The tool facilitates smooth communication between designers, developers, and translators. Developers (with the write access to the document) can also use the plugin to send text directly to Crowdin without needing to revert to designers,

Real-time updates:

Figma content translation with Crowdin automatically syncs any changes in text or translations back to the design files with a few clicks only. This ensures that all team members, from designers to developers, work with the latest localized content without manual updates.

Testing translations in previews:

Designers can preview how translated versions will look in their mockups. This helps catch any potential layout or formatting issues before the development phase, ensuring a smooth user experience across languages.

How to Get Started with Crowdin for Figma

Starting with Crowdin for Figma is easy and doesn't require a complex setup. Here's a general overview of how to get up and running:

Install the plugin

Here's a direct link you can use. Alternatively, you can search for Crowdin manually.
If you use the web version of Figma, go to "Explore Community" and type Crowdin for Figma into the search bar.
In Figma's Desktop version, navigate to the plugin management section (Plugins > Manage Plugins) and search for "Crowdin for Figma" there.
Install the plugin and run it from the Figma interface.

Connect to your Crowdin project

After installation, you'll need to configure your credentials to connect Figma with your Crowdin account. Use your Crowdin Personal Access Token to authenticate and link the two platforms. To get it, you have to go to Account Settings > API, Personal Access Tokens section, and click New Token. (You'll need to select scopes like projects, sources, translations and screenshots).

Select the Crowdin project you want to work with from the available list. Based on your project needs, you can choose specific content types: either UI Localization or Marketing Visuals Localization.
Choose UI Localization when you need to localize dynamic elements within a product's user interface, such as buttons, error messages, and form labels. UI localization ensures that text strings remain contextually accurate across different languages.
Choose Marketing Visuals Localization If your project focuses on translating static images and marketing materials like brochures, banners, or social media visuals.

After you save your choice, your next steps can differ a little. Here is a guide for UI localization. Click here to learn how to set up Marketing Visuals Localization.

Add text strings from Figma to Crowdin

Preview translations

With the Crowdin plugin, you can preview translations in Figma to see how localized content will appear in various languages. This step ensures that the design elements remain functional and aesthetically pleasing, regardless of the language.

In the Strings > Preview Strings section, select Preview in duplicated page or Preview on the current page.
Select Create with language.
Select the target language you want to preview translations for (optionally, you can select the preferred plural forms). You can also choose All languages.
Choose the content you want to preview in Figma. Select All Frames or Selected Frames.

Upload screenshots for context

To improve their localization with Figma, designers can upload tagged screenshots to Crowdin, providing translators with visual references. This added context helps reduce misunderstandings during translation and ensures better localization outcomes.

To do that, in the Strings tab, click the icon to upload screenshots for selected frames.

Or simply choose to Send Screenshots while pushing strings from Figma to Crowdin.

Synchronize text across teams

Whether it's the design or development team adding new strings, Crowdin for Figma keeps everything in sync. Developers can link new text directly to Crowdin without having to involve designers at every step.

You can filter strings using different criteria

Select the needed text fields.
In the Strings tab, click Filter strings.
Select Show strings linked to selected text elements.

Check out our documentation for the full step-by-step guide and instructions for working with Marketing Visuals Localization.

Whatever your needs, if you're looking for tools to ensure smooth Figma multi-language support, look no further. Install Crowdin plugin for Figma to see how it can transform your workflow.

What’s New at Crowdin: October 2024

diana — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT

This month, we’re rolling out some powerful updates. From a revamped Context Harvester CLI with a context quality check to new Crowdin Store apps like Language Fallback Configurator and an AI debugging tool. For complex projects, we’ve introduced cross-review approval for tasks and improved savings visualization.

Plus, discover multilingual terminology extraction with AI that continuously refines your glossary across languages as your project is translated. One AI model builds a multilingual glossary, while another uses this glossary to pre-translate.

In October alone, our customers used over 10 billion AI tokens (11.6 billion, to be exact) when our team closed 517 tasks from the task manager and deployed 475 times. Enjoy checking out the latest features.

Crowdin Context Harvester Updates

Context Harvester CLI has undergone a major overhaul this month. We expect this tool to be one of the cornerstones of future UI localization projects.

crowdin-context-harvester check

Imagine you're a translator working on a typing test app and come across the phrase "Activate blind mode." How would you translate it? For most languages, a direct translation wouldn't make sense without additional context. Especially when you learn that in the app, this isn't a mode for visually impaired users; it's a feature where errors are hidden to avoid distracting the user while typing. Without context, this phrase is highly likely to be mistranslated. Alternatively, if a translator decides to submit a "context request" in Crowdin, that could slow down localization (and create some work for the localization manager).

Now imagine that AI can look at your project strings before translation and tell which strings are impossible to translate or would likely get poor translations with the current context. How cool is that?

The new check command in the crowdin-context-harvester CLI does just that. It takes all the texts you have for translation, then takes their context and asks the AI if there is a risk of getting bad translations with the context provided. It also considers your target languages, as some target languages may require more context.

The command's output is a CSV file that you or your team can use to improve the context.

UI localization projects are full of short texts like "enable blind more." Without enough context, both humans and AI will struggle to produce quality translations.

The new check command, together with the improved extract commands, becomes a super powerful toolkit for building the best possible context for your UI localization project.

You can read more about the new command.

More AI Providers in the Context Harvester CLI

The #1 feature request we received was to support more AI backends in the tool. Previously, Context Harvester could use either OpenAI or Crowdin as its LLM provider. Now, it's possible to use any of the most popular LLM providers, including Google Gemini, Microsoft Azure Open AI, Anthropic, and Mistral AI.

Improved LLM Integration in the Context Harvester CLI

Many modern LLM models can accept a lot of content in one request, e.g. the full source code of a typical mobile application, all in a single request. We improved the context harvester to make it the most efficient and use most of the modern context window size. The improvement resulted in better context extraction quality, especially on smaller codebases.

Real-time Multilingual Terminology Extraction with LLM

One of the complaints we've heard from linguists about post-editing is the recurring terminology errors made by the machine. MT or AI may simply 'prefer' some words over others, resulting in repetitive editing by the human.

This new feature would present each new, human-verified translation to LLM, asking it to extract terms for words that can be aligned between the source and translation of the segment.

The extracted terminology is immediately applied in the next translation request to the LLM (within the pre-translate prompt). All new terms are created as "drafts", allowing you to decide what to do with the extracted terminology. For example, review and approve it for human use or keep it in a separate glossary for AI use only.

For example:

Source String: Create a user account

AI Translation: Créer un compte utilisateur

Human Edit: Créer un compte

(A draft term created: account -> compte)

Next Source String: Delete the user account

AI Translation: Supprimer le compte

(AI Adjusted: AI now incorporates compte in future translations.)

This format demonstrates how the AI learns from the human edits to refine its terminology usage.

The new feature is only available to Crowdin Enterprise customers at Business plans. We hope to have it available on other plans and on crowdin.com soon.

To use real-time multilingual terminology extraction with an LLM, navigate to your Crowdin Enterprise organization and AI > Prompts. Create a new prompt by selecting Alignment Settings > AI Alignment and then choose your prompt. Ensure your pre-translation prompt allows the AI to consider glossary terms.

For the best results, we recommend using the o1-preview model by OpenAI.

Simple Term Extractor: New AI Extraction Strategy

Simple Term Extractor, a quite often used Crowdin add-on for terminology extraction, previously offered two approaches:

Statistical (traditional) method: Identifies term candidates based on the frequency of words and expressions.
Machine Learning method.

A new third strategy (AI Extract) has been added that uses Large Language Models (LLMs).

Users with Simple Term Extractor will find a new "Prompts" tab where they can customize the extraction prompt. When configured, a new extraction strategy becomes available on the extraction screen.

Unlike the real-time multilingual term extraction that keeps translations consistent across all languages, the Simple Term Extractor focuses on one language at a time. This let us go into more detail for each term. Managers use it to build termbases that define terminology for both human and AI translators. You can use it alongside the Multilingual Terminology Extractor (a native feature available to Crowdin Enterprise customers starting from the Business plans) -- first, let linguists build and describe your initial term list with the Simple Term Extractor app, then enable multilingual terminology extraction and let linguists add corresponding translations thus, automatically create terms.

Custom Workflow Steps API Module

Crowdin apps can now register as workflow steps in Crowdin Enterprise. This opens the door for many more apps to come in the coming months.

The first custom workflow step is a Delay app. The app implements a delay for strings in the workflow until they meet certain criteria, such as until the whole file is translated.

Task Management with Cross-Review Approvals

Crowdin now offers a Pending status for tasks, enabling a cross-review workflow before any work begins. This feature is ideal for companies requiring budget or management approval, as it allows one manager to create a task and another to review and approve it before a linguist can start working on it.

To enable the Pending status, go to Project Settings > Privacy & Collaboration > Tasks > Cross-review. This simplifies task oversight and ensures that only approved tasks move forward to the translation phase.

Crowdin Store

Continuous Fine-Tuning

Now thanks to this new app you can boost translation quality with ongoing machine translation training based on your own data. The Continuous Fine-Tuning app automatically fine-tunes your MT by leveraging up-to-date translations from your project, providing increased accuracy and customization to meet your specific needs.

Better Fallback

Crowdin's native fallback mechanic is pretty simple -- it defaults to the project's source language. While there are tools to handle translations into multiple dialects, there hasn't been a way to set up more complex fallbacks. For example, if you're translating English into five Spanish dialects, and only one dialect gets a translation, there's no way to apply that translation to all dialects on export.

Another challenge is when translating from German into English and French -- by default, you can't set English as a fallback instead of German, which is the source language.

The Better Fallback application addresses both of these issues. You can now configure your own default fallback language and set up a custom fallback chain. Fallbacks are particularly useful for UI localization projects.

Creatio Bulk Emails

Creatio is a no-code platform for building ERP, CRM, and various business tools. We're announcing a new integration with Creatio Bulk Emails, which will allow our mutual customers to translate their marketing campaigns with Crowdin.

If you're using a different marketing tool, feel free to explore our store for other connectors to make your marketing content multilingual.

OpenRouter

We are amazed at the speed at which the LLM ecosystem is growing. Crowdin tries to experiment with all the latest technologies and integrate them when we see the potential to improve our customers' experience. The new OpenRouter integration is a new AI provider in the Crowdin store that allows many of the most popular LLM to be consumed through OpenRouter with some benefits like better performance tracking, LLM error handling and more.

AI Debug

There's a lot of unpredictability when using LLMs for linguistic tasks. Unlike machine translation (MT), where results are consistently presented, LLMs can behave in ways that are hard to debug and explain.

The new AI Debug app is here to help you troubleshoot when things don't seem to work as expected. It acts as a proxy, capturing both the request Crowdin sends to the LLM provider and the response it gets back.

With this information in hand, you can often pinpoint where things went wrong.

For more details on how to use it, check out the app description in the Crowdin Store. Keep in mind, that the AI Debug app works best when debugging AI providers compatible with the OpenAI API and may not be as effective with other AI providers.

Sanity

Sanity is one of the most frequently requested integrations at Crowdin. Tinloof, a boutique development team, has created a powerful integration for one of our mutual clients. While this integration isn't easily reusable, Tinloof is happy to configure it for other interested clients.

Due to the flexible nature of the Sanity CMS, it's challenging to build an elegant, one-size-fits-all solution. In this case, a customized approach might be the best option for those needing tailored solutions.

Please contact Tinloof to find out more about the integration.

Add File Context in the Editor

We've introduced a handy mini-feature. It's now possible to add file context directly from the right-hand side of the Crowdin Editor (available to managers and developers).

Context can still be added from the Sources tab by selecting a file and going to Settings > Context, which is particularly useful for UI localization.

We recommend you try the AI-powered File Context Extractor, which works well for many content translation projects.

Visualizing Savings Through TM, MT, and AI

In your project, you can now access a new pie-chart showing how much you've saved by using technologies such as Translation Memory (TM), Machine Translation (MT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your translations.

New Actions for Selected Translation Text

We've added new features for managing selected translation text in our editor. By highlighting text, you can easily search for it in TM, terminology, or Wikipedia, change the case, and edit the font (bold, italic, underline).

Looking ahead, we plan to enable various Crowdin apps and tools, including AI, to register their own menu items for actions on both source and translation texts. For example, take action on selected text using ChatGPT, such as paraphrasing or searching for synonyms, and more.

New QA Check for Number Consistency in Translations

We've added a new QA check for numbers in translations. Now, the system automatically verifies that all numbers in the source and translation match, preventing errors like "400 EUR" instead of "40 EUR." This ensures higher accuracy in translations and helps avoid typos.

Role-Based Authentication Settings on Crowdin

To enhance security on Crowdin.com, we've refined our two-factor authentication (2FA) settings. Now, you can choose which roles---managers, developers, or all project members---are required to use 2FA for project access. Previously, if 2FA was enabled, it applied to everyone. Now, you have the flexibility to tailor this requirement to specific roles.

Xcstrings Editing, Xlsx Empty String Support, MDX Key Display, and More

Here's a quick summary of our latest updates on handling various file formats:

Editing source texts directly in Crowdin is a highly popular feature. In string-based projects, you can edit all texts, but in file-based projects, only certain file formats are editable. This month, we've expanded this functionality by adding the ability to edit texts from Apple's new .xcstrings file format.
It is now possible to import and export empty strings in .xlsx files.
Improved context information for every segment in .md and .mdx files: Front matter keys in .md and .mdx files are now displayed as keys or included in the context log. This also contributes to the expected quality of translation with AI.
Context editing is now disabled for .GETTEXT files.

API Updates

When listing project strings, it's now possible to filter them by taskId.
We had a nasty bug that prevented API users from editing labels for certain file formats. It's now fixed.
The getProject API endpoint now provides more details for vendor organizations, allowing them to find which client the project came from.
It's now possible to delete translations and approvals in bulk via the API.

Crowdin Apps SDK [private beta]

We're excited to announce the release of a private beta for our new SDK, designed to speed up Crowdin app development. If you're interested in accessing the tools for building apps quickly, reach out to us for early access.

Not a developer but have a feature or improvement in mind for the Crowdin platform? We'd love to hear your ideas! Our team is always on the lookout for innovative app concepts to bring to life.

Other Small, But Handy Updates

You can now specify the model name in the configuration prompt, even if the AI provider doesn't list it as supported. This resolves an issue with some providers where fine-tuned models weren't returned.
Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese are now supported as separate languages in the DeepL integration.
Storyblok integration now allows you to configure which Spaces you work with. Useful improvement for customers with many spaces, where some spaces are not intended for translation.
The Corrupted Characters Check is a new custom QA feature for Crowdin Enterprise, designed to ensure that invisible or corrupted characters don't make it into production.
We've introduced a Getting Started Wizard to make it easier to set up AI in Crowdin, guiding new users from the first click to seeing AI at work.

External Tools Updates in October

Figma Plugin Version 77: Adds option to remove approvals or translations when editing strings
.NET API Client 2.26.0
JS API Client 1.37.0, 1.37.1, 1.38.0
Java API Client 1.18.1
CLI 4.3.0: New commands and options added for project creation and bundle customization, including multilingual export and source language inclusion. Enhancements include screenshot upload improvements and more. See the release notes for a complete changelog.
VS Code plugin 2.2.3
Android Studio plugin 2.1.0

Guide on Design-Stage Localization

diana — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Design and development teams executing a product localization strategy face the challenge of localizing content for different markets while keeping the workflow smooth and efficient. Here's where a design translation plugin come into play. They empowers designers to work hand-in-hand with translators, smoothly integrating localization into the design and development process – no need to wait until a translator gets back to you. With the ability to send texts for translation directly from a design tool and review translations in context, Crowdin makes localized design faster, more accurate, and less prone to errors thanks to the ability to review translations directly in context.

What is Design-Stage Localization?

<Aside title="Definition"> Design-stage localization refers to the process of integrating translations during a product's design phase (early stage localization). It eliminates the traditional approach, where translations are often left until the development or post-development phase. Why is it a better option? </Aside>

Different languages often have vastly different structures and text lengths, which can significantly affect the design. For example, when translating from English to French or Spanish, the text will be around 15-30% longer. For German and Dutch, the number increases to 35% and more! Translations into Finnish or Hebrew, on the other hand, shrink up to 30%. Similarly, languages that use non-Latin scripts, such as Chinese or Arabic, present unique challenges, such as font rendering and spacing. Additionally, right-to-left languages, like Hebrew and Arabic, require entirely different layout adjustments compared to left-to-right languages like English or Spanish.

By localizing early in the design stage, companies ensure that all these factors are accounted for. Designers can see how text behaves across different languages and adjust their layouts accordingly. This proactive approach reduces the risk of issues cropping up later in the development workflow, ensuring that the final product is truly global-ready.

The Design-Stage Localization Process

Here is a look at the steps of design stage localization with the usage of a tool like Crowdin:

Content Creation: Designers or copywriters create the initial copy in the Figma (or another tool you are using) design files.

Sending Text for Translation: Designers select the text elements ready for localization and push them directly to the localization management platform like Crowdin, this is done by the desgin-stage localization plugin we are discussing.
Translating with Context: Translators check and translate the strings within the localization platform. They can see the text exactly as it appears on the design – its position, length barriers, nearby elements, and overall context.
Reviewing/Proofreading: Once translations are ready or partially complete, the localized text is pulled back into the design tool via the plugin. Designers and reviewers can then see how the translated text fits the layout, check for text expansion/contraction issues, and request changes if needed.
Changes Based on Visuals: Based on the review, designers can adjust layouts, font sizes, or element spacing as needed. Translators can also refine translations based on the visual fit.
Ready for Development: Once the localized designs are approved in the design tool, the development team can pull the final, localized strings from the localization platform, confident they fit the design.

Check out how in-context translation looks like with the Crowdin's plugin:

Benefits of Localizing Copy at the Design Stage?

Using a localization tool at the product design stage has several major benefits:

1. Fast development cycles

If you're working on a global product, there's a high chance that product updates happen constantly -- and design and development should be ready pretty much always for yesterday. Waiting for the final stages of development to localize can delay the launch. With Crowdin for Figma, you can work on content design and hand-in-hand with translators and send them the text as soon as you add it to the Figma file.

2. Real-time context for translators

One of the key advantages is that translators see not just the text but also the context within the design. This real-time, in-context view results in fewer mistakes and more accurate translations, as translators fully understand the purpose and placement of each string. Whether it's a button label, dialog title, or menu item, your support or SMM team will hear from the users laughing over an inept translation.

3. Bidirectional text management

Not only can designers send new strings for translation, but developers can also add strings directly. Designers and copywriters can still make adjustments if necessary, ensuring flexibility throughout the process. However, the shared access to a plugin for Figma localization eliminates the need for sending the strings back-and-forth.

4. Automated updates and synchronization

Synchronization between Crowdin and a design tool is automated, meaning that as translations are completed, they can be pushed back into the design tool for designers to review. This helps teams avoid manual imports and exports, streamlining the workflow even further, enabling continuous localization where designers can review updated translations rapidly within the Figma context. The mockup prototype localization you get contains separate frames with translations into target languages without overriding the files uploaded by a designer or developer. Therefore, you can get back to the info you need and delete the unnecessary copies if needed.

Use Cases for Crowdin and Design Tool Integration

Quickly generating multilingual creative assets with AI localization and translation tools. Whether it's a design of a website mockup, UI element, or marketing materials. Once you have the workflow set up, follow our best practices for UI localization to be sure every screen looks perfect.
Testing mockups and wireframes without relying on placeholder text. Forget about "lorem ipsum". Now you can see how your design will look in different languages and adjust accordingly on the go.
Ensuring accurate UI localization. With Crowdin plugins for design-stage localization, you upload the necessary screenshots to the tool and provide translators with the context needed to ensure accurate translations, reducing the chances of localization bugs during development.

Who Is It For?

Design-stage localization plugins are versatile tools that can benefit a wide range of companies and products.

Industries that prioritize global reach:

SaaS companies often target users across different regions and languages, requiring swift localization.
E-commerce businesses that serve global markets need their user interfaces, product descriptions, and marketing assets translated quickly to cater to various regions.
Mobile app development. Apps must be user-friendly in multiple languages from the start, making early localization critical for a smooth user experience.
Software development. Any software targeting international users needs early localization to avoid delays during the development and release phases.

Companies that value agile workflows:

Fast-growing startups and agile teams can't afford the delays caused by traditional localization methods. Design localization with Crowdin allows for rapid deployment.
Large enterprises operating across several markets can ensure all content is localized and synchronized, improving efficiency and reducing errors.

Products requiring frequent updates:

Continuous updates are common for web applications and mobile apps, thus localizing at the design stage ensures seamless international rollouts.
Games often need to be adapted for different regions and languages.
UI localization needs to happen early to maintain design consistency and avoid issues during development.

Marketing assets:

Brochures, banners, and social media visuals often need to be adapted for multiple markets, requiring precise localization to maintain consistency across languages. With Crowdin, creating these assets becomes easier. Each version is translated accurately and, what's also vital, aligns with the original design. The real-time localization preview allows to spot any potential layout or text issues before finalizing the design. This helps teams save time and avoid the hassle of post-production fixes, ensuring that campaigns are ready to go for every market simultaneously.

Key Metrics for Measuring Success

When implementing design-stage localization, it's important to track key metrics to ensure its effectiveness:

Time saved. By reducing the amount of back-and-forth between UX writers and copywriters, designers, developers, and translators, teams can measure the reduction in localization time compared to previous methods.
Translation accuracy. With better context provided to translators, you should see fewer translation errors and improved overall quality in localized content.
Faster time to market. Products localized at the design stage are ready for international markets much earlier, reducing delays in release dates.

With real-time translation capabilities, context-rich strings, and seamless integration between designers, developers, and translators, Crowdin empowers teams to localize faster and more effectively. For any company looking to streamline their localization process while maintaining high-quality designs for a global audience, Crowdin is an indispensable tool.

How Do I Get Started?

Sign up, start a localization project, or request management for the access to existing one, then go to your design tool and install Crowdin integration with your design tool such as for Figma. If you want to learn more about an example of the setup, check out this article. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our team.

Localization Guide for Developer: Advanced AI Workflows

diana — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Lightning fast, continuous localization. Decent quality. Super affordable. All automated with no humans in the loop.

This guide shows you how to build a multilingual product on autopilot using Crowdin. The workflow is tech stack agnostic and suitable for web, mobile and desktop applications, as well as their documentation and marketing materials.

Let AI to have all the information it needs to produce the best possible AI translations. You still are able to bring in human linguists to improve translations.

Prerequisites: You have an internationalized web or mobile application. This means that all translatable texts from the UI have been extracted into the resource files. The implementation time of this guide is 30 minutes.

Create Crowdin Account

Visit the Pricing page, find the Free plan option, and click Get Started to sign up for a free plan.

While Crowdin offers a generous free plan, you may need a paid plan for content-heavy projects.

Create Translation Project

The Crowdin project is just like a Git repo but for translation files. To create one, visit this page. Once you have completed this step, you should find a Crowdin project ID and save it.

Configure AI Provider and the Prompt

Please follow the quick start guide to configure AI in your Crowdin account. Once completed, you will be able to find a Prompt ID, which is needed for the next step in this guide.

Install CLI tools

On your computer, you would need the Crowdin CLI to create a crowdin.yml configuration file that describes where source and translated files live.

npm i -g @crowdin/cli

Context Harvester is another tool needed to read your code and find helpful contextual information for each text that needs to be translated.

npm i -g crowdin-context-harvester

Configure ENV Variables

Both CLI tools would require CROWDIN_PERSONAL_TOKEN and CROWDIN_PROJECT_ID variables to be set to authenticate and communicate with Crowdin. Visit the Settings -> API page to create a personal API token.

Crowdin CLI would need Projects scope. Context Harvester would require the Projects and AI scopes.

Store the personal Auth token in the ENV variables:

export CROWDIN_PERSONAL_TOKEN="xxxxx"
export CROWDIN_PROJECT_ID=xxxxxx

Configure Crowdin CLI

We recommend placing crowdin.yml at the root of your repo. It's needed during the initial setup and ongoing CI/CD localization.

Run the following command to initialize crowdin.yml:

crowdin init

The command will create crowdin.yml in your work directory. Here's what a simple config might look like:

preserve_hierarchy: true

files:
  - source: "/locales/**/*"
    translation: "/%two_letters_code%/%original_file_name%"

Edit the source and translation properties in the files section or add more objects if you have multiple sets of localization files. For more advanced configurations, please refer to the Crowdin CLI documentation.

Upload Source Files

Now it's time to do the first upload of your translation resources to check the connection and configuration.

Add the --dry-run option to preview what files will be uploaded to Crowdin:

crowdin upload sources

Extract Context from the Code

Context harvesting is only relevant for UI copy localization. You can proceed to the next step if you are translating .md or .html files.

Both AI and human linguists struggle to translate short UI labels when given only a resource file (e.g., key-value JSON). To improve the expected translation quality, it's recommended to use one or more of the context-providing tools that Crowdin offers. In this tutorial, we will show you how to use the Crowdin Context Harvester, which reads the code and tries to extract useful contextual information about each key that needs to be translated.

Configure Context Harvester

Context Harvester CLI does not require a config file. Run the following command in the project root directory to configure the actual extraction command:

crowdin-context-harvester configure

This command will guide you through setting up the necessary parameters for the harvest command. After answering the questionnaire, you will be presented with the command you can use to perform the context extraction.

Extracting Context

The output of the previous command might look like the following:

crowdin-context-harvester harvest\
  --token="<your-crowdin-token>"\
  --project=<project-id>\
  --ai="openai"\
  --openAiKey="<your-openai-token>"\
  --model="gpt-4o"\
  --crowdinFiles="*.json"\
  --output="csv"\
  --concurrency=10

Running the above command will create a crowdin.csv file. This file will contain all the extracted contextual information that a CLI was able to find. You can review the CSV or upload it to Crowdin with no review. If you run this command locally, it's a good idea to check the quality of the context extraction, see if there's a way to improve the prompt, or even edit the context manually if possible.

Upload Context to Crowdin

The crowdin.csv can be uploaded to Crowdin by running the following command:

crowdin-context-harvester upload -p <project-id> --csvFile=<csv-file-name>

See the Harvester repo to learn more about its configuration and advanced use.

Other ways of providing context for localization projects are Screenshots, context applications, and context request workflow.

Translate Content

Use the prompt ID created at the beginning of this guide and run the pre-translate command to have your content translated:

crowdin pre-translate --ai-prompt=xxx

Learn more about the command and the different options you can apply to improve the outcome. For larger projects, we recommend setting up a CI/CD localization workflow.

After the initial translation you might want to check your Crowdin project to verify translations are complete and see if you want to adjust Crowdin project settings, like automatic QA checks.

Download Translations

Run crowdin download to download translations.

crowdin download

Learn more about the download translations command.

Continuous Localization

To make Crowdin part of your product development cycle and translate new content as it's created, you'll need to repeat the last 4 steps in your CI/CD. Basically:

Upload the latest source files every time they are changed;
Extract context;
Translate;
Download translations;

Find out more about Crowdin Github Action and Crowdin CLI in CI/CD pipelines.

<Aside type="tip"> When running Context Harvester in the CI/CD, specify the --croql='not (context contains "✨ AI Context")' argument to extract context only for new keys you add or keys that didn't have context extracted in previous runs. </Aside>

Contact us if you need more information, or if your AI translations require human proofreading to improve their quality, please choose a vendor.

What's New at Crowdin: September 2024

diana — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In September 2024, we deployed 360 times and closed 265 tickets from our task manager, including bug fixes and improvements. Below is the selection of the new things we’re most excited about, like fine-tuning results visualization, the ability to fine-tune models based on TM data, the AI Automator app, updated Crowdin Docs website and developers portal, and more.

Fine-Tuning: UX and Fine-Tuning Based on TM

Fine-Tuning Results Visualization

One of the small additions is the new visualization on the fine-tuning page. Each fine-tuning job now presents a visually organized data set, making it easier to track performance and outcomes.

AI Models Fine-Tuning Based on TM Data

In addition to project-data fine-tuning, we've added the possibility of fine-tuning AI models using translation memories (TMs). This new feature allows you to increase the amount of data exposed to the new LLM model by sharing your TM data. This brings us to another one of the most exciting updates this month — Synthetic Data Generator.

Training Data Generator App

Fine-tuning is a powerful way to improve its performance on translation and linguistic tasks. However, collecting training data can be time-consuming.

We are conducting experiments to automate synthetic data generation in future releases. The potential is enormous. While we strive for reliability, even a less reliable solution will be better than no automation at all. Thus, we're thrilled to introduce this concept, marking a significant advancement in our industry. Here's something we started with.

The new Synthetic Data Generator app makes it easy for linguists to quickly create examples that help the AI understand the preferred way to translate.

Project managers can set it up by choosing a provider model and creating prompts for data generation.

After setup, a new section shows up in the editor. Here, linguists can describe any translation problems they see in suggested translation options. The app then creates examples based on their descriptions. Linguists can also edit the generated examples before saving them. This way, the training data is accurate and useful.

These examples can be added to the Translation Memory for future pieces of training.

AI Automator: Automate Routine Tasks [Experiment]

We're excited to introduce AI Automator, an experimental tool designed to handle repetitive tasks in your Crowdin projects. The app listens for the events you specify and executes the automation code accordingly. You can use this tool as an alternative workflow orchestrator. The experiment involves the AI writing the code; you simply describe your automation needs, and the AI will try to generate the appropriate code.

However, please remember that AI sometimes performs imperfectly so results can vary. If you cannot verify the code generated by the AI, please contact our support team for assistance.

This feature is available only for Enterprise users.

AI Automator operates with manager-level permissions. In Crowdin Enterprise, admins can monitor all automation across projects via the organization menu, while in Crowdin, owners can view their project automation in the profile section.

Setting up an AI Automator is simple. Once installed, it's available in the Tools section of your project. To create an automation, describe the task in plain language.

After providing the instructions, the AI generates the automation code for you to review and save. You can track the agent's actions through logs, which record all activities for the last 30 days.

To prevent overuse, the AI Automator limits the number of automation runs per project daily.

Draft Status for Glossary Terms

We've introduced an update for managing glossary terms, allowing translators to suggest new terms directly from the editor. These terms can be created in a "draft" status. If your company has a designated glossary/resources manager, they can moderate these suggestions before the terms are added to the official glossary for production use.

To enable this feature, navigate to your project settings, go to Privacy and Collaboration, then Glossary Access Settings, and select "Manage Drafts."

Existing File Translations Are Now Presented to the AI When Requesting Translations

AI in the editor can now access existing translations in the file you're working on. This feature was initially implemented to help the AI produce more consistent translations, but it also presents exciting new possibilities. For instance, as a manager, you can now translate back into the source language to verify the conveyed message. Here's how it works:

Use AI to translate into the target language.
Translate the result back into a language you can read.
Evaluate the quality of the translations and decide whether to approve them.

If you plan to validate translations with back-translation often, you can create a shortcut for back translation in the editor. Apart from improved consistency, there are likely other scenarios where AI will be helpful when it has access to everything in the editor.

New AI Match Category in Reports

Although we aimed to implement this sooner, our focus on integrating AI into our product has taken us some time to get here. We added an AI Match category to estimate and cost reports, separating it from the MT category. AI matches now have their section in the UI and generated reports.

Updated Settings and New Providers

We've made a handy update: you can now choose separate prompts for the AI assistant suggestions and the AI Assistant in the editor.

Also, two new AI providers have been added to the platform: Groq and Cohere.

Crowdin Docs and Developer Portal: Modern Tech Stack Upgrade

We're excited to announce an upgrade to our support and developer portal, transitioning from an older tech stack to a more modern and efficient one. What does this mean to you?

Quality Documentation: We are updating our internal processes to turn frequent customer support questions into useful Help Centre articles.
Updated Content: We tried to update all available articles so you can easily find everything you need.
Faster Load Times: Faster access to information, with pages loading in just 0.4 seconds.
Improved Navigation: A new navigation system and search functionality enhance the experience because you can now search simultaneously on both Crowdin products (Crowdin, Crowdin Enterprise, plus developer portal).
Dark Theme: Simply a new dark theme option for comfortable reading.
Public Repository: Our documentation is now a public GitHub repository. If one day you find a bug or want to request an update to an article, you can now do so via GitHub; developers in particular may find this useful.

Be sure to explore the improved support portal.

Track Expenses via Crowdin Managed Services

We've added a new section under the Billing tab (available on account or organization settings): Crowdin Managed Services. You can now track your spending on different Managed Services on specific days.

This helps you make informed budgeting decisions rather than relying on data from the last 30 days. We hope this makes it easier for you to manage your resources effectively while using Crowdin.

Update Existing Screenshots via In-Context

We know your application changes frequently, and keeping screenshots up-to-date can be challenging. That's why we've added and integrated a new API into the in-context interface to help you automate screenshot updating.

For example, if your QA team runs automated tests across all screens, the in-context feature can participate in those tests and automatically update the screenshots in Crowdin. This ensures that your visual context stays up to date as your product evolves.

Look for this screenshot-updating feature in the iOS and Android SDKs, which will soon be available.

Pre-Translate Queues (TM / MT / AI)

Previously, when pre-translation was initiated, users had to wait for its completion before proceeding. Now, it has changed.

A new Pre-translation queue section has been introduced, where settings from various tabs Translation Memory (TM), Machine Translation (MT), and AI-driven translation have been consolidated.

For Crowdin Enterprise users, we've introduced a dedicated dashboard for pre-translations. Here, you can track recent and ongoing pre-translate tasks, ensuring that you're always aware of the status of your translations.

Additionally, we've added a new Pending status for pre-translation tasks, indicating when a task is queued and waiting for others to complete. In this section, you can cancel tasks that are no longer needed and review completed translations directly from the dashboard.

Crowdin Store

Xcloc: Context Importer

Apple's .xcloc file format has been around for a while. Crowdin did not rush to add its native support, as it did not seem intended to be used in a continuous localization workflow like Crowdin clients prefer. One super important thing in this file format we really wanted was a lot of context that the XCode helps produce, especially screenshots.

The new Xcloc Context Importer application allows you to use the screenshots you have created with XCode in your Crowdin project. One drawback: XCode would help create a screenshot for each key, which is not precisely what Crowdin expects for the screen translation feature, whereas Crowdin prefers to have a screen and multiple associated keys. If you are not using screen translation, screenshots from the .xcloc could greatly help linguists and boost the expected translation quality.

Emailify HTML Email Builder

You may be familiar with Emailify HTML Email Builder. This tool allows you to create production-ready emails in Figma. Good news: Now, you can easily translate them with Crowdin. Localize your email design, ensuring your messages are beautiful and engaging for global audiences. For more details, visit the plugin page at Figma.

CleverTap

The Crowdin Store welcomes the CleverTap integration, which allows users to translate marketing content and, more specifically, email templates. Key features, as always, include manual content synchronization/automatic updates and WYSIWYG file previews for translators. To set up, you need to install the app and connect to the CleverTap account.

Character Picker

The Character Picker is an app designed for translators using the Crowdin Editor. It helps translators easily find and insert special characters unavailable on standard keyboards. Users can also save favorite characters and create custom symbols, making it an excellent add-on for anyone needing quick access to unique characters while translating.

Implementation App for Crowdin Enterprise

The Implementation app is designed for new users and organizations at Crowdin Enterprise. It helps with onboarding by providing a shared task list that the Crowdin team and the organization can use. It's recommended that Crowdin representatives create and manage tasks, ensuring expert guidance.

Crowdin Vulnerability Reporting Policy: HackerOne

Crowdin's bug bounty program is now managed through HackerOne and is currently in private mode. To join, email support@crowdin.com with your HackerOne handle. Detailed information about the types of vulnerabilities sought, exclusions, and program conditions can be found on HackerOne.

Enhancements to Your Editor Experience

The default editor panels now display context alongside translations, providing more space and keeping the source text close for easier viewing.
The approval button is now disabled when there are unsaved translations, with a hover text to clarify this for proofreaders.

More Updates from Crowdin

UI Cost Estimate Report Improvement: The cost estimate report now features a summary followed by detailed information in a single table for easier reading. It includes a percentage ratio at the end and displays values for all unit types (words, lines, characters with/without spaces), with percentages based on the selected size. Additionally, this table will be included in the exported version of the report.
Crowdin Language Services (CLS): Users can now pay using their balance, simplifying language service transactions.
Language Requests for Open Projects: Volunteers in open projects can now request project managers to add a new language.
Bulk Uploads for Translations: When you upload multiple files with existing translations, you can simply drag and drop an entire directory of translation files.
Undo Feature for String-Based Projects: The activity tab now offers an undo capability that allows users to quickly reverse branch and string deletions.
Better Global Search at Crowdin Enterprise

External Tools

In September 2024, we released new versions of:

Figma plugin (Pseudo-localization is now available in Strings mode. Ensure your Crowdin strings are linked to your Figma design for this feature to work, allowing for length variations. Additionally, you can now use element_text in custom key naming pattern options.)
GitHub Action v2.1.3
OTA JS Client 2.0.0 (Our new OTA client version now requires Node.js 18+. It also removes unnecessary dependencies for enhanced security and fewer vulnerabilities. The bundle size has been minimized, ensuring your website stays lightweight. This update also makes the library completely zero-dependency.)
CLI 4.2.0 (New branch edit Command: You can now update branch names, titles, and priorities for file- and string-based projects. Enhanced pre-translate Command: The pre-translate command no longer requires specifying files or directories. Simply run it to pre-translate the entire project or focus on a specific branch without additional input.)
GitHub Action v2.1.2, v2.2.0
.NET API Client 2.25.0
Android SDK 1.10.1
JS API Client 1.36.0

What's New at Crowdin: August 2024

diana — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In August 2024, we deployed 170 times and closed 340 tickets from our task manager, including bug fixes and improvements. Below is the selection of the new things we’re most excited about like our first AI Agent for Proofreading, AI QA checks, and more.

AI Proofreading Agent [beta]

You may be wondering why you need AI proofreading at all? If the same AI is doing the translation, why ask it to proofread again? What we have found is that AI is trained to always produce output. This is why LLMs halucinate. In our lab experiments, LLM tried to translate the tree-year-old's made-up words when they were among other texts that could be translated.

However, if you ask the same machine to check whether the previous translations are relevant, the machine is apparently good at correcting itself!

The new AI Proofreading agent has taken us more time to implement than we expected. It's still not perfect, and it's still in beta, but we see a lot of potential in it.

Agents are a new type of application that can behave and do most of the things that humans can do in the Crowdin project. This particular agent can help you proofread translations.

We know from our customers that there are numerous types of projects where AI proofreading would be sufficient. Many content-heavy e-commerce websites, often a documentation website, or it can be used as a pre-human proofreading step, for example, to control vandalism in public translation projects or to check translations against a large style guide.

It works like this:

After installing the app from the Crowdin store, you can find it in the left menu of your Crowdin.com or Crowdin Enterprise account;
When installing, a new prompt will be created automatically. You can use this prompt as a template when creating your own proofreading prompt;
AI Agent can work in two modes: proofreading the content you've assigned to it by creating a task. Or it can listen to every new translation you receive in your project;
During proofreading, AI Proofreading Agent can perform a variety of actions: approve translations if they are OK, create an issue if they are not OK, suggest a translation it finds more suitable, and more;

As always with AI, speed is of the essence. Context is super important. As it's a new technology, we encourage you to experiment with it before using it in production, any feedback would be super appreciated so we can improve it.

Below is a demo of the AI proofreading agent.

AI QA Check: Censor Guard [beta]

There are many ways to automatically control quality in Crowdin. We have lots of native QA checks, the first generation of Custom QA checks in Crowdin Enterprise, and the new generation of External QA checks announced last month. All the technologies we had would allow a user to configure the QA check with the simple UI or write a piece of JavaScript (or our support engineers would typically do this) to validate all sorts of things, from markup syntax to terminology usage.

However, with existing technologies, it would be difficult to validate things like:

Formal or informal tone of translations.
Gender issues, e.g. if you expect gender-neutral translations.
If the translation follows your style guide at the moment the translation is created.

AI is apparently quite good at these kinds of checks. The new AI Censor Guard QA Check is a new addition to the Crowdin Store that allows you to create your own QA prompt and have it run for every new translation added to your project.

<Aside type="caution"> Available for Crowdin Enterprise only. The QA check uses quite a lot of AI tokens, so use it with caution in content-heavy projects. </Aside>

AI: Automated Retry for Invalid Translations

Crowdin performs QA checks on every translation produced by the AI. If the translation would not pass the QA (including the new AI QA check), Crowdin would now send the translation back to the AI to correct itself. This way you can expect the AI to break fewer tags, placeholders or other errors that can be automatically detected by the automatic QA. AI retries mean less work for humans editing translations.

New AI Fine-tuning [beta]

We're very excited to announce the second generation of fine-tuning in Crowdin. This time as a native feature.

To make a long story short, general-purpose AI models are not meant to be used as translators. Stock AI models are trained for conversation. If Crowdin were to ask them to translate content within a structured data object, we would often run the risk that the AI would return the wrong data structure (at least some models would do that often).

Fine-tuning is a good way to address this issue.

Another issue is the context of your organization. If you already have translations in Crowdin or TM created somewhere else, this metadata is very valuable for your future translations. When fine-tuning, you are basically telling the machine, "this is 10 gigabytes of previous translations done in our company," and "this is a helpdesk article I want you to translate now." This larger context can't be provided within the prompt of the one request to the AI, but big data for fine-tuning is not a problem.

How we expect this to work in the long run:

AI providers will improve their models and create new ones;
Crowdin will collect more training data for you every time linguists in your organization submit translations;
Your company's AI translator will get better and better;

We expect this feature to go through several iterations over the next few months. Firstly, we will introduce more metrics for you to monitor the efficiency of fine-tuning, i.e., how much better it gets with each fine-tuning.

As for now, you can train OpenAI models from Crowdin or export the training data if you are using AI from providers like Microsoft Azure.

<Aside type="caution"> Not all models support fine-tuning, and this feature is only available for pre-translate prompts and providers with your own API key. If you're using a model managed by Crowdin, fine-tuning will not be available. Additionally, only users with a Business plan subscription can download the dataset for external fine-tuning. </Aside>

Crowdin Store

Label Manager

Tiny Label Manager app adds several new features to work with labels in your project. Find & replace for labels. Mass delete labels (for example, if you've uploaded a file that generated too many of them), mass add features (if you maintain the same set of labels across multiple projects). Deleting and adding can be done by simply providing a text list of labels, so you just copy & paste the list to add/delete/replace labels.

Azure Transliterate

Transliteration is useful if you are developing multi-user products and need to present user names for different cultures. Or city names. The Azure Transliteration app allows you to use the Azure Transliteration API directly in Crowdin.

Custom File Format

Our custom pre- and post-processing applications were very popular. But what pre- and post-processors can't do is preserve the source file after you've modified it on import, so that you can export it with the data you need. The custom file format is the way to address this problem. The app would allow you to provide two JavaScript codes, one to convert the source file into the format Crowdin understands, and another to convert it back with the translated content. This app comes with the GPT (Custom File Format for Crowdin: Code writer) to make script development easy, Crowdin support engineers can also assist you.

By the way, this app has another variation if you work with multilingual files. For example, multilingual JSON files that don't follow any known Crowdin data structure can be easily imported using a custom format for multilingual files. For this, use Custom Multilingual File Format app.

Batch Task Builder

This is useful if you have hundreds of files in your Crowdin projects and want to create a task for selected files and selected languages. The Batch Task Builder app would allow you to provide the list of files as a list in text. The app can save a lot of mouse clicking time.

DeepL Glossary Sync

Crowdin DeepL integration allows you to use glossaries when requesting translations. There was an inconvenience as DeepL does not have a user interface to create and manage glossaries. So users wishing to use this would have to use the API to create and maintain glossaries. So, we got a solution, the DeepL Glossary Sync app allows you to sync Crowdin glossaries to the DeepL with a nice, simple UI.

File Context Embed Application Improved

You may have noticed how much we love adding customization features to Crowdin. A new "Custom Code" feature has been added to the File Context Embed application.

Previously, the File Context Embed app allowed you to embed an additional context for each file that's being translated. This could be a web page with content that's being translated. Or a style guide if you have published it.

With this enhancement, you can have custom code that dynamically finds a context for a file that's being translated. For example, when translating content from the headless CMS, the custom code can check a file name, then find out the public URL of that content and proxy it to render directly in the translation editor to give the linguist a better context. This feature is for very advanced setups. We would be happy to help you develop custom code if you decide to take advantage of this new feature.

Improved Sync Time in Integrations

A nice improvement to the integration applications. Most connectors will get this feature over the next few months. With this improvement, Crowdin integrations won't sync unmodified content, meaning that the whole integration will now be a lot faster.

JS Proxy Now Creates One File per Page Imported

Previously, Crowdin JS Proxy would create one large file in your project with all the text found on the website it's translating. This was obviously inconvenient for large websites. There's a new checkbox that makes this application create one file for one page of the website.

Other Crowdin Store Updates

We've updated our integrations: Bing Spell Check and Sapling Spell Check. All languages supported by these services are now available in Crowdin.
You can create tasks for untranslated texts for the projects and languages you have selected with the help of the new app -- Untranslated Strings To Tasks (available for Crowdin Enterprise only).
Salesforce Knowledge app now allows you to import draft articles.
Option to automatically sync new content from HubSpot CMS app.

More Integrations Can Now Import Existing Translations to Crowdin

Previously, few integrations were able to import existing translations from the external systems they were integrated with. With this update, Сommercetools, Сontentful, Intercom, Storyblok, Strapi, and Zendesk Guide apps got the "Import translations" feature and more integrations will get this feature soon. This is a great help for customers migrating from other connectors or who have existing translations in their content repositories.

Pinned Integrations and Tools in Projects

You can now pin integrations and tools to your projects for quick access.

Default Editor Layout Can Now Be Configured

This was a very popular request. Linguists can now configure their preferred editor layout. While in Crowdin Enterprise, admins can set the default layout for the whole organization.

Login to crowdin.com with a Crowdin Enterprise Account

It's now possible to log in to crowdin.com with a Crowdin Enterprise account. This is a big deal if you are involved in multiple translation projects across different organizations.

Daily Usage Statistics for OTA

We've introduced Daily Usage Statistics for OTA, now available in the Billing section of the account. Here, you can monitor your daily usage and set a limit to control spending. If you exceed the limit, you'll receive a notification, helping you stay on top of your usage and budget.

Reduce AI Token Consumption: Disable Suggestions in the Editor

There are many ways to use AI for translation in Crowdin. Pre-translate manually or automatically at the workflow step. AI can assist translators in the editor, suggesting translations for each segment, or allowing translation of multiple segments or the entire file.

What our customers have found is that suggestions in the editor tend to consume a lot of AI tokens. We've added an option to disable this one, but keep the others.

As the price of AI tokens is dropping very quickly, some AI providers have started offering caching techniques that can reduce the price of AI usage for such cases by up to 90%. Thus, we plan to implement that new API soon. We hope that AI will suggest translations for as many linguists as possible in the near future. For now, the price of AI tokens can be a concern.

Better Experience When Installing Applications

As Crowdin evolves as a platform, the app installation dialogue will become larger. We've given it a facelift and made it look nicer. Crowdin admins and project managers would have a better experience and overview of permissions when installing apps.

QA in Progress Indicator

Crowdin sometimes has to do QA in the background. For example, when you pre-translate a large chunk of text, you can now see if QA is running (meaning your translations are not yet validated).

Crowdin In-Context UI Improvement

We've made some improvements to the Crowdin In-Context UI. While there haven't been any new features recently, the interface now looks a bit cleaner and more polished. It's a subtle but meaningful enhancement that we hope will make your experience even better.

Invitation Links Now Have a Mandatory Expiry Date

To improve the security posture of your Crowdin projects, invitation links should now have a mandatory expiration date.

<Aside> All previously created invitation links will be given a one-year expiration date. So, if you have links that you regularly use to invite linguists, please note that they will expire one year from now. </Aside>

Misc Improvements

Crowdin Editor tooltips now show the hotkey you can use to activate the same action.
It's now possible to open the editor directly from the integration screen. For this, just choose a language you'd like to work on. For now, this option is available for a few apps only (CaptionHub and Directus), but this will change soon.
Native AI providers now accept a new configuration, the Server URL. This is particularly useful for organizations that consume their AI via proxies or host AI models on their own infrastructure.
When importing .xcstrings files, existing translations would no longer be imported. You would have to import them as a next step if you needed to. This is done for consistency with other multilingual file formats in Crowdin.
The user interface for creating tasks in crowdin.com and Crowdin Enterprise has been slightly redesigned. We think the new UI is less cluttered, and we would love to hear your thoughts.
The All Tasks page will now save the state between visits. We've found that users often have preferred filters for managing tasks. Crowdin will now remember your last used filters each time you view tasks.
New great integration built by Optimove.
New column titled "No Match" in the Cost-Estimation Report. This column shows content that will be charged at the full rate, as it has no matching translations in the system.
Support of Chinese Traditional (zh-hant) in DeepL MT.
Added new models support: gpt-4o-2024-08-06, chatgpt-4o-latest, open-mistral-nemo, codestral-latest

External Tools

In August, we released new versions of:

Figma Plugin Version 73: You can now configure the automatic key naming convention style: camelCase or snake_case. This style is applied to each part of the key naming pattern (page, frame, group, component, element, etc.).
CLI: The crowdin pre-translate command now has a new --directory parameter which allows you to pre-translate an entire directory in Crowdin at once using TM, M, or AI translations.
OTA JS Client 1.1.3
.NET API Client 2.25.0
Android SDK 1.10.1

API

getProject API method in Crowdin Enterprise now includes a public project URL if a project is public (has crowdsourcing workflow step).
Added API AI prompt completion.
GET and PATCH methods of project objects now allow AI-related settings to be set.
It is now possible to add empty translations via the API.
Crowdin as a platform now supports custom prompt types. You won't be able to make much use of this feature, but it would enable many future AI apps to be built for Crowdin.
New API methods to work with AI prompts. API to populate your prompts with data from your Crowdin account to speed up AI app development.

What's New at Crowdin: July 2024

diana — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the July 2024 Crowdin update. This month, we've added the Pre-Translation Efficiency Report, improved Amazon and DeepL MT integrations, and introduced the AI Token Usage Report. You'll also find support for new AI models, new QA checks for subtitles, and the ability to set default TM and glossaries for projects. Plus, explore new apps in the Crowdin Store. Read on for the details.

Pre-Translation Efficiency Report

The Pre-Translate Efficiency Report helps localization managers understand how much pre-translated content (from AI, TM, or MT) is approved with or without further edits. This report is particularly useful for projects with large volumes of content, as it helps identify the best pre-translation method (AI or MT provider) by showing which option performs better.

Crowdin allows you to filter report data by specific tasks, time periods, or languages and generate a report for all translations within your project. This flexibility enables you to experiment with AI by translating small volumes using various prompts, which helps you choose the best prompt for the entire project, saving costs and improving efficiency.

Amazon MT and DeepL MT Engines Improve

You can now select multiple glossaries for Amazon MT. To ensure more precise and consistent translations, you can choose glossaries for individual languages or multiple languages at once.

An even more important update is made to DeepL MT integration. It's about using file context and sending it to MT during pre-translation. More context, better translation results.

To help managers provide this context, we recommend using the new File Context Generator app, which leverages AI to generate context for your files.

AI Token Usage Report

Using AI is fantastic for enhancing productivity, but as its involvement in work tasks increases, it's crucial to monitor and manage AI-related expenses. So, we're excited to announce the new AI Token Usage Report, now available through our API (Generate AI Report) and AI Token Usage app.

This report provides detailed insights into your AI token consumption, helping you monitor usage and optimize costs.

AI Agents Management

As promised in a previous blog post, we have been working on the new AI agents functionality. Just a quick reminder: an agent is a Crowdin app that functions as an extra user but is fully automated, whether through traditional software or AI. Agents can perform various tasks by monitoring events in Crowdin and acting according to their configuration.

While we didn't manage to complete the development of the first agents this month, we're excited to share that the first AI Translation and Proofreading Agents will be available in the coming weeks.

Additionally, we've enhanced the platform to support the development of custom agents for any use case.

You can explore the agent module documentation for more details and start developing your own agents. Feel free to let us know what other use cases you'd like these assistants to cover!

New AI Models: GPT-4o Mini, Llama 3.1, Fireworks AI

As AI abilities grow and new models and providers are created, our team is trying to add them all to Crowdin immediately, so you'll have the ability to be the first to play with them and test new features on your localization projects.

This month we added support for GPT-4o Mini, Llama 3.1, Fireworks AI, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Gemini Flash.

AI: Work with Multiple Selected Strings in a Side-by-Side View

Translators can now work with multiple selected strings simultaneously while chatting with AI in the editor's side-by-side mode. This feature allows you to provide context by passing several selected strings to AI at once, making the translation process more flexible and convenient.

Default TM and Glossaries for Projects

A new feature that allows you to set default Translation Memory (TM) and glossaries for projects upon creation. Keep in mind that these resources must match the project's source language and will be saved for all your future projects.

Crowdin Store

PII Detector

This small yet powerful tool enhances data loss prevention and compliance. The new PII Detector app uses AWS Comprehend to scan imported files for personally identifiable information. Configured through Project Settings > File processors, it lets managers set actions when PII is detected, like notifying, stopping the import, or allowing it.

For now, it works with Crowdin Enterprise and supports PII detection in English and Spanish only.

File Context Extractor

File Context Extractor helps localization managers by automatically generating context information for Crowdin source files. Then, MT providers like DeepL can use this context to improve translation accuracy. The app requires an OpenAI AI provider configured in your Crowdin account.

Twilio Messaging

Sending SMS and WhatsApp messages using Twilio? We have news for you --- the Twilio Messaging app is now available in the Crowdin Store. With its help, you can easily sync and translate your Twilio Messaging content for a global audience.

Directus

Directus app is now available on the Crowdin Store! This integration allows you to seamlessly pull content from Directus, translate it in Crowdin, and push it back effortlessly. To translate Directus Translation Strings, please use separate app.

ABBYY Cloud OCR

Need help converting images and PDFs into editable and translatable text within Crowdin? Install our new ABBYY Cloud OCR app. More information about app settings and configuration is available on app's store page.

CaptionHub

Translating subtitles into several languages is a great way to reach even more people with your video, webinar, or podcast. And if you're using CaptionHub, you can do it in a few clicks with new Crowdin CaptionHub app.

New QA Checks

We are excited to introduce 4 new Crowdin apps designed specifically for subtitle translation:

These apps ensure that subtitles are not overloaded with text, maintain an appropriate number of lines on screen, and control the overall length of subtitles. Unlike native max length settings, these checks can be applied project-wide, providing consistent quality across all your subtitle translations.

Additionally, we have Markdown Hyperlink Spacing check to ensure proper formatting and the integrity of Markdown links in your translations by detecting and correcting spacing mistakes.

Other Updates

Shortcuts for AI: Managers can now create shortcuts for AI, streamlining configuration. For this, go to AI > Settings.
Enterprise Workflow Notifications: Improved indicators now notify you when tasks occur within workflows, keeping you informed of all activities.
Custom Spellchecks: Custom spellchecks no longer need to be automatic, allowing for more efficient use of third-party APIs and potentially reducing costs.
Daily CDN: You can now set a daily balance warning threshold in dollars. When your daily balance reaches this amount, you'll receive a notification. This setting can be configured on your profile > billing page.
Android/Strings Export: New option to convert line breaks to the target file format.
Yaml: Support for strings starting with tabs and similar formatting.
JS Files: Support for the spread operator during import.

External Tools

In July, we released new versions of:

Figma Plugin Version 72 (Includes new configuration of a key naming pattern. Available: snake_case, camelCase)
CLI 4.1.0, 4.1.1 (Includes directory parameter for pre-translate command, language code validation, and more)
JS API Client 1.33.3, 1.34.0, 1.35.0
GitHub Action v2.1.0
.NET API Client 2.24.0
Python API Client 1.17.0
Go API Client v0.6.1
PHP API Client 1.13.1
VS Code plugin 2.2.2
Crowdin Apps functions 0.8.0, 0.8.1

What's New at Crowdin: June 2024

diana — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In June, we introduced screenshot-enhanced translation using multimodal AI models such as GPT-4, potentially improving translation quality for UI projects. We also introduced automatic AI pre-translation and revamped AI management features, including sample prompts and a simplified UI. Improved user management in Crowdin Enterprise now supports bulk operations and detailed role tracking. New APIs and EU data residency capabilities increase flexibility and compliance.

AI Now Sees Screenshots When Translating

Crowdin will now send screenshots as a reference when requesting translations when using multimodal AI models such as GPT-4o.

Apparently, this has a significant impact on the quality of the translation! We recommend enabling this new option for all UI localization projects.

Automatic AI Pre-translate

In addition to the new Pre-translate tab in the project settings, where you can now manage and configure pre-translate via MT and TM, we've also added automatic AI pre-translate capabilities. It's worth noting that this feature is already available in Crowdin Enterprise through workflows.

Revamped AI Management

Over the last month, we've reinvented how AI is set up and managed.

Simpler UI: All the prompts you create are now displayed in one tab rather than in different tabs for each AI action. This allows you to see which Actions are configured and enabled and which ones need your attention.
Sample Prompts: To get you started quickly, Crowdin now allows you to create sample prompts. The prompts are pre-configured to do a good job as soon as they are created. Of course, your input will have a huge impact on how the prompts perform.
Search and Filters:
Global settings: Select a prompt for the editor that applies to the entire organization. And create editor shortcuts at the organization/project owner level.
Clone and Modify Prompts: You can now clone an existing prompt to make changes and test an improved version without overwriting the original. This allows for experimentation and refinement while preserving the initial prompt. For this, go to AI > Prompts > Pre-translate > Three dots > Clone.
AI Prompt Application: Prompts can now be provided by Crowdin apps! We are really excited about this feature. New prompt provider apps have started to appear in the Crowdin Store (Prompt Templating) and we hope to have more to come. The idea of this feature is that advanced users would be able to do RAG of any complexity by implementing Crowdin apps that extract data from the third party to populate the prompt.

Enhanced User Management in Crowdin Enterprise

We have enhanced user management in Crowdin Enterprise, introducing bulk operations for inviting users to projects, removing them, and assigning project permissions. Each user now displays their participation in the team and roles.

We've revamped the user profile interface at the organization level. Now, it displays a list of all projects the user is involved in, along with their roles and language access permissions. From this page, you can modify roles and permissions for individual users. Additionally, there's a Contributions section where you can track all user contributions.

Coming Soon: AI Agents in Crowdin

Agents in Crowdin is a new concept that we hope to launch next month. This is a new type of Crowdin application that appears to you as a normal user but is actually run entirely by software. Either traditional software or AI. Agents will listen for events in Crowdin and do what they are configured to do.

For example, you can assign tasks to AI agents or ask them to do different types of tasks, such as "monitor your content to see if it's ready for translation before actually translating it".

Here are some ideas for agents that we will be testing when the platform is ready:

Using AI to handle translation and proofreading tasks (and being authors of translations and reviews);
Checking that the content in Crowdin has enough context to get high-quality translation (either by humans or AI);
Handling scenarios (or workflows) for you. Run reports on new or completed tasks, communicate with third-party systems when an event occurs in Crowdin;
and more;

We would love to hear from you about what tasks you would like agents to do for you. Please feel free to contact our support team to share your ideas. We will carefully consider all requests to make sure we build as much functionality into the new feature as possible.

EU Data Residency at Crowdin

We are pleased to announce the new EU Data Residency feature, which allows data storage within the European Union. Utilizing AWS data centers in Ireland, this feature enhances security and compliance by keeping data within the EU jurisdiction. This ensures better data protection and adherence to EU regulations.

Currently in beta, this feature is available upon request by contacting our support team. After the beta phase, Crowdin Enterprise users will be able to select the data center location when creating their organization.

If you’re interested or have any questions, please contact our team.

New APIs

Crowdin has introduced two new API sets to enable this:

External Prompts API: Previously, the only prompt Crowdin offered was a text prompt. With external prompt providers, clients or Crowdin apps can inject the necessary data for specific project needs.
AI Tools API: This set of APIs enhances AI functionality in Crowdin, enabling tools like terminology extraction and reverse translation.

External Prompts API

Previously, the only prompt Crowdin offered was a text prompt. A user would either use a wizard or a text editor to create a command for the machine. Crowdin offered RAG, but the set of data that could be injected into the prompt was limited by what was pre-defined by the Crowdin product team (the prompt could include information such as TM records, glossaries, translation into other languages, etc).

With the External Prompts API, our clients or future Crowdin apps would be able to do the following for specific projects:

Allow the use of a templating language when creating text prompts. This would enable the creation of language-specific prompts.
Use third-party TM/glossaries.

Some futuristic ideas include:

Allowing a prompt provider to review the text to be translated to ensure it has the correct context. If not, they can collaborate with the AI agent to gather the necessary context.

AI Tools API

Just like humans, AI is more productive with tools. This set of APIs would allow AI to execute the necessary tasks efficiently. Some of the ideas we'll be experimenting with include:

Terminology Extraction: During translation, enabling linguists to identify and create candidate terms.
Reverse Translation: Allows managers to translate content back into a readable language to verify message accuracy.
Helper Tools: Such as "define" and "explain" for linguists to utilize during translation sessions.

AI and Machine Translation Pre-translate for Previously Translated Texts

Introducing the ability to apply machine translation (MT) pre-translate to already translated strings. It can be really helpful if you’re doing quality evaluations of different MTs and want to test them on your content.

Report Generation from Tasks

Now, from a task, you can generate a cost estimate or translation cost report in a few clicks. Simply select the task, click on the three dots, choose the desired report, and then click "Generate Report" to complete the process.

Redefining Project Resource Management

This feature allows users to leave the management of resources, like TM and glossaries, in the projects for which they have such permissions.

For example, if someone assigns you as a resource manager in Crowdin, but you don't want to manage it, choose TM/Glossary > three dots > Leave.

Crowdin Store

Prompt Templating

The Prompt Templating app allows you to create flexible and customizable prompts for AI translations using Liquid templates. This enables you to use conditional logic and specific instructions based on language, project files, or text groups. The app page includes a default template for quick setup and reference.

Force Reimport App

The Force Reimport app in Crowdin allows you to re-import files without changing their content, which is useful for updating settings like SRX segmentation rules and file format parsers.

How it Works?

Choose Files: Select files in the Tools section or from the context menu in the Files section.
Initiate Reimport: Click the Force Re-import button.
Track Progress: Monitor the progress bar and status updates.
Check Results: Review the results and error messages.

<Aside> The app adds a line to force re-import, then re-uploads the original file, possibly creating two revisions. </Aside>

AWS Bedrock

Crowdin now supports AWS Bedrock, enhancing your security and compliance. Many businesses already use AWS, reducing security risks with its general terms of service. The addition of Anthropic's Claude 3.5 model makes AWS Bedrock a valuable tool for translations.

WOVN.games

WOVN.games app enhances game localization by enabling real-time editing of game text on the Crowdin grid, streamlining translation to LQA processes to boost quality and reduce costs on translation.

External Tools

In June, we released new versions of:

Meeds: Streamlining Translation Management and Community Engagement

diana — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Meeds is a decentralized platform that uses blockchain technology to manage communities and incentivize engagement. The platform’s mission is to reward community contributions fairly and transparently, enhancing global collaboration and inclusivity.

Patrice Lamarque, Community Lead at Meeds DAO, shared insights into their localization journey and the significant improvements achieved through integrating Crowdin (creating Meeds app).

<table> <thead> <tr> <th>SUMMARY</th> <th></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th>Company</th> <td>Meeds DAO</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Industry</th> <td>Decentralized Community Management Platform</td> </tr> <tr> <th class="text-nowrap">Translation Approach</th> <td>Translation by Community Contributors</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Functionality Used</th> <td> <ul> <li>Translation Memory</li> <li>Automated Content Delivery</li> <li>Crowdin API</li> <li>Screenshots and WYSIWYG Views</li> <li> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/github-action" target="_blank"> GitHub Crowdin Action </a> </li> <li>Community Contributors</li> <li> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/meeds" target="_blank"> Meeds app </a> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th>Key Results</th> <td> <ul> <li>Enabled translations into multiple languages</li> <li>Reached a diverse global community</li> <li>Streamlined translation process</li> <li>Enhanced community engagement through incentivization</li> <li>Created Meeds - Crowdin app</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th>Localized Content</th> <td> <ul> <li>White papers</li> <li>Software User Interface</li> <li>Resources</li> <li>Community-generated content</li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Manual vs. Automated Localization

Before Crowdin, Meeds faced a time-consuming manual process rewarding people for translations they made in Crowdin.

Patrice explained:

<Blockquote>It was difficult to manage manually. So many things to verify and check.</Blockquote>

After extensive research and consideration, the Meeds team chose Crowdin for its straightforward API and robust features.

<Blockquote> Choosing a tool with simple UI/UX was very important to us, as we knew we would spend a lot of time with this tool, and this was one of the reasons we chose Crowdin, said Patrice. </Blockquote>

Crowdin API Integration Made by Meeds

Integrating Crowdin with Meeds’s platform allowed for seamless content translation and delivery. The API enabled automated syncing of new content, eliminating the need for manual updates and significantly reducing the team's workload.

<Blockquote> Our engineering team didn't have any difficulties integrating with Crowdin, so the process was smooth and didn't take much of their time, Patrice noted. </Blockquote>

Incentivizing Community Contributions

Meeds leverages its incentivization engine to reward community translators. This approach has enhanced engagement and ensured a steady flow of high-quality translations.

<Blockquote> Our incentivization engine ensures that contributions are rewarded fairly and transparently. Patrice commented. </Blockquote>

Translation Memory and Context

Translation memory and MT translation has been a crucial feature, helping maintain consistency and quality across Meeds’s diverse content.

<Blockquote> Translation memory is an absolute lifesaver. With a higher volume of content, having the translation memory saves us time and ensures high quality of the content, Patrice emphasized. </Blockquote>

Providing visual context for translators, such as screenshots and WYSIWYG views, has further improved the accuracy and relevance of translations.

<Blockquote> Our installation instructions must be perfect in all languages. Therefore, providing context and having translators with great product knowledge is important to us, said Patrice. </Blockquote>

GitHub Action for Continuous Translation

A key aspect of Meeds's streamlined localization process is the integration with GitHub through Crowdin GitHub Action. This synchronization allows the community to continuously translate the software as it is developed, ensuring that translations are always up-to-date with the latest codebase.

Streamlining Workflows and Future Plans

The integration has not only streamlined the translation process but also prepared Meeds for future expansion. The team plans to add more languages and further enhance their community engagement strategies.

<Blockquote> Meeds plans to continue expanding its global reach by adding more languages and integrating additional platforms to maximize the utility of our incentivization engine, confirmed Patrice. </Blockquote>

Future plans include translating user documentation and internal wiki pages. The team is also contemplating tighter integration with content production features, such as wiki-style notes and news articles, to further enhance the platform's functionality.

Conclusion

The partnership between Meeds and Crowdin has been a success, highlighting the importance of leveraging advanced localization tools, such as AI translation, to enhance community engagement and streamline translation workflows. As Patrice summarized:

<Blockquote> Crowdin’s technical excellence and outstanding support made this integration a success. </Blockquote>

Through this integration, Meeds continues to foster a vibrant, multilingual community, driving its mission of global collaboration and inclusivity.

What's New at Crowdin: May 2024

diana — Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

May 2024 brings exciting updates to Crowdin, enhancing the translation process and user experience. The new Assist feature integrates AI with the Crowdin Editor, allowing for more intuitive and interactive AI-assisted translations. We've also introduced the Crowdin Context Harvester CLI, which is basically AI providing a better context for localization keys from your code. Additionally, there are significant improvements to the Translation Memory management page and a new AI/CroQL filtering option in the Editor.

New View: AI in Editor and Assist Option

We are excited to introduce a new feature called Assist, designed to enhance linguists' AI-assisted translation experience. This update integrates AI with the Crowdin Editor, showing AI-generated translations and allowing translators and managers to interact with the AI through chat.

Key benefits include

Full Document Context: Linguists can work with entire documents, not just segments, as AI has the context of a full file. Translators can ask for a file summary, filter all strings with certain words or tags, ask AI to fix tags in multiple translations, etc.
Comprehensive AI Understanding: The AI sees everything you see, understanding the full context.
Flexible Translation Requests: Translators can request full or part translations of a document, request changed translations, see streaming translations, cancel, and change prompts as needed right in the Editor.
Voice Dictation: Ability to use voice dictation (experimental).

For example, how does the process of localizing the help center article look like with this feature? A linguist asks for a summary, and edit prompt to include some text specifications (like tone of voice, language style, audience targeting, content length, SEO optimization, and more), reviews results, edits when needed, and applies the translation.

How to Enable AI in Editor

Go to your profile > AI > and enable a provider.
Go to Prompts > Assist, and create a prompt.
Navigate to your project settings > AI and select the created prompt from the "Prompt to be used in editor" dropdown menu.
Access the editor to use AI chat and suggestions.

With these enhancements, the AI localization tool becomes a powerful assistant for translators, making the process more efficient and accurate. Try it out and see the difference in your workflow.

Here's how it looks in action:

AI Context Harvester: CLI for Crowdin

We're excited to share the beta release of the Crowdin Context Harvester CLI. This open-source tool by Crowdin uses AI to analyze your code and extract context for localization keys. This way you can provide context for each string without a need for a developer or other team member to manually leave comments per each line. The received summary can be used both for human translators and AI (during pre-translation).

Contextual information is extremely important in UI localization projects. Both AI and human translators benefit greatly from understanding how each text is used in the application. The codebase, on the other hand, contains the exact explanation of how texts are used. This tool uses AI to extract this information from the code and transfer it to Crowdin.

View our quick guide and learn more:

Graphs in AI Savings Reports

Lastly, we are adding a new widget on translation savings when using AI. These visual representations will help you better understand the cost savings achieved through AI, MT, and TM.

Improvements to the TM Management Page

This month, we're rolling out significant improvements to the Translation Memory (TM) management page, designed to enhance functionality and usability. You can now see two tabs; translation units and segments. Besides this, here’s what’s new:

Segment Usage Count: Each segment now displays the number of suggestions it has for a specific language.
Additional Attributes Display: We’ve added the ability to view additional attributes associated with each segment, offering more context and detail at a glance.
Language-Based Filtering: Filter data based on specific languages to streamline your workflow and focus on relevant segments.
Selected Languages Operations: Work with selected languages to perform partial deletions, giving you more control over your TM entries.
Bulk Operations: Conduct mass operations on your TM, such as bulk deletions, find & replace, and other modifications.

AI Pre-Translation Workflow Step in Crowdin Enterprise

Crowdin Enterprise gets a new AI Pre-Translate workflow step that allows you to pre-translate all new content with the AI provider and prompt of your choice. Crowdin.com Projects gets a new option allowing you to pre-translate all new content as well.

Crowdin CLI 4.0: Major Update

We're excited to announce the release of Crowdin CLI 4.0, packed with new features and improvements based on user feedback over the last few years. Key updates include new commands, enhanced existing commands, and improved user experience.

Notably, the CLI now supports Java 17 LTS and offers better handling of environment variables for easier CI/CD integration.

We have rearranged some of the CLI commands to better reflect user habits and industry standards. Unfortunately, the update brought some breaking changes.

Check out the full list of changes and how to migrate from CLI 3.x in our detailed blog post.

AI/CroQL Filter: New Filtering and Search Option in Editor

We've added a new filtering and search option in the Editor that requires minimal time and effort. Now, you can write queries in plain language instead of clicking through multiple dropdowns. For example, you can easily find all translated strings with a QA issue by simply typing "find all translated strings with QA issues". This intuitive feature streamlines your workflow, making it more efficient and user-friendly.

For this, go to Editor > AI icon/Filter > AI/CroQL filter.

Inline Tags in Parser Configurations

This month, we're enhancing parser configurations to support the specification of inline tags for formats like XML, HTML, MD (Markdown), MDX, and web XML. This feature allows you to define which tags should be treated as inline, improving segmentation and translation accuracy.

In-Context Tool Update

We have implemented visual updates in In-Context tool and updated the translator login method to align with the latest security standards of modern browsers.

Crowdin Marketplace

Replicate

Replicate is an app designed to streamline the process of managing AI models within your Crowdin projects. It simplifies deploying, testing, and scaling AI models, providing seamless integration with your existing workflows. With this app, you can easily manage model versions, run predictions, and monitor performance directly from Crowdin.

Meeds

The new Meeds Crowdin Connector seamlessly integrates Meeds with Crowdin, enabling community-driven projects to manage and reward translation efforts efficiently. This integration allows project managers to design customized incentive structures, aligning rewards with project priorities. Translators can now earn points for their contributions, with automated tracking ensuring fair and transparent recognition. The integration simplifies the translation process, from suggesting translations to approving them, making it easier for global communities to collaborate and contribute.

Spreadsheet HTML

Spreadsheet HTML app acts as a pre-import and post-export processor. It converts the spreadsheet (like CSV or XLSX, which may include cells with entire HTML or XML files) into a suitable file format for translation and back to the original format upon export, simplifying the translation process for complex data.

Service Logs

We’ve enhanced our logging system to provide more detailed and informative logs for AI or MT Pre-Translate issues. Previously, messages such as "AiTranslatorWarning: Syntax error" were too vague, making it difficult to troubleshoot problems with AI translation providers. Now, logs include the prompt, AI response, model, and provider details. They are available on the project page > Tools > Service Logs.

Other Updates

Use AI to Pre-Translate through API

One of the updates this month is the introduction of the ability to use pre-translating with AI via API. Works just like said, this feature allows AI-powered pre-translation via API.

External Tools

In May, we also released new versions of the following:

Go API Client v0.3.0
Python API Client 1.15.1
.NET API Client 2.22.1
GitHub Action v1.20.4
Java API Client 1.17.1
iOS SDK 1.9.0
Android SDK 1.9.2

What's New at Crowdin: April 2024

diana — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Crowdin's April 2024 upgrades focus on enhancing localization processes with revamped glossary management, refined AI integration, and improved reporting features. Developers benefit from the newly introduced Crowdin API Client for Go, which simplifies API interaction, and more.

Improved Resources Management

We have redesigned the Glossary page in both Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise. The changes include UI improvements and new features to help project managers and glossary managers be more productive in keeping their terminology in good shape.

The biggest change is a separate view for concepts and terms. Each view has flexible search, filter, and sort capabilities, as well as a configurable view to select only the data you need for your task.

AI Improvements: Managed by Crowdin, Better Context and Quality

You might have seen how AI is now a natural part of Crowdin, bringing more useful features and benefits to your localization projects instead of just being an add-on. This month, we worked on its upgrade, and as a result:

We presented a new option for Managed AI. For straightforward, quick tasks, simply top up your balance and utilize AI providers supported by Crowdin, including Open AI, Google Gemini, and others (new this month: Mistral AI and Anthropic). However, for complex localization processes or stringent data security requirements, we still recommend having your own API keys. Soon, native AI integration will support fine-tuning similar to that available in the AI Assistant app.

When pre-translating large files or many strings, Crowdin would now save translations each time it receives them from the AI and reuse them in the next prompt, improving the consistency of new translations.

Together AI and Cloudflare AI Workers

Following our introduction of native AI, we're happy to announce that developers can now create their own AI providers for Crowdin. This month, we're welcoming two new AI providers: Together AI and Cloudflare AI Workers. Both are scalable, security-aware, and friendly for advanced use.

Crowdin Marketplace

Go SDK

If you're building your product with Go and want to tightly integrate localization or use Go to write your automation scripts, this library is tailored specifically for you. The Crowdin API Client for Go offers a streamlined way for developers to interact with our API directly from their Go code. Without it, you'd have to handle everything manually—from sending requests to managing errors. With this library, integration becomes effortless, allowing you to incorporate our API seamlessly into your projects. We're still working on improving Crowdin API Client for Go, so more to come. More Crowdin API Clients.

Translation Import Options

Now, in the connector apps, there's an option to upload translations that match the source text. For example, if you have custom names or other terms, you don't translate and leave in the source language.

Customer.io

Customer.io integration supports the localization of campaigns, newsletters, broadcasts, and transactional messages. Supported message types include Twillio SMS, Slack messages, email, and push notifications.

Email Digest

Email Digest app is just a simple way to stay updated on your localization progress by collecting information from all/ your selected Crowdin projects. The app will send you updates once in a configured period to make sure you won’t miss anything important.

History of Generated Reports, Improved Raw Report

Translation cost reports offer a clear picture of the amount spent on translating various materials, helping you manage localization budgets effectively. From now on, you can see the generated report history to have an even clearer picture. Previously generated reports are available on Project > Reports > Archive.

This month, we've also improved the RAW Report app. Now, translations will be categorized into three groups: pre-translation, AI translation (or MT), and unchanged translation. Additionally, you'll be able to filter data by translation provider and task. This will allow you to better analyze and control translation quality and streamline your workflow.

Customer Story: Linearity about Crowdin Storyblok App

Read our short interview with Sam Eckert from Linearity to learn about their experience using Crowdin for Storyblok content localization.

Crowdin Enterprise: Transfer Ownership Option

We've added a feature that allows transferring ownership of an organization within the Crowdin Enterprise application. For instance, if the current owner, who uses a SAML account, leaves the organization, they can transfer ownership to another admin before losing SAML access. To transfer ownership, simply go to Organization Settings > Danger zone > Transfer.

Crowdin API: Sorting Endpoint Results and Viewing API Logs

Most GET API endpoints now accept a sort parameter. Great help if you need to retrieve recently created or updated items, for example. You can sort results by multiple properties depending on the GET endpoint. Sorting can be done in either ASC or DESC direction. Read more about sorting the endpoint results.

Plus, you can now easily find your organization or account API logs. To do this, go to Account Settings > API > Calls History at Crowdin. At Crowdin Enterprise, go to Organization Settings > API log.

Note that the API logs available within your Crowdin account or Crowdin Enterprise organization now gather not only data from specific projects but also other significant informational changes and events. This includes API call logs that are not project-related, such as security logs, terminology or glossary operations, interactions with artificial intelligence and machine learning providers, and much more.

Other Updates

In-editor information for identifying internal spellcheck challenges.

More detailed notifications for task status updates. A similar upgrade was made to the project activities section.

External Tools

In April, we also released new versions of the following:

Java API Client 1.15.3, 1.15.4 1.15.5, 1.15.6
Ruby API Client 1.9.0, 1.10.0
JS API Client 1.33.0, 1.33.1
CLI 3.19.2
GitHub Action v1.20.2
Android SDK 1.9.1
Figma plugin 67, 68
Flutter SDK 0.6.1
Unity Plugin 0.7.0

Crowdin AI: How Maximize Translation Performance

yana — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Accurate translation is essential to facilitate global collaboration. Traditional translation methods often require significant time and resources. Combining Crowdin AI and human translations offers faster and more consistent results. By harnessing the power of AI, you can enhance its translation capabilities and optimize resource allocation.

Discover how AI revolutionizes the localization process and workflow by enhancing translation accuracy through contextual understanding in this article.

Crowdin and AI

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Crowdin is an AI-based localization software that facilitates the process, offering AI to fine-tune models for personalized translation needs.

In the context of translations, AI typically refers to interacting with large language models through queries similar to chatting with a human – using prompts. Crowdin has been experimenting with AI translations for over a year, offering clients the AI Assistant app, which integrates into the system as a custom machine translation engine. However, it also features enhanced capabilities for configuring prompts to convey context and options for fine-tuning models using translation memories and dictionaries already existing in the project. Many companies, including Ajax Systems, have already tested its effectiveness.

We all know that AI is becoming an integral part of the localization process, and we have started an initiative to integrate this technology closer into our system. Now, AI is a native part of the platform, which will be actively expanded and offer new usage possibilities.

Context: The Key to Quality Translations

Uploading files for translation and comparing the quality between machine translation (MT) and AI may not yield significant improvement. However, leveraging AI's capabilities can lead to a revolutionary change.

In some experiments, we have achieved translations where 95% do not require any corrections, showing the potential for improvement.

Pre-translation is a step-by-step process that involves a series of queries to the AI provider. In each query, we send sets of strings, typically around 50 at a time. This is because the AI's response is limited by data volume, which is more strictly regulated than the prompt itself. In the prompt, we can provide extensive context for this set of strings.

The prompt will be individualized for each string. However, it will suffice for the manager to use placeholders that denote the source text, language pair, etc., so the system can replace them with actual values.

Crowdin supports multiple levels of context that can be used to instruct the machine on how to translate the content:

Single-string level (context, terminology, TM).
File-level (description from the manager, file name, etc.). The entire file can be used as context.
Project level (high-level description of the ongoing project).

Adding context to the string improves the translation. You can adjust it slightly to find a more suitable translation. If the translation is very different from the direct translation, explaining it to the machine is more complicated. In this case, explicit examples work best when we directly indicate how to translate a specific term or when we convey part of the TM.

Small articles are translated quite qualitatively. For extensive documentation, it is worth specifying the file's context and conveying a short summary of it. This is mainly for files that do not fit into the prompt.

Metadata of the Content

You can enhance your prompts by leveraging context information using a variety of available placeholders. Here's an example of information that can be used for pre-translation:

A collection of strings, including the string identifier (key), context, text, maximum length, and translations to other languages (if the translations placeholder is specified).
The name of the project's source language.
The name of the target language for translation.
The file name of the current segment.
The file context of the current segment (can be provided via the file settings modal in the 'Files' tab).
The source file content of the current segment.
Translation Memory (TM) matches relevant to the current segment.
All the glossary terms, relevant to the current segment.
Translations of the current segment into the specified language.
Crowdin project name.
Project public description.

Of course, in addition to using the appropriate placeholders in your prompts, all this metadata must be filled out in your project at every level. After conducting a trial translation with AI, you can fill in the context for those strings that were inaccurately translated and then apply AI pre-translation to a broader range of languages to achieve good results.

New Way of Proofreading

In the previous workflow, content underwent pre-translation into all languages before undergoing human proofreading.

In the new workflow utilizing AI, proofreading is ordered after each translation into a new language. The AI utilizes the context provided by the previously translated languages to ensure accuracy in the new translation. This approach is more efficient than the previous workflow and does not incur additional work or costs.

A professional and high-quality translation into one language can significantly improve the quality of AI translations into other languages.

Try Pre-Translating with AI in Crowdin

You can use AI with a few clicks. It does not require registration in third-party services or expertise in writing prompts.

First, you will need a Crowdin or Crowdin Enterprise account. In the example of Crowdin, navigate to the AI section in your profile.

Crowdin AI Providers

We support the following providers:

OpenAI
Google Gemini
Microsoft Azure OpenAI
Mistral AI
Anthropic

The list of providers will expand over time. You have two options: use your own key or choose the Managed Service to avoid the step of external registration.

This option requires topping up your account. Discover also how much doest cost to translate with AI.

If you decide to proceed with your own key, you can select the models for pre-translation. To address data security concerns, Crowdin recommends using customer API keys for enhanced privacy and ownership.

After activating the provider, it will become available in the next tab, where you configure the prompt. In addition to choosing the provider, you need to select the model. Models vary in purpose and cost of use.

Note that in this section, you can only create prompts for your own projects. To connect a prompt to a project you manage, go to the project's settings.

We handle the basic prompt writing; users must specify which data to include in the prompt. Note that the length of the prompt influences the cost of AI translation.

In advanced mode, you have complete control over the prompt.

Create several prompts and experiment to see which works best for your project.

To pre-translate your content, go to Profile and choose or create a project. Go to Dashboard > Pre-translation > via AI. Then, select the desired prompt, languages, and files and start the process.

Crowdin Course on AI

Crowdin has announced the Mastering Translation AI course hosted on Udemy.

This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to fully utilize the power of artificial intelligence in the localization process. From understanding the fundamentals of localization to implementing advanced AI-driven techniques, participants will learn how to adapt content for diverse audiences using AI localization.

This course offers theoretical insights and hands-on practical exercises, ensuring learners thoroughly understand the subject matter. Whether you're a localization professional looking to enhance your skills or a newcomer eager to explore this dynamic field, the course on AI localization is your gateway to mastering the art of global communication in the digital age.

How Linearity Achieved Over 50% Time Savings with Crowdin and Storyblok Integration

diana — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Linearity, the leading marketing design platform, has elevated its localization game by seamlessly integrating Crowdin and Storyblok. This strategic alliance has not only streamlined their content localization process but has also significantly enhanced efficiency and user experience.

<table> <thead> <tr> <th>SUMMARY</th> <th></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th>Company</th> <td>Linearity</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Industry</th> <td>Marketing design platform</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Headquarters</th> <td>Berlin, Germany</td> </tr> <tr> <th class="text-nowrap align-baseline">Translation Approach</th> <td> Linearity employs a robust translation approach, utilizing a combination of Crowdin and Storyblok for efficient content localization. Storyblok serves as the Content Management System (CMS) for website content, while Crowdin seamlessly integrates with Storyblok, streamlining the translation process and ensuring linguistic accuracy. </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Functionality Used</th> <td> <ul> <li> <a target="_blank" href="https://store.crowdin.com/storyblok"> Storyblok translation app </a> </li> <li> <a target="_blank" href="https://support.crowdin.com/translation-memory/"> Translation memory </a> </li> <li> <a target="_blank" href="https://store.crowdin.com/storyblok#auto-content-synchronization" > Auto-synchronization </a> </li> <li> <a target="_blank" href="https://store.crowdin.com/partners"> Freelance translators </a> </li> <li> <a target="_blank" href="https://crowdin.com/blog/mt-translation-ajax-systems"> Machine translation engine (Amazon Translation, DeepL Translation) </a> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th>Key Results</th> <td>Chinese and Spanish localization – 2 times faster localization process</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Challenges Faced

Before embracing the Crowdin and Storyblok integration, Linearity encountered challenges in managing multilingual content efficiently. The need for a user-friendly and intuitive solution prompted them to explore alternatives.

Why Crowdin and Storyblok?

Linearity found the perfect synergy between Crowdin and Storyblok, making it the ideal choice for their localization needs. The robust multilingual functionality of Storyblok, coupled with Crowdin's powerful translation memory features, presented an unbeatable combination.

Streamlining Website Content

Utilizing Storyblok as their Content Management System (CMS), Linearity seamlessly uploads and manages website content. The integration with Crowdin ensures a smooth translation process, allowing for efficient collaboration with their team of translators.

<Blockquote footer="Sam Eckert, Design, Product & Strategy Lead at Linearity"> The integration of Crowdin and Storyblok has revolutionized our content localization process. Thanks to Storyblok, its multilingual feature, and the Crowdin app, we can now sync content effortlessly, reducing manual efforts and saving valuable time for other tasks. </Blockquote>

AI-Powered Pre-Translation

Linearity is on the cutting edge by exploring AI (ChatGPT) within Crowdin. This innovative feature holds the potential to further streamline most companies' content localization process.

<Blockquote footer="Sam Eckert, Design, Product & Strategy Lead at Linearity"> The prospect of leveraging AI for pre-translation is intriguing. If it can simplify our technical content localization process, it would be a game-changer for us. </Blockquote>

Results and Benefits

The integration of Crowdin and Storyblok has yielded substantial benefits for Linearity, including:

Over 50% time-saving in the localization process.

Why Recommend Crowdin and Storyblok?

For Linearity, the standout feature is the unparalleled ease of use offered by Storyblok. The seamless integration with Crowdin eliminates errors during copy-pasting, ensuring a flawless and efficient localization workflow.

<Blockquote footer="Sam Eckert, Design, Product & Strategy Lead at Linearity"> The ease of use is crucial for us. Crowdin Storyblok app simplifies the intricate process of localization, reducing the chances of errors and ensuring a seamless workflow. </Blockquote>

Conclusion

Linearity's success story with Crowdin and Storyblok serves as a testament to the transformative power of strategic integrations in the localization landscape. As they continue to push boundaries in software engineering, their experience highlights the significance of user-friendly tools in achieving seamless multilingual experiences.

About Crowdin

Crowdin is an AI-powered localization platform that empowers teams to manage and automate the translation of their content. With a robust set of features and 600+ apps, Crowdin simplifies the localization process, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow for businesses worldwide.

About Storyblok

Storyblok is a headless Content Management System (CMS) that provides a flexible and intuitive solution for managing digital content. Its powerful features make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to streamline content creation and localization.

What's New at Crowdin: March 2024

diana — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

From fresh features like Screens Translation to Crowdin plugin for Figma and AI Assistant updates. Let's check out Crowdin localization software latest enhancements.

Screens Translation in Beta

UI localization testing is difficult. Having a linguist or someone from the target audience to test a build of your app every time the localization is updated is hard. Many companies would not do it at all, which brings the risk of poor localization quality.

Here at Crowdin, we thought: How can we improve the localization workflow so that localization QA might not be necessary? Or at least not as much effort as it is now? Apparently, we had all the technology we needed; we just needed to polish it a bit.

The answer is screenshots. Here is how the feature works:

A Crowdin project manager uploads screenshots for all or major screens of the app (either mobile, desktop, or web app).
Tag the screenshots to the project keys (you can also tag strings automatically).

Up to this point, the feature has worked as it did before. Crowdin has always had a screenshot feature.

A manager can configure the project language page to show screens instead of files. This way, linguists would actually be translating application screens, not resource files.
A linguist can open a screen and work on all keys/strings of that screen.

We cannot think of a better way to provide more context. Internal testing shows that this feature removes all ambiguity when translating and is extremely useful for reviewing translations, especially AI-generated translations.

Translating screens also does not affect the linguist's performance as an in-context would, as a linguist would not have to search for a web page that requires translation. All screens would have a translation/proofreading progress as they are resource files.

New Features in Crowdin Plugin for Figma

Support for Dev Mode (Included in Figma's Paid Version)

Figma Dev mode supports Crowdin Strings mode, providing enhanced functionality specifically tailored to developers.

String Filtering by Files

You can now filter the list of strings in the Strings tab by files, which is particularly useful for projects containing files that designers do not work with. This update also ensures that the plugin remains lightweight by loading only the necessary strings.

Auto-Save Selected Options when Creating Strings

The Crowdin plugin for Figma now has the ability to automatically save selected options when creating strings, streamlining the workflow and saving time for you.

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) Plugin

In March, we introduced the ability to extract strings directly from VS Code to your Crowdin project.

You can select a string, access a contextual menu, choose the "extract" option, specify a file and string identifier, and push the string to the selected file in the directory. The plugin automatically substitutes the text with the specified string identifier, making it a quick solution for pushing strings from code to Crowdin.

Crowdin Console Client (CLI)

Labels for Upload Screenshots Command and String Filtering

We have added an option to label the "upload screenshot" command for teams and the ability to filter strings by labels, enhancing organization and accessibility.

Creating Plural Strings

Last but not least, you now have the ability to create plural strings via CLI.

String-based Projects at Crowdin Plugin for Unity

The Crowdin plugin for Unity games localization now supports string-based projects, focusing solely on strings without asset synchronization.

String-based Projects in Crowdin Enterprise

With string-based projects available in Crowdin Enterprise, you’ll not only get localization software, but you’ll also create a captivating UI strings repository where you can upload and translate one source(e.g., Android XML), then export translations for multiple platforms (Android, iOS, Web).

Native AI for Your Translation Projects

You may have noticed a new AI section in Crowdin. While this may not seem like exciting news, here at Crowdin, we're super excited about this change. Crowdin was the first to introduce the LLM as a translation engine and many of the new AI concepts related to translation. Back then, AI in Crowdin was an application.

Now we're making AI part of the platform, native. This would enable a lot of new applications and AI experiences in Crowdin, not only for linguistic and management tasks.

Distributions Release Scheduler App

Configure the release schedule of your translation distributions with the help of our new app, Distributions Release Scheduler.

New GPT's from Crowdin

We've got two new GPTs listed in both the Crowdin Store and ChatGPT's Store. A GPT to help with custom code development for pre-post import-export processors. A custom code to process files before or after translation. Another GPT to generate verbal expressions. The second one is not perfect yet, but quite helpful.

Prompt Against Translations App

An experiment to see if AI can be useful in adding an extra layer of quality control to translations.

Two particular use cases where AI performed well are:

AI can detect vandalism, obscure language, and hate speech in community translations.
AI can check the translated content against the style guide you provide as a prompt. While this is not a 100% reliable way to check your guidelines, it can be a good compromise when resources are limited.

We look forward to hearing your use case for the Prompt Against Translations application. If you have a minute to test it, please feel free to share your feedback and feature requests.

AI-Powered Check Spelling for Crowdin Enterprise

Bing spell check and Sapling spell check. Both are AI-powered and show great results. If you find that Crowdin's native spell checker is not enough for some of your target languages, we encourage you to try these two or request the spell check engine you would like to see in the Crowdin Store.

Custom spell checkers can only be installed by admins in Crowdin Enterprise and can be assigned to selected target languages throughout the organization.

Free Courses: From Crowdin and freeСodeСamp

If you're a newcomer or a pro in localization, or if you want to learn how to effectively use AI in localization projects or how to use Crowdin to make your apps, websites, and more multilingual, we're excited to announce not one but two free courses that became available in March. One of them is about AI from us, and the other (for which we're very grateful) is from freeСodeСamp.

Better Management of TMs/Glossaries

When you are creating a Crowdin project, an empty glossary and TM will be created (we have plans to improve this behavior in future releases). We know that many companies would prefer to have a single or few glossaries and TMs that can be shared across multiple projects.

While this is certainly possible, configuring it for each new project is inconvenient. We've got two new applications to make this a bit easier. The Cross TM & Glossary app allows you to assign a TM and glossary of your choice to each new Crowdin, and the Merge TMs & Glossaries app allows you to merge your existing TMs and glossaries so you can move forward with fewer resources to manage.

Universal TM Importer is another micro-application to make life easier for people migrating from different TMS to Crowdin. The app understands many "flavors" of the TMX format and tries to preserve as much meta information as possible when importing TM's to Crowdin.

Currently, only project managers can make quick fixes to the TM. Another application called TM QuickFix fixes that. Anyone with access to this application can now fix the TM records straight from the editor.

New Editor Themes

After announcing new editor themes last month, we are happy to welcome 20+ themes for the Crowdin Editor. Some of them are quite nice. The light, high-contrast one is now our theme of choice for intensive volunteer translation sessions.

Custom Theme Builder

After releasing custom themes for the Crowdin editor, we learned that not so many people care about customizing the look and feel of their translation environment. But for those who do, cherish them a lot! The new Custom Theme Builder app is designed to help people develop their own Crowdin themes easily, with real-time preview and code validation.

Custom MT Engines

While the majority of our customers would stick with the most prominent AI/MT providers that Crowdin integrates well with, there is a long tail of less popular MT solutions that were not as easy to leverage in Crowdin.

Facebook's NLLB-200 model, for example, is a great effort to create an NMT for the less popular language pairs—nearly 200 languages, to be exact—with the mission "No languages left behind." What is interesting is that there are no cloud providers for this model like we got used to with services like DeepL or Google AutoML. NLLB-200 can be hosted on AWS or Huggingface or on a developer's laptop in the case of an open-source translation effort.

This app tries to simplify the development of Crowdin's MT/AI connectors by allowing a user to enter a short piece of JavaScript that would convert Crowdin's request to the request an NMT expects and transform the response to the response Crowdin understands.

The Crowdin Store listing includes a sample code for the NLLB-200.

New GitHub Feature: Fine-Grain Access

Fine-grained personal access tokens have several security advantages over personal access tokens (classic).

Let's say you're managing a software project with multiple contributors. With Fine Grain Access, you can grant different levels of permission to each contributor based on their role and responsibilities.

For instance:

Developers may have full access to the codebase, allowing them to push changes to all branches except the "master" branch.
Quality assurance testers may have access to specific branches for testing purposes but are restricted from making direct changes to the code.

Now, the Crowdin GitHub app supports the fine-grain access feature, although we recommend you use GitHub Crowdin Action when discussing security.

More Crowdin updates

Other Crowdin Updates:

The Arabic language is available on the DeepL connector.
REST API for working with configured AI.
Ability to add a filter to create the report per workflow stage at Crowdin Enterprise.
GitHub Action v1.20.0
Android SDK 1.9.0
Flutter SDK 0.6.0
.NET API Client 2.21.0
Java API Client 1.15.0, 1.15.1,1.15.2
iOS SDK 1.8.0

Svelte Apps Localization with Svelte-i18n

zayad — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The Internet has made the world a global, interconnected village, and the content we produce should reflect this reality. Using internationalization (i18n) and localization (l10n), software developers and digital content creators can translate their content to fit different languages and cultures around the world.

For developers using JavaScript to build web applications, they have plenty of options to choose from. Popular frameworks like React, Angular, Vue, and Svelte, and even newer ones like Solid and Qwik, all have dedicated i18n libraries. In this article, however, we'll be looking at i18n with Svelte.

What is Svelte and Svelte-i18n?

Svelte is similar to popular frameworks in terms of syntax and functionality. They share a lot of concepts in common, like components, props, and events. Svelte has a dedicated meta-framework, called Sveltekit, for building web applications. Sveltekit offers server-side rendering, routing, and offline capabilities. It's similar to Next.js and Nuxt.js for React and Vue.

Svelte is unique compared to the other frameworks in that it's technically a compiler and doesn't use a virtual DOM like some of the others. After developers write code, Svelte compiles the code into JavaScript. The compilation step allows Svelte apps to be performant enough to handle reactivity and the dynamic nature of modern web applications without the complexity of a virtual DOM.

Svelte has a few dedicated i18n libraries, like Svelte-i18n, Sveltekit-i18n and Svelte-i18n-lingui. Svelte-i18n is the most mature library and can be used to localize apps built with Svelte and Sveltekit. For the rest of this article, we'll internationalize a Svelte app with svelte-i18n, localize some parts of the app manually, and then automate the localization process with Crowdin.

Sample App: Animal Quiz

Do you know a lot about animals? Then I think you'll enjoy this game.

In this animal quiz, you answer five general questions about animals. Each question has four options you can choose from. If you get a question correctly, you get one point. This means you get five points in total if you answer all the questions correctly. In this article, we'll localize the game to French.

By the way, this is not a Sveltekit application. I built this application using the Svelte boilerplate. You can find out how to create an application with the boilerplate in Svelte's documentation. You can check the game's GitHub repository for the complete source code. It would be much easier to follow along if you clone the repository.

Setting up Svelte-i18n

To install svelte-i18n, open your terminal and run the following command:

npm install svelte-i18n

Once the library is installed, we'll configure it to handle all the files and locales.

Create a file src/lib/i18n.js and fill it with the following code:

import { register, init } from "svelte-i18n";

register("en", () => import("../locales/en.json"));
register("fr", () => import("../locales/fr.json"));

init({
  fallbackLocale: "en",
  initialLocale: "en"
});

Using the register() function, we'll fetch the translation files (dictionaries) for the locales we'll use in this app. These files don't exist yet, and we'll create them in a second. The important thing to note here is that register() is asynchronous, and it only loads one locale (the active locale) at a time to keep things performant. You can use the synchronous addMessage() function instead if you want.

We'll then initialize the library with English as the initial locale. In case the user's browser uses a locale that we didn't specify above (Arabic, for example), the app will fall back to English.

To use svelte-i18n in the app, we'll have to import it in the app's entry point main.js:

import "./lib/i18n";

With svelte-i18n setup, we can start localizing the app.

Translating Simple Strings

Before we can translate the strings, we'll need to extract them using svelte-i18n. Once we extract the strings, we can include them in the locale's dictionaries.

We'll get started with the app's title and the start button.

Follow these steps to translate the strings:

Open App.svelte and import these variables from svelte-i18n:
```
import { _, isLoading } from "svelte-i18n";
```
Wrap all the markup in an {#if} block so we can wait for svelte-i18n to load messages:
```
{#if $isLoading}
	<p>Loading...</p>
{:else}
	<header>
		<p id="title">Animals Quiz</p>
	</header>
	<main>
		{#if gameStarted}
			<QuizContainer/>
		{:else}
			<button on:click={() => gameStarted = true} id="start__button">Start</button>
		{/if}
	</main>
{/if}
```
We're using the $isLoading store to only display our app after the locale has loaded. This only happens because we're using the asynchronous register() function. If you use addMessages(), you won't need $isLoading.

Replace the string literals with i18n keys. So the header and start button text change from this:

<p id="title">Animals Quiz</p>
<button  on:click={() => gameStarted = true} id="start__button">Start</button>

To this:

<p id="title">{$_('title')}</p>
<button  on:click={() => gameStarted = true} id="start__button">{$_('start_button')}</button>

The _ function formats strings and allows us to extract them for translation. Svelte-i18n uses the FormatJS library under the hood, so you might get the most of out of it by understanding how FormatJS works.

Now that we've replaced the texts with translation keys, svelte-i18n will insert the correct strings for us based on the current locale. But we'll have to create dictionaries to use them first. We can create the dictionaries manually, but doing that is error-prone. Thankfully, svelte-i18n's CLI tool makes this process easy.

Extracting Strings with Svelte-i18n CLI

To use svelte-i18n's CLI, we'll have to add the command in package.json. Add this line of code in the scripts object:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "vite",
    "build": "vite build",
    "preview": "vite preview",
    "extract": "svelte-i18n extract \"src/**/*.svelte\" src/locales/en.json"
  }
}

Running the extract command will search for translatable strings in .svelte files in subfolders of src (src/components in this case) and extract these strings to locales/en.json. You won't need to manually create a locales folder; the command will do that for you.

Let's see the command in action. Open your terminal and run:

npm run extract

Check locales/en.json and you should see the message keys:

{
  "title": "",
  "start_button": ""
}

Put in the text for the title and start button:

{
  "title": "Animals Quiz",
  "start_button": "Start"
}

Check the app and the strings should be the same as before.

But we want to see some French, so we'll have to create a dictionary for it.

To localize the strings to French, follow these steps:

Create fr.json in the locales folder.

Fill in the message keys and their translations:

{
  "title": "Quiz sur les animaux",
  "start_button": "Commencer"
}

Change the initial locale to French in i18n.js:

init({
  fallbackLocale: "en",
  initialLocale: "fr"
});

Congratulations! You just localized your first strings using svelte-i18n following these steps:

Marked strings for translation
Extracted strings using the CLI.
Created a dictionary for another locale and translated the strings.

Let's look at translating more complex strings.

Localizing Strings Containing Variables

We'll translate the text on the "Next" button and the question counter.

Open components/QuizContainer.svelte and import the _ function:
```
import { _ } from "svelte-i18n";
```

Take note of the next button and question strings. We're going to replace them with translation keys.

<p>Question {currentQuestions}/{NUMBER_OF_QUESTIONS}</p>
// ... other code
{#if currentQuestion <  NUMBER_OF_QUESTIONS}
  <button on:click={gotoNextQuestion}  id="next__button">Next</button>
{/if}

Replace the Question counter and the next button strings with translation keys:
```
<p>{$_('question_counter',
{
  values: {
    current_question: currentQuestion,
    number_of_questions: NUMBER_OF_QUESTIONS
  }
})}</p>
// ... other code
{#if currentQuestion <  NUMBER_OF_QUESTIONS}
  <button on:click={gotoNextQuestion}  id="next__button">{$_('next_button')}</button>
{/if}
```
Notice the question_counter key. The _ function takes an extra parameter where we can pass variables. In this case, we pass the variables currentQuestion and NUMBER_OF_QUESTIONS to the values object, and we'll use the keys current_question and number_of_questions to reference the values in the translation file.
Run the extract command.

Open the en.json file to see the new strings:

{
  "title": "Animals Quiz",
  "start_button": "Start",
  "question_counter": "",
  "next_button": ""
}

Fill in the strings:

{
  "title": "Animals Quiz",
  "start_button": "Start",
  "question_counter": "Question {current_question}/{number_of_questions}",
  "next_button": "Next"
}

Add the new keys in fr.json and fill in the translations:

{
  "title": "Quiz sur les animaux",
  "start_button": "Commencer",
  "question_counter": "Question {current_question}/{number_of_questions}",
  "next_button": "Suivante"
}

You should see the translations once you click the start button and start the quiz.

Now, here's a problem. Anytime we want to add new strings to the French dictionary, we have to copy the keys to the file. Also, when we want to add a new locale, we'll have to create it ourselves and fill in the translations. Imagine doing this process when your app has many strings and locales. Sure, using ChatGPT and other AI tools can help you generate the keys for every locale, but things become harder to change and track if you add more strings.

Automating some of these processes will make things faster, and this is where Crowdin comes in.

Automating Localization with Crowdin

Crowdin is a cloud-based localization management software. Crowdin uses continuous localization and automation to enable developers and translators to localize software with less friction, allowing translation and development to go on at the same time. Crowdin's editor is user-friendly and it allows developers to give translators context so they have all the information they need to put in the right translations.

With Crowdin, developers can upload their translations and invite translators to collaborate on a project. Once the translators are done, they can use Crowdin's QA checking features to verify if the translations are correct and then synchronize with the codebase.

So how exactly will Crowdin help us? Well, instead of manually creating files for our locales, we can let Crowdin do that for us. Let's add Crowdin to the project.

Setting up Crowdin

Follow these steps to set up Crowdin:

Create a free Crowdin account.
Click the + button to create a new project.
Give your project a name, and make your project "Private" or "Public".
Set English as the source language and French as the target language, then click "Create Project".

We'll use Crowdin's GitHub integration to upload our source file (en.json) for translation so Crowdin can stay in sync with our project. Crowdin supports other VCS (version control systems) and has many integrations. You can check them out in the Crowdin store.

To connect Crowdin to GitHub:

Go to the Integrations tab.
Select GitHub.
Select the "Set up integration" button and click "Source and translation files mode"
Give Crowdin access to your GitHub account.

Once you grant access to Crowdin, you'll need to setup the app's repository for localization. Follow these steps:

Select the app's repository.
Select the branch you want to translate, main in this case. Crowdin will create a branch called “l10n_main” in your repository to store the translations. You can give the branch a different name if you like.
Click the pencil icon next to "l10n_main" to edit the configuration.
Confirm crowdin.yml as the configuration file.
Enter /src/locales/en.json in the Source files path field.
Enter /src/locales/%two_letters_code%.json in the Translated files path field. Crowdin uses configuration placeholders like %two_letters_code% to make it easier to match files having locales in their names. In this case, Crowdin will create fr.json in the locales folder.
Save all the settings.

If you go the dashboard and open en.json in the editor, you'll see the files and strings we translated earlier.

Now that we've connected Crowdin to the app, let's continue with our translations.

Dealing with Plurals

Let's localize the score counter. It contains the user's score and the string "points".

The score currently displays "1 points", which isn't correct in English. We could use JavaScript logic to handle the plurals problem, but it won't scale as we add more locales to the app. Plural handling is a common localization feature and it comes in-built with svelte-i18n.

Follow these steps to localize the score:

Mark the score counter for extraction in QuizContainer.svelte:

Changing it from this:
```
<p>Score: {score} points</p>
```
To this:
```
<p>{$_("score", { values: { score } })}</p>
```
Run the extract command.

Open en.json and fill in the score key with this code:

{
  "score": "Score: {score, plural, =0 {0 points} one {1 point} other {# points}}"
}

We're using the ICU Message Format to display the plurals. Using the score variable, we set the strings we'll display for 0 (0 points), 1 (1 point), and other (2 or more points). These are the plural forms of English. Other languages, such as Arabic, have more plural forms than English.

We'll now head over to Crowdin to translate the plurals. Follow these steps:

Commit and push your code to GitHub.
Open en.json in your Crowdin dashboard.

Once you start translating, you'll see a preview of how the plural translation looks.

The words for "Score" and "point(s)" are the same in English as in French. Also, French and English have the same plural form, so we'll just copy and paste the translation. After you're done translating, click "Save" and click the checkmark below the preview to approve the translations.
Click the "Sync" button in the Integrations tab to synchronise Crowdin with your GitHub repository.
Go to your GitHub repository and you should see the pull request containing the translations.
Merge the pull request and pull in the changes to your local branch. Everything should work fine if you change the locale in the app.

<Aside type="tip"> Svelte-i18n has methods for handling dates, time, and currencies. Check out the documentation for examples on these topics. </Aside>

Locale Switcher

I'm sure you're tired of changing the locale through code. I am too. We'll build a locale switcher to make this task easy for us and our users.

To accomplish this, we'll need a locale switcher component.

Create the locale switcher component src/components/LocaleSwitcher.svelte.

<script>
  import { _, locale } from "svelte-i18n";

  export let currentLocale = "en";

  function changeLocale(event) {
    event.preventDefault();
    $locale = event.target.value;
  }
</script>

<div>
  <select value={currentLocale}  on:change={changeLocale}>
    <option value="en">{$_('locale_switcher_english')}</option>
    <option value="fr">{$_('locale_switcher_french')}</option>
  </select>
</div>

Notice the $locale variable we're using. Svelte-i18n provides us with this store so we can access the current locale.

Import LocaleSwitcher in App.svelte:

<script>
import { _, isLoading, locale } from  "svelte-i18n";
import QuizContainer from "./components/QuizContainer.svelte";
import LocaleSwitcher from "./components/LocaleSwitcher.svelte";

let gameStarted = false;
</script>

// other markup

{#if !gameStarted}
<LocaleSwitcher  currentLocale={$locale}/>
{/if}

I put the LocaleSwitcher in an if block because I want it to be visible only when the game starts. It would be a bit weird to change the locale in the middle of the game.

Run the extract command.
Fill in the strings in en.json.
```
{
  "locale_switcher_english": "English",
  "locale_switcher_french": "French"
}
```
Since these new keys are short, we can skip using Crowdin to make this quick change.

Add the keys in fr.json and fill in the translations:

{
  "locale_switcher_english": "Anglais",
  "locale_switcher_french": "Français"
}

You should see the locale switcher in action.

Remember to commit and push your changes to GitHub.

Localize the Questions and Options with Crowdin

The French version of the app currently looks weird because the questions and options are still in English. So let's change that.

I stored the questions and answers in a JSON file, questions.json:

[
  {
    "question": "All of these animals lay eggs except?",
    "answer": "Panda",
    "options": ["Fish", "Chicken", "Crocodile", "Panda"],
    "imageUrl": "src/assets/nick-fewings-qLlCBkTSYAI-unsplash.jpg",
    "imageAltText": "Eggs on wood shavings."
  },
  {
    "question": "What liquid do bees produce?",
    "answer": "Honey",
    "options": ["Silk", "Honey", "Web", "Milk"],
    "imageUrl": "src/assets/damien-tupinier-OFEvgVFr6iU-unsplash.jpg",
    "imageAltText": "Bees near the entrance of a wooden hive."
  }
]

Since we want to translate this file into another locale and to future-proof it for translation into other locales, we should rename the file to questions.en.json. When we upload this file to Crowdin, Crowdin will create the files for other locales using this format (the language in the filename).

Rename questions.json to questions.en.json.
Import the locale variable in QuizContainer.svelte.
```
import { _, locale } from "svelte-i18n";
```

Modify the fetch() call to include the current locale when fetching JSON files.

function getQuestions() {
  let currentLocale = $locale;
  return fetch(`src/assets/data/questions.${currentLocale}.json`).then((response) =>
    response.json()
  );
}

Follow these steps to upload questions.en.json to Crowdin:

Go to the Integrations tab.
Click the "Edit" button above your repository
Click the Edit icon in the repository settings
Click "Add a new file filter".
Enter /src/assets/data/questions.en.json in the Source files path.
Enter /src/assets/data/questions.%two_letters_code%.json in the Translated files path.
Save all changes.

Navigate to the editor and start translating:

<Aside> The editor might not display the strings at first. If that happens, click "Disable All filters". </Aside>

Translate the questions and the image's alt texts as well.
For strings you don't want to translate, like imageUrl, use the "Hide string" option.
Save your translations.
Synchronize your changes in the Integrations tab.
Merge the pull request in GitHub.

And there you go! A fully localized quiz app.

Conclusion

Svelte-i18n is a simple i18n library, and with it, we were able to start localizing the quiz for a French audience. Using Crowdin, we removed manual processes that caused friction and finished localizing the app.

If you are looking for advanced Enterprise translation management solution for your i18n and l10n needs, check out Crowdin Enterprise!

Here are some resources you might find helpful:

What's New at Crowdin: February 2024

diana — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Dive into advanced AI translation insights, showcasing up to 96% accuracy with optimized prompts. Welcome Mistral AI, our new AI assistant provider, and explore seamless translation and proofreading tasks. Experience Crowdin Enterprise's new dark theme for a more comfortable user experience, and boost your localization workflow with custom spellchecks, and fields.

{/* more */}

Improving AI Translations

We have conducted a massive experiment to learn what are the best ways to use LLM in translation projects. We will share the results of the experiment next week and incorporate all the findings into the product.

Some of the things we have learned and would like to share with you are:

Instead of translating all languages in parallel, as it used to be, you may want to consider translating languages sequentially. Each language that is translated and reviewed by a human becomes valuable context for the machine to translate the next language.
Context has just been proven to be the best way to improve the quality of AI translations. Prompting at the project level, context at the file level, context at the key level for UI localization. Then, with the terminology and fine-tuned AI model, you can expect up to 96% valid, publishable translations.

New AI Provider – Mistral AI

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Yes, it's true, new on Crowdin: Mistral AI is now on the list of AI assistant providers. Explore now and share your thoughts.

Sequential tasks: Translate+Proofread

When creating a translation task, you can immediately create a proofreading task with the same scope. Notifications to proofreaders will be sent as soon as the translation is completed.

<Aside> If a sequential proofreading task was not created in advance, it can be created later based on the translation task. </Aside>

Main updates include:

Task types remain as currently available: Translation and Proofreading, both for their own translators and vendors.
Proofreading tasks can only be created for translated strings, without mixing translation in proofreading tasks.
A new task status, "pending," is introduced for proofreading tasks set up in advance and will activate upon completing a translation task. This includes a new notification type for the assignment of pending tasks.

Crowdin Enterprise

Crowdin Enterprise Introduces Dark Theme

Reduce eye strain with Crowdin Enterprise's new Dark Theme. Easily enable it from account settings under "Appearance".

Custom Spellchecks

Crowdin Enterprise has introduced a new feature that allows you to add custom spellchecks for each project or language. This enhancement enables more precise and tailored spellchecking, ensuring your company/product-specific terminology and language are accurately reflected and validated.

This feature is now available via our API. Documentation and applications that will add custom spell checks are on their way, promising an even more customized and efficient workflow.

Custom Properties

One of the most significant enhancements we are introducing is the implementation of custom attributes for entities.

The custom attributes feature applies to a wide range of entities within the Crowdin Enterprise platform, including:

Projects
Files
Source strings
Users
Task

Some examples includes:

A project can have a domain, const center for integration with ERP.
Tasks can have a link to the corresponding task in an external system.
The string can have a maximum width of the translated text specified in pixels, and can contain information about placeholders or examples of how placeholders will be filled.

Client-Vendor Projects and Issues

In client-vendor projects, we added the "Current Translation is Wrong" shared issue so you can maintain the quality of translations while working with a vendor. This process involves a collaborative effort where you can flag incorrect translations directly in the project. Upon flagging, the issue is immediately communicated to the vendor for review and correction.

Crowdin's New Editor Themes

Crowdin has introduced Editor Themes! You can now customize your workspace appearance with a variety of themes, making work more comfortable and enjoyable. Even more themes are comign soon.

We are especially pleased with the two new dark themes, Tallinn Night and Tallinn Day, which accurately show the amount of sunlight people get here during the winter.

Managed MT: Use DeepL for Pre-translation

Crowdin now offers a managed DeepL machine translation engine. You no longer need to set up or manage a separate DeepL account and integration – Crowdin handles it all for you. Enjoy the ease of DeepL's translation at a straightforward price: 1 million words for just $25.

Crowdin Marketplace and Security

Security Information and Event Management for Crowdin Enterprise

CloudWatch and Splunk integrations are great for organizations that have a SIEM system and are looking for ways to get Crowdin Enterprise security events there.

Read-Only Token

We've added a "Read-Only" scope for accessing translations via API v2. In the account settings, where the personal token is generated, there is a "read-only" toggle. Under the hood, this will allow only LIST and GET requests, while prohibiting PUT, PATCH, and DELETE operations.

Universal TM Importer

Universal TM Importer app makes your TMX files fully compatible with Crowdin, regardless of their origin, facilitating smoother transitions and integrations.

Android Studio Plugin

Android Studio Plugin 2.0.0 featuring a UI overhaul for more intuitive access and a switch to YAML for configuration, enhancing compatibility and flexibility. This update introduces plugin UI redesign and new features such as upload/download tabs, support for string-based projects, and a streamlined settings menu for easier management. Additionally, we've upgraded essential dependencies to ensure a smoother, more efficient user experience.

Crowdin Plugin for Figma

The Crowdin plugin for Figma got a bunch of great updates this month:

We significantly optimized the process of linking and pushing strings, as well as the screenshot upload. The overall performance of the plugin is now several times better for large projects.
When copying layers, the link between the text element and the Crowdin string is automatically preserved.
You can now filter strings by files in the Strings tab.
Components and instances support has been significantly improved in terms of string linking and translation preview.
Autosave for string export options.

Updated Project Preview

From the Home page, you can now see not only the languages of the project but also a number of words, QA check issues, unresolved issues, and overdue tasks.

The filters are improved, too, you can filter projects by issues and overdue tasks, mark projects with star, sort, and filter.

New App Access Controls

Now you can easily manage who uses the apps in your Crowdin Enterprise's left panel, enhancing your workspace. This feature will be helpful for apps like Global Search and Projects Dashboard, allowing for the following:

Admins Only Access
Access for Everyone
Select User Access

You can also set visibility for app modules to just you, all project members, or selected users, ensuring the right people have the right tools.

Other Сrowdin Updates

Updated MDX preview
Chars Counter improvements
CLI 3.18.0 (string-based project support, new "File" command)
GitHub Action v1.18.0, v1.19.0 ( the pull_request_number output, download_bundle option)
Java API Client 1.14.1
Ruby API Client 1.8.0, 1.8.1

12-Step Guide to a Modern Localization Strategy

yana — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

If you’re a localization manager, your job is to create a system that brings together code, design, marketing, linguists, and tools. That system is called a localization strategy.

This guide is based on the real-world insights and success stories shared by experts on the Agile Localization Podcast. We’ve taken those expert conversations and turned them into a practical roadmap.

We are going to discuss the theory shortly and look deeply at the practical steps, so you can architect a system that scales without breaking.

What is a Localization Strategy?

Localization strategy is a plan for how your company is going to adapt its product, marketing, and brand to a new market. While translation handles the words, a localization strategy handles technical requirements, local regulations, and even the way your UI looks on the screen.

Your localization strategy defines the logistics: which tools you will use, which vendors you will hire, and how the teams will communicate. The strategy maps out the exact order of operations to ensure that everyone is on the same page later in the process.

5W1H Framework for Localization Strategy

You have probably heard of the 5W1H framework, which can be used almost in any industry, indeed in localization. Based on this framework, we built the following questions, answers to which you can use to shape your localization strategy:

1. Why are we localizing?

To grow our revenue through new markets.
To be compliant with local regulations.
To reduce the load on English-speaking support.

2. Who is involved?

Localization manager.
Developers and product managers.
Linguists.
Legal and safety officers.
Target persona.

3. What are we localizing?

Product/UI
Safety Documentation
Marketing/SEO
Dynamic Content

4. Where are we expanding?

Tier 1. High-revenue markets.
Tier 2. Testing markets.
Tier 3. Experimental markets.

5. When do we trigger the workflow?

Continuous Model
Waterfall Model

6. How do we execute?

Translation management system (TMS).
Automation. Connectors/APIs to move content from the repo to the TMS.
Verification. QA checks and Linguistic QA (LQA).

5W1H Framework Example

To visualize how this looks in practice, let’s imagine a SaaS company that has just been told by the CEO to scale from the US to Japan and South Korea. Here is how the localization manager would frame the strategy using the 5W1H method:

Question	Answer
Why?	To capture 20% growth in the APAC region and reduce support ticket volume from non-English speakers by localizing the Help Center.
Who?	Owner: Loc Manager. Enablers: DevOps (GitHub sync). Translators: A Japanese LSP and freelance South Korean translators.
What?	Tier 1 (High Quality): App UI, Checkout Flow, Marketing Ads. Tier 2 (Using AI): Help Center articles and transactional emails.
Where?	Content lives in GitHub (Product), Contentful (Blog posts), MailChimp (Emails), and Zendesk (Support). Localization happens inside Crowdin to centralize all the work.
When?	Translations are triggered every Tuesday when the devs push a new release candidate to the staging environment.
How?	An AI Pipeline (Context -> MT -> Self-Correction) handles the first draft, and a human LQA (Linguistic QA) ensures the UI doesn't break.

That is a raw example, but it should help you build your own localization process strategically.

What Your Localization Strategy May Look Like

Every company is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all plan. Below, we created a strategy that moves from the business goals down to the technical details. You can use this as a skeleton and adapt it to fit your specific product and team.

1. Align with the CEO’s Strategy

Every strategy starts with a business directive. The CEO decides which markets to enter based on growth data. Your job as a localization manager is not to pick the country, but to validate the technical readiness for that country.

This is the best time to ask questions, share your opinion, and vision. Clear up all things before the start.

2. Check the Technical Foundation

If the CEO has already decided to scale, your priority is internationalization (i18n). This is the technical preparation that makes your code capable of handling multiple languages. Without this foundation, your automation will fail.

To prepare for i18n, devs must move all text from the code into key-based resource files (like .json or .yaml) so the TMS can manage it without touching the logic. They need to replace concatenation with full strings and placeholders to allow for different word orders in languages like Japanese.

Finally, the site must be set to UTF-8 encoding with flexible CSS to handle character expansion and non-Latin fonts. This will ensure the UI does not break when the text grows or flips direction.

3. Audit the Content Ecosystem

Map out every place where your content lives:

Product: GitHub / GitLab / Bitbucket / Azure Repos
Marketing: WordPress / Webflow / Iterable / Marketo / HubSpot Marketing Hub
Support: Zendesk / Intercom / Kustomer
Multimedia: YouTube / Training videos

Depending on the company size, you may find that content lives in 20 different tools.

4. Integration-First TMS Selection

Do not pick a translation management system based on its UI. Pick it based on its connectors. If your marketing team updates a blog in Webflow or a help article in Zendesk, but your TMS does not have a live connector, you will waste your team's time. Look instead for a TMS like Crowdin that should have integrations with all your existing tools.

Automation helps to eliminate the risk of version-control chaos and manual copy-paste errors. With direct integrations, you can ensure that every update is synced and tracked.

5. Design the Workflow

Decide the localization path for each content type. Small example:

Product code might go through AI + Human Review.
Help articles might go through AI + Automated QA.
Marketing materials might go straight to a creative translator.

6. Use Glossary and Translation Memory

To save money later, build your glossary and use Translation Memory (TM) for approved translations. If you provide a vendor with a clear list of do-not-translate terms and a style guide upfront, you avoid expensive "re-work" and corrections later.

Even if you have zero budget for humans, a good glossary ensures the AI does not translate your brand name or specific feature names incorrectly.

7. Find Your LSP Partners

A localization manager has several paths here, his choice depends on the goals. You might partner with an LSP (Language Service Provider), or you can create your own team of freelancers.

If you are looking for speed, you can choose vendors directly from the Crowdin Store, which allows you to add professionals directly into your workflow with one click.

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin does not charge for the translator seats. Check out our Pricing page. </Aside>

8. AI and Machine Translation (MT)

Use AI and MT for the raw translations. They handle 80% of the work. Your strategy should define which AI engine or MT works best for which language (e.g., DeepL is often better for European languages, while others might excel in Asian markets). Test, choose, and connect inside the TMS.

Do not use AI out-of-the-box: test different prompts and models, and build your own strategy.

<Aside type="tip"> You can use Crowdin AI (which costs the same as buying it directly from the provider, since we add nothing to the provider's price). Or you can bring your own keys, which gives even more transparency and security. </Aside>

9. Provide Context

A word without context is just a guess. If a translator sees "Home", they do not know if it means a house, a landing page, or a button. Providing context is the only way to avoid ambiguity.

4 Layers of Context in Crowdin:

Screenshots: Mapping images to strings so translators see the exact UI layout.
In-Context Preview: A live proxy that allows editing directly on a "mirror" of your website.
Developer Comments / Text: Metadata pulled from code.
AI-Generated: Use Context Harvester CLI, which can go through your code and generate text context for each string.

Context isn't just for humans anymore. It is also a part of prompt engineering for LLMs. When you feed AI your glossary and string descriptions, the output shifts from a generic "machine guess" to a brand-aligned translation. By giving the AI the full picture, you cut the time and cost needed for human post-editing.

10. Build Your AI Pipeline

When you give AI too many rules at once (glossaries, tone of voice, character limits, etc.), it often hallucinates or ignores constraints. The idea is to break the process into a sequence of manageable steps so that AI can execute commands one by one.

If you prioritize quality over speed, the Crowdin AI Pipeline is for you. Unlike basic AI, which handles everything in a single request, this tool treats translation like a sequence of tasks.

One of the most practical features for a localization manager is the debugging module. If a translation looks bad, you do not have to guess why. You can inspect the "Input" and "Output" of every single step in the chain to see exactly where a constraint was ignored. This allows you to improve your prompts over time.

Learn more about AI Pipeline.

11. Implement a Multilevel QA Strategy

Once the translations are out of the AI Pipeline, you need to ensure they actually work in the real world. A translation is useless if it breaks the layout or uses terminology that does not make sense in context. To solve such issues, you can use the following strategies:

AI QA Checks: Before a human even looks at the text, use Automated AI QA (that can be a part of the AI Pipeline) to catch the rude mistakes. TMS tools can automatically flag if the AI missed a glossary term, ignored a character limit, or accidentally deleted a placeholder (like {user_name}).
Localization Testing: Visual testing catches text overflow or overlapping buttons, while functional testing ensures that dates, currencies, and right-to-left (RTL) layouts do not break the code.
Linguistic QA (LQA): This is the final check. Fluent reviewers ensure the tone matches the brand and culture.

12. Continuous Improvement

Localization strategy should continuously adapt. Use Pre-translation Accuracy Reports to see which languages AI handles best. If accuracy is 95%, automate more. If it is 40%, refine your prompts.

Your strategy should not live in a localization bubble. Get feedback from your Sales and Account Management teams in each country. They are on the front lines and will hear first if a translation feels "robotic" or if a specific term is not resonating with the local market.

With reports and sales team feedback, you can constantly update your glossary and AI Prompts for better output.

Advanced Section: Design, SEO, ASO, and Video Dubbing

Beyond text translation processes, there are many other aspects you need to consider in your localization strategy.

1. Design-Stage Localization

Strategy: Do not wait for the code to see the layout. Use the Figma integration to push translations back into the design files early.
Empower designers to "stress-test" their layouts with real translations or pseudo-localization. If the Japanese font looks weird or the layout needs to be mirrored, they should fix it in Figma, not in the final production code.

<Aside type="tip"> Read more about Design-stage localization and UI localization. </Aside>

2. SEO Localization

There is no point in having a localized site if Google can’t find it.

Strategy: Your SEO team can find the local keywords, but you have to make sure they actually get used. Add those high-volume local keywords to your glossary.
Integration: Treat SEO metadata (H1 tags, meta descriptions, and alt-text) as high-priority strings. If the keywords people are searching for don't match the terminology inside your app, the user experience is poor, and your ranking will suffer.

<Aside type="tip"> Check out a guide from our SEO specialist on SEO localization. </Aside>

3. App Store Optimization

If your app is on App Store or Google Play, localizing the storefront is just as important as localizing the app itself. If a user in Brazil sees a localized app name but the screenshots still show English text, they probably will not hit the download button.

Test: Try different visuals for new countries.
Automate: Don't do this manually. Connect your App Store or Google Play account to your TMS.
Use the TMS to manage everything from the release notes to the localized app screenshots. If a user sees their own language in the store, your conversion rate can jump.

<Aside type="tip"> Learn about App Store Optimization and Localization. </Aside>

4. Video and Audio Localization

Video is usually the forgotten content because it has historically been too expensive to localize. However, if you have YouTube tutorials, social ads, or internal training, you can't just leave them in English.

Strategy: Instead of hiring expensive studios and voice actors, use the Crowdin Dubbing Studio. Integrated with EvelenLabs and LipDub AI, it allows you to manage the entire video lifecycle (from transcription to AI lip syncing) in the same place you translate your content.
The biggest win here is that transcripts can be reviewed by linguists before the audio is generated. This is the secret to avoiding that robotic feel.

Localization strategy should be the bridge between the Marketing team (SEO/ASO), the Designers (Figma), and the Product. So do not forget about those components in your localization strategy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Strategy

Even with a perfect tech stack, a localization strategy can fail if you overlook the human and operational side of the business. Here are 3 critical areas to monitor:

1. Avoid Over-Localization

Not every market needs a 100% localized experience on day one. A common mistake is spending 40% of your budget on a deep, technical Help Center localization for a market that only has 10 users.

Tip: Use a tiered expansion model. Start with one localized landing page + ads to test the demand. Only move to full-product localization once the data proves the market is worth the investment.

2. Optimize Content for Localization

Localization is often seen as a last step in the marketing or dev chain. If your content creators do not know the localization rules, they will write text that is impossible to translate cheaply.

Tip: Train your content writers in source content optimization. Teach them to avoid local idioms, slang, or cultural references that do not make sense in Japan or Brazil. Writing in global English from the start can slash your translation costs. Moreover, always check your source content for mistakes. One error in the original English text will turn into 10 mistakes if you are translating into 10 languages.

3. Check for Regional Functional Requirements

A product that speaks the language but can't take the money will fail. If your strategy ignores local payment methods, date formats, and units of measurement, your "localized" app will still feel like a foreigner.

Tip: Collaborate with your Product and Finance teams early. In some markets, users won't use credit cards (requiring local options like Pix in Brazil or Konbini in Japan).

Build Your Custom Localization Strategy

The 12 tips above provide a framework, but the most important thing to remember is that a modern localization stack is fully modular. It should look more like a set of Lego bricks.

In Crowdin, we do not force you into one workflow. Instead, we give you the blocks – AI pipelines, integrations, QA checks, and vendors – and you can build the custom setup that fits your business best.

You are the architect. You can swap out an AI engine, add a “new brick”, or change the order of your QA steps as you scale. Your strategy is a living system that could grow and change. Build the workflow that works for your team today, and know that you can always rebuild it for tomorrow.

Do not be afraid to break the rules of this framework. Whether you need to swap out a vendor, add a new AI layer, or integrate a niche quality-checking tool, your tech stack should be flexible enough to serve your needs.

FAQ

What is a localization strategy?

A localization strategy is a company's approach to adapting its content, marketing efforts, products, and services to connect with the local market customers.

Why do I need to build a localization strategy?

A localization strategy helps businesses to avoid common localization mistakes, helps with international growth, shortens time to markets, gains numerous benefits, and improves customer engagement.

What is the best software to manage localization processes?

Crowdin is a platform that will help your team with translating business content, including software, module apps, websites, marketing content, help center, and games.

Guide to Next.js Internationalization (i18n) with next-intl

jan — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

While English is known to be the lingua franca of the web, when you look at the the top languages by number of native speakers, the result looks fairly more diverse:

Chinese (1.3 billion native speakers)
Spanish (485 million native speakers)
English (373 million native speakers)
Arabic (362 million native speakers)
Hindi (344 million native speakers)

With language being the foundation of communication, it’s clear that if you want to make your web content available to an international audience, you can enhance the user experience by supporting more than a single language. Internationalization, often abbreviated to i18n, prepares your application for localization to any language or region.

In this article, we will explore the process of adapting a Next.js site that was initially designed for a single language & market to be able to cater to an international audience. We will achieve this by implementing internationalization using next-intl library, specifically created for Next.js. The preferred choice for the App Router due to its deep integration with React Server Components, robust type-safety, and an architecture optimized for performance.

If you are building a standard React application without Next.js, check out our guide on React i18n

To practically explore this transition, we will discuss the Next.js i18n of an e-commerce storefront for a bicycle manufacturer based in the UK that is planning to sell its products to Switzerland.

Step 1: First look at the app

The Next.js app that we’ll be working with uses the App Router and is already set up with a home page and a product detail page. Basic knowledge of the Next.js App Router is assumed for this article, so depending on your experience, you might want to catch up on this architecture before continuing.

Let’s have a look at the current app to identify all the aspects that we need to address as part of the internationalization.

Home page: This page features a large hero section at the top, a list of popular bicycles, and testimonials below.

Product detail page: This page provides details on a specific bicycle.

The way the app is set up, the product data as well as the testimonials are retrieved from a backend, using a REST API.

Step 2: Multilingual or multi-regional?

When building internationalized web experiences, we’re typically thinking in two paradigms:

Multilingual: These websites provide content in more than one language.
Multi-regional: These websites explicitly target users in different countries.

While apps might fall into one or the other category, some can be both multilingual and multi-regional.

In the case of our app, the business is located in the UK and is now planning to sell its products in Switzerland. The primary language spoken in Switzerland is German, so we need to localize the content to this language. However, Switzerland has not one, but a total of four national languages: German, French, Italian, and a small fraction of the population has Romansh as the first language.

Furthermore, apart from localizing text content, we need to adapt to market-specifics of the country, like supporting a new currency: The Swiss Franc.

Due to this, our app qualifies as both multilingual and multi-regional.

After glancing over the existing app, we can identify the following aspects that we need to address as part of the internationalization:

Labels: Currently, all app labels are hardcoded in the app. We need to replace them with dynamic labels that change based on the current language.
Backend data: The product information from the database needs to be available in both English and German. Additionally, we would like to display testimonials based on the user's language.
Currency: We should support selling products in British pounds in the UK as well as Swiss Francs in Switzerland.
Formatting: Number, date and time formatting should consider the language and region of the user.
Country selector: While we can take a guess about the country and language preference of the user based on request headers, we should allow users to explicitly pick their preference.

That’s quite a bit, so let’s dive right in!

Step 3: Planning the URL structure

We describe languages, along with the formatting preferences of a user, with the term locale. Locales can optionally contain regional information.

Examples:

en-gb: English, as spoken in Great Britain
de-ch: German, as spoken in Switzerland

In our case, regional information is mandatory. Not only as a language preference but also for the app to use the local currency of the market that the store will be selling to.

Let’s look into the options that we have to incorporate the locale as well as the market into the URLs of the app.

Option 1: Market-centric URLs

By either using market-specific domains (e.g. domain.co.uk) or pathname prefixes (e.g. /uk), we can derive both the language as well as the currency from the URL:

// Will use the en-uk locale as well as the GBP currency
domain.co.uk

// Will use the de-ch locale as well as the CHF currency
domain.ch

Note that individual markets might have non-similar regulations, therefore especially in e-commerce this option can be relevant.

Pro: This approach offers flexibility for market-specific customization.

Con: We assume a single language & currency per market and country-specific domains are subject to availability (subdomains can be another option).

Option 2: Locale-centric URLs

Another option is to move the locale to the URL, typically as a pathname prefix:

// The locale is encoded in the URL
domain.com/en-gb
domain.com/de-ch
domain.com/fr-ch

With the locale being handled in the URL, we still have options for the currency selection:

Allow the user to select a preferred currency and save it e.g. in a cookie.
Derive the currency from the regional part of the locale (i.e. gb from en-gb).

Note that the regional part of a locale is typically a country code, but can be any sequence of two alphabetic characters. You can use this to combine countries with non-national languages—e.g. en-ch, describing the English language with Switzerland as the region.

Pro: This approach supports multiple languages per country.

Con: Market-specific customization is harder with this structure.

Option 3: Combining markets and locales in URLs

The approaches listed above can be combined to provide a maximum of flexibility, allowing for market-specific customization as well as language and currency selection per market:

// Market: United Kingdom
// Language: English, as spoken in Great Britain
domain.co.uk/en-gb

// Market: Switzerland
// Language: German, as spoken in Switzerland
domain.ch/de-ch

// Market: Switzerland
// Language: French, as spoken in Switzerland
domain.ch/fr-ch

Optionally, you can handle the primary language of a country without a locale prefix and use it only for secondary languages (e.g. domain.ch and domain.ch/fr).

For our example store in this article, we’ll go with option 2 from above, using locale-centric URLs (domain.com/en-gb). This provides us with sufficient flexibility to handle multiple languages per country. As we’re currently not planning on supporting multiple currencies per country, we’ll derive the country from the regional part of the locale.

Note that next-intl uses locale-centric URLs by default (e.g. /en), with an option to support market-specific URLs via separate domains. Market-specific pathname prefixes (e.g. /uk) are currently planned.

Step 4: Setting up `next-intl`

next-intl will provide the following pieces to enable internationalization of the app:

Internationalized routing for Next.js
Locale-specific text labels, referred to as messages
Locale-specific date, time and number formatting

But first, let’s have a a look at how the app is initially structured:

└── src
    └── app
        ├── layout.tsx
        ├── page.tsx
        └── products
            └── [slug]
                └── page.tsx

After following the getting started guide of next-intl, our files will be organized like this:

├── src
│   ├── app
│   │   └── [locale]
│   │       ├── layout.tsx
│   │       ├── page.tsx
│   │       └── products
│   │           └── [slug]
│   │               └── page.tsx
│   ├── i18n.ts
│   └── middleware.ts
└── messages
    └── en-gb.json

The most obvious difference is that all layout and page modules have been moved within the [locale] folder. This dynamic segment will help us to make all pages within the folder locale-aware.

Additionally, the following files were added:

messages/en-gb.json: This file will contain all our labels for the en-gb locale.
i18n.ts: This module is used to provide i18n configuration like locale-specific messages to React Server Components.
middleware.ts: The next-intl middleware will introduce a redirect for / to forward to the best-matching locale (e.g. /en-gb) and will set a cookie to remember the user preference.

After this setup is complete, the home page will now be available at /en-gb, matching the [locale] segment.

As the next step, we’ll adapt the app to incorporate the locale in all relevant places.

Step 5: Extracting hardcoded labels

Once the general setup is in place, we’ll begin extracting the previously hardcoded labels into dynamic messages.

Here’s an example of extracting the static labels from the hero section of the home page:

export default function Hero() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Two wheels, endless possibilities.</h1>
      <p>Unleash your ride with our premier bicycle collection.</p>
    </div>
  );
}

After the extraction, our component now looks like this:

import { useTranslations } from "next-intl";

export default function Hero() {
  const t = useTranslations("Hero");

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{t("title")}</h1>
      <p>{t("description")}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

The labels are now moved to en-gb.json:

{
  "Hero": {
    "title": "Two wheels, endless possibilities.",
    "description": "Unleash your ride with our premier bicycle collection."
  }
}

The useTranslations hook returns a function called t that can be invoked with the key of a message. As a result, it returns a locale-specific translation string from the messages.

const t = useTranslations("Hero");

// "Two wheels, endless possibilities."
t("title");

By convention, we use component names for creating namespaces in our messages. These namespaces hold all messages for a given component, making it easy to reason about where a given message is used. This is optional however, so if you have another preference, feel free to use that.

We’ll continue this process with the other labels in the app that were previously hardcoded, progressing one component at a time.

<Aside type="tip"> The ESLint rule react/jsx-no-literals can be helpful with spotting all hardcoded labels in component markup. Once a static label is spotted, the extraction can be streamlined by using a VSCode integration for next-intl. </Aside>

Step 6: Internationalizing backend data

Once we have the static labels extracted on the home page, we’ll look into incorporating the locale and country into components that use backend data.

Firstly, featured products should be adapted to use the country of the user to return a price in the local currency:

Secondly, testimonials should consider the language of the user:

As planned, we’re going to use the locale to retrieve both the language preference of the user as well as regional information about the market (i.e. the country).

To forward this information to the backend, all endpoints will now accept a locale parameter:

GET /api/testimonials?locale=en-gb
GET /api/products?locale=en-gb
GET /api/products/roadster-classic?locale=en-gb

The backend can now extract the country from the locale search param:

function getCountry(locale: string) {
  return new Intl.Locale(locale).region;
}

getCountry("en-gb"); // "GB"

… and return localized data based on this information:

{
  "price": {
    "value": 1199,
    "currency": "GBP"
  }
}

On the frontend side, we can now pass the locale that we receive as a dynamic segment to all relevant API calls:

import {getProducts, getTestimonials} from '@/api';

export default async function IndexPage(props: {params: {locale: string}}) {
  const products = await getProducts(props.params);
  const testimonials = await getTestimonials(props.params);

  return (
    // ..
  );
}

Step 7: Formatting currencies

In the initial implementation, currencies were simply rendered by assembling the price value with the currency:

// "1199 GBP"
`${product.price.value} ${produce.price.currency}`;

While this naive implementation works to some degree, the result doesn’t look very appealing.

Let’s see if we can improve this by switching to the useFormatter hook from next-intl:

import { useFormatter } from "next-intl";

export default function ProductListItem({ product }) {
  const format = useFormatter();

  return (
    <Card>
      {/* ... */}
      <CardDescription>
        {format.number(product.price.value, {
          style: "currency",
          currency: product.price.currency
        })}
      </CardDescription>
    </Card>
  );
}

Here’s the result:

Much better!

The currency is now turned into a symbol and thousands as well as decimal separators are added.

It’s worth mentioning that many aspects of number formatting can vary between locales:

Digit grouping
Currency sign position
Decimal & thousands separators

next-intl solves this by relying on the Intl.NumberFormat API (a core part of standard JavaScript localization) that is available in modern JavaScript runtimes and has knowledge about all major locales (i.e. all of the ISO 639 language codes).

Step 8: Formatting dates

Similarly to how we’ve improved formatting of currencies while incorporating the locale, we can apply the same treatment to date formatting.

The initial implementation uses the following formatting code to turn a Date object into a human readable string:

function formatDate(value: Date) {
  const date = String(value.getDate()).padStart(2, "0");
  const month = String(value.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, "0");
  const year = value.getFullYear();

  return `${date}/${month}/${year}`;
}

return (
  // ...

  // "Delivery by 30/02/2024"
  <p>Delivery by {formatDate(product.deliveryBy)}</p>
);

Let’s replace this with a call to useFormatter too:

const format = useFormatter();

return (
  // ...

  // "30 Feb 2024"
  <p>{format.dateTime(product.deliveryDate, { dateStyle: "medium" })}</p>
);

That’s better. Note that next-intl provides a few built-in date formats like 'medium' that can be referenced by name. For more specific use cases, all options of the Intl.DateTimeFormat API can be used.

But what about the leading “Delivery by” part?

To combine text labels with dynamic parts, next-intl uses ICU syntax that allows to embed dynamic variables into messages, optionally with additional formatting.

Let’s refactor our implementation again and extract this message into our messages JSON file:

"ProductPageContent": { "delivery": "Delivery by {deliveryDate, date, medium}" }

… and call it like this:

t("delivery", { deliveryDate: product.deliveryBy });

Here’s the result:

Great. By referencing the deliveryDate in our message, we furthermore provide translators the flexibility to decide at which place the date should be embedded within the text label.

Step 9: Next.js i18n routing

At this point, the content of our app already looks decent and is internationalized. However, there’s one major piece still missing: All page links need to be adapted to point to localized alternatives.

import Link from "next/link";

// ❌ Points to a 404 since our pages
// are prefixed like `/en-gb/about`
<Link href="/about">{t("about")}</Link>;

To fix our links, we’ll use the next-intl navigation APIs which act as a locale-aware drop-in replacement for the APIs known from Next.js.

We can create the navigation APIs by calling the createSharedPathnamesNavigation factory function in a central module like src/navigation.ts:

import { createSharedPathnamesNavigation } from "next-intl/navigation";

export const locales = ["en-gb"];

export const { Link, redirect, usePathname, useRouter } = createSharedPathnamesNavigation({
  locales
});

The locales argument for createSharedPathnamesNavigation is identical to the one that we need to pass to the middleware. To make sure it is in sync, we’ll import it into src/middleware.ts:

import createMiddleware from "next-intl/middleware";
import { locales } from "./navigation";

export default createMiddleware({
  defaultLocale: "en-gb",
  locales
});

// ...

The customized Link component can now be used to replace all instances of next/link:

import { Link } from "@/navigation";

// ✅ Automatically considers the locale and
// creates a valid link like `/en-gb/about`
<Link href="/about">{t("about")}</Link>;

With this, all page links work again and will automatically incorporate the locale.

<Aside type="tip"> In this example we use a module path alias, making it easy to import from src/navigation.ts across the code base. </Aside>

Step 10: Localizing to Swiss German

Now, with all the refactoring work out of the way, we can finally localize the app to de-ch!

As a first step, we’ll add the new locale to the locales array in src/navigation.ts:

export const locales = ["en-gb", "de-ch"];

// ...

The middleware matcher in src/middleware.ts should be updated accordingly too:

// ...

export const config = {
  // Match only internationalized pathnames
  matcher: ["/", "/(en-gb|de-ch)/:path*"]
};

Note on the matcher: The matcher config requires a static string literal. This is why we can't dynamically generate the regex from our locales array (e.g., en-gb|de-ch). Next.js's build process needs to analyze this value statically to optimize middleware performance.

And finally, we’ll add messages/de-ch.json with updated labels from our translators:

{
  "Hero": {
    "allProducts": "Alle Fahrräder erkunden",
    "description": "Entfessle dein Fahrerlebnis mit unserer erstklassigen Fahrradsammlung.",
    "title": "Zwei Räder, unendliche Möglichkeiten."
  }
}

With this step completed, we’re now able to render the localized home page by navigating to /de-ch:

Also, the product detail page renders correctly with localized content for de-ch:

On this page, we notice that the backend has returned a localized price that uses the CHF currency (i.e. Swiss Francs). Our refactoring with useFormatter has really paid off here as the formatting of both the product price as well as the delivery date has automatically been adapted based on the new locale.

Step 11: Translated routes in Next.js

If you look carefully at the product detail page, you might notice that there’s one piece missing to be localized: the pathname of the page (/de-ch/products/roadster-sport). The URL is part of the user interface too and has SEO relevance, therefore we should localize the products segment too.

We can achieve this by switching the factory function in src/navigation.ts from createSharedPathnamesNavigation to createLocalizedPathnamesNavigation and providing adapted pathnames by locale:

import { createLocalizedPathnamesNavigation } from "next-intl/navigation";
import { Pathnames } from "next-intl/navigation";

export const locales = ["en-gb", "de-ch"] as const;

export const pathnames = {
  "/": "/",
  "/products": {
    "en-gb": "/products",
    "de-ch": "/produkte"
  },
  "/products/[slug]": {
    "en-gb": "/products/[slug]",
    "de-ch": "/produkte/[slug]"
  },
  "/about": {
    "en-gb": "/about",
    "de-ch": "/uber-uns"
  }
} satisfies Pathnames<typeof locales>;

export const { Link, redirect, usePathname, useRouter } = createLocalizedPathnamesNavigation({
  locales,
  pathnames
});

Just like the locales array, the pathnames mapping is also relevant for the middleware since it adds internal rewrites for localized pathnames. Due to this, we will pass the pathnames in src/middleware.ts as well:

import createMiddleware from "next-intl/middleware";
import { locales, pathnames } from "./navigation";

export default createMiddleware({
  defaultLocale: "en-gb",
  locales,
  pathnames
});

// ...

After this change, links to pages like /products will immediately be localized:

For the product detail page at /products/[slug] a minor change is necessary though, since it uses dynamic params. Luckily, TypeScript will notify us about this:

// ❌ This link will no longer work since
// we need to pass the `slug` separately.
<Link href={`/products/${product.slug}`}>
  <ProductListItem product={product} />
</Link>

TypeScript asks us to provide the pathname and params separately, so they can be compiled into a locale-specific pathname template:

With this step completed, the app now renders localized links for the product detail page too:

Note that the next-intl middleware will include the link response header for all localized content pages, informing search engines about locale-specific variations of a page so that the best-matching one can be prioritized in search results:

Link: <http://localhost:3000/en-gb/products/roadster-sport>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="en-gb",
      <http://localhost:3000/de-ch/produkte/roadster-sport>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="de-ch"

Step 12: Creating a locale switcher

At this point, the app is fully functional for two locales that are available at the pathname prefixes /en-gb and /de-ch. What happens when the user visits the root pathname / though?

By default, the next-intl middleware will provide a redirect to a localized version of our app when the root pathname is requested. If the user has already visited the app, the previous locale is saved in the NEXT_LOCALE cookie and will be re-applied here. For new visitors, the accept-language header is used for negotiating the best-matching locale.

In our case, the locale represents not only the language preference of the user though, but the market that the app serves. Therefore the accept-language header might produce incorrect redirects in case someone who is located in Switzerland will visit the app and has English configured as the browser language. We could instead use geographical information from the request IP to implement a redirect, but also this can produce inaccurate results. Better yet, we should explicitly let the user select the correct market.

To enable this, we’re going to add a country flag to the header, which allows users to switch between markets:

We’re going to split the locale switcher markup and the interactive select element into two components, enabling us to add the 'use client' marker only to the select element.

Let’s start with the outer component that orchestrates all markup for the control:

import { useLocale, useTranslations } from "next-intl";
import LocaleSwitcherSelect from "./LocaleSwitcherSelect";
import LocaleIcon from "./LocaleIcon";

export default function LocaleSwitcher() {
  const t = useTranslations("LocaleSwitcher");
  const locale = useLocale();

  return (
    <label>
      <p className="sr-only">{t("label")}</p>
      <LocaleIcon locale={locale} />
      <LocaleSwitcherSelect defaultValue={locale}>
        <option value="en-gb">{t("en-gb")}</option>
        <option value="de-ch">{t("de-ch")}</option>
      </LocaleSwitcherSelect>
    </label>
  );
}

We’re using a new hook from next-intl here: useLocale. This hook returns the current locale and can be used by us to render a matching flag icon.

Apart from that, we can use the useTranslations hook to prepare labels for the individual select options:

Note that we translate the language in the option labels to the target locale, allowing users to find a language they can understand, regardless of the currently active app locale.

LocaleSwitcherSelect is implemented as a Client Component and uses two hooks that we’ve created based on the localized pathnames factory function in src/navigation.ts:

"use client";

import { usePathname, useRouter } from "@/navigation";
import { useParams } from "next/navigation";

export default function LocaleSwitcherSelect(props: React.ComponentProps<"select">) {
  // This router automatically considers the `locale`
  // behind the scenes and allows to switch it.
  const router = useRouter();

  // E.g. `{slug: 'roadster-sport'}` on the product detail page
  const params = useParams();

  // Since we're using localized pathnames, this returns a
  // a pathname template like `/products/[slug]` that can
  // be compiled with a specific locale by the router.
  const pathname = usePathname();

  function onChange(event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLSelectElement>) {
    const locale = event.target.value;
    router.push(
      {
        pathname,
        // TypeScript validates that only known `params` are used in
        // combination with a given `pathname`. Since the two will always
        // match for the current route, we can skip runtime checks.
        params: params as any
      },
      { locale }
    );
  }

  return <select {...props} onChange={onChange} />;
}

Note that since this Client Component doesn’t access any translations via useTranslations but the enclosing component passes them via children, we can handle translations purely in Server Components and reduce the client bundle size of the app.

That’s it!

And with that, we have our fully internationalized e-commerce storefront set up:

If you’d like to see the finished app in action, you can explore it here: Bicycle Store.

To recap, this is the process that we’ve followed:

Firstly, we’ve internationalized the app. This means that we’ve extracted all hardcoded labels into dynamic translations, added support for multiple currencies in the backend and improved our number & date formatting to be locale-specific. On top, we’ve added internationalized routing and a locale switcher.
Secondly, we’ve localized the app for the Swiss market. The implementation part of this consisted of adding translated messages and pathnames in the app, as well as returning the correct currency in the backend. We didn’t have to change anything in regard to number and date formatting since this is automatically handled by next-intl.

Note that the first step was a one-time effort, now enabling us to localize the app to further languages and markets.

Switzerland is a good example for internationalization since it’s a multilingual country. With the internationalized setup of our app in place, we now have a great foundation to add further locales like fr-ch and it-ch. We can also add non-national languages for the Swiss market with locales like en-ch if this is a use case that we want to support.

<Aside type="tip"> In this article we’ve assumed that translators have already provided us with translations for the de-ch locale based on our source en-gb. The Crowdin translation management system can help engineering teams to collaborate with translators and implement AI localization workflows. </Aside>

Resources

next-intl: Internationalization (i18n) for Next.js
Next.js App Router
Image sources: unsplash.com, vecrorportal.com.

Check out this video tutorial from Jan on how to do Next.js app internationalization with Crowdin:

Moreover, you can join the course Going international with Next.js , where you can learn how to build delightful, multilingual experiences and make your Next.js application accessible to users around the world. Register now

What's New at Crowdin: January 2024

diana — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

From enhanced pre-translation options and AI content checks to updated plugins and API enhancements, this update is packed with features to improve your localization workflow. Let's dive into what's new at Crowdin.

AI Experiments: Pre-translation by Linguists

Pre-translation has traditionally been done by localization managers. A manager would select an MT engine, sometimes pre-train or pre-configure it before use, and pre-populate translations from that engine. Often, the manager would do TM, then MT population.

LLM has shown that it's most efficient when it knows the context. The more context provided, the better translation quality can be expected.

With this new experimental feature, we are introducing a pre-translation feature for linguists. We're assuming that a linguist would be able to give LLM a set of instructions that would be most useful for the particular language and file the linguist is currently working on.

This feature is not activated by default, but as a project manager, you can go to a new setting that can be found in the Tools > AI Assistant Wizard and activate it for the linguists in your project.

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

We want to emphasize that this feature is experimental. The current API of most LLM vendors needs to be more robust to handle large projects quickly. This approach of pre-translating a file would also disrupt a workflow linguists have become accustomed to. However, we wanted to show this new way of doing translations as soon as possible.

Check for AI-Generated Content Before Releasing Translated Content

With the current state of LLM, a human can easily sniff AI-generated content. Companies want to use AI for speed and budget, but they still want to respect their customers and deliver quality content.

Another concern is search engines. While it's unclear if major search engines will penalize AI-generated content, it's very likely.

Last month, we released a set of integrations with major AI-generated content APIs to help you check your translations to see if they can be identified as AI-generated before publishing.

The applications integrate as reports in your Crowdin project. You will be asked to provide the API key of the service you want to use for AI-generated content checking.

Please note that none of the integrated services, nor any other service out there, can guarantee 100% accurate detection. Selected integrated services are market leaders and do a decent job, though.

New Provider: Microsoft Azure OpenAI

Crowdin AI Assistant now supports Microsoft Azure OpenAI. So, for now, Crowdin AI providers include OpenAI, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Azure OpenAI.

Security in Crowdin: Trusted Devices and New Device Login Verification

Personally, I hate it when you log on to something online and it becomes a festival of verifications and questions. This is what should be done, and this is what we have now done in Crowdin. From now on, every time you login from a new device, you will be asked to confirm this login with the short code sent to your email. This is done to secure your account in case your credentials have been compromised. This will protect your data and the data you have access to in Crowdin. If you often need to login from new devices, we recommend setting up 2FA verification to disable new device verification.

Better Reports Usability

We added the option to set global rate schemes and share them with project members or even managers within the owner’s projects.

Other updates include:

A checkbox to Exclude approvals for edited translations in the Translation Cost report. When you use this, it won't count approval if the same person who translated a piece of text also makes changes to it later. This helps get a clearer picture of the translation work done by different users.
The Top Members reports are available on the pages of public crowdsourcing projects at Crowdin Enterprise.

Vendor Pre-Translation Using Client's TM in Crowdin Enterprise

We have implemented a new feature that allows vendors to utilize and perform pre-translation using the client's Translation Memory(TM).

Additionally, we adjusted the calculation of reports. So now, when you choose to share your Translation Memory (TM) with a vendor, it affects how we calculate cost estimates in reports. Now, the system considers both the clients' and the vendors' TMs for more accurate translation cost calculations.

Editing TM Records String from the Crowdin Editor

The Translation Memory (TM) suggestions and TM search tab in Editor will now feature editing capabilities. Managers can edit TM records directly in the Editor.

A new pencil icon for TM suggestions allows quick modifications, and an 'edit' option next to each record in the TM search tab enables immediate adjustments. The edit function opens a dialog box to edit or delete TM entries easily.

Enhanced Task Management in Crowdin

Enjoy the updated task page, as well as the task sections at both the project and organizational levels in Crowdin. This includes introducing pagination for the task page and reorganizing it for faster loading, making your interaction with tasks in Crowdin more efficient and user-friendly.

Crowdin Marketplace

Translate Glossary App Update

Crowdin's Translate Glossary now has a new feature: "Add translation if it's the same as the source string" (available in the app settings).

This update makes it easier to import glossaries by automatically adding translations that are the same as the original text. It saves time by removing the need to retranslate these terms, making the app more efficient.

Global Search App

Our new Global Search app allows you to search across all your projects and translation resources comprehensively. Ideal for instances when you need to find obsolete terms, recall specific texts, or locate files by name, title, or context, this app enables searching through source texts, keys, contexts, translations, and translation memories.

Note that search results may be limited for those managing more than 100 projects, showing fewer matches but indicating the number of matches per project with links for further exploration. Also, the search function in this app is not case-sensitive.

Project Dashboard

For project managers, the Project dashboard app simplifies tracking translation progress across all projects on Crowdin by offering a unified view of translation and approval statuses for all languages. It allows focusing on specific languages to easily assess project statuses.

Translators, particularly those juggling multiple projects, will find this tool helpful for identifying projects needing translation or review. Individual translators on Crowdin.com must install it themselves, while Crowdin Enterprise administrators should provide it for their translators.

Other Crowdin Store updates include

Support for Collections to ButterCMS app.
Ability to import translations from Commercetools to Crowdin.
Settings in DatoCMS for translation updates.
Image element synchronization in Storyblok integration.
Selective synchronization at Document360 integration, allowing you to choose whether to include drafts.

Choose Branches for Translation

Our latest update introduces a selective synchronization feature for VCS integrations, allowing users to upload translations from specific branches instead of all connected branches. This makes the synchronization process faster, thus saving you time.

Non-Translatable Terms in Glossary

We have added a 'translatable' option for glossary terms. Now, if you have a term in the glossary that doesn't require translation, such as a proper noun, simply remove the 'translatable' checkmark when editing an existing term or creating a new one.

Better File Import/Export

Recent improvements in the Import/Export section include:

XLSX Configuration: New option to include or exclude hidden sheets during XLSX file imports.
AsciiDoc File Import: Option to not import 'include directives' strings for smoother imports.
Xcstrings: Exports now include non-translated strings for a more complete output.

Crowdin New API: Security Logs

This update lets you view a list of security logs and individual log items. The key for this scope is 'security-log,' allowing for enhanced monitoring of security events in Crowdin. This new API should be handy for our enterprise customers as integrating their SIEM systems with Crowdin is now a snap.

Other Crowdin Updates

Crowdin's GraphQL lets you handle translations without specifying languages, simplifying queries and management.
API Update: A Branch ID parameter has been added to the List Language Translations method for enhanced functionality.
VS Code plugin 2.0.0: We've added support for Stringbase projects and upgraded the UI.
Figma plugin 57, 58.

The latest plugin update introduces new features for enhanced usability, including the ability to delete and hide items for better control. It also adds new elements to the custom key naming pattern.
Unity Plugin 0.4.2, 0.5.0, 0.5.1

The Unity plugin has been updated with improved logging features. Now, it provides more detailed information about the upload and download processes.
Python API Client 1.14.1
iOS SDK 1.7.0
JS API Client 1.29.4
Crowdin CLI 3.16.0

Following numerous requests for individual file handling, we've introduced the crowdin file command, allowing for individual file processing. More information on this is available in the documentation and File Management article. Additionally, new commands have been added and are now also accessible for String-based projects.
GitHub Action v1.16.0, v1.16.1
.NET API Client 2.20.0
Ruby API Client 1.7.0

What's New at Crowdin: December 2023

diana — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Crowdin's December 2023 update. In this edition, we're excited to announce the Google Gemini AI provider, along with other major new features and the introduction of the Crowdin AI Assistant's new features. The new Strings projects are now accessible on crowdin.com. Check out the latest features, improvements, and plugin updates below.

{/* more */}

AI's Translation: Google Gemini, Better Fine-Tuning and More Context

Google Gemini

Google Gemini is now integrated as an engine in the Crowdin AI assistant, offering an alternative way to leverage AI in your localization projects.

More Context When Pre-Translating with AI

LLM works best when it's given context. An entire file often contains enough contextual information for the machine to make a better translation. This new option can be enabled for any project where you use Crowdin AI Assistant, and when enabled, every time you translate a file, all strings are sent to LLM for reference. Even if you only translate one segment. This approach may affect your budget, but it should greatly improve quality and consistency. Existing translations you have in the file will also be sent to the LLM.

Continuous Fine-Tuning

Fine-tuning is awesome! You can show the machine your terminology and all your previous translations from the TM. All translations coming from the LLM will take into account the training data. In the latest version, Crowdin AI Assistant allows you to do continuous fine-tuning to use the new terms and TM sets or add new glossaries and TMs to your fine-tuned model. It's recommended to run fine-tuning every time you have a significant update to your localization assets.

A new model is created as a result of fine-tuning the stock model or continuous fine-tuning of an already fine-tuned model. This allows you to compare performance and roll back if the training went wrong.

To use this feature, simply select an already fine-tuned model in the Fine-tuning screen of the AI Assistant.

String-Based Projects

We're excited to announce that Strings projects are now available on crowdin.com. With Strings Projects, Crowdin becomes a UI strings repository, simplifying the management of source and target languages in a collaborative grid. This is especially beneficial when translating multi-platform products, ensuring consistency across Android, iOS, desktop, web, and more.

You can use bundles to create resource files for each platform as you translate.

Strings projects are available now on crowdin.com. When creating a new project, there's a checkbox to indicate your project type.

These projects are already supported in Figma and Sketch plugins.

Strings projects are coming to Crowdin Enterprise next month.

Webflow

With the recent introduction of the localization API in Webflow, Crowdin rushed to implement the new connection for your Webflow website localization. Our previous integration relied on JS proxy technology with its limitations and compromises. The new Webflow translation integration is smooth and offers all the best practices for translating websites. For now, the application is free and immediately available for everyone to try.

Moving Pre-Translate from Workflows to Project Settings in crowdin.com

An "Enable MT/TM pre-translate for new content" option is now available in the project settings in both the Translation Memory and the new Machine Translation sections on crowdin.com.

Also, in the Machine Translation section, we have added the ability to choose which languages to translate with configured engines so that you can translate different languages with different engines.

Figma

Below is a list of enhancements to the Crowdin plugin for Figma that make it more intuitive and efficient for product and marketing designers.

Exclusion of non-essential text: Designers can now exclude non-translatable and invisible text from their designs when submitting new keys to Crowdin. This feature streamlines creating strings directly from designs, ensuring that only relevant text is included.
Key creation tools: When creating a new key, designers can now provide additional contextual information, specify maximum acceptable translation lengths, and provide a plural string form when necessary.
Element_id in key naming patterns: The new "element_id" option in the Key Naming Pattern setting is a game changer for designers. It eliminates the need to manually enter a key for each text element by automatically using the ID of the text element within the design. This feature greatly simplifies the process, saving time and reducing manual entry.
Seamless integration with string projects: The Figma plugin now offers seamless compatibility with new Crowdin Strings projects.
Context-aware interface: The Crowdin Figma plugin is a go-to tool for product designers to access and create product copy and translate various non-product UI elements, such as marketing materials and image captions. To reduce confusion for new users, the plugin now prompts designers to specify the type of content they're working with. This allows the plugin to tailor its interface for a more streamlined experience.

Acumbamail

A new integration for localizing Acumbamail templates and their content.

Retina Screenshots

Add @2x to the filename for retina screenshots, and Crowdin will handle them for you.

Crowdin now automatically scales retina screenshots if the filename includes @2x or @3x. In the editor, screenshots are displayed in a fit screen mode by default, with an option to view them in their original size. Additionally, we've implemented intelligent detection for large screenshots, suggesting suitable names like name@2x.

Other Crowdin Updates

As usual, there are dozens of small bug fixes and improvements. The Google AutoML integration is now more robust. A few API methods have been improved, e.g. tasks created via the API now accept a list of strings you want to translate. Major updates to the TM API methods. A whole bunch of micro improvements to Markdown, Apple resource files, and others.

Additional updates include:

Croql is now available in the List TM Records API method.
Figma plugin: Versions 53, 54, 55
Sketch plugin 2.8.0
VS Code plugin 1.6.3
Unity plugin 0.4.1
Python API Client 1.14.0
Flutter SDK 0.4.0

2023 Year in Recap: Crowdin's Highlights

diana — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Hey! As we say bye to 2023, Crowdin wants to share a quick snapshot of our year. This article briefly examines the cool things we did – new tools, features, and some exciting moments.

We'll tell you about the path of our AI Translator as the best co-pilot for localization projects, professional translation memory, string-based projects, and more.

So, join us for a speedy tour of 2023 at Crowdin.

AI Translation: Crowdin AI for Seamless Localization

At Crowdin, being the first to experiment with AI has been a game-changer. Let's dive into what AI capability we implemented and what set us apart.

We were the first to:

Showcase Crowdin’s AI Co-pilot for Translators, based on integration with ChatGPT and Gemini.
Enable the utilization of prompt engineering.
Introduce fine-tuning as an option to train your model based on your resources.
Provide an ability to add file context for better AI translations. A massive context is crucial for high-quality translations using the LLM. Now in Crowdin, it is possible to specify context at the project level (using the "promt" feature), at the file level (using this feature), and at the level of each segment (especially useful for UI localizatio or structured designs, such as brochures).

At Crowdin, you can use AI:

As a machine translation engine.
For pre-translation.
Without extra charge.

At Crowdin, we love playing around with AI to bring you awesome features you won't find anywhere else. Working on Artificial Intelligence is now one of our primary focuses. We believe and aspire to enable everyone to have their own translation AI assistant that you can personally train and teach. You can already start doing this by using the fine-tuning feature of Crowdin AI Assistant app and train your own model. Regarding the news you can expect soon, we're about to drop the AI Feedback Loop. And more to come.

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

String-Based Projects for Simplified Management

We are very excited to announce the general availability of the Strings projects on crowdin.com.

String-based projects allow Crowdin to serve as a UI strings repository instead of a file translation tool. While you can still bring your existing translation resources, when you import into your Strings project in Crowdin, all keys will live in a database until you generate resource files for use in your builds or OTA delivery.

Both source and target languages can be managed in one convenient grid by all collaborators, designers, developers, content managers, and linguists.

Spring-based projects are extremely useful when translating multi-platform products. Suppose your application is available for multiple platforms like Android, iOS, Desktop, Web, and more. Your app probably shares many UI labels. The strings project allows you to manage a repo of the product copy and generate the resource files for each platform when you do the build.

This greatly improves the consistency of your copy, reduces your budget when buying professional services, and gives flexibility when managing the copy. You don't have to ask developers to edit the resource file. Strings projects can also be used for other purposes, such as synchronizing your database with Crowdin for translation. Avoiding the use of files allows you to do very granular synchronization only when some of your data changes.

Crowdin's Multilingual Vision in Action

We want to emphasize our goal: helping your entire company becoming multilingual. Crowdin aims to let users choose the systems they prefer, while ensuring smooth connections to keep their content in multiple languages.

This year, we've added many new connectors (40+) to make it easy for all your company departments become a part of localization, without the hassle of manually copying and pasting content. Among them, online advertising platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, video platforms like Vimeo and Wistia, as well as other connectors (AppStore, PrestaShop, Strapi, and more).

So now, for example, if you use CMS platform like Webflow, marketing tools like Mailchimp, customer service software like Zendesk, and platforms like Google Ads or Wistia, all of the content from this tools can automatically sync to Crowdin and become multilingual in a few clicks. For how to properly localize Google Ads read our article.

Additionally, it's important to highlight that APIs are still a top priority for us. We're happy to see that more and more of our partners creating customized solutions on the Crowdin platform, building strong applications to automate tasks and make things more convenient for their specific needs.

Professional Translation Memory

This year, we've significantly improved Crowdin's Translation Memory (TM) functionality, aiming to enhance the professional translation experience. Here's a summary of the key features introduced:

Preserving Approval Status for Strings

Crowdin allows Translation Memory to retain approval status, allowing users greater flexibility in managing perfect matches.

Context-Driven Translations with TM Match Context Type

Introducing TM Match Context Type for more precise context control, allowing users to choose how the system considers the context for perfect translation suggestions.

TM Penalties

TM Penalties address a highly requested feature, enabling managers to set penalties for TM translations meeting specific criteria. This ensures a more controlled and quality-focused localization process.

New Roles: Developer and Language Coordinator

Two new roles have been introduced to streamline project management. Developers handle technical aspects like setting up the integrations and using API, while Language Coordinators manage certain project features only within the languages they have access to. Language coordinator includes the role of a proofreader and access to the tab of members, reports and activities in the selected language. With the Developer role, you can seamlessly connect various integrations to Crowdin, enabling automated translation updates, content synchronization between systems, and a more streamlined localization process overall.

But that’s not all. The Developer role also grants you access to Crowdin’s powerful API. Leveraging the API, you can build custom integrations, automate tasks, and extend Crowdin’s functionality to meet your specific requirements.

Other Crowdin Updates: MT, File Formats, Post-Editing Rates in Reports

Configurable Machine Translations

From now you can not only access powerful machine translation engines, including OpenAI, but also configure them by project and language.

Custom Crowdin Processors and New Formats

We've added new file formats like JSONC, MDX, NestJS, and JSON-HTML as well as made significant improvements to certain file formats, such as Markdown. Currently, Crowdin offers top-notch support for this format and possibly provide the best market support for its various flavors.

Besides this, we presented processors so you can say goodbye to file challenges. Meet Crowdin's Pre-Post Processors, the solution for handling files with just three lines of code. For example, if you'll bring proprietary formats not supported by other localization platforms, you can seamlessly convert this files into a format fully supported by Crowdin with just a few lines of script.

At times, users employ a different syntax formatting convention than Crowdin's exporter. The Post-Export Processor can quickly align the formatting with the user's preference using tools like Prettier.

Here're applications that provide custom JavaScript code capabilities for some of the Crowdin processes:

Custom Pre-Import Processor: Modify source files before import.
Custom Post-Export Processor: Edit exported files.
Custom Post-Import Processor: Process imported strings.
Custom Pre-Export Processor: Adjust translated strings before export.

Long story short, pre-post processors free up hands to support literally any format you desire or that your system requires.

Post-Editing Rates

In 2023, we successfully enhanced transparency in Crowdin ratings, addressing valuable feedback from translators. Project members can now share rating schemas, fostering greater clarity and understanding. Furthermore, we expanded our API support for rate templates and introduced "global schemas" that can be shared across projects, significantly improving organizational reporting. Overall, rates are now useful not for calculating human-translation costs, but mtpe costs too.

Improvements to QA Checks

The ability to configure the importance of QA checks Now in the QA checks settings you can choose either to allow users to save the translation regardless of the QA issue notification or not. Moreover, another new improvements allow you to choose when the QA issue is considered fixed (1-5 approvals). Here's even more QA checks available at our Crowdin Store for Crowdin Enterprise.

Design Updated: Logo, Projects

Last but not least, we've given the Crowdin logo a fresh look as well as design across both Crowdin and Enterprise versions. Experience the modern design on the main page, now seamlessly integrated with a sleek dark theme for a cohesive visual experience. Plus, we upgraded designs of both Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise projects.

Customers about Crowdin

Crowdin for Developers

GraphQL

In 2023, Crowdin introduced robust GraphQL integration across both Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise platforms. This enhancement empowers developers with precise data retrieval capabilities. The addition of contextual approvals, improved data navigation with filtering and sorting options, and an enriched GraphQL API offer developers a seamless and powerful toolkit. Furthermore, the integration of the GraphQL Playground app directly within the web UI simplifies query construction, testing, and debugging, marking significant advancements in the developer experience.

Organizational Webhooks

Real-time updates through organizational webhooks enabled instant notifications, ensuring timely responses to changes in the Crowdin Enterprise organization.

Flutter SDK Debut

Don't forget about the addition of the Flutter SDK that elevates cross-platform development and streamlines localization within Crowdin.

How Crowdin Ensures Your Information is Secure

At Crowdin, we've significantly improved our security features in 2023. In addition to our Security Center, which includes features like 2FA configuration, public project alert, email domain verification, inactive user tracking, offline translations monitoring, and more, we introduced passkeys and secutity key support.

Passkeys and Security Key Support

Security keys can be physical devices, such as YubiKey, that you plug into your computer to authenticate. They can also be your smartphone or even your browser. Security keys are fishing-proof authentication and are recommended for everyone, both project owners and translators.

Passkeys are an alternative to passwords and use the new WebAuthn protocol offered by modern browsers. They would allow you to log in to your Crowdin account using your hardware security keys and biometric scanners of your devices, like the fingerprint scanner of your laptop or the Face ID of your smartphone.

While we've got your back with security features, let's team up to protect your data. Remember to keep those passwords strong and unique and avoid sharing them.

Login from a New Device

In December, we added additional confirmation during login from a new device. Thus, you'll receive email notification or email with OTP (one-time-password) depending on your settings. This new feature adds an extra layer of verification when logging in from a new device.

Translator Access Control

While prioritizing your profile's security, we've added a feature for better management of translator access to content within tasks. This enhancement allows you to limit translators' access to assigned content, reinforcing security against unauthorized access, data breaches, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

SCIM User Provisioning

The Crowdin SCIM app makes it easier to provision and deprovision users through Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, and other user directories in Crowdin Enterprise. Thus, adding and deleting users from your Crowdin Enterprise organization is simplified. This helps save you time, lower the risk of giving access to the wrong users, and ensure enterprise security.

Professional Translation Editor

This year, we released some upgrades like:

Tab Pinning - now, tabs on the right side of the Editor can be pinned, offering a more flexible layout compared to the previous single-panel option.
Side-by-Side View Enhancement - a significant upgrade introduces a side-by-side view with optimized workspace efficiency.
Quick Commands in Spotlight Widget - you can use quick commands, enhancing accessibility and speed of translation process.

Crowdin Resources: Your Learning Hub for Practical Insights

Explore our localization resource center for checklists, webinars, and ebooks. It's a practical hub to enhance your knowledge and optimize your localization strategy, from marketing page localization to making your whole company multilingual.

See You in 2024

Thank you for being part of our journey, and here's to another year of collaboration, growth, and success. Wishing you a fantastic 2024 filled with localization victories!

MT Translation: 3 Times Cheaper, 2 Times Faster, No Quality Loss. Ajax Systems Localization

diana — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In the fast-changing global business world, making your message clear in different languages is crucial. Ajax Systems, a tech company, is an excellent example of how smart tech can make this process easier and cheaper.

Ajax Systems used to do translations using another localization tool. But then, they decided to try something new and found Crowdin. They started using machines to help with translations, making things much faster and cheaper without losing the quality.

In this case study, we'll examine how Ajax Systems changed its translation process using Crowdin integrated with DeepL Translate, Reverso, and OpenAI.

So, come along as we explore how Ajax Systems' localization team made the translation process, more innovative and more efficient.

<table> <thead> <tr> <th>SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th class="text-nowrap align-baseline">Functionality Used</th> <td> <ul> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/groups/" target="_blank"> Crowdin Enterprise Projects Groups </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/workflows" target="_blank"> Workflows </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/translation-memory/" target="_blank"> Translation Memory </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/machine-translation/#deepl-translator" target="_blank" > DeepL Translate </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/crowdin-enterprise-glossary/" target="_blank" > Glossary </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/reverso" target="_blank"> Reverso Context app </a> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Key Results</th> <td> <ul> <li> Translated to 11 languages: marketing content (email campaigns, slogans, presentations, blog), Ajax Academy, and technical documentation </li> <li>2 times faster localization thanks to automation (MT, TM)</li> <li>3 times less costly while upholding high standards</li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

About Ajax Systems

Ajax Systems is Europe’s largest developer and manufacturer of professional security systems with smart home capabilities. Founded in 2011, the company has experienced rapid growth and is now recognized as an international leader in the security industry.

MT-Driven Translation: 2 Times Faster

Ajax Systems decided to improve its translation process in a localization field where accuracy and precision are super important. They integrated machine translation (MT) and human skills, ensuring most of the work was automated. This change made the translation process faster and reduced the translation cost, but most importantly – the translators could skip routine translations and dedicate more time and effort to translating challenging content.

<Blockquote footer="Olena, Localization Team Lead at Ajax Systems"> Using DeepL for Machine Translation reduced our processing time by half, ensuring both efficiency and security, as there's no need for manual copying and pasting. Plus, DeepL learns while we use it, so it's perfect for ongoing projects. </Blockquote>

Localization at Ajax Systems: A Dynamic Approach

The transition from conventional localization methodologies to an MT-integrated approach involved multiple steps. Ajax Systems leveraged the services of Crowdin Enterprise, a versatile platform for managing translations and localization projects. With Crowdin's user-friendly interface and robust tools, the company orchestrated a seamless workflow that prominently featured Machine Translation, with human editing and cultural adaptation playing complementary roles.

The Power of Machine Translation and AI: 3 Times Cheaper

Ajax Systems took a smart approach to localization by using a powerful tool called Machine Translation (MT), specifically DeepL. This MT tool was crucial in creating clear and accurate content, bridging the gap between languages. This approach helped Ajax Systems speed up content creation and translation while maintaining high quality.

They didn't stop there. Ajax Systems also added an AI Assitant app that combines Crowdin and OpenAI. While their team is testing it and hoping to make it a part of their regular workflow, Crowdin keeps working on improving AI every week.

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

AI translation has an advantage over Machine Translation because it can understand and translate text based on context. This makes the localization process even more efficient and translations more context-aware. As a result, Ajax Systems cut down on translation expenses by three times by working smartly with machine translation, artificial intelligence, and human assistance.

Short Approach Overview: Translation Memory and Reverso Tool

Ajax Systems' localization strategy operates seamlessly through the synergy of technology and humans. Let's break down their approach step by step:

Dedicated Localization Team

Ajax Systems has a skilled team that covers their localization needs, including translators, local partners, localization managers, and a team lead, who ensure the quality of translations. These managers oversee tasks like proofreading source and final texts, content filtering, and project management.

Crowdin Enterprise for Project Management

Each team member manages their projects within groups in Crowdin Enterprise. This allows for a customized workflow tailored to individual preferences and project requirements.

Efficiency with Workflows

Ajax Systems employs workflows to optimize its localization processes. These workflows act as structured guidelines, ensuring a smooth and organized workflow for the team.

Translation Memory for Speed

The backbone of Ajax Systems' localization efficiency is Translation Memory (TM), together with the skilled team that can utilize it productively. TM is like a super-fast translator that remembers previously translated phrases and sentences. And the key to the translation memory (TM) doing a good job is that the team adds quality translations to it. By reusing these translations, Ajax Systems achieves localization at twice the speed of non-tech-powered methods.

Special Attention to Vendor Projects

For their translation agency, Ajax Systems maintains a separate project. This ensures a seamless partnership and collaborative work on translation projects.

<Blockquote footer="Olena, Localization Team Lead at Ajax Systems"> If we need to engage with external resources, using Crowdin functionality, we can easily create a new project and, if necessary, segregate it. </Blockquote>

Maintaining Consistency

To ensure consistency and accuracy in their translations, Ajax Systems actively utilizes and updates their Style Guide and Glossary. These tools act as rulebooks and dictionaries, keeping translations aligned with the company's standards.

Enhancing Language Accuracy

Ajax Systems uses integration with Reverso Context, a robust linguistic tool. This integration helps improve language accuracy and context awareness, making translations even more precise.

<Blockquote footer="Olena, Localization Team Lead at Ajax Systems"> The primary reason for choosing Crowdin is its simple interface, numerous integrations, and all-in-one solution that includes resources, glossaries, translation memory, and a global community of collaborators. </Blockquote>

Ajax Systems: Transforming Localization with Tech

Ajax Systems' localization journey reflects their dedication to efficiency and innovation. They've revamped their approach, embracing modern tools with impressive results.

From MT integration to streamlined workflows, Ajax Systems has redefined localization. Their smart approach accelerates processes and reduces costs.

Now confidently operating in 11 languages, Ajax Systems is set for a more innovative, connected security and automation technology future, with AI on the horizon. Crowdin does a good job for Ajax Systems because they have clear ways of working and skillfully use the provided functionality. Also, the team is open to giving feedback on features, which helps make things work better for both, Crowdin and Ajax Systems.

What's New at Crowdin: November 2023

diana — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In this update, Crowdin introduces features enhancing translation accuracy, project management transparency and important AI Assistant updates. Crowdin Enterprise now offers an auto-approve option for streamlined content approval, and Crowdin preserves approval status for strings in Translation Memory. The Screenshots Preview app simplifies UI copy translation when additions like Wix CSV and API updates contribute to a more efficient localization workflow.

{/* more */}

Crowdin AI Assistant

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

We're pleased to announce some recent enhancements that include:

GPT4-Turbo model: A faster, more cost-effective solution with the newly available GPT4-Turbo model. It also offers a larger payload size to optimize your use of the AI Assistant.
OpenAI's JSON API: The AI Translation Assistant now leverages OpenAI's latest JSON APIs, allowing you to develop your prompt in a simple, human-centric language. This means you no longer need to craft technical prompts. Instead, you can focus on communicating the context and intent of your task directly to the AI, improving both usability and accuracy of results.
File translation upgrade: Managers can now send complete files for translation directly through the AI Assistant, even if the file is partially translated. This significant update is particularly beneficial for content files, such as Help Desk articles. Sending an entire article provides the AI with rich context, improving the accuracy and consistency of translations. Please note: While this approach potentially improves quality, it does consume more API tokens when translating partially translated files.

Translation Memory Auto-Approve Option at Crowdin Enterprise

Introducing a new update: now, your translated content can automatically be marked as approved in Workflow. This is especially helpful for cases where you apply pre-translation with a minimum match of 80%. With this update, all perfect matches and those with a 100% match can automatically receive the 'approved' status. Your workflow stays on track seamlessly, making your work more efficient by eliminating the need for extra confirmation in these cases.

Preserve Approval Status for Strings in Translation Memory

Now, Translation Memory (TM) remembers the approval status. We've refined the logic for selecting TM variants during pre-translation. New options allow auto-approval of strings during pre-translation if the TM has an approved status, providing users with greater flexibility in managing perfect matches.

Plus, in the Editor, there is a new checkbox for trusted translations (visible for perfect matches with approval) that adds an extra layer of control, ensuring clarity and preventing potential misinterpretations.

Cost Estimate Report for Translators

Translators in Crowdin Enterprise can now generate Cost Estimate Reports for their assigned tasks, enhancing project management transparency and efficiency. This feature addresses previous requests from various teams and their translators. Learn more about project reports.

Choosing the Order of Pre and Post Processors

You can install several apps (file processors) that modify a file, and if they operate on the same file type, there is now an option to set their execution sequence. For this, go to project settings > File Processors.

Crowdin Store

Translate Glossary App Updates

In the Translate Glossary section, we've made a crucial improvement to address synchronization issues between the glossary and project files. Previously, there were challenges with synchronization, now, but we've streamlined the process to ensure they stay in sync. Tuned for the enhanced experience? Test the Translate Glossary app yourself.

Screenshots Preview

The Screenshots Preview app streamlines UI copy translation by displaying screenshots directly in the editor's right pane, eliminating extra clicks. It provides real-time rendering of translations on screenshots for a practical preview. Designed for efficiency, it's ideal for project managers and translators seeking a straightforward and contextual translation tool.

Drone CI

We prepared a guide about how you can use Drone CI and Crowdin CLI to automate your frequent localization tasks, such as uploading source files, downloading translations, or anything else you can do with Crowdin CLI.

Wix CSV

Connect your Wix website to a global audience effortlessly with Crowdin+Wix integration. Export CSV from Wix, translate in Crowdin, and import for seamless multilingual content. Visit Wix's support for export guidance. The app acts as a pre-import and post-export processor, allowing you to hide non-translatable content types easily.

API Updates

String-Level Task Creation

Responding to client requests for task creation and management on strings, not just files, we've introduced the capability to create tasks for a set of strings using POST requests. Users can now efficiently manage tasks for different strings sourced from various files, specifying string names through the "stringIds" parameter.

API Update: Labeling Screenshots

Developers can specify labels when adding a screenshot through the API/CLI. This improvement includes adding a "labelIds" parameter to the "Add Screenshot" API method, enabling label editing via "Edit Screenshot," and screenshot filtering based on labels.

Manage Apps with API

List, install, edit, or delete apps by using Crowdin API. Read more about API for applications.

Crowdin Editor Update

We’re continuing to upgrade our Editor for your better understanding and use. Besides some updates like enhanced use of space in the right panels of the Editor. Now, when using filters, you can find out the word count, not just the number of strings.

Update All Non-Key-Value without Losing Translations

We're excited to share an update that extends our platform's file editing capabilities to additional formats, ensuring a smoother translation experience. The latest supported formats include:

DOCX
IDML
MIF
DITA
ADOC
MD
MDX_V1
MDX_V2
MediaWiki
WebXML
HTML
FM_MD
FM_HTML

Now, users can effortlessly edit translations in these formats without the risk of losing data. This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to providing a versatile and user-friendly environment for your translation needs.

Case Study: ProZ Bono and Crowdin

Happy to share that you can now discover how ProZ.com's PB program utilizes Crowdin's localization platform to boost collaboration among translators. Uncover the advantages of seamless project management, instant teamwork, and other important aspects for Proz Bono volunteers. Delve into the effective partnership between ProZ Bono and Crowdin, ensuring top-notch translation quality and consistency.

UX Writing Course for Localizers

The complete UX writing course for localizers has all the UX knowledge localizers need to know - and none of the fluff they don't.

9 full-length lessons and 8 assignments designed to give you an in-depth understanding of content design and UX writing basics. Dozens of students have already learned to speak the language of user experience, calling the course "a game changer for localizers and the industry".

Develop an understanding of UX and its importance
Understand the challenges of content design for international audiences
Know how to craft useful, enjoyable localized content
Know how to analyze and evaluate user experience content in any language
And more

Use code CROWDINUX to get a 20% discount. For more information, visit www.localizationstation.com/uxwloc

Other Crowdin Updates

In November we:

We added a dark look to the Crowdin homepage. Now, you can visit our website to enjoy a stylish dark theme. It's easy on the eyes for those late-night tasks. Check it out right now.
Extended gender options in the profile on crowdin.com.
Improved native support for MadCap.
Released VS Code plugin improvements (new commands, OAuth).
Updated Unity plugin so you can now push and pull selected tables.

Enjoy new versions of:

Figma plugin Version 50 (new strings import options)
GitHub Action v1.15.0, v1.15.1, v1.15.2
JS API Client 1.27.0, 1.28.0
Android Studio plugin 1.6.3
iOS SDK 1.6.1
OTA JS Client 1.1.1
Java API Client 1.13.0

What's New at Crowdin: October 2023

diana — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Explore the latest advancements in Crowdin's October 2023 updates. This article delves into enhanced security, improved AI translations, and a more user-friendly experience. Discover how these innovations can redefine your translation process.

{/* more */}

Enhancing Security with Passkeys and Security Keys

We're committed to constantly improving security and user experience at Crowdin. Today, we're thrilled to introduce two robust security features: passkeys and security keys support.

Security Keys as a Second Factor of Authentication

Passkeys

Passkeys are an alternative to passwords! The feature is being rolled out and will be available to all Crowdin.com and Crowdin Enterprise users in the coming weeks.

Passkeys use the new WebAuthn protocol offered by modern browsers. They would allow you to log in to your Crowdin account using your hardware security keys and biometric scanners of your devices, like the fingerprint scanner of your laptop or the Face ID of your smartphone.

With these methods and encryption protocols, Crowdin ensures you have secure and convenient access to the accounts, maintaining high online safety. If you want more information, read a dedicated article about data security at Crowdin.

File Context for Better AI Translations

Crowdin introduces a new concept in providing contextual information. Contextual information for the file.

Previously, it was possible to provide contextual information at the segment or project level. Like: "This string is used on a main page of the website" or "This project is a translation of our knowledge base."

Contextual information is always great for human translators to understand what they are working on, and recently, textual contextual information has become critical for AI translation.

We have found that providing context at the segment level is often tedious. Context at the project level may not be enough for the machine to produce good-quality translations.

Today, we are announcing the immediate availability of file context. A way for a manager to give instructions on how human translators or machines should handle the file.

Now, you can offer detailed instructions for individual strings and entire files. Simply write clear notes explaining tone, your goals for translation, or specific terms within a file for human translators and AI to perform better. This is especially useful for formats like docx, where segments often lack context beyond the text. These notes are permanently visible in the Editor.

Why it matters? Long story short, Context is what makes AI translations superior to any MT. With this upgrade, giving context to your AI is effortless. We've added a placeholder %fileContext% for new projects. For existing ones, set it up manually in AI assistant settings.

It’s visible in the Editor (Files > Settings > Context), ensuring your team consider it when suggesting translations.

AI Assistant: Consider Translations into other languages

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Thanks to your suggestions, we found a way to make translations more accurate. Our AI Translation Assistant app now understands languages better by using real human translations from other languages. The AI could grasp nuanced contexts by leveraging existing translations in multiple languages, ensuring more accurate results.

For this, you can use two types of new placeholders: {allTranslations} and {translation:<languageCode>}.

{allTranslations}: This placeholder would generate a list of translations in the format <languageName>: <translation>. It ensured inclusivity by only including languages for which translations were available. For instance:

Ukrainian: Переклад

English: Translation

German: Übersetzung
{translation:<languageCode>}: This placeholder allowed users to request translations for specific languages. A translation would only be displayed if a translation were available for a particular language.

It's important to note that these placeholders were not imposed but offered as optional. You can incorporate these placeholders into your pre-translation prompts by visiting your project > Tools > AI Translation Assistant.

Crowdin Design Enhancements

Crowdin has undergone a slight design update to elevate your experience and functionality.

Here's what's new:

Fewer clicks

More intuitive navigation clarity and ease of use as a result. You can now intuitively find what you need with fewer clicks.
More content on the page

The header has been minimized, allowing more content to fit even on smaller screens. This optimization ensures a streamlined experience regardless of the device used. Crowdin now maximizes space usage effectively, allowing users to view more content without unnecessary clutter.

Enjoy a more unified, streamlined, and content-rich experience on Crowdin right now.

Capacity Planner for Crowdin Enterprise

Capacity Planner is a tool for project managers. It helps track tasks, team performance, and plan work effectively.

Key features include:

Task Tracking: Keep an eye on tasks your team is working on.
User Status: Know your team's progress through easy-to-understand icons.
Filter and Search: Find tasks quickly by project, team member, language, and more.
Deadline Alerts: Get reminders for upcoming task deadlines, ensuring no important dates are missed.

Blueshift

Now, you can easily filter templates (archived/all/not archived) in our Blueshift app. Additionally, we've introduced synchronization for preheaders with Blueshift.

More Apps Updates

Duplicate the list of target languages in the same way as the source language with the help of the Project Duplicator app.
New Apple Strings Catalog Exporter app and Bitbucket Pipelines guide.
Client Side (New Mode at JS Proxy and website translation apps): Clients can embed a JavaScript script in their web pages. When visitors access the page, the script identifies and sends untranslated text strings to Crowdin. These strings can either be instantly added to translation files or sent for review based on the app's settings.
Superwall integration for Crowdin.

Issues Manager

Different users have different ways of dealing with issues: some use tools like JIRA to track them, while others use platforms like Slack to solve them together. We suggest you try our new Issues Manager app.

It helps you manage issues in your Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise projects. You can see all issues in one place, filter them by different criteria, and go to the Editor to fix them. You can also comment on and close issues from the app without switching windows.

The app also gives you useful statistics about your projects. You can find out which projects have more issues, what kinds of issues they have, and how fast they are resolved. You can also see who are the best translators and problem solvers and how different languages perform in terms of issues.

QA Checks: Consider Fixed Option

Automated checks find translation mistakes before they're approved. You'll see these errors when proofreading. Our new improvements allow you to choose when the QA issue is considered fixed (1-5 approvals).

Common Gender in Glossary

Per your requests, we added common gender to the terms information. This type indicates that a term can refer to both masculine and feminine genders or when gender is not specified or relevant. Common nouns refer to members of a species and don't specify the gender (i.e., parent, friend, client, student, and more.)

Easily Change Editor View

Effortlessly switch between three different modes to tailor your editing environment to your needs with one click.

Choose between:

Other Improvements

Improved multi-string selection in Editor (Side-by-Side).
API endpoints for user management (crowdin.com)
Supporting acronyms in the glossary.
VS Code plugin 1.6.0: Authorization to the plugin through the browser and several new commands (Sign in, Sign out, Select Project, Create configuration, Open configuration)
Figma plugin Version 49
JS API Client 1.25.0, 1.25.1
OTA JS Client 1.1.0
Android Studio Plugin 1.6.2
CLI 3.15.0

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About AI Localization with Crowdin

diana — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

If you're curious about how Crowdin AI can enhance your localization projects, this article answers some frequently asked questions about price, customization, and best practices. Let’s discover if an AI can translate and the best way to use AI tools for language translation.

What Is the Cost of Using Crowdin AI in My Localization Project?

Crowdin does not charge extra for this feature. You only pay the price set by OpenAI. The cost typically depends on the specific AI model you select.

The cost of Crowdin AI depends on how many tokens you’ll use. The token count depends on factors like language, word length, and content. You can check how many tokens are in your text using OpenAI's tokenizer tool.

For example, the price for pre-translating this whole article using OpenAI (3.5 Turbo) results in a total cost of $0.00198.

Here’s the detailed pricing provided by Open AI.

Can I Use My API Key for AI Translation?

Yes, you can either use a default account or connect your API key. Currently, Crowdin AI is the only one that allows you to use your key. We offer two options:

Managed Mode

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

This mode is ideal if you don’t have your API key and want to start using AI for your localization projects right away. It also works for small projects and experiments. In this mode, you can work with Crowdin support to top up your balance as needed. We offer a $5 balance for free, so you can first test the technology. For you, it means you can try AI translation for free.

Using Your Own OpenAI API Key

An alternative and more flexible option is to use your OpenAI API Key. This approach allows you to configure the service to meet your specific project requirements and manage your spending more effectively. With your OpenAI API Key, you can have greater control over the customization of the AI models and access features that are tailored to your needs.

It's important to note that using your API Key can be particularly beneficial for customization and ensuring privacy. Additionally, it's worth emphasizing that providers often offer options for private contracts like Data Processing Agreements at OpenAI (if your organization or use case requires it).

What AI Model Can I Use for Translation Besides GPT-3.5 Turbo?

You can choose between model versions like GPT-3.5 Turbo, GPT-4, and Crowdin fine-tuned model that is a custom model trained to better handle contextual information provided. Can AI translation replace human translation? The majority opinion is no, but you’ll definitely need to take a look at the final outcome.

Is It Possible to Leverage Prompt Engineering within Crowdin AI?

Yes, you can also leverage prompt engineering by customizing prompts for translators. The AI Assistant can include prompts after each chat response, not just at the beginning of the conversation.

Can I Train an AI Model on My Localization Resources?

There's the option to train your own model. For this, while configuring Crowdin AI Assistant select Fine-tuning. Then, choose the translation memories (TMs) and glossaries you want to use for training and click Submit to submit the training request. Crowdin will then provide an estimated cost for the training. If the price is acceptable, click Submit again.

The owner of the API key will receive an email from OpenAI when the training is finished. After training is complete, a new model, trained on your resources, will appear in the models section.

How to Provide Additional Context to Improve the Translation Quality?

Why is context so important? For AI translations, context is what makes them more advanced than Machine Translations. You get more relevant translations, keep the tone of voice, and overall quality is higher.

Adding context to every single string can be a massive task. Our new feature – File Context, allows you to quickly provide context on a file level, which would still improve the translation quality but take less time. This is also helpful if you're using file formats that won't allow to add string context at all, for example, docx.

With file context, you can provide any necessary instructions for human translators and AI. It would be displayed in the left-hand bar in the Translation Editor for translators, and AI would take it into consideration when suggesting translations. To make sure your AI assistant uses file context, we've included a placeholder %fileContext%, that is automatically added to new projects. For existing ones, a manual setup in the AI assistant settings is all it takes.

To add file context, go to Files > Settings > Context and add simple text descriptions for AI or some formatting for translators.

How Does Crowdin AI Handle User Glossaries and Terminology?

When using Crowdin AI in the Editor for translating a single segment, it considers user prompts that may contain metadata like TM matches and relevant glossary information.

For translating entire projects and fully utilizing glossaries and TMs, the model needs to be trained. Training enables the AI to apply all available resources consistently across the project for accurate translations.

Can I Use Crowdin AI as an MT Engine to Run Pre-translation?

Short answer: Yes. You can leverage AI Assistant as an MT engine for translation. This enables customization of translations to suit specific needs and the use of specialized models to enhance translation quality.

For more information, you can refer to the following sources:

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Transcreation vs. Translation: Key Differences & Uses

yana — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

This guide explores the key differences between transcreation and traditional translation. You'll discover why one goes much deeper than the other to help your brand truly connect and succeed in any market.

Quick article overview:

What's the difference? Translation focuses on linguistic accuracy (what is said), while transcreation focuses on emotional and cultural impact (how it is received).
When to use transcreation: Essential for marketing slogans, ad campaigns, brand messaging, and creative content where emotional connection and cultural nuance are critical for success.
When to use translation Best for technical documents, legal contracts, user manuals, and informational content where precision and literal accuracy are non-negotiable.
The solution: Crowdin offers tools, including the transcreation app, to manage both processes within a single localization platform.

Keep reading for more detailed explanations and real-world examples.

What is Transcreation

Imagine you have a funny slogan or an ad that makes people feel strong emotions. If you just translate the words into another language, it often loses its power. It might not be funny anymore, or it might not make people feel the same way.

Transcreation is the process of adapting content from one language to another while maintaining its original intent, tone, emotional resonance, and cultural relevance. It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it, ensuring the message evokes the same feeling in the target audience as it did in the source culture.

This process goes beyond linguistics, diving deep into cultural insights, marketing psychology, and creative writing. The goal? To make content that feels like it was originally made for that new language and culture. This helps you build a real connection with your new customers.

What is Translation

Translation focuses on accurately converting text from one language to another while preserving its original meaning. Think of it as a precise linguistic transfer.

The main reason for standard business translation is to share information truthfully and clearly. Translators work very carefully with the original text. They make sure the grammar is correct, the facts are right, and the language is natural in the new language. Good translators understand the context, but their main aim is to be loyal to the original words. This makes it perfect for situations where being exact is very important.

Transcreation vs. Translation: The Key Differences

Transcreation and translation are two distinct approaches to adapting content from one language and culture to another. They serve different purposes and involve varying degrees of creative adaptation.

Here’s a comparison of transcreation and translation:

Feature	Transcreation	Translation
Primary Purpose	Evoke the same emotional response & cultural impact; persuade & engage.	Accurately convey meaning & information; maintain linguistic fidelity.
Method	Rewriting, cultural adaptation, creative elements, concept recreation.	Direct conversion of words, phrases, sentences, usually word-for-word or phrase-for-phrase.
Degree of Freedom	High; able to deviate significantly from the source text to achieve the desired effect.	Low; faithful adherence to the source text's structure, vocabulary, and meaning.
Cost	Typically higher due to intensive creative effort, specialized expertise, and market research.	Typically lower, often charged on a per-word basis.
Target Content	Marketing campaigns, advertising slogans, brand messaging, creative writing, video scripts, cultural references.	Technical documents, legal texts, instruction manuals, financial reports, general web content, and academic papers.
Skills Required	Creative writing, deep cultural insights, marketing acumen, copywriting, and brand understanding.	Linguistic accuracy, subject-matter expertise, grammar, syntax, and terminology management.

When Do You Need Transcreation?

Transcreation empowers your brand to achieve specific communication goals that go beyond straightforward language translation. Let’s look at cases where transcreation is very useful.

Marketing and Advertising

Transcreation is commonly used to reach multilingual marketing and advertising, relying on wordplay, cultural references, or humor that may not directly translate into other languages. This way, promotional materials, slogans, taglines, brand messaging, and creative campaigns engage the audience and maintain brand consistency. This is especially important when you localize emails, where a subject line should grab attention rather than just being grammatically correct.

Look at these widely-known examples of transcreation from the textbook International Marketing by Philip R. Cateora:

Example 1: Consider the classic KFC slogan: "Finger Lickin' Good". A direct, literal translation into Mandarin Chinese would be something like "Eat your fingers off," which is unappetizing and culturally inappropriate. Instead, KFC's marketing in China focused on conveying deliciousness and satisfaction through adapted campaigns.
Example 2: Another great example is Haribo's German slogan: "Haribo macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsene ebenso" (Haribo makes children happy, and adults too). In English, this was transcreated to "Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo!" This ensures the jingle maintains its catchy rhyme and positive feeling, even with a different literal meaning.

Product Names

This often falls under marketing, but it's crucial enough to highlight. Ensuring a product name doesn't have unintended negative connotations in a target market is a prime example of transcreation's necessity.

Example: Mitsubishi's "Pajero" SUV, while acceptable in its origin market, carried a derogatory sexual connotation in Spanish. Mitsubishi successfully transcreated the name to "Montero" in Spanish-speaking regions, preventing brand missteps.

Websites and Landing Pages

Different cultures have varying values, norms, and communication styles. Transcreation ensures that your website content aligns with the cultural preferences and sensibilities of the target audience, making your online presence truly resonate. It is a core part of website localization

<Aside type="tip"> To effectively manage multilingual websites and landing pages, explore Crowdin's website localization solution. </Aside>

Keywords

Transcreation includes adapting keywords and localized SEO strategies to improve the visibility of your website or landing page in search engine results for the target audience. It helps potential customers find your content more easily by searching in their native context.

Creative Content

Content that relies on creativity, wordplay, or artistic expression, such as literature, poetry, music lyrics, and creative writing, often benefits from transcreation to maintain its artistic integrity and impact.

Example: The French biopic about Edith Piaf, originally titled "La Môme" (The Kid/The Little Girl – Piaf's nickname), was transcreated for international audiences as "La Vie en Rose". This change leveraged her most famous song, immediately evoking her artistry and emotional essence, thereby connecting more powerfully with a global audience who might not know her nickname but certainly recognize her iconic melody.

Transcreation Workflow: A Step-by-Step Approach

Successful transcreation isn't a one-off task; it's a strategic process. Here's a typical workflow to guide your efforts:

Define Clear Objectives: Before starting, clearly define what you want to achieve with the transcreated content. What emotions should it evoke? What action should the audience take?
Assemble the Right Team: Transcreators are not just translators; they're creative writers, copywriters, and cultural experts. Work with professionals who deeply understand both your source culture and the target market.
Provide Rich Context: Equip your transcreators with comprehensive briefs, including brand guidelines, target audience demographics, campaign goals, and any cultural sensitivities. The more context, the better the outcome.
Leverage Style Guides and References: Utilize tools within platforms like Crowdin to store style guides, glossaries, and reference materials. This ensures consistency and empowers transcreators to make informed creative decisions.
Review and Test: Once the content is transcreated, have it reviewed by native speakers in the target market to ensure it resonates as intended. Test it with focus groups, if possible, to gauge the emotional response.
Measure Impact: Track the performance of your transcreated content. Is it driving the desired engagement, conversions, or brand awareness? Use these insights to refine future campaigns.
Stay Updated: Cultures and trends evolve. Continuously update your understanding of target markets and adapt your transcreation strategies accordingly.

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin has developed a specialized app within the Crowdin Store to help you manage your transcreation process, connecting you with tools and talent. Explore the Transcreation App. </Aside>

The Future of Transcreation

The landscape of global communication is constantly evolving, and transcreation is no exception. As technology advances and brands become truly borderless, the role of transcreation will continue to grow and adapt:

AI Integration: While human creativity remains central, AI is increasingly assisting transcreators by suggesting context-aware insights, streamlining repetitive tasks, and providing initial drafts. Tools like Crowdin already leverage AI to enhance efficiency and quality, with Agentic AI from Crowdin empowering transcreators to focus on nuanced creative work.
Real-time Adaptation: The need to respond quickly to global events and trends will lead to more real-time transcreation efforts, especially in dynamic contexts like social media and news.
Hybrid Models: We'll likely see more hybrid approaches where AI handles the initial linguistic transfer, and human transcreators then apply the essential creative and cultural adaptation.
Hyper-Personalization: Brands will continue to push for even more customized and culturally specific content, requiring transcreators to strike a delicate balance between maintaining brand consistency and delivering truly personalized experiences.

FAQ

What is the difference between translation and transcreation?

Translation focuses on changing text accurately while keeping its exact meaning. Transcreation, on the other hand, changes content creatively. It aims to get the same feeling and cultural impact in a new language. This often means changing the words quite a bit from the original text.

How is transcreation different from creative writing?

Transcreation uses a lot of creative writing. But it starts with an original message or idea that needs to be changed for a new market. Pure creative writing often starts with no original text. Transcreators are creative writers who have a special goal: to make the new text have the same effect as the original.

Is transcreation more expensive than translation?

Generally, yes, transcreation is typically more expensive than standard translation. This is due to the higher level of creative effort, cultural research, strategic thinking, and copywriting skills required. It's often billed hourly or per project, rather than on a per-word basis like many translations.

What's New at Crowdin: September 2023

diana — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In September, we launched the GraphQL API for crowdin.com (previously only available for Enterprise), added a fine-tuning feature for the AI Assistant, made rate management in Report Management much easier, improved MT performance for non-key-value file formats, and much more. Read the full article for all the details.

{/* more */}

AI Assistant: Fine-tuning

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

The latest version of Crowdin AI Assistant now has the fine-tuning feature. We taught AI to work better with TMs and Glossaries of any size before asking the LLM to translate the content. This way, you can get more texts translated as well as better translation quality. It can also work well with tags now.

Moreover, you can now train your model based on your content and use it in translation.

Install the app to test the perfect duo for seamless localization.

Crowdin Website Redesign Unveiled

Our updated website makes it easier for you to see what our product can do. We've organized everything so you can quickly find information about our features and how they can help you. Take a moment to explore the new website and share your thoughts with us.

Use GraphQL at Crowdin and Crowdin Enterprise

A GraphQL API enables you to fetch the needed data using more specific and flexible queries. One of the main advantages of a GraphQL API is the ability to access multiple different resources with a single request.

To get started with the Crowdin GraphQL API, we recommend using the GraphQL Playground app. With it, you can construct, test, and debug queries directly from the Crowdin web UI before writing any code in your application.

Additionally, this month, we added GraphQL to Crowdin (it was available for Crowdin Enterprise only), and we have introduced approvals within the context, both for strings and translations. Furthermore, we've added filtering and sorting capabilities for connections.

Enhancing Transparency: Crowdin Rates Updates

In response to feedback from translators, we're excited to introduce some important updates:

Rating Transparency

Previously, translators often had limited insight into how their translations were rated and penalized. This led to frustration and confusion. Now, project members can easily share these rating schemas, promoting transparency and understanding among participants. This allows everyone to grasp how the project's rating system works.

For this, choose Share with all project members when creating a template.

API Support

We've extended support for the rates template through our API.

Global Rates and Schemas

A major addition is the concept of "global schemas." These schemas can be shared across projects and are available for organizational reports.

Configure Machine Translation (MT) by Projects and by Languages

We've upgraded our platform to give users the ability to enable or disable specific Machine Translation models for individual languages within their projects. This customization enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the translation process.

Source-Only View Option in Multilingual Editor

A new feature in the multilingual editor view allows users to remove all target languages and view only the source strings without translations. This feature is available to project managers, owners, and developers, making quick reviews or source editing conveniently. It is just the beginning of future improvements to the editor that you can use to manage source files and translations.

Context-Driven Translations: Introducing TM Match Context Type

TM Updates gives you more precise context control for improved translations.

In translation projects, there are two ways to determine how accurate a translation can be:

Using a Key: If there's a special key in the text, the translation is considered perfect when it matches that key.
In Non-Key Formats: If there's no special key in the text, the accuracy of the translation is determined by considering the context around the text. This means a translation is perfect if it fits into the context of the previous and next text segments.

Starting this month, you can choose how the system takes context into account for perfect translation suggestions. You have different options for controlling the context to improve translations, such as Automatic, Using a Key and Context, or Previous and Next Segment.

Crowdin Editor

In Crowdin Editor, we've introduced some updates:

Allowing empty translations: You can now save empty translations. This would be useful for subtitles translation, for example. Some languages do not have words that would work with translation, mostly in sound effects.
Changed the color of translated strings highlighted in Comfortable View: We've adjusted the color of highlighted translated strings in comfortable view. Translated strings are marked in blue, and approved translations are in green.
Filter by issue type in the Editor: You can now filter issues based on their type. For example, filter all strings with General issues.

Apple's String Catalogs Support

Crowdin is excited to announce that we have added support for Apple's String Catalogs (.xcstrings) format to our platform. This new addition ensures that Crowdin remains in sync with the latest industry standards and technologies.

Apple's String Catalogs are integral to iOS and macOS app localization. With Crowdin's support for this format, you can seamlessly manage your translations for these platforms, providing a smoother and more efficient localization process.

Crowdin Store

Security Center: Available for Crowdin Enterprise

The new Security Center offers a valuable tool to help you with security measures within Crowdin. Let's delve into some of the core features:

2FA Configuration: Two-factor authentication (2FA) serves as your primary defense. Ensure it's activated for your account to bolster your security.
Email Domain Verification: Strengthen your security further by ensuring that all users within your Crowdin organization possess email addresses ending with @crowdin.ua.com, for example.
Inactive User Tracking: Knowledge is power. Stay well-informed about users who haven't logged in within the last 90 days, facilitating more efficient user management.

Learn more about the Security Center at our Crowdin Store.

Lingui String Exporter

Lingui String Exporter simplifies internationalization and localization with the Lingui JavaScript library. It handles message extraction, compilation, and integrates seamlessly into your application, making the translation process efficient and hassle-free. For more information, visit the Crowdin Store.

Custom Bundle Generator

Create custom resource files from Crowdin's translated strings using JavaScript with the Custom Bundle Generator. This application allows you to safely build a personalized bundle generator with JavaScript in a sandboxed environment, ensuring secure coding.

Custom Crowdin Processors

These applications provide custom JavaScript code capabilities for some of the Crowdin processes:

Custom Pre-Import Processor: Modify source files before import.
Custom Post-Export Processor: Edit exported files.
Custom Post-Import Processor: Process imported strings.
Custom Pre-Export Processor: Adjust translated strings before export.

Storyblok, Unicode Table Apps Updates

It’s important for us to keep our app as functional as it can be. So, we are constantly upgrading them per your requests. For example, this month:

Crowdin Storyblok app started to support text blocks in Rich text and Plugin type.

Unicode Table app become more convenient. For example, now you can add symbols to favorites.

CLI Updates

This month CLI received new commands like distribution and screenshot. Read more about Crowdin CLI at the official documentation site.

Minor Updates for an Improved Experience

In our continuous efforts to enhance your experience, we've implemented some common yet valuable improvements:

Label Management in Pre-Translation

When applying pre-translation, you can filter by labels, making the process more efficient.

Simplified Task Search

We've removed the "Case Sensitive" option from task search, simplifying the process.

CroQL: Ability to Filter Duplicates

If you want to get all hidden strings but not the ones that are hidden and duplicates or have another use case where you need to filter duplicates, we have great news – now you can make a CroQL query to filter duplicates.

New Versions of External Tools

Android SDK 1.8.0
PHP API Client 1.11.0
GH Action v1.13.0
Python API Client 1.12.0
Crowdin GitHub Action v1.13.1
CLI 3.14.0
Java API Client 1.11.0, 1.11.1

What Is a CAT Tool? Computer-Assisted Translation Guide

yana — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

This article will explore the world of computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools. We will discuss their types, features, benefits, examples, and how to choose the best tool for your needs. Whether you are a translator, a project manager, or simply interested in language technology, read on to learn how CAT software can assist your localization.

*For further clarity, we use 'CAT Tool' and 'CAT Software' as the same concepts in this guide.

Before we dive into the details, check out this summary on the guide of CAT software:

Definition: CAT tools are software applications designed to technologically support translators and make their translation process faster, more organized, and consistent.
Main types: 1) Desktop-Based (installed locally for offline work), 2) Cloud-Based (used online via a browser), and 3) Hybrid (a blend of online and offline capabilities).
Key benefits: Increased productivity and decreased costs with Translation Memory (TM), enhanced brand consistency and translation quality via Terminology Management and automated QA checks, and better teamwork with collaboration features.
The workflow includes project setup (defining languages, resources, and teams), importing source files, segmenting content into manageable parts, translating phases, collaborative review and editing, and exporting the completed translations in the needed format.
How to choose the best software: Evaluate the project's specific translation requirements (like volume and languages), file formats you need to translate, necessary collaboration and project management features, your budget, and the provider's data security and compliance standards.

What Is a Computer-Assisted Translation Tool?

A computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool is software that helps human translators to convert the meaning of words from one language to another. Its primary goal is to make the localization and translation process more cost- and time-efficient.

From their origins as basic desktop solutions in the mid-20th century, CAT tools have evolved into rich, often cloud-based platforms that became essential for modern localization.

The CAT tool doesn't replace the translator but helps them work better and faster. These tools help translators work with smaller, manageable units, often sentences or paragraphs, which makes the translation process more organized. CAT tools are helpful in any localization case, from marketing materials to software.

3 Main Types

Typically, there are three types of CAT tools: Desktop-Based, Cloud-Based, and Hybrid. Here is the table that compares all three together based on the CAT tools' features:

Feature	Desktop-Based	Cloud-Based	Hybrid
Primary Mode	Offline (local install)	Online (browser access)	Online with offline sync
Collaboration	Limited / Manual	Real-time / Built-in	Real-time (online); Sync caution (offline)
Accessibility	Single device	Any device with internet	Any device (online); offline mode may vary
Advantage	No internet is needed	Teamwork & access from anywhere	Flexible online/offline use
Disadvantage	Isolated work	Requires stable internet	Potential sync conflicts

Examples

A few of the most popular CAT tools include:

Crowdin (all-in-one localization tool with CAT functionality)
Trados
Wordfast
MemoQ
Smartcat
OmegaT

<Blockquote footer="DataHorizzon Research, 2025"> The CAT tool market is booming, projected to reach <strong>USD 4.5 billion by 2033</strong>, growing at a CAGR of <strong>12.7%</strong>. (Source) </Blockquote>

CAT Features & Benefits

The main goal of computer-assisted translation tools is to provide translators with features that improve translation efficiency and consistency. Let us discuss the most popular CAT features and the benefits each brings.

Productivity with Translation Memory (TM)

Translation memory is one of the fundamental features; this intelligent database stores all your previously translated segments, sentences, phrases, or even individual words, along with their source counterparts. When a similar or identical segment reappears in a new document, your CAT tool can suggest the previous translation or add it immediately. The translator can accept, modify, or reject suggested translation. (For more information, read how translation memory works). Localization tools now go even further: using AI localization and machine translation to suggest context-aware translations for segments that don't have a match in memory.

Benefits:

Research paper from Cologne University of Applied Sciences indicates that using translation memory can reduce translation delivery time by an average of 50% and decrease translation updates by 20–30%.

Branding and Quality Consistency

Terminology Management: CAT tools allow users to create and manage localization glossaries or terminology databases. This ensures that industry-, client-, or brand-specific terms are used consistently, often complemented by style guides that define tone, voice, and grammatical preferences for each language.

Quality Assurance (QA) Checks: translation QA checks in CAT tools automatically identify a wide range of issues. These can include spelling/formatting/grammar/terminology mistakes, and more. Issues can be highlighted for the translator during translation or for an editor during the review.

There are also industry-standard metrics that help you evaluate translation quality, for example:

Some tools support them as an add-on to analyze the translation quality.

Benefits:

Higher Translation Quality: Fewer errors and inconsistencies lead to more accurate translations.
Consistent Brand Messaging: Keeps your brand's voice and terminology maintained across all languages and markets.

Collaboration and Versioning

Real-time Collaboration: translators, editors, proofreaders, and project managers can simultaneously work on the same project files. Comments and discussions on specific strings, resources (TMs, glossaries) are all in one place.

Version Control: Say goodbye to confusing file names like source-file1-copy-final-FINAL.xml. Cloud CAT tools manage versions centrally, so everyone always works on the latest iteration. If you add 10 new strings to a file, only those new strings will need translation, while all already translated content remains intact and accessible to the entire team.

Benefits:

Team Productivity: Live access and clear communication reduce bottlenecks.
Project Transparency: Everyone involved can see progress and access the same information, which leads to better coordination.
Content Integrity: No errors caused by working on outdated or incorrect file versions.

Broad File and Language Support

Wide File Format Compatibility: Leading CAT tools support many common localization file formats: JSON, XLIFF, XLSX, CSV, XML, YAML, HTML, Markdown, and many more. Therefore, you can handle content from websites, software/mobile applications, technical documentation, marketing materials, and beyond. When choosing the tool, consider its ability to support your current and future file format needs.

Language Capabilities: Most CAT tools support a wide range of languages, often allowing you to add custom languages or regional variants if needed. Correct language settings are extremely important as they influence how translated files are structured and exported. Translation files can use different language codes. For example:

Two-letter code: en for English, fr for French.
Three-letter code: eng for English, fra for French
Country codes: en_US for American English, en_GB for British English, and fr_CA for Canadian French.

Benefits:

Project Versatility: Work on any localization project, no matter the type of content.

Scalability: Choose a tool that can grow with your business and support new languages and file types.

Data Security

Security Standards: A good CAT tool provider prioritizes data security and complies with recognized data protection standards. Security standards to check for:

Application-Level Security: Besides compliance, look for built-in security measures such as IP address allowlisting, Single Sign-On (SSO) integration, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), and a secure REST API for integrations.

Benefits:

Confidentiality: Your sensitive information is protected throughout the translation process.

Regulatory Compliance: Helps your organization meet its legal and contractual obligations.

Builds trust with clients and stakeholders.

Computer Assisted Translation Examples

See how computer-assisted translation is being used in practice.

1. Software

Challenge: Frequent software updates that require a continuous localization workflow to avoid slow manual syncing.

CAT Solution:

Automated sync with code repositories (e.g., GitHub, GitLab).
Translation Memory (TM) for UI and consistency.
In-context previews for accurate UI translation.

2. Technical documentation

Challenge: Long, repetitive technical manuals that require frequent, costly, and time-consuming translation updates.

CAT Solution:

Translation Memory (TM) extremely decreases re-translation.
Terminology Management for term accuracy.
Automated Quality Assurance (QA) for error detection.

3. Marketing Materials

Challenge: Multilingual marketing campaigns (ads, web, email) with tight deadlines that require brand voice and message consistency across all markets.

CAT Solution:

Shared Translation Memories & Glossaries for brand alignment.
Cloud-based collaboration for real-time teamwork.
Workflow automation for managing a large number of campaign assets.

Business Impact

Beyond operational benefits for translators, CAT tools are strategic assets that contribute to overall business translation objectives for multilingual companies:

Benefits	Factors
Faster Time-to-Market	Reusing translations, efficient workflows
Improved ROI and Cost Control	Reduced translation spend, less rework
Stronger Brand Consistency and Trust	Consistent terminology and quality
Higher Scalability Potential	Easly managing more volume/languages
Reduced Risks	Higher quality localization from the start

How Does CAT Software Work?

Most CAT tools work by breaking up the source text into chunks (often sentences) and showing each chunk in a way that is easy to read.

Details may differ. However, most tools follow this typical workflow.

1. Project Setup

Сreate a new translation project. Choose the project's source and target languages, your translation strategy, team, types of content (formats), and deadlines (if any).

2. Import the Files

Import the files that need translation into the tool. Most CAT tools have three options for file upload: manually, using API, or using integrations. For instance, Crowdin has 600+ apps and integrations to automate syncing with existing content repositories (CMS, code repositories, help desks, etc.).

Plugins and integrations can automate various aspects of the localization process (like content updates and synchronization), which saves time and reduces manual work.

3. Segmentation

CAT programs can automatically divide the source material into smaller sections, such as sentences or paragraphs. Segmentation enables translators to translate unit by unit and promotes context consistency.

4. Translation

Translators begin to translate the target segments into the target language. They now use a user-friendly interface, not a coding environment. They may also use the tool's translation suggestions.

5. Collaboration and Review

Edits and suggestions are synchronized in real-time, facilitating efficient teamwork. After the translation, a final review takes place, which checks if the content is accurate, consistent, and follows the project requirements with style guidelines.

6. Export

Export the final translated document, usually in the same format as the source document or as noted by the client.

7. Feedback and Improvement

Such tools often provide reporting and analytics to track project progress and translation quality with performance. Feedback is used to improve future projects and maintain translation quality.

CAT Tool vs. Translation Management System (TMS)

Aspect	CAT Tool	TMS	Crowdin's Approach
Goal	Aid translator efficiency and text consistency	Manage translation projects & workflows	Unified platform for both translation & management
Primary User(s)	Translators, Editors	Project Managers, Localization Teams	All stakeholders (Translators, PMs, Devs, Marketing)
Functions	Translation Memory, Terminology, Segmentation, In-Editor QA	Workflow Automation, Resource/Vendor Mgt, Reporting, API and Integrations	Both, connected within one environment
Scope	At the string/document translation level	Entire localization lifecycle, multiple languages/files	Full-scope localization projects, continuous or agile
Main benefit	Increased translator productivity and content consistency	Enhanced project management, automation and scalability	Efficiency, collaboration and control
Deployment	Desktop, Cloud-based, or Hybrid	Primarily Cloud-based	Cloud-based with wide collaborative features

How to Choose the Best CAT Translation Tool

Selecting a good tool can result in extreme time and quality gains. Here are our practical suggestions for choosing smarter:

1. What are your needs and scope?

Before thinking about features, understand what you need the tool to do.

Project volume: How much content do you need to translate, in how many languages, how often, and what about formats?
Team count and structure: What is the size of your translation team? What is the structure, are they in-house, freelance, or both? Do you need collaboration features?
Budget: Some CAT tools are free for open-source and educational projects, like Crowdin. If you have a private project, plans start with the limited free subscriptions to the wide enterprise subscriptions.

2. Functionality

Analyze how different tools compare in translation capabilities. (Many of these were described in the previous section; here, you are making them selection criteria.)

File format support: Does the tool have integrations/capabilities to translate all your file formats (e.g., XLIFF, JSON, XML, XLSX, HTML, Markdown, etc.)?
Feature set: Not only are Translation Memory and Terminology Management important, but does the tool offer QA checks, customization options, and integration capabilities (API, connectors to CMS, code repositories, etc.) that are crucial for your project?
Collaboration and project management: If teamwork is important for you, check for features like real-time collaboration, task management, and progress tracking.
Security: Does the tool meet your data security requirements (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001)?
Scalability: Analyze its ability to handle more users and larger volumes, as well as its ability to grow with you.

3. Provider reputation and usability

Research: Go further than marketing materials. Read genuine user reviews, read case studies, and check community forums.
Testing: Most providers offer free trials and/or demos with their business development teams. Use these to test the usability of the tool.
Support and training: Review the quality of customer support and if the training resources and documentation are clear.

Tips from Crowdin

Consistency from the beginning: Develop styling guides, glossaries, and formatting rules right from the start of your project.

Match settings to your workflow: Do not just use default ones. Customize segmentation rules, QA check sensitivity, and other preferences to align the tool with your team's processes.

Use collaborative features: If using a cloud-based tool, fully utilize its real-time collaboration capabilities. Facilitate active communication (e.g., in-context comments on strings), shared TMs, and glossaries.

Feedback: Regularly provide feedback among translators, editors, and project managers. Use the CAT tool's features to track revisions and comments.

Manage workloads: Use the tool's project management aspects (if available) to assign tasks, monitor deadlines, and allocate resources.

Automate repetitive tasks: Identify and automate tasks like pre-translation with TM matches, basic QA checks, file formatting, and even content import/export through integrations.

Conclusion

You have now explored Computer-Assisted Translation in detail: from the primary features that drive efficiency and quality, to the practical steps for the right tool selection and its potential maximization. Knowing the difference between CAT and TMS helps you select the best technology for to your translation/localization needs.

Quality efficient translation management and multilingual content creation don't just rely on individual skill, but on the tools, systems, and workflows that are being utilized in a project.

If you see that CAT and TMS integrated platform is an interesting solution for your business/project, you should check out the following pages:

Pricing: view our pricing and find the best plan for you;
Watch a Demo: see how does Crowdin Software work;
Book a Demo Call: talk to our specialist and explore how Crowdin can benefit your project.

Automatic Screenshots for Your Web App Translation Project: Customer Story

khrystyna — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We often emphasize the importance of providing context for translators. The more context you provide, the better translation quality you can get. This is especially important when it comes to web or mobile applications. Since texts for app translation are typically short, context would help translators decide which translation variant should be used.

With Crowdin, you can provide translation context in multiple ways. It can either be a textual context for every key or an in-context preview to let translators browse the web app while translating. A manager in a Crowdin project can add screenshots, so translators can see exactly how the key would be used in the app. Let’s stop on the screenshots, they are great but might be hard to add for every key and maintain them relevant as your project evolves.

One of our customers – Bounce, recently implemented a great solution for managing project screenshots. The amount of screenshots they manage is huge! Bounce project has 8000 screenshots in Crowdin, covering a big part of their product – a mobile app for luggage storage and pickup and their email templates. These screenshots are being updated as the product evolves. No manual work, the whole process is automated. How can that be possible? Let’s figure it out.

The Story Behind It

Bounce is translating all the customer-facing content into 11 languages. This includes mobile apps, marketing content, landing pages, emails, and other notifications.

Their team started receiving a lot of feedback from translators that they needed more context. That’s why they wanted an efficient way to automatically provide that context by uploading hundreds of screenshots to Crowdin. Of course, no one wants to take screenshots and upload them manually. Even if the person responsible for uploading the screenshots did do it manually, they would need to be able to tag the correct translation keys, which could also be difficult and time-consuming.

Their team uses Storybook, a tool for building UI components, which stores screens used in their product. It currently hosts over 8000 screenshots. So the Bounce team decided to create an integration that can automatically upload more than 8000 app screenshots to Crowdin, saving time for the team and providing translators with the context they need.

We jumped on a call with Ciaran and Daniel from Bounce to learn more about their unique solution and who else can use this in their projects.

A Quick Overview of The Solution

TLDR; After building Storybook, a customized i18n library would be instructed to "remember" which keys were used on every particular "component." Then another script would do a screenshot, take keys from that screen, upload them to Crowdin, and tag these keys to the screenshot.

<Aside> Storybook is open-source software that can be used to build UI components and pages in isolation. This way, any component page in your application can be created and reused. </Aside>

Many of you would say, "Oh, we do not use Storybook to the extent where most of the UI components are there." That’s why we worked with Daniel, Ciaran, and Crowdin's QA team to see if the concept invented by Bounce can be used with many other QA, where automated tests that go between the app's screens would replace the need to use Storybook.

Technical Implementation and Prerequisites

Let’s get to our interview and discuss this integration in more detail.

What are the workflow “puzzles” that can be used or replaced if needed?

We use specific frameworks and libraries, but alternatives could work just fine. Here are just some examples:

React → Vue.
i18next → Probably any other translation library, as long as you can track when the translation function is called.
Storybook → Histoire, or a real build of the app.
Playwright → Any other E2E testing library.

How do you currently track the file changes?

Whenever we merge a pull request, we have a CI pipeline that checks which parts of the UI might have been affected by the changed files. It then retakes/re-uploads screenshots for those parts to ensure that translators in Crowdin always see the latest UI version where the text will appear.

What kind of content uses these screenshots?

The screenshots are only used for translation context. We take screenshots of UI components in isolation (e.g., an “Opening Hours” accordion component) and entire screens where those components appear (e.g., the Store Details page). That way, the translators will have an easier time finding the text in the individual UI component and can see how it fits in with the “bigger picture” of the screen.

What are the limitations of this solution?

Our solution isn’t perfect. Not every translation key will get a screenshot because we don’t have stories for every situation, e.g., error messages that only get shown after taking action, such as logging in with an incorrect verification code. We might also delete and re-upload screenshots “unnecessarily.” But it’s a good first step towards having a fully automated way of providing context.

How to find/use your scripts?

We’re considering finding a way to open-source the code/scripts we use, but it’ll probably take some time. Once it’s released, you’ll be able to find it on the Bounce's GitHub page.

The Solution Walk-Through

At Bounce, we use React for our front-end apps. We use react-native and Expo for our web and mobile apps and Next.js for static pages. The framework isn't important for this solution – any JS framework would work fine.

For handling translations in our apps, we use i18next. Whenever we want to translate something, we call the t function with the translation key (e.g., t("screens.payment.addPaymentMethod", "Add payment method")). Again, the library we use here isn't important – any translation library would probably also work for this.

We use Storybook heavily in our development process. It allows us to develop screens and components in isolation without running the app. We also deploy it so that designers and other stakeholders can see and give feedback on the UI we're developing.

One feature of Storybook that really comes in handy here is being able to create stories for any different UI states we want. If you think of test coverage as how much of your code is covered by tests, we have a pretty high UI coverage by having stories for many different scenarios that appear in our apps.

To automate adding translation context, we needed to be able to:

Open a page.
Figure out which translation keys are being used.
Take screenshots.
Upload the screenshots to Crowdin, and tag the translation keys used in each screenshot.

Tracking translation keys

To track which translation keys are called in a story, we created a custom Storybook decorator. This decorator wraps our stories and ensures they all use the same instance of i18next.

import { DecoratorFn } from "@storybook/react"
import { useEffect, useMemo } from "react"
import { i18next, I18nextProvider, initReactI18next } from "../src"

// This is where we store the translations for each story, separated by file.
let storyTranslations: Record<string, string[] | undefined> = {}

/*
* This is a custom post-processor. i18next will call this every time
* we translate something
*/

const extractUsedKeys = {
  type: "postProcessor" as const,
  name: "extract-used-keys",
  process(
    value: string,
    translationKey: string,
    { ns: namespace }: { ns?: string },
  ) {
    if (!namespace) return

    // Add the translation keys separated by namespace/file name
    const nsKeys = storyTranslations[namespace] || []
    nsKeys.push(translationKey)

    storyTranslations[namespace] = nsKeys

    return value
  },
}

i18next
  .use(extractUsedKeys) // Add our custom post-processor here
  .use(initReactI18next)
  .init({
    defaultNS: "",
    postProcess: [extractUsedKeys.name], // Tell i18next to use the post-processor
    postProcessPassResolved: false,
  })

export const WithI18next: DecoratorFn = (storyFn, context) => {
  const {
    id,
    parameters: { customParams = {} },
  } = context

  /**
  * After rendering the story, wait for a little bit before setting the translations
  * on the window. We can increase the delay in each of the stories if we want
  * to wait longer, e.g. for animations to finish.
  */
  const delay: number = customParams.delay ?? 50

  useEffect(() => {
    const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
      Object.assign(window, { storyTranslations })
    }, delay)

    return () => {
      clearTimeout(timeout)
    }
  }, [delay])

  return <I18nextProvider i18n={i18next}>{storyFn()}</I18nextProvider>;
}

When Playwright visits one of our stories, the decorator sets a storyTranslations variable on the window, containing all the translation keys used in that story. The keys are grouped by file name to make it easier to upload them later. The result looks something like this:

{
  "customer": [
    "cmp.durationField.label.checkIn",
    "cmp.durationField.label.checkOut",
    "cmp.durationField.open"
  ]
}

Programmatically visiting stories and taking screenshots

To be able to upload screenshots of all of our stories, we first need to know how to find those stories. Luckily, Storybook produces a stories.json file when you create a production build, and it essentially works like a sitemap. It gives us the ID of each story, which we then use to create the URL we need to visit that story (iframe.html?id=the-story-id).

Next, we need to be able to programmatically visit each of those URLs in the browser. Playwright is intended for writing end-to-end tests, but it works perfectly for this. We can instruct it to:

Visit a URL (in this case, a story).
Wait for the storyTranslations object to appear on the window.
Read that value, and save the translations in a JSON file.
Take a screenshot.

We can even tell it to do it for different browser sizes, which is important because some translations only appear at certain screen sizes.

In the end, we end up with a folder structure like this:

.
└── translations-context/
└── [story-id]/
├── desktop/
│ ├── translations.json
│ └── screenshot.png
└── mobile/
├── translations.json
└── screenshot.png

We now have everything we need to start uploading screenshots to Crowdin and tagging them with the correct translation keys!

Uploading the screenshots to Crowdin

In our case, we created a Node.js script and used the Crowdin SDK for interacting with the API. The script goes through the folder structure outlined above and does the following for each story ID, screen size and translation file/namespace mentioned in the translations.json file:

Delete any existing screenshots stored for the current story ID, screen size and translation namespace.
Fetch information from Crowdin about the translation file and the strings in them.

Here are the API methods: Get project files, Get project strings.
Filter the strings information from Crowdin to include only the strings that appear in the screenshot.
Upload the screenshot using a fixed naming convention. In our case, auto[story-id][screen-size]__[translation-namespace].png.

API methods: Add Storage and Add Screenshot.
Tag the screenshot with the IDs of the strings that appear in it API method: Add Tag

Context Improves the Translation Quality

Context empowers translators to make informed decisions about the most appropriate translations, considering the user interface, cultural context, grammar, technical terminology, and consistency. By prioritizing context in web and mobile app translation, developers and localization teams can ensure high-quality translations that resonate with their global user base and contribute to a positive user experience.

About Bounce

Bounce is the largest luggage storage network in the world, with more than 10,000 locations in 2,000+ cities worldwide, including London, Paris, Lisbon, Barcelona, NYC, Seoul, and Sydney. By partnering with local businesses around the world, Bounce empowers people to be free to explore wherever they are. Through the Bounce app or website, customers can find and book luggage storage in minutes, drop off their bags, and enjoy their day hands-free.

How to Fine-tune Crowdin's AI Localization Assistant

sergey — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

It's fascinating to watch how LLMs are taking over the translation industry. In the last few months, we've seen many great applications of how machines can assist and perform translation tasks. The reason LLM's seem to be taking over is because of the context they can accept and leverage when translating.

Today, we're very excited to announce immediate access to the latest version of Crowdin AI with the fine-tuning feature! A way to feed TM's and glossaries of any size before asking the LLM to translate your content. Our complete solution for AI localization.

{/* more */}

If you have tried Crowdin AI before, you have seen that when you use it in the editor and ask for translation, it uses your TM and glossary for better quality translations. However, if you used Crowdin AI to pre-translate an entire project, it wouldn't use your glossary or TM. You could only provide context and instructions to the machine.

The reason why it was not possible to provide your entire TM or termbase is due to the maximum request size of the LLM services. They simply cannot accept a 5 GB TM + large termbase + your file for translation in one request.

With the fine-tuning feature we are introducing today, you can pre-train the LLM model with your translation assets, such as TM and glossary. No matter how big your localization assets are, they can all be "shown" to the machine before you ask it to translate your file.

Fine-tuning traditional MT engines required a lot of work and effort, and were primarily used by corporations. With the latest version of Crowdin AI, the fine-tuning of Translation AI is available to everyone and is super easy to use.

Even though it's still a beta version, we're eager to show it to as many users as possible to get feedback and improve the service.

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

What's New at Crowdin: August 2023

diana — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

This month, much like in the recent past, our focus has been dedicated to implementing AI into localization workflows. As we continue to explore the potential and possibilities that artificial intelligence brings, it's worth mentioning other exciting updates as well.

{/* more */}

AI LQA for Crowdin Enterprise

We received numerous requests to integrate AI into Crowdin manager’s daily tasks. AI Language Quality Assessment (LQA) is a common ask as technology advances. While Crowdin has been experimenting with AI LQA, we've noticed that machines aren't consistently dependable for evaluating human work.

After all, if a machine knew how to translate correctly, why would we need to buy expensive human translations? However, one of the experiments actually showed good results. It's when a machine was asked to annotate the proofreading edit distance report against the LQA models.

LLM was given the human translation and the corrected translation and asked to categorize any changes made according to the LQA rules. This seems to work quite well, and we encourage you to try it on your project.

It's worth noting that AI LQA is designed to assist humans, not replace them. We use AI to quickly identify changes based on specific rules. Meanwhile, humans contribute their expertise to ensure accurate and culturally fitting translations.

AI LQA comes with free usage credits, it requires nothing more than an at least partially translated and reviewed Crowdin project to get started.

AI Manager: Manage Localization Projects with AI

Imagine having an AI in your Crowdin project, ready to assist with various tasks. This goes beyond fixed tasks; it's a flexible helper that can do different things – from finding info to changing data and doing tasks for you. This is the exciting experiment we're launching – AI Manager.

How AI Manager Works

Upon entering the application, select the data area you want to work with. Our current supported scopes include:

Source text
Translations in your chosen language
Source text and translations in your chosen language
Project tasks
Project users
Terminology extraction

Once you've chosen your scope, you're empowered to create prompts. Although the application currently has limited actions it can perform for you, they can make a difference:

Delete a translation
Approve a translation
Add a label to a string
Remove a label from a string
Add a term to the glossary
Edit string properties like text, context, key, translation max length, and visibility status

More actions and data sources are on the way. For content data sources, like source text or translations, narrow the scope to a single file.

With these data sources and actions, you can:

Approve translations without vandalism (great for crowdsourced projects).
Extract terminology and enhance your glossary, with the AI trying to fill in glossary term details.
Locate and hide untranslatable strings in your project.

The AI Manager application is presently an experiment, and there's a chance it might experience occasional disruptions or unintended data effects. While we don't suggest using it for production purposes, your insights and feedback are incredibly valuable as we continue to fine-tune its development.

SRX Playground: AI-powered SRX Rules Editor

The SRX Playground app makes creating segmentation rules simple. Instead of starting from nothing, you can adjust existing rules or make your own. The app has an easy interface for experimenting and creating rules.

Test different phrases and use special patterns to segment text as needed. The SRX Playground app even has a feature that uses AI to help you create rules.

How to Use Rules: If you want to customize how text is broken apart in Crowdin, you can use "beforeBreak" and "afterBreak" to set up rules in the SRX file.

You can also use the Segmentation Rules Generator app to apply your custom rules to one or many files in your Crowdin project, including future ones.

More About AI in Crowdin: AI Assistant

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Experience more with AI translation in Crowdin through the Crowdin AI Assistant App. Now, you have the option to select between GPT-3.5 Turbo and GPT-4, tailoring your AI interactions to your preferences.

We've also added the capability for users to utilize their own API key. Plus, for those users, we ensure that their usage remains private and untracked.

Last but not least, you can use AI Assistant to pre-translate. For this, go to your Project > Machine Engine > Custom Engine > AI Assistant.

ModelFront

The ModelFront API instantly rates the quality of each translation. In Crowdin, you can use it for a "hybrid" translation approach. This means you can translate faster and cheaper by automatically approving high-quality machine pre-translations while sending low-quality ones for human editing.

Thus:

If the translation quality is good, it gets published.
If the quality is bad, it needs human editing.

ModelFront offers machine-learning models for secure and scalable translation quality estimation. It supports customization for over 100 languages, with simple pricing based on characters, similar to machine translation.

To start, contact ModelFront at contact@modelfront.com.

For more information about ModelFront, check out Gartner's coverage, such as the 2020 market guide "AI-Enabled Translation Services" or the Gartner 2022 "Natural Language Technologies" toolkit.

To learn more about predicting translation quality, read "Quality prediction on Machine Translate".

Multi Translation Columns

A tiny app to help clients who work with complex spreadsheets. The application allows you to import and export multilingual XLSX or CSV files that have multiple columns for translation.

Crowdin Platform Updates

VCS Integrations Update

Auto-approve new translations from the repo. To enable this feature, go to your Crowdin project > VCS integrations (GitLab, for example) > Edit > Select Always import new translations from the repository.

Pre-translate Strings via Editor

Now you can pre-translate filtred strings via Side-by-side and Multilingual Crowdin Editor view. For this go to the Editor > Filter strings as needed > click on the three-dots menu on the right side of the Editor > Pre-translate (via MT/TM).

Better Labels Management

Now it's even easier to create and manage labels. You can create a new label directly in the Editor while working on the string, to do this, follow the steps: Labels > enter a name for the new label > choose Create Label > Save.

Also, now it is convenient to manage all labels in one place. For that, go to Projects settings > Labels.

XLSX and CSV Segmentation

Some time ago, we started to implement the possibility of segmentation to the key-value file formats. This month, we're adding the ability to segment or use custom segmentation rules for CSV and XLSX files when imported as key-value files.

All File Processors in One Place

File processors allow you to customize processing for supported file formats. Now, you can see the full list of installed processors in one place. For this go to Project > Settings > File Processors.

More Updates

In August, we released the following:

Automate updates between Crowdin and XTRF or other tools through the new Blackbird.io integration
Improved support of MadCap tags
Java API Client 1.10.0
.NET API Client 2.16.0, 2.17.0, 2.17.1
Figma plugin: version 48
Python API Client 1.11.0
PHP API Client 1.11.0

How to Localize Your Mobile App: Free E-book

diana — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Mobile app localization is not just about translating your app into different languages. It’s about creating a seamless and engaging user experience for your global customers, adapting to their preferences, culture, and behavior.

If you want to learn how to localize your app effectively and efficiently, we have a great resource for you. We’ve just released a free e-book that covers everything you need to know about mobile app localization, from the basics to the best practices.

Learn Everything About Mobile App Translation

In this e-book, you’ll learn:

What mobile app localization and internationalization are and why they are essential for your app’s success.
How to choose the right languages and markets for your app and find the best translation partners.
How to automate your localization workflow using Crowdin, a powerful localization management platform that integrates with your VCS and other tools.
How to provide context and guidance for your translators to ensure quality and consistency.
How to handle the design and layout challenges of localizing iOS and Android apps simultaneously.
How to leverage machine translation and post-editing to speed up your localization process and reduce costs.
How to optimize your app store listing and keywords for each market using ASO techniques.
How to implement continuous localization to keep your app updated and relevant across all languages.
And much more.

This e-book also features insights and tips from experts in the mobile app industry, who share their experience and advice on how to localize your app successfully.

Whether you’re new to mobile app localization or looking for ways to improve your existing process, this e-book will help you achieve your goals faster and easier.

<div class="flex"> <Button variant="primary" href="https://crowdin.com/learn/mobile-app-localization-ebook" target="_blank" class="mx-auto"

Download e-book

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Why You Need To Localize Your iOS or Android App

But why should you care about mobile app localization in the first place? Well, the mobile app industry is one of the fastest-growing and most profitable sectors of the tech industry. With over 6.3 billion smartphone users across the world, it’s no surprise that the mobile app industry is thriving. App usage and smartphone penetration are still growing at a steady rate, without any signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future.

According to some statistics, mobile apps are expected to generate over $935 billion in revenue in 2023. The Apple App Store has 1.96 million apps available for download, while there are 2.87 million apps available for download on the Google Play Store. 21% of millennials open an app 50+ times per day, while 49% of people open an app 11+ times each day.

These numbers show the huge potential of the mobile app market, as well as the fierce competition among app developers. If you want to stand out from the crowd and reach new customers around the world, you need to localize your app for different languages and cultures.

Multilingual Mobile App: Benefits

Enter new markets

Tap into new regions where your app might not be available or popular yet. You can also cater to the needs and preferences of different audiences, increasing your chances of getting more downloads and positive reviews.

Improve customer satisfaction

Show your customers that you care about them and their experience. You can also avoid misunderstandings or frustrations caused by language barriers or cultural differences. This can lead to higher retention rates, engagement levels, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Increase brand loyalty

Build trust and credibility with your customers. You can also create a stronger emotional connection with them by using their native language and respecting their values and norms. This can result in higher customer loyalty, advocacy, and lifetime value.

Maximize app downloads and revenue

Boost your visibility and discoverability in different app stores. You can also optimize your keywords and metadata for each market using ASO techniques. This can drive more organic traffic to your app page, leading to more conversions and revenue.

As you can see, mobile app localization services are not only a nice-to-have feature but a must-have strategy for any app developer who wants to succeed in this competitive industry.But how do you get started with mobile app localization? What are the best tools and practices to use? How do you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes?

That’s where our e-book comes in handy.

Download Free E-book About Mobile App localization

To download your free copy of the e-book, simply enter your email address on the landing page. You’ll receive an access the e-book right away. Download your free ebook today and start reaching new customers around the world.

What's New at Crowdin: July 2023

diana — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In this update, we'll unveil the highly anticipated TM Penalties feature, allowing localization managers to exercise greater control over Translation Memory matches. Additionally, the Crowdin Marketplace welcomes powerful applications like Mass User Manager for Crowdin Enterprise, simplifying project management for teams handling multiple projects.

Moreover, new GNU Gettext Helper Apps facilitate smoother interactions with resource files, and the File Type Modifier app ensures accurate handling of proprietary file formats. Join us in exploring these exciting updates.

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TM Penalties

One of the most requested features by professional localization managers is now available in Crowdin TM. With TM Penalties, managers can set penalties for TM translations that meet certain criteria. For example, if a translation from the TM hasn’t been used for a long time, even if it is a 100% match, a manager may doubt its relevance and reduce the TM match so that it is never automatically published and requires human review.

Updated Crowdin Logo Unveiled

You might have already noticed it – our brand new Crowdin logo is here.We've given our logo a makeover, and we're hoping you’re loving the fresh, modern look. Now, you can see it in a few places, but it will gradually appear in the rest of our resources soon.

Side-by-Side Editor View

We’ve started rolling out a refreshed design for the Side-by-Side view. The layout is now more compact and fits a lot more text on the screen. The new design incorporates a lot of feedback from professional translators who use Crowdin Editor extensively. After the first iteration, we’ve learned that many existing Crowdin users prefer to see QA checks and contextual information for all segments. We will be reinstating this option in the next few days.

New Crowdin Features and Updates

Bundles can now contain a source language. This was a very popular request.
When configuring over-the-air delivery, you can now use bundle configurations instead of selecting which content to deliver to the CDN. This would also allow multiple configurations (multiple files) to be delivered to a single CDN directory.
Several applications, including Zendesk and Contentful translation connectors, now allow you to upload existing transactions that exist in those systems. More applications will have this capability soon.
The Project Settings section now allows you to manage project labels.
Crowdin now integrates with JiHuLab, a spin-off of GitLab for the Asian market.
New integration with Trados! We know that many translation agencies have their processes built around the RWS Trados ecosystem and have translators who use Trados as their primary translation tool. This new integration would allow Crowdin project managers to sync not only content for translation with Trados, but all the contextual information for translators to be efficient and produce high quality translations.
AI Translation Assistant now works better with Glossary. Now the Assistant can use your terms in the translations it provides. Plus, soon you'll be able to top up your balance, and connect your account. Note: AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience.
Notifications API. As the number of apps in the Crowdin Store grew and apps became more sophisticated, there was a need to allow apps to notify users about what was happening in their projects. The new API endpoints would allow apps to communicate more about what was happening, providing users with a better understanding of their projects.
Previously, when you uploaded a spreadsheet file for translation (or any other spreadsheet like glossary or TM), you had to manually configure each column so that Crowdin knew how your data was structured. This could be a time-consuming and error-prone process. With the latest update, Crowdin will now automatically try to pre-configure your spreadsheet for you. This means that you will only need to check the pre-configuration and make any necessary changes.
You can now perform a mass deletion of project members from your project.
Panels pinned in the Translation Editor are now retained when switching editor views.

Crowdin Marketplace

Mass User Manager for Crowdin Enterprise

Mass User Manager is a new application that helps Crowdin customers who manage dozens or even hundreds of projects. Because Crowdin projects are continuous, it's often necessary to make changes to settings or permissions for multiple members across multiple projects. One of the most common tasks is inviting new linguists, removing linguists, or changing their permissions.

Mass User Manager makes these tasks easier by allowing you to select a user or enter their email address and invite them to any number of selected or all projects.

GNU Gettext Helper Apps

GNU Gettext is one of the oldest tools in the translation industry, but it's still widely used. PO resource files have a "compiled" version with a .mo file extension. Crowdin has two new applications to help you work with these files: Compile Gettext .po files to .mo and Gettext .mo Translation.

Gettext .mo Translation allows you to upload .mo files if you only have the compiled version of your resource file and need to translate it into other languages. Compile Gettext .po files to .mo is useful if you have source .po or .pot files and need to create .mo files to use with your application.

Both applications can be used separately or installed together in one project.

File Type Modifier

File Type Modifier is a small application. What we have seen sometimes is a client with their proprietary file formats. Crowdin tries to guess what is the best way to process those files and where you have guesses, you have mistakes. While Crowdin allows you to specify which importer to use when uploading via API or CLI, there's no such option in the UI. With this app, you can set the importer of your choice for your file extension.

More context when translating spreadsheets

The Multiple spreadsheet column as context application helps you to add multiple columns from spreadsheets as context to Crowdin translations. It supports both XLSX and CSV files. Not the most elegant way, but it does the job very well.

Payload CMS

An awesome Payload CMS plugin created by Steven Thompson that allows you to translate Payload with Crowdin. Available as open source on GitHub.

Case Study: Game Localization with Wildlife Studios

In this article, we delve into Wildlife Studios' remarkable game localization journey and explore how Crowdin's localization platform played a pivotal role in their global triumph.

Key results they achieved:

27 localization projects.
Rapid translation and release of localized game content into 12+ languages, speeding up time-to-market.
Optimized costs by leveraging translation memory and reusing previously translated content.
Received positive player feedback, reflecting high customer satisfaction with localized experiences.
Increased the overall player-base of Romanian region by 25%.
The number of issues being solved directly through translated self-service means (FAQs, Bots, etc) increased by 30%.

Case Study: Creating a Crowdin App to Integrate LexiQA

Explore the practical benefits of seamless integration in this enlightening interview. See how LexiQA created app for Crowdin.

More Crowdin Updates

In July, we were excited to roll out the following:

JS API Client 1.23.4
.NET API Client 2.14.3, 2.15.0
Java API Client 1.9.0
JS API Client 1.23.4
A GitHub Action to automate the translation of your README.md files via Crowdin.

Translation Management Systems: Boost Efficiency and Control

yana — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

You know that feeling? The one when you're trying to launch a new product, update your website, or roll out a killer marketing campaign to customers all over the world. And suddenly you're drowning in spreadsheets, email chains, and an endless stream of corrections?

Trying to manage translations manually can feel a lot like a mess. It's frustrating, and frankly, it's a colossal waste of time and money.

If you've ever faced sending files back and forth, trying to keep track of versions, or just ensuring that "fluffy" doesn't accidentally become "hairy" in another language, then pull up a chair. Because we need to talk about something that can change your localization game: a Translation Management System (TMS).

Content Overview

What is a Translation Management System? It's a cloud-based platform that automates and manages your entire localization workflow.
Why invest in a TMS? It saves time and money, improves teamwork, speeds up delivery, and ensures brand consistency.
What features does a Crowdin TMS have? Key features include Translation Memory, Glossary, Machine Translation (MT), AI features, In-Context Editors, Workflow Automation, and integrations with your content tools.
How do you choose the best translation management system? Look for scalability, ease of use, strong integration capabilities, reliable support, robust security, and a flexible pricing model.
Is Translation Management System only for large companies? No, TMS solutions are available and highly beneficial for businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises.

What Is a Translation Management System?

A Translation Management System (TMS) is a centralized, cloud-based platform designed to automate and manage every stage of the localization workflow. It acts as the single command center, bringing together all the parts – from source content and linguistic assets to translation teams and automated processes.

Think of TMS as a super-organized, incredibly smart project manager, but specifically for your words. Instead of wondering if your Italian translation team is using the same phrasing as your French one, or manually sending files to different linguists, a TMS brings everything into one digital space. It manages your content, orchestrates your workflows, keeps your teams aligned, and protects your linguistic resources.

Why Should Your Business Invest in a TMS?

Alright, so you know what a Translation Management System is. But why should your business actually invest in one? Beyond just "less stress", which, let's be honest, is a pretty compelling argument on its own, a TMS offers so much more. It's about fundamentally transforming your localization strategy to operate on a global scale.

Less Stress, More Savings

Let's get to the heart of the matter: money. Manual translation processes are well-known for hidden costs. You're constantly paying to fix mistakes and watching your team spend hours just trying to keep everything straight.

A Translation Management System directly solves these problems. By reusing your previously translated content, you never pay to translate the same sentence or phrase twice. This smart reuse also speeds up the process and ensures consistent phrasing across all your materials.

Let’s take some numbers: with a translation management system, you can save approximately $80,000 and dozens of hours, as seen in our case study with Polhus. Over time, especially as your content volume grows, those savings really add up.

Faster Speed, No Quality Drop

Nowadays, getting your message out quickly is important for competitive advantage. This is where automated translation management truly shines.

Whether you are executing a product localization strategy or just building a landing page: with a TMS, the translation can actually start from the moment the design is ready. Linguists can begin working while developers are still building the page. Translations can even be pushed directly into the development environment as it's finalized.

High Translation Consistency

You've worked incredibly hard to craft your brand voice, ensuring every message resonates. So why should it suddenly sound stiff, unnatural, or just plain off in another language?

One of the advantages of a Translation Management System is its ability to ensure linguistic consistency and maintain your brand's voice. It guarantees that key brand terms and product names are translated the same way across all your content. This means your "innovative solution" won't accidentally become a "newfangled gadget" in Spanish.

Teamwork Made Easy

Remember those chaotic email threads with translators trying to figure out which version is the latest? A TMS transforms that frustrating rollercoaster into a smooth, delightful ride. It provides a centralized hub where everyone involved in the localization process can connect. Your team running multilingual marketing campaigns (like localizing emails), external linguists, and legal reviewers can work together in one system.

Team can see progress in real-time, leave comments directly on the content, and access approved terminology. No more conflicting versions, no more "did I send that email?" anxiety. This provides transparency and efficiency that is not possible with traditional, disconnected methods. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it.

How Does Translation Management System Work?

Now you understand why a Translation Management System is such a huge advantage. But how does this sophisticated translation management technology actually work its magic? What are the components that really make your global content efforts successful? Let's explore the key features that power a great TMS, using Crowdin as an example.

Pre-translation for Faster Results

Instead of starting from scratch, a TMS can perform pre-translation. This feature automatically fills in untranslated sections. It does this by using your existing Translation Memory and even Machine Translation. It’s like filling in all the easy answers before anyone even starts working.

This means human linguists have less new content to handle. It speeds up your project right from the start and cuts down costs.

Translation Memory (TM) Efficiency

Imagine you’re translating a phrase, "Click here to download the report." A few weeks later, that exact phrase (or a very similar one) pops up in a new document. Without a translation management system, you'd either re-translate it, pay a linguist to do it again, or spend ages trying to find the old version.

Enter Translation Memory (TM). This feature is a massive, intelligent database that stores every single sentence or segment you’ve ever translated and approved. When that specific phrase appears again in your content, the TMS will offer the previously approved translation.

Terminology Management with Glossary

Have you ever worried that your specific industry jargon might be translated inconsistently?

The Glossary feature acts as your official, centralized vocabulary list for your brand. It defines how specific terms, product names, slogans, or even stylistic choices (like always capitalizing a certain word) should be translated and used in every target language. This tool helps maintain brand voice, ensuring accuracy and avoiding costly linguistic errors. Think of it as a style guide, but specifically for your multilingual vocabulary.

Machine Translation (MT) Integration

Machine Translation isn't perfect for all sensitive, customer-facing content right away. But it's incredibly powerful for many tasks. With MT, you can get super-fast first drafts for less sensitive content, or even as a starting point for human linguists. They can then "post-edit" it, refining the output for accuracy, nuance, and natural flow.

Crowdin TMS integrates with the best machine translation software engines.

Crowdin offers its own AI-powered CrowdinMT. You can also find and install more MT options from the Crowdin Store.

AI-Powered Localization

Beyond machine translation, AI translation is becoming the secret ingredient across modern TMS platforms. It's not just about getting a quick translation anymore. AI models analyze your content, learn from your past translations, and even suggest improvements. AI can help with content routing, predict translation quality, and improve terminology recognition (read more about AI localization in our guide).

Imagine you're doing translations for a Halloween campaign and you want your text to sound "spooky" in every language. With Agentic AI features in a Translation Management System, you could provide that context – "make this text sound spooky" – and the AI would apply that style to translations.

QA Checks: Catching Errors Before They Go Live

Nobody wants an embarrassing typo or a mistranslated phrase making it into their global content, right? That’s why Quality Assurance checks are such a vital feature within a TMS. QA tools automatically scan translated content for a range of potential issues. These checks cover everything from missing tags and incorrect numbers to inconsistent terms, formatting errors, and grammar mistakes.

Crowdin goes a step beyond with AI-powered QA checks. These can spot subtle linguistic nuances and errors that regular checks might miss. This means fewer human errors, higher quality, and no huge headaches fixing mistakes after publishing.

Providing Visual Context for Translators with Screenshots

Words don't exist in a vacuum, especially when they're going to appear on a website, in an app, or in a product interface. How many times have you worried about whether a translated phrase will actually fit the button, or if it makes sense visually?

This is where Screenshots really stand out in a TMS. Translators can see the text exactly as it appears. The TMS shows a screenshot of the user interface or a website page to them.

Crowdin even offers a Text Recognition (OCR) function for screenshots. It can automatically pull translatable text directly from those images. This makes the process of identifying and translating text embedded in visuals more effective.

See Your Words Live, In Real-Time with In-Context Editor

While screenshots are great for providing a static visual reference, In-Context Editor takes it a powerful step further. Translators and reviewers can see and edit text right where it lives. They work directly in a live preview of your website, software, or app. It's an interactive environment where they can type in translations and instantly see how they look on the page, in real-time.

This ensures translations fit the space, look good with your design, and read naturally in the target language. This ensures everything looks just right before it even goes live.

<Aside type="tip"> Want to try it out yourself? Crowdin offers a demo where you can experience our In-Context editing feature firsthand. </Aside>

Workflow Automation

One major headache in manual translation is the endless back-and-forth. This means always sending files, checking status updates, and reminding people to move content forward. Workflow Automation in a TMS changes all that.

You can set up predefined steps for your content – say, "pre-translation", then "editing", then "proofreading", then "internal review". The TMS then automatically moves content from one stage to the next, notifying the right people at the right time. It assigns tasks, tracks progress, and ensures deadlines are met, all with minimal manual intervention from your side.

Workflow Automation essentially puts your translation process on autopilot. This frees your team to focus on strategy, not paperwork.

Crowdin Enterprise accounts have five pre-built workflow templates. If nothing works for you, it’s easy to create a custom one or make changes in existing templates.

Integrate with Your Tools for Effective Translation Management

A truly effective TMS isn't a standalone island; it's a well-connected ecosystem. This is where Translation Management Integration becomes incredibly important. Modern translation management platforms are designed to integrate nicely with your existing tech stack.

We're talking direct connections to your Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress or Adobe Experience Manager, your Product Information Management (PIM) systems, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools, code repositories like GitHub for developers, marketing automation platforms, and even design software.

Crowdin, for instance, has over 600 pre-built integrations. You can push content for translation straight from its source. Then, pull translated content back in just as easily. This means no more tedious copying, pasting, or endless file juggling.

Can't find an integration with your specific favorite tool? You can always ask the Crowdin team to develop it!

How to Choose the Best Translation Management System

With so many TMS options out there – from industry giants to agile new platforms – picking the right one can feel tricky. It's a big decision, after all.

And it's not about finding the 'best translation management system' for everyone. It’s about finding the one that’s truly best for your needs. You need a TMS that matches your business needs, team's workflow, and growth plans.

To help simplify this mission, let's break down the key criteria you should consider.

1. Does It Scale?

First up, scalability. Your business isn't static, right? You're hoping to grow, to reach more markets, to create more content. So, can the TMS you're looking at handle that future expansion? We mean it can handle more text, support new languages, and take on more users or projects smoothly. That's exactly what a good TMS is designed for. It'll easily handle the pressure as your global ambitions grow.

Crowdin handles everything from small startups to large enterprises. You can easily add projects, languages, and team members as you grow. This ensures smooth scaling without costly overhauls.

2. Is It Easy to Use?

Next, let's talk about ease of use. If a system is too complicated, your team simply won't use it to its full potential, no matter how powerful it is. An intuitive interface is key. It helps adopt the system fast with little training. A great TMS has a user-friendly interface with clear dashboards, navigation, and customized workflows that just make sense.

Crowdin is actually known for its intuitive UI/UX. It's built for quick setup. Your team can start collaborating there almost immediately, which means fewer training headaches.

3. Does It Integrate Well?

Think about where your content lives. It's probably scattered across your CMS, code repositories, and marketing automation platforms, right? That's why integration capabilities are non-negotiable. Can the TMS connect with your existing tech stack? A solid TMS offers many ways to integrate with popular systems, like pre-built connectors and APIs.

As we mentioned earlier, Crowdin has an impressive arsenal of over 600 pre-built integrations with platforms such as GitHub, Figma, HubSpot, and many more.

4. Does It Have Help When You Need It?

Even with the most intuitive software, questions and unexpected errors are likely to arise. When they do, reliable customer support, documentation, and an active user community are invaluable. A good TMS provider offers many ways to get help. Think chat, email, and phone support, plus knowledge bases, tutorials, and user forums. You want to feel supported, not left stranded.

Crowdin offers documentation, video tutorials, a community forum, and 24/7 support, so you're never left wondering what to do next.

5. Is My Data Going to Be Safe?

Protecting your data and ensuring compliance with industry standards isn't just good practice. It's absolutely non-negotiable, especially when operating globally. You need a TMS that takes security as seriously as you do. This means data encryption, strict access controls, and regular security audits.

Crowdin Translation Management System complies with GDPR and HIPAA, and holds ISO 27001 certification. We use secure Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers with geographical restrictions, ensuring your data stays where it needs to be.

What's more, we use mandatory hardware 2FA and only permit access from company-managed devices. It adds serious layers of protection, making sure only authorized people can get to your valuable content.

<Aside type="tip"> Security First. Learn how we care about Security at Crowdin </Aside>

6. Pricing and Value: What to Expect

Finally, let's talk about the bottom line: pricing and value. You need to clearly understand how you'll be charged – is it per word, per user, based on subscription tiers? And perhaps more importantly, do the features and benefits justify the cost for your specific volume and needs? Look for a TMS with flexible pricing models. These should offer good value, no matter your business size or how much you translate.

For instance, Crowdin provides flexible pricing plans. They fit various business sizes and needs, from small teams to large companies. You get real value for your investment, based on how you actually use it.

Here's how a platform like Crowdin compares against the above points:

Feature/Criteria	Benefit & General TMS Solution	Crowdin's Approach/Solution
Scalability	Handles growing content, languages, and users by managing vast volumes and multiple languages without performance issues.	Built for growth; handles startups to enterprises. Easily adds projects, languages, users.
Ease of Use	Ensures quick adoption and minimal training with an intuitive interface, clear dashboards, and streamlined workflows.	Has intuitive UI/UX. Designed for rapid onboarding, reducing training time.
Integration Capabilities	Connects seamlessly with existing tools (CMS, dev, etc.) via pre-built connectors and APIs to avoid manual transfers.	Over 600 pre-built integrations. Custom connectors can be developed if needed.
Reliable Support	Crucial for when issues arise; provides help via various support channels, knowledge bases, and user forums.	Comprehensive support: docs, tutorials, vibrant community forum, responsive 24/7 support.
Security & Compliance	Protects sensitive data and meets industry standards (GDPR, ISO) through robust encryption, access controls, and regular audits.	GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA compliant. Uses secure AWS data centers with geo-restrictions. Mandatory hardware 2FA & context-aware access.
Pricing Model/Value	Understanding costs (per word/user/tier) ensures features justify investment, with flexible models for cost-effectiveness.	Flexible plans for various sizes/needs. Ensures value based on actual usage and requirements.

The best way to know if a TMS fits your budget and workflow? Try a free trial. To try Crowdin's Team plan, just register and create your first project. You'll get a 14-day free trial. Big companies can try Crowdin Enterprise for 30 days, free. This trial starts when you sign up and unlocks all Business plan features.

Translation Management System for Every Business

You might be thinking, "This all sounds amazing, but is a TMS just for those multinational corporations? You know, the ones with endless budgets and huge localization teams?" Honestly, that couldn't be further from the truth! This is a common misconception, and it’s important to clear it up.

While large companies certainly benefit a lot from a TMS, even small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are finding its huge value. If you're currently translating regularly – be it your website content, marketing materials, app interfaces, product descriptions, or even internal documents for diverse teams – a TMS is an investment that will pay off.

Think about it: an SMB often has limited resources, right? That’s why automation, cost savings, and optimized workflows become even more critical. Smaller teams can gain a global presence with a translarion management system. It gives them amazing efficiency and consistency, no army of project managers required. It’s about being smart with what you have and getting maximum impact.

Crowdin understands that "one size doesn't fit all" when it comes to localization needs. So, whether you're a small team or a huge enterprise, we have a solution that fits your exact needs.

And looking ahead, the translation management technology landscape is only getting more fascinating. We're seeing rapid advancements in AI, making automated translation more accurate than ever. Integrations are becoming even more seamless, turning TMS platforms into a central system for all your global content.

The future promises even greater automation, smarter suggestions, and hyper-personalized localization experiences. So, investing in a TMS now isn't just solving today's problems. It’s setting your business up for success in a multilingual world.

Ready to Transform Your Global Content?

Whether you're a small startup with big global dreams or an established enterprise looking to optimize complex localization workflows, a TMS is the right solution. Platforms like Crowdin perfectly show how this technology scales for diverse needs. They offer various solutions, including time-saving features, advanced security, and popular integrations. This helps your work run like clockwork.

With a Translation Management System, you'll have less stress and fewer errors, leading to a much bigger global impact. It helps you truly localize your brand, going beyond simple translation. This builds deeper connections, making customers feel like you've always spoken their language.

FAQ

What Exactly Is a Translation Management System (TMS)?

Translation Management System (TMS) is a cloud-based software that automates and centralizes your entire localization workflow. It handles everything from creating content to publishing it in different languages.

What Role Does a TMS Play in Translation?

In the world of translation, a translation management system acts as the orchestrator. It’s the intelligent system that goes far beyond simple translation tools, like standalone CAT tools (Computer-Assisted Translation), by integrating components like Translation Memory, Terminology Management, Workflow Automation, and Quality Assurance. This allows teams – whether they're internal, external, or a mix – to collaborate and produce consistent, high-quality multilingual content at scale.

What Comprehensive Solution Does a TMS Offer?

A Translation Management System provides an all-in-one solution to the common chaos of manual translation processes. It tackles inefficiencies, reduces costs, enhances translation quality, and accelerates time-to-market for businesses aiming to connect with global audiences. Essentially, it transforms a fragmented, often stressful, linguistic challenge into a smooth, well-managed operation, allowing companies of any size to go worldwide.

Scaling Up: How Wildlife Studios is Localizing 27 Projects into 12+ languages with Crowdin

diana — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Wildlife Studios, a leading mobile gaming company headquartered in Brazil, embarked on a comprehensive localization journey to expand its player base globally. With Crowdin localization platform, Wildlife Studios successfully localized 27 projects into 12+ languages, resulting in rapid translation, optimized costs, and increased player satisfaction. Let's explore how they achieved these results.

<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Translation Approach</th> <td> <ul> <li> Translation by an agency (a vendor from{" "} <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/partners" target="_blank"> Crowdin Marketplace </a> ) </li> <li>An internal team of translators</li> <li>A localization manager and proofreading by the transparent reporting system</li> <li> For urgent issues – a Slack channel for the project manager and the game development team </li> <li>Feedback about localization from users by dedicated Community Manager</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Functionality Used</th> <td> <ul> <li> <a href="https://developer.crowdin.com/api/v2/" target="_blank"> Crowdin API </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/project-reports/" target="_blank"> Reporting system </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://support.crowdin.com/version-management/" target="_blank"> Version management </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://crowdin.com/blog/translation-memory" target="_blank"> Translation Memory </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://crowdin.com/features/ai-translation" target="_blank"> Crowdin AI Translator </a> <br />(<strong>Note:</strong> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native <strong>Crowdin AI</strong> for a better and more seamless experience.) </li> <li> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/zendesk-guide" target="_blank"> Zendesk - Crowdin integration </a> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Key Results</th> <td> <ul> <li>27 localization projects.</li> <li> Rapid translation and release of localized game content into 12+ languages, speeding up time-to-market. </li> <li> Optimized costs by leveraging translation memory and reusing previously translated content. </li> <li> Received positive player feedback, reflecting high customer satisfaction with localized experiences. </li> <li>Increased the overall player-base of Romanian region by 25%.</li> <li> The number of issues being solved directly through translated self-service means (FAQs, Bots, etc) increased by 30%. </li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Introduction to Wildlife Studio

One of the 10 largest mobile gaming companies in the world, Wildlife Studios has published over 60 games with more than 3 billion downloads worldwide. The studio was started in Brazil in 2011. It now has offices in nine countries, including the US, Brazil, Argentina, Israel, and Ireland, and has over 700 employees who are always trying to change how mobile games are made. Here are some popular games developed by Wildlife Studios:

Zooba
Tennis Clash
Sniper 3D Assassin
War Machines
Colorfy

Wildlife Studios, a prominent mobile game company headquartered in Brazil with offices worldwide, embarked on a comprehensive localization journey to expand their player base globally. Anderson, the Manager of Player Support and Localization at Wildlife Studios, shares valuable insights about their localization strategy and the pivotal role played by their localization partner, Crowdin, in achieving their goals.

Localization Decision

Understanding the significance of catering to diverse language preferences, Wildlife Studios recognized early on that localization was essential for their games' success. They conducted thorough research to analyze their games' player populations in different countries and the languages predominantly spoken in those regions. This analysis revealed a clear need to go beyond English to maximize engagement in non-English speaking markets. Consequently, Wildlife Studios made the strategic decision to localize their games into multiple languages.

Language Selection for Game Localization

Wildlife Studios implemented a default set of 12 languages for their game localization, including Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. These languages were chosen based on market research and the presence of substantial player communities.

Additionally, for games with a significant user base in specific regions, Wildlife Studios considered translating into additional languages such as Romanian, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and others, tailored to meet the demands of those specific markets.

<Blockquote footer="Anderson Lebrão Sanchez, Manager of Player Support Operations and Localization at Wildlife Studios"> In one of our games, we had a region we don't usually localize to (Romania) showing good signs of potential success and engagement, we decided to localize the game to that language, and it prompted content creators to start creating content for the game and calling for their viewers to play with them, the virality effect it caused increased the overall player-base of that region by 25%. </Blockquote>

Source Language Selection

Its important to mention that while Wildlife Studios is headquartered in Brazil, they decided to use English as the source language for their games. This choice was driven by the need for consistency and to streamline the translation process. By adopting English as the source language, Wildlife Studios ensured that they could find proficient translators for various target languages and maintain a unified localization workflow.

Game Translation Challenges and Crowdin Localization Solution

One of the major challenges Wildlife Studios encountered in their previous localization efforts was maintaining consistency across translations. They faced issues with different translators, resulting in discrepancies between the translated text and in-game elements. To address this challenge, Wildlife Studios sought a localization solution that would provide consistency, a robust translation memory, and collaborative capabilities.

After conducting extensive market research and evaluating different platforms, Wildlife Studios selected their localization partner. Crowdin, offered the desired features, including seamless vendor integration, a comprehensive translation memory, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and users with varying access levels. This enabled Wildlife Studios to ensure consistent translations and enhance the overall quality of their localization efforts.

<Blockquote footer="Anderson Lebrão Sanchez, Manager of Player Support Operations and Localization at Wildlife Studios"> The translation memory feature offered by Crowdin has not only reduced our turnaround time for updates but has also ensured linguistic coherence across different versions of our games. </Blockquote>

Flexibility to Switch Vendors without the Need to Migrate

The adoption of Crowdin as their localization platform yielded several benefits for Wildlife Studios. One notable advantage was the flexibility to switch vendors without the need to migrate to a different platform. This saved valuable time and resources for Wildlife Studios, allowing them to explore new localization partners while maintaining a stable localization infrastructure.

<Blockquote footer="Anderson Lebrão Sanchez, Manager of Player Support Operations and Localization at Wildlife Studios"> We chose Crowdin as our localization platform because of its seamless integration with vendors and the flexibility it provides. It has allowed us to experiment with new localization partners without the need for platform migration. </Blockquote>

Localization Workflow and Team

Wildlife Studios established a collaborative localization workflow to ensure high-quality translations across their games. They had an in-house translator specifically dedicated to Japanese, given the complexity of the language and the importance of accurately catering to the Japanese market. For other languages, Wildlife Studios relied on their trusted localization partner, one of vendors listed on Crowdin Store, Alconost, to handle tasks such as translation, proofreading, and delivering consistent translations.

Crowdin AI Assistant for Game Localization

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Moreover, Crowdin's AI Translation Assistant provided Wildlife Studios with the opportunity to experiment with emerging trends in the industry, such as AI-based translation features, aligning their localization process with the latest advancements.

The way Wildlife Studio uses AI Assistant now, is to provide first draft of translation to help their team localise game strings.

Zendesk, Crowdin API, and More Options to Automate Content Sync

In order to streamline their content localization efforts, Wildlife Studios, a leading mobile gaming company, successfully implemented a combination of Zendesk, the Crowdin API, and additional Crowdin automation options. This strategic approach revolutionized their localization process, enabling them to efficiently translate and sync content across multiple languages, while ensuring a seamless user experience for players worldwide.

Zendesk

By integrating Zendesk with their localization workflow, Wildlife Studios gained a centralized platform to manage FAQ and localized content. This integration allowed them to seamlessly streamlining the communication and collaboration process.

<Blockquote footer="Anderson Lebrão Sanchez, Manager of Player Support Operations and Localization at Wildlife Studios"> We observed an increase in the Deflection Rate by 30%, this means the number of issues being solved directly through self-service means (FAQs, Bots, etc) increased, and the number of players needing to reach out to an agent to solve questions manually decreased. </Blockquote>

Crowdin API

Leveraging the Crowdin API, Wildlife Studios established a direct connection between their content management system and the Crowdin localization platform. This integration provided a robust and automated solution for managing translation projects, allowing Wildlife Studios to easily send and receive content for translation, track progress, and update translations in real-time.

<Blockquote footer="Anderson Lebrão Sanchez, Manager of Player Support Operations and Localization at Wildlife Studios"> Crowdin's API integrations, particularly with collaboration tools like Slack, have been a game-changer for us. Real-time notifications and updates have facilitated smooth communication and accelerated the implementation process. </Blockquote>

Driving International Growth: Wildlife Studios' Localization Journey with Crowdin

The collaboration between Wildlife Studios and Crowdin, has successfully addressed the challenges faced by Wildlife Studios in achieving consistent and high-quality game localization. By leveraging vendor’s expertise and the robust features offered by Crowdin, Wildlife Studios has been able to reach a global audience effectively, engaging players in their preferred languages. This localization journey has resulted in enhanced player satisfaction, market expansion, and increased revenue for Wildlife Studios' mobile games.

Machine Translation (MT): Benefits, Process and Accuracy

yana — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In this article, you will learn:

The technology behind machine translation.
Machine Translation vs. Human vs. CAT Tools.
How accurate is MT, and which engine is best?
When to use MT (and when to avoid it).
How AI and LLMs are replacing traditional MT engines.

What is Machine Translation?

Machine translation (MT) is the process by which machine translation engines (such as Microsoft Translator, Google Translate, or DeepL Translator) automatically translate content from one language to another without human intervention.

At Crowdin, translators can use most of the popular machine and AI translation providers.

Machine Translation Technology and Types

Rule-Based Machine Translation (RBMT)

In the early days, systems analyzed dictionaries and strict grammar rules. To translate a sentence, the system would look up each word separately. The grammar was good, but sounded robotic.

Statistical Machine Translation (SMT)

Later, systems analyzed large amounts of bilingual texts and calculated statistical probabilities. This was a better option than RBMT. However, it often produced sentences that did not make sense in a given context.

Neural Machine Translation (NMT)

Neural machine translation (NMT) models offered meaningful advantages over previous machine translation systems. NMTs are trained on large amounts of bilingual data, which allows them to learn relationships between words, phrases, and entire sentences.

Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs)

The newest generation of translation is powered by Generative AI ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude. Traditional NMT focuses on converting text from Language A to Language B. However, Generative AI treats translation as a creative language task. Learn more about localization with AI.

How Does Machine Translation Work?

As talked earlier, modern machine translation engines rely on complex algorithms and vast amounts of data. Modern MT, Neural Machine Translation (NMT), uses artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic how the human brain processes language.

Here is the idea of how the machine translation process works:

Training: MT engines are fed with already translated texts by humans. They read through these examples to learn how different languages work (including grammar, vocabulary, and common phrases).
Pattern recognition: AI inside these engines recognizes patterns across the sentences. AI learns to understand the meaning and context of your text.
Generating the output: When you ask MT to translate, the engine uses these patterns to predict and generate the most natural-sounding translation in the new language. The engine is constantly trying to improve its "guess" based on the training.

3 Main Benefits of Machine Translation

Why do top localization teams add MT to their workflows? Because of the Speed, Cost, and Consistency.

1. Scalable and Fast

MT is the only way to localize millions of words in minutes. Whether you translate user reviews in real-time or a 404 page into 50 languages. Machine translation clears backlogs that would take human translators months to finish.

2. Low Cost

MT reduces the cost per word significantly. With MT for the first draft, you only pay humans to edit rather than translate from scratch. This frees up a big portion of your budget to spend on crucial creative content.

3. Terminology Consistency (with Glossaries)

MT engines, when used with a Translation Management System (e.g., Crowdin), can utilize your Brand Glossary. This allows terms like "Smart Save" or "Check-out" to remain consistent across all languages.

How Accurate is Machine Translation?

According to our guide to the best MT software, modern Neural Machine Translation (NMT) has reached a high level of potential. For language pairs like English to Spanish, machine translation engines can now achieve up to 90% accuracy on factual content. However, the accuracy of machine translation depends on the engine and the content type:

DeepL Translator is often cited as the top choice for details and professional tone. In benchmarks, it scores high for fluency (8.38/10). This result makes DeepL a good option for even important content, such as legal or financial documents (*not excluding post-editing from the process).
Google Translate is sometimes viewed as a generalist tool. However, it remains incredibly precise for standard text. Moreover, for short, factual sentences, it often beats the competition.

No Context: No Accuracy

MT accuracy drops quite a bit if it lacks context.

In a Crowdin experiment (translating mobile banking UI strings from English to Ukrainian), we found that even top engines make "rude mistakes" when they translate isolated words like "Transfer" or "Log Out" without visual context.

Here are the error rates compared by the MT engine:

Google Translate: ~6% error rate (Lowest)
DeepL & ModernMT: ~10% error rate
Microsoft & Amazon: ~16-18% error rate

The Takeaway: Raw MT is faster and cheaper; however, it is rarely perfect. This is why human post-editing remains non-negotiable for customer-facing content.

Machine Translation vs. CAT Tools

CAT Tool (Crowdin) is a platform that manages translation workflow. It stores your files, manages your glossaries, and allows translators to review/edit the text generated by the MT engine.

Briefly explained: You use a CAT tool to manage your translation projects, and inside that tool, you connect an MT engine to pre-translate the text for your translators.

Why do you need a CAT Tool or Translation Management System if you can use a Machine Translation Software instead?

Memory: MT starts from scratch every time. CAT tools have a tool called Translation Memory that remembers past translations - this results in higher quality.
Terminology: CAT tools let you connect your Brand Glossary to translate the strings your way.
Formatting: MT often breaks code. CAT tools protect tags so your site doesn't crash.
Context: MT translates blindly. CAT tools let you add screenshots so the engine understands the UI.
Workflow: CAT tools let translators, MT, and developers work together in one place.

Machine Translation vs. Human Translation

Machine translation is fast and low-cost, but may lack the accuracy, context, and cultural nuance that human translation provides.

While machine translation can be suitable for specific tasks and content, human translation is essential for high-quality content that require an extensive understanding of language and context.

The best translation strategy is a combination of both approaches: using machine translation as a starting point and having human translators refine the output (this is how usually professional localization teams work).

Importance of Machine Translation Post-Editing

Machine translation may not always produce perfect translations. Human review or professional translation is critical to get the highest quality results. This is where the post-editing of machine translations comes into play.

Machine translation post-editing (MTPE) is a process where human linguists (or AI) refine the machine translation output to reach the desired quality of translation.

What Content to Translate with Machine Translation?

Here is the list of content types you can definitely use Machine Translation for, do not forget about post-editing!

Content Type	Recommended Workflow	The Reason for The Choice
Customer Support	MT	Speed.
User Reviews	MT	Volume.
Knowledge Base	MT + Light Editing	Users need accuracy and fluency.
Product Pages	MT + Light Editing	SEO requires human involvement for better results.
Marketing Copy	Human / Creative AI	Avoid standard MT. Creativity drives conversion rates.

Integrations with Machine Translation Engines

CAT Tools (e.g., Crowdin) usually integrate with popular machine translation engines, such as Microsoft Translator, Google Translate, Google AutoML Translation, DeepL Translator, Watson (IBM) Language Translator, and Amazon Translate.

Check out all machine translation engines here.

In Crowdin, you can connect multiple MTs to your account, so that you can use different MTs for different languages or content types.

From Machine Translation to LLMs

Machine Translation has its benefits, and it will always have its place in a translation workflow. However, the market has entered a new era, Large Language Models (LLMs).

Distinctions of LLM models translation compared to machine translation:

LLMs analyze entire documents, not just single sentences.
LLMs adjust tone and style based on user prompts.
Provide natural human-sounding output.

Crowdin's AI translator significantly improves translation efficiency. It uses AI technology and performs tasks like language detection, context analysis, and real-time translation for 300+ languages. Translators boost their productivity with AI translation suggestions, especially powerful in the pre-translation phase.

Crowdin supports all popular AI providers.

Combine MT, AI, and Humans for the Best Quality

Machine translation technology can reduce the cost, efforts, and time spent on translation. On the other hand, incorrect usage can result in poor quality. So, give your MT as much context as you can, and never forget about human/AI post-editing for important content.

The most successful localization strategies rely on a combination workflow: MT and AI to translate high volume content, and humans for keeping quality and creativity. Read more about how to build highly optimized translation workflows with AI localization.

FAQ

What is machine translation in artificial intelligence?

Machine translation in AI refers to the use of neural networks (Deep Learning) to automatically translate text.

When to use machine translation?

Use machine translation for higher volume, less important content where translation speed is crucial (such as internal documentation, customer support chats, user reviews, or e-commerce product descriptions).

What is the benefit of machine translation?

There are three main benefits of machine translation: scalability, cost, and speed. MT can translate millions of words in minutes, and is cheaper than human or AI translation.

How to improve machine translation quality?

There are four best ways to improve the quality of machine translation: use a Translation Glossary, provide context with a CAT tool or a TMS, keep your source text simple and free of slang, and do not forget about machine translation post-editing.

How accurate is machine translation?

Modern Machine Translation (NMT) engines like DeepL and Google Translate can achieve 85-90% accuracy for common language pairs (like English to Spanish). However, accuracy drops for lower-resource languages or highly creative content, which is why human post-editing is crucial.

What's New at Crowdin: June 2023

diana — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We're excited to share the latest updates from Crowdin. We've introduced new features to streamline translation workflows, improve project management, and empower localization professionals like you. Highlights include MTPE reports, Crowdin BI Connector to improve reporting abilities, new custom QA Checks, Embed File Context app, Modified Text Handler, and WYSIWYG Preview for all files. Let's explore what's in store.

MTPE (Machine Translation Post-editing)

We've seen that MTPE projects are becoming more and more popular with clients and translation companies alike. Machine translation engines are constantly improving their quality and the LLM seems to be taking over.

You can use MT technology even more efficiently with our recent improvements to the Crowdin platform and reports.

Now, when calculating the price for translation in Cost Estimation and Translation Cost reports, we have introduced a new feature that allows you to include the cost of proofreading if the source text matches the Translation Memory (TM) or Machine Translation (MT) results.

This way, you can accurately determine the cost based on different levels of text match, which are fully customizable according to your preferences. Different percentages of match will correspond to different prices, giving you full control over the pricing structure. The fewer changes the linguist has made to the machine translation, the lower the cost to you.

Plus, you can now create tasks to proofread pre-translated strings only.

Crowdin Enterprise: Cross-Organizational Tasks

Previously, on Crowdin Enterprise, strings could only be sent to the vendor when a task was specifically created at the vendor step.

However, with our latest update, you now have the flexibility to create tasks outside the vendor step while maintaining seamless string synchronization with the vendor. Plus, both the client and the vendor can edit tasks (the vendor has the ability to assign a user and mark tasks as complete). All changes will be automatically updated in both your organization and the vendor's, promoting efficient and synchronized communication between both parties.

Crowdin Marketplace

Introducing Crowdin BI Connector

We're pleased to announce the launch of Crowdin BI Connector! This application provides comprehensive reporting for efficient project management and data-driven decision making. Crowdin BI Connector puts valuable insights at your fingertips. Let's explore its key features:

Project Info: Get a quick overview of your project progress, including project ID, total strings and words, translation and approval progress, last activity date, open issues and tasks.
Project Languages: Conveniently track language progress for multiple projects in a single dashboard. Monitor translation and approval progress, as well as segments and words to translate per language.
Issues: Analyze translator requests and track issues during the translation process. Integrate with your BI system for real-time issue management.
Users: Track project members and linguist usage. Monitor the number of linguists involved and their participation trends.
Translations: Gain visibility into every translation performed on your project. Track how translations are created, TM usage, MT usage, approvals, etc.

Crowdin BI Connector is a must-have for improved project management and streamlined translation workflows.

Please note that task related reports are not available in this application. For task reports, we recommend using the Time-in-Status app.

More Custom QA Checks Available on Crowdin Enterprise

Custom QA Checks in Crowdin Enterprise is belowed feature of many of our clients. This month we've updated the Crowdin Store and added the QA checks that some customers might find useful. Below are the new QA checks that you can use as a template and tweak to suit your needs.

The template code for the most exciting one, the Pixel Perfect Translation Length Checker, is only available on request. If you are localizing a game or an embedded project and need this QA check, please contact us to have this QA check set up for your Crowdin Enterprise.

Embed File Context Application

A new Embeded file application to give translators even more context. The app allows you to specify an HTML embed code or URL for any file in your project, and the context will be available to translators in the translation editor as they work on your project. There are many use cases, for example, if you're translating a caption for a video hosted on social media, the file you're translating has another file with references, etc.

Another application, the Video Preview app, has been updated and now allows you to attach a video as context to any file in your project. Even if you are translating non-video content, such as a mobile app, you can now attach a demo video of your app for translators to have right in the Crowdin Editor.

Modified Text Handler

A Modified Text Handler is useful when you use the Switch Language workflow step in Crowdin Enterprise. Whenever you change the translation in the Switch Language step, this application allows you to decide what to do with existing translations that you might have in other of your target languages. Either unapprove to request a review or delete the translation so that it can be done for the newly updated text.

Prettier

Prettier in Crowdin addresses formatting challenge of the translated resource files.

While formats like HTML preserve the original formatting of your source files. Other formats like .js, which Crowdin generates from scratch when exporting translations, may have different formatting than you use in your project.

By incorporating Prettier app, the leading code formatting library, your resources are delivered in the exact format required for your project.

Shopify i18n Strings

The Shopify i18n Strings application is useful for developers building Shopify storefronts or Shopify apps. The Shopify platform uses it's own JSON format to manage translatable keys, these JSON can contain plurals between keys, making their translation problematic. This app makes translating Shopify i18n resources easy.

WYSIWYG Preview in Side-by-Side View

Side-by-side is often the preferred view mode of the Crowdin Editor by professional translators. This month we've introduced a WYSIWYG preview if the file to be translated has it. Just as in the Comfortable view, translators can immediately get the best context by seeing the source file, previewing translations made in the target document's layout, and clicking on segments to navigate around the file. Plus, the preview works for all files (that have preview available) simultaneously.

We've also tweaked the colors used to highlight segment statuses to make them more pleasing to the eye.

Crowdin Localization Experts

We are excited to announce the addition of a new category to the Crowdin Store: Localization Experts.

At Crowdin, we have been working with localization experts and consulting agencies for quite some time. We have noticed that our customers often express interest in these services as well.

In response to this demand, we recently launched a dedicated category in the Crowdin Store. This addition is designed to help our customers find the right consultant to effectively address their localization challenges. Whether you need help reviewing and improving your processes, implementing new practices, or advancing your use of technology, our localization experts are ready to help.

While our Crowdin Support team strives to provide exceptional support in the use of Crowdin, Localization Experts can take your localization efforts to the next level. They have extensive knowledge and can share best practices on topics closely related to localization, providing invaluable guidance beyond the scope of Crowdin support.

Are you a skilled localization professional looking for occasional consulting projects in the world of language and translation? We would like to add you to our carefully selected list.

To apply, please reach support+experts@crowdin.com.

Maximizing Translation Efficiency with XL8 MT and the Crowdin Localization Tool

In the modern world, businesses must effectively translate their content to reach global audiences. This is where machine translation (MT) proves invaluable. XL8 is an advanced MT system that, when used alongside the Crowdin localization tool, empowers businesses to optimize their translation processes, enhancing overall efficiency. Read about maximizing translation efficiency with XL8 MT and Crowdin.

More Crowdin Updates

In June, we released the following:

Icons instead of flags on the project page on crowdin.com, This is our initiative to move away from flags and use icons for all languages.
A quick guide on how to use the webhooks to turn Crowdin issues created by translators into GitHub issues that can be handled by developers.
Advanced guide on how to translate Astro website with Crowdin.

New Month, New Updates

You can check out the latest releases at our Release Notes page and share your ideas on the features you wish to have on the CrowdinFeature Request page. That’s it for now. Check back next month for more updates from Crowdin.

Now and Then of Machine Translation: Crowdin's AI Localization Assistant

khrystyna — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The first experiments with machine translation began in the 1950s. At that time, the technology was more like an automated dictionary.

Machine translation became more useful in the 90s when statistical machine translation was introduced. However, the translation quality was still far from human translation.

In 2010, when Google introduced Neural Machine Translation, things changed. Machine translation became a useful tool, which in many cases, influenced both the work of professional translators and clients' budgets.

Now, AI is actively searching for its place within all industries, and localization is no exception. Let's see how you can run AI pre-translation and the potential of AI in localization.

How can AI Assistants Compete with Neural Machine Translation?

Neural machine translation is great. We can safely say that the machine "knows" human language very well. Probably better than any human. But still, NMT would very often do a bad translation. Why? The main reason – lack of context. Even though the machine knows the language, it does not know the whole context of your translation project.

For example, take the word "menu" and try to translate it into French. The translation would depend on whether it's a website menu or a restaurant menu. When the neural machine translation engine works with your document, it can only see text and often has to guess the context. Guessing often causes errors. Is this the column name of the table it is translating? Is it an official document or a flyer for a school event?

To address some of these issues, NMT offered custom training and fine-tuning for domain-specific projects, but a human review was almost always mandatory.

About Large Language Models (LLMs)

Things changed with the introduction of Large Language Models. The latest wave of machine translation innovation is happening today. This machine still "knows" the language perfectly, but it also allows you to provide the context of your project. And the context can also be provided with human language. You don't need to retrain the neural network model to fine-tune the translation results.

And because LLM "knows" human language, it can perform a wide variety of tasks on your texts, not just translation.

AI Pre-translation and Prompt Engineering

Crowdin's AI assistant is constantly changing as we develop new features and receive customer requests. In the latest update, we introduced pre-translation with AI, prompt engineering, translation context, and some other updates.

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

Crowdin's AI assistant is a free app, so you can install it from Crowdin Store right now and test it on your project – Use AI for translation.

Once you install the application, you can start experimenting with its features.

AI Assistant as an MT Engine

First of all, let me introduce you to the application's features. This application can serve as an MT engine in Crowdin.

Managers can do different configurations here. The first one is Prompt Engineering for pre-translation tasks. Customize the prompt to provide context or instructions that will be used every time Crowdin needs to translate a segment using the AI Assistant. This prompt will also be used every time Crowdin has to provide a translation suggestion in the translation editor.

Pre-translation can be done from your project page. Watch our demo video to see how you can use AI to pre-translate your project:

Co-pilot for Translators

Translators can also use this app as a localization assistant. It can perform segment-level tasks while translators are doing their work in the Editor, meaning it can cover more requests than just translating a segment.

Prompt Engineering

One more feature is the prompt engineering for the actual translation assistant. When you start configuring the assistant, the first thing you'll want to do is select who will do the prompt engineering:

either you, as a project manager, will configure it for translators
translators can create their own prompts

Pre-configuring actions to be used by your translators is usually a good idea since you know best what tasks need to be done in your project and how they need to be done. For example, you may want to create an action for the AI bot to provide creative translations when you are translating advertisements, or you may want to instruct them on how to handle tags in your specific way.

Context is provided in another part of the configuration. You can provide general instructions about my project by clicking the "Context Message" button. To create your best prompts, review the help message in the settings and experiment.

There's also a permanent column. Well, permanent actions are the ones that show up below every bot response. This is a quick way for you to request additional work from the machine for each response. You might have actions like "Make the translation shorter," "Rephrase," or "Make it SEO friendly."

The Future of AI in Localization

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

AI is not going anywhere, so it's up to up to learn how to use it in our day-to-day work. That's why we encourage you to experiment with Crowdin's AI Assistant to discover its best capabilities and make it useful for your project. Be sure to contact our support team if you have any questions or would like to request new features.

Google Ads Localization Guide: Increase Your Reach

yana — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

If you already localized your website or some landing pages, it’s a good idea to consider Google Ads localization as well. Copy-pasting texts and sending files to translators can be time-consuming, that’s why we created an app to automate Google Ads translation.

In this article, we will explore the advantages of running multilingual marketing campaigns, and explain how Crowdin’s apps for Google Ads and Facebook Ads can help you translate your ads faster.

Why You Need to Localize Google Ads?

Translating your ad content into the language of the region you’re targeting can help you reduce advertising costs and get higher conversion rates. Let's take a closer look at the reasons to run a multilingual campaign.

1. Reduce Your Ad Costs

Google Ads takes into account multiple factors when determining the ad quality score, which in its turn influences your ad spending. Ad relevance and landing page experience are the major factors, so if your ad is localized into the language of your target audience, it becomes more relevant to them, same goes for the landing page your ad is leading to. This way, your campaign can get higher quality scores, that can lower your cost per click (CPC). Which makes your overall business translation investment more efficient.

The same goes for Increased click-through rates (CTR). Higher CTRs indicate stronger ad performance, which can positively impact your ad rank and quality score. By attracting more clicks with translated ads, you can potentially reduce ad spend by optimizing your budget allocation towards higher-performing ads.

2. Reach a Wider Audience

With a localized campaign you will be able to target a wider audience, this way can also increase your brand’s visibility. Some companies report a higher ROI for localized campaigns when compared to campaigns in English targeting different locales.

3. Gain a Competitive Advantage

Businesses that invest in Google Ads translation can gain a competitive edge. By translating your ads you can target specific language markets that might have lower competition. If your competitors aren’t translating their ads, your campaigns will stand out. You get a chance to connect with users who prefer content in their native language, thus you get a potential to increase your market share.

If you are promoting a mobile app, this works best when paired with App Store Optimization (ASO) localization.

4. Increase the Ad Conversion Rates

By translating your ads into the language of your target audience you can expect higher conversion rates. With ads in their preferred language, users are more likely to click the link in your ad and then perform the desired action, such as purchase, form submission, or starting a trial.

The First Step - Keywords Localization

It’s not enough just to translate your ads. It’s also important to use localized keywords to rank your ads higher, and use SEO localization best practices.

What Is Keyword Localization?

Keyword localization is the process of adapting keywords to meet the linguistic and cultural preferences of target markets. It goes beyond literal translation and takes into account the nuances, idiomatic expressions, and search behavior of specific locales.

Keyword Translation vs. Localization?

Keyword translation and keyword localization are two distinct approaches to adapting keywords for different markets.

Keyword translation involves direct translation of keywords from one language to another, without considering cultural or linguistic nuances. Localization ensures that the content aligns with the target audience's expectations, improving search visibility and engagement.

Reasons to Localize Keywords

By using localized keywords, you improve click-through rates (CTR). Users click on your ads as they match their search intent more.

Localized keywords improve the chances of conversion. They make it easier for users to find the products, services, or information they are looking for. By aligning with the local language and search habits, companies can attract targeted organic traffic and get discovered by potential customers.

Translating keywords provides data on user behavior and preferences in different regions. It allows to refine marketing strategies and adapt to local market trends.

How to Localize Your Keywords

Collaborating with native speakers is crucial for effective keyword localization.

After translating the keys, you need to check their search volumes in the selected region.

You can find some of the keys that are not popular in the selected regions for which you plan translations after such research.

Choose Your Target Markets.
Do Keyword Analysis for Selected Countries.
Determine Your Website's URL Structure.
Translate and Optimize Your Web Content.
Implement Hreflang Tag.
Establish Backlinks for Your Website.

For example, you translate a keyword from Spanish (Flysky vuelos baratos) to English(Flysky cheap flights). In the USA, this keyword has a low average monthly search, and perhaps this group of ads should not be translated:

How to Localize Google Ads with Crowdin

We know that each ad campaign has a limit of symbols, so each translation should adhere to this limit as well. It’s not easy to handle that manually, or copy-pasting each text from a spreadsheet, so we decided to create an app for that to make this process a bit easier.

Crowdin’s app for Google Ads allows you to upload your ads to Crowdin and set character limits in bulk, then you can download translated content and use ads in multiple languages in your next campaign. Let’s see how this integration works step-by-step.

Automate Google Ads Localization

To start translating your ads you need to install a free Google Ads App into your Crowdin account. Once the app is installed you can find it in your project.
Export your campaign as CSV file.
Import your file into Crowdin project.
Select ad campaigns and choose the target languages.
Translate your ads within the characters limit. Here’s what your translators will see:
Download your translations.
Create new campaign to store translations.
Sync translations back to Google Ads.
Run your multilingual ad campaign.

Here’s also a step-by step walkthrough video for you:

Google Ads Language Targeting and Location Settings

You can only set up language targeting and geography in Google Ads at the campaign level, so each language should be set up as a separate campaign, and ad group.

Performance Metrics and Reporting

When creating a new campaign, choose the location you want to target, and the language your customers speak.

Optimization and Performance Insights

Maximize ROI by analyzing metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend (ROAS) using Google Ads performance insights.
Identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement based on the performance data.
Utilize match types, negative keywords, and keyword bid adjustments to refine your targeting and improve ad relevancy.
Test different ad formats, messaging, landing page variations, and targeting options to discover what resonates best with your audience.
Regularly review and optimize your campaign settings, targeting options, and ad placements to improve overall performance.

Ad Length Limits compliance

Advertisements in Google Ads have a character limit for each part of the ad.

When translating the ad text, the length of the corresponding element (Headline, Description, Path) should be taken into account.

In expanded text ads, length limits are the same for all languages. In languages with double-width characters, such as Korean, Japanese, or Chinese, each character counts as two. Therefore, we recommend creating a separate project for these languages and setting a different character limit for them.

The app has settings where you can specify the required number of characters, or leave the default option.

When translating the ad text, the translation may exceed the specified limits. The translator will immediately see a message in the editor about which tapes need to be changed in order to fit within the specified limits.

Assets Translation

In addition to the translation of text ads, do not forget about the translation of extensions (Assets): Sitelink, Callout, and Structured snippet.

The Impact of Translated Assets

Translation of extensions to other languages must be added at the campaign or ad group level of the respective languages. If they are added at the account level, it may happen that the extension of one language will appear next to an ad of a completely different language, which can negatively affect the CRT of such ads and will worsen the rating of your ads.

How to Translate Facebook Ads with Crowdin

Crowdin's Facebook integration helps easily translate ad content to 300+ languages.

Begin by connecting Facebook Ads App to Crowdin.
Once the app is installed you can find it in your project.
Export your campaign as CSV file.
Select ad campaigns and choose the target languages.
Translate and review.
Implement translations into Facebook Ads.
Test and optimize.

Localizing Landing Pages

Localization of landing pages is a strategic approach that involves adapting webpage content to resonate with specific target markets.

When users encounter content in their native language, it establishes a connection of trust and familiarity.

How Landing Page Localization Boosts SEO Ranking

Search engines, such as Google, prioritize websites that provide relevant and localized content to their users (read more about multilingual SEO best practices in our guide).

Behavioral factors are used to evaluate a landing page: bounce rate, page view time, user-friendly navigation for different devices, and other parameters.

The information on the landing page should match the topic of the ad. If the ad mentioned a special offer, the landing page should include a description of it.

The landing page translation affects the Google Ads Quality Score. The higher the Quality Score - the cheaper the cost of a click.

What the quality of the landing page depends on:

How to Localize a Landing Page?

Crowdin offers a range of features and benefits for localizing landing pages effectively.

1. Prepare your project

Set up a project in Crowdin and organize your landing page content. This includes text strings, images, buttons, and any other elements that require translation.

2. Collaborate with translators

Invite translators to work on your project. Involve your in-house team or hire professional translators through the platform. Provide clear instructions and guidelines to ensure accurate and consistent translations.

3. Utilize translation memory

Crowdin's translation memory feature saves previously translated content, enabling reuse and maintaining consistency. Reduce costs and speeds up the localization process by eliminating the need for redundant translations.

4. Leverage machine translation

Crowdin integrates with popular machine translation engines. Review and edit the machine-translated content to ensure quality and accuracy.

5. Maintain context

Crowdin's Visual Context feature allows translators to see the translated content in the context of the landing page layout. This helps them understand how the translated text will appear and ensures proper localization of elements such as buttons, labels, and headings.

6. Style Guides and References App

Crowdin Style Guides and References app is a tool for maintaining consistency and accuracy in translations.

The app helps translators refer to relevant, and specific information provided by customers. It provides tools to share important information about context with translators.

Users can create style guides within the app, which can be linked to specific projects, add additional files, and web links. Clear and detailed reference materials make it easier for translators to understand unique words and writing styles.

7. Test and review

Once the translations are complete, implement them on your localized landing pages. Thoroughly test the functionality, layout, and overall user experience to ensure everything works properly.

8. Continuous updates

Keep your localized landing pages up to date by syncing them with Crowdin. This way, any changes or updates made to the source content will automatically trigger translation updates, ensuring your localized pages remain relevant.

Translate Your Web Pages with Our Website Translator

Crowdin has 700+ apps and integrations with popular tools for developers, marketers, designers, and support teams, to automate their localization process. Enable seamless translation management and synchronization between your CMS and Crowdin projects with our Website Translator.

Get Started with Localization of Your Google Ads

Now you know how to localize your Google and Facebook Ads effectively by using features of Crowdin's translation management platform. Don’t wait to expand your reach to new audiences, and achieve greater success in international markets.

Complete Guide to Astro i18n and Localization

andrii — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In this article, you will learn the basics of Astro website localization and i18n, so you can make your site multilingual to reach new markets. We'll discuss i18n and localization best practices that will ensure that you can adapt an application to meet the cultural, language, and other requirements of a country or region you're targeting.

Integrating your localization software with an Astro-based website is an important step to automating the localization process.

Let’s start with a walk-through on how to set up language sub-paths and connect Crowdin to your Astro project.

Getting Started with Astro localization

In this tutorial, we will use Crowdin to translate an English Astro website into French and Spanish.

Let's see how we can initiate our project in Crowdin. Typically, you would follow these steps:

Sign up for a Crowdin or Crowdin Enterprise account and create a project.
Add the project name, source language, visibility and target languages. In our case, we'll have English as the source language and French and Spanish as the target languages.
Upload the content you want to translate, such as documents, strings, or multimedia files.
Define your target languages and invite translators to join your project.
Translators can access and translate the content directly in the Crowdin Editor, using built-in translation tools such as translation memory and glossary management.
Proofreaders can review the translated content and provide feedback or approve it.
Once translations are completed, you can download the translated files and use them in your website.

Astro Site Preparation

Astro is a comprehensive web development tool for building fast websites focusing on content.

Let’s initialize a new Astro site:

# create a new project with npm
npm create astro@latest

# create a new project with pnpm
pnpm create astro@latest

# create a new project with yarn
yarn create astro

This will prompt you to enter a project name and select a template. For this tutorial, we’ll use the blog template and TypeScript (standard for JavaScript localization) as the language.

Then, organize your translations within the Astro's publicDir, in the locales directory. In the example below, we show a simple use case of implementing language sub-paths in Astro using a JSON files to store translations. We will work with three languages, en, fr, and es. In this case, you might have the following locale structure:

public
└── locales
    ├── en
    |   └── translation.json
    └── fr
    |   └── translation.json
    └── es
        └── translation.json

The translation files will have the following structure:

public/locales/en/translation.json:

{
  "nav.home": "Home",
  "nav.blog": "Blog",
  "nav.about": "About"
}

public/locales/fr/translation.json:

{
  "nav.home": "Page d'Accueil",
  "nav.blog": "Blogue",
  "nav.about": "À propos de"
}

public/locales/es/translation.json:

{
  "nav.home": "Página Principal",
  "nav.blog": "Blog",
  "nav.about": "Acerca de"
}

It can be either a plain or nested JSON file depending on your needs. The filename should be the same for all languages. The only difference is the language code in the path.

Crowdin CLI Configuration

In Astro, you can incorporate Crowdin CLI in your project to:

Automate the process of updating your source files establishing a continuous localization workflow
Download translations from Crowdin and automatically save them in the correct locations
Upload all your existing translations to Crowdin in minutes

The easiest way to install the Crowdin CLI is to use npm:

npm install -g @crowdin/cli

Visit the official CLI documentation to explore other installation options.

To configure Crowdin CLI in your project, run the following command:

crowdin init

You'll be prompted to enter your Crowdin Project ID and your Personal Access Token. It will generate the crowdin.yml file in the root directory of your project.

To set up the Crowdin CLI for your Astro project, you need to add the following configuration to the crowdin.yml file:

"project_id": "project-id"
"api_token": "personal-access-token"

"base_path": "."
"preserve_hierarchy": true
"base_url": "https://api.crowdin.com" # https://{organization-name}.api.crowdin.com for Crowdin Enterprise

"files": [
    {
      "source": "/public/locales/en/translation.json", # Source language file pattern
      "translation": "/public/locales/%two_letters_code%/translation.json" # Translation files pattern
    }
  ]

It's recommended to use environment variables for referencing the token in your crowdin.yml file:

"project_id_env": "CROWDIN_PROJECT_ID"
"api_token_env": "CROWDIN_PERSONAL_TOKEN"

VCS (Git) Integrations

Crowdin provides VCS (version control systems) integrations for different platforms including GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure Repos and other platforms.

GitHub: supports various GitHub workflows, such as pull request and push notifications, branch updates, and automatic commits.
GitLab: allows you to synchronize your source and translation files with your GitLab repository, as well as manage your project languages and track the translation progress.
Bitbucket: allow you to automate updating your source and translation files with your Bitbucket repository.
Azure Repos: allows you to synchronize your source and translation files with your Azure Repos repository.

You can also use the Crowdin GitHub Action to automatically manage and synchronize localization resources with your Crowdin project using GitHub workflows.

Setting Up Language Sub-Paths in Astro

Organizing translations for your website or application to language sub-paths in Astro is easy. It simplifies the management process and guarantees a consistent user experience across your application.

Setting up these sub-paths involves including the "lang" parameter in your Astro routes, making the process straightforward. The sub-paths create distinct paths for each section of your site, each with its translations.

Let's connect the previously created JSON files with the Astro project using the astro-i18next package.

To use the astro-i18next package, you need to install it first:

# npm
npm install astro-i18next

# yarn
yarn add astro-i18next

# pnpm
pnpm add astro-i18next

After installing the package, you can start using it to internationalize your project. To do this, you need to add astro-i18next to your astro.config.mjs:

import { defineConfig } from "astro/config";
import mdx from "@astrojs/mdx";
import sitemap from "@astrojs/sitemap";

import astroI18next from "astro-i18next";

export default defineConfig({
  site: "https://example.com",
  integrations: [mdx(), sitemap(), astroI18next()]
});

Configure astro-i18next in your astro-i18next.config.mjs file:

/** @type {import('astro-i18next').AstroI18nextConfig} */
export default {
  defaultLocale: "en",
  locales: ["en", "fr", "es"]
};

Next, we need to use the t() function available in the astro-i18next package to translate the header link titles, for example:

---
import HeaderLink from "./HeaderLink.astro";
import { SITE_TITLE } from "../consts";
import i18next, { t } from "i18next";

const lang = i18next.language;
const base = lang === "en" ? "" : `/${lang}`;
---

<header>
  <h2>
    {SITE_TITLE}
  </h2>
  <nav>
    <HeaderLink href={`${base}/`}>{t("nav.home")}</HeaderLink>
    <HeaderLink href={`${base}/blog`}>{t("nav.blog")}</HeaderLink>
    <HeaderLink href={`${base}/about`}>{t("nav.about")}</HeaderLink>
    <HeaderLink href="https://twitter.com/astrodotbuild" target="_blank">Twitter</HeaderLink>
    <HeaderLink href="https://github.com/withastro/astro" target="_blank">GitHub</HeaderLink>
  </nav>
</header>

Note that we use the i18next.language variable to get the current language in order to build the base path for header links. The t() function is used to translate the text.

The package also provides a language switcher component that you can use to switch between languages. To use it, you need to import the LanguageSelector component from the astro-i18next package. Let's add it to the src/components/Footer.astro component:

---
import { LanguageSelector } from "astro-i18next/components";
---

<footer>
  <LanguageSelector showFlag={true} />
</footer>

Create localized pages using the generate command:

npx astro-i18next generate

You're all set! Now we can run the project and see the results:

npm run dev

Go to the project in a web browser (http://localhost:3000) and try to change the language 🚀

The localized pages will be available at the following URLs:

http://localhost:3000 - English
http://localhost:3000/es - Spanish
http://localhost:3000/fr - French

Check out a minimalistic Astro web application on GitHub.

Connecting Crowdin in an Astro Context

Connecting Crowdin to Astro is easy using APIs provided by Crowdin. To integrate Crowdin with Astro, follow these steps:

Create a project in Crowdin and set up your translation workflow.
Connect your repository to Crowdin to sync your source files and translations.

Here's an example of using Crowdin to manage translations in an Astro website:

In Crowdin, create a new project and upload the source files you need to translate.
Set up the translation workflows, translation memory, and terminology management.
Connect your repository to Crowdin to sync your source files and translations.
To switch between languages, use the lang parameter in your Astro routes. For example, when a user visits /es/blog, the API will retrieve the Spanish translations. If the user visits /fr/blog, the API will retrieve the French translations.

i18n Implementation in Astro

Internationalization, or i18n, in Astro, refers to changing a web application to support multiple languages, date and time styles, and number styles. Visit the Astro documentation to learn more about i18n in Astro.

Considerations for Crowdin as a Translation Management System using Astro

There are aspects to consider when working with Crowdin as a TMS with the Astro web framework. These factors may need paying attention to before you can get started with your application:

Integration: Ensure that Crowdin integrates seamlessly with the Astro framework.
Translation process: Make sure that you have a simple process for handling translation requests, revisions, and approvals.
Terminology management: Use Crowdin's terminology management feature to ensure you use consistent terminology throughout the translation process.
Translation memory: Take advantage of Crowdin's translation memory feature to store and reuse translations for frequently used phrases and sentences.
Project management: Use Crowdin's project management tools to keep track of the translation process, deadlines, and progress.
User management: Consider setting up user roles and permissions within Crowdin. This allows you to manage access to the translation project and ensure that the right people have access to the right information.
Performance: Test the performance of the integration between Crowdin and Astro to ensure that it performs well in production.
Error handling: Handle errors gracefully and log them meaningfully, so you can debug and resolve issues when they arise.

Wrapping Up

By utilizing Astro, Crowdin and AI, you can streamline the localization process, and build a web application accessible to a diverse global audience.

What's New at Crowdin: May 2023

diana — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In May 2023, Crowdin introduced new features and updates, including apps for subtitle translation, a Mass File Target Languages application to simplify setting target languages for multiple files, and an Encoding Converter app for managing file encodings. We also introduced limited acces to content for translators (per tasks only) and new Developer role, tailored for developers, providing them with tools, integrations, and access to the Crowdin API for seamless integration into the localization process.

Translator Access to Content within Tasks

Crowdin has always been an open environment for translation collaboration. Any project member could contribute to improve quality or give feedback.

This new option allows you to restrict translators' access to the project. Translators would only be able to access the content assigned to them via tasks, not the entire project.

From a security standpoint, this feature acts as a safeguard against unauthorized access and data breaches. By limiting translators' access to only the content they are assigned, you can confidently protect sensitive information, proprietary data, and intellectual property, bolstering your organization's compliance with data protection regulations and safeguarding the trust of your clients.

Developer Role

Exciting news! Crowdin has recently introduced a new project role – Developer. This role is specifically designed to cater to developers' needs, providing them with the necessary tools and functionalities to seamlessly integrate into the localization process.

Developer can manage project's source files, API and integrations.

With the Developer role, you can seamlessly connect various integrations to Crowdin, enabling automated translation updates, content synchronization between systems, and a more streamlined localization process overall.

But that's not all. The Developer role also grants you access to Crowdin's powerful API. Leveraging the API, you can build custom integrations, automate tasks, and extend Crowdin's functionality to meet your specific requirements. This level of flexibility empowers developers to create tailored solutions that align perfectly with their needs.

It's important to note that the Developer role is primarily focused on file management, integrations, and API usage. However, certain administrative tasks such as project management, member permissions, and reporting are not included in this role. These responsibilities are typically handled by project managers or dedicated team members like a language coordinator.

HIPAA Compliance

Among other security standards and best practices, Crowdin has undergone an HIPAA compliance audit to verify it's security policies against one of the most stringent security standards.

<Aside type="caution"> Before uploading PHI, please contact Crowdin and have the appropriate agreements signed. </Aside>

Crowdin Marketplace

Adaptive ModernMT

There has been a lot going on in the world of machine translation lately. All kinds of custom pre-training, glossary and MT leveraging, technologies to automatically evaluate MT translations and select the most appropriate one on a segment level.

One of the innovations we like the most is how ModernMT implemented it in their recent Adaptive ModernMT.

Adaptive ModernMT incorporates all the latest innovations and makes the use of it's technologies available to everyone. First, Adaptive ModernMT will accept your TM's and allow you to use them immediately without having to retrain your model. Then, as human translators use and modify machine translations, this human input will influence every new translation produced by the machine. All in real time, without the need for re-training!

Another key differentiator is the use of context in translation. Each file to be translated is given a "context vector" before the actual translation. Then, when translating any segment of the file, the context of the file would influence the translation. We haven't seen any other NMT system implement this. This is especially useful when translating frequently changing content. If the article in your KB gets a new sentence, this new segment will still be translated in the context of a whole file.

This app implements probably the most complex integration with NMT in the Crowdin Store.

Generate and Translate Subtitles

The Crowdin Store has got a whole new set of apps to help you translate your media files. New apps would accept media files itself, like audio or video files, and would automatically generate caption files for you. The captions can then be translated as usual. Please note that Crowdin does not have a subtitle editing feature and the automatic generation may not be perfect. You may want to instruct your translator to refer to the video file to verify the content they are translating. These new tools are most useful if you occasionally need to have subtitles translated for a video file.

To get a nice preview of the translated captions and most of the context, we highly recommend using the Video Preview application.

Strapi

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that allows developers to build powerful and customizable APIs for their applications. It provides a flexible and user-friendly interface for content creation and management.

By integrating Crowdin and Strapi, developers can effectively manage multilingual content, streamline the translation workflow, and provide a seamless experience for users in different languages and regions.

Angular ICU braces

This Angular ICU braces application acts as a miniature pre- and post-processor designed to help developers localize Angular applications.

Angular suggests the use of double curly braces within its ICU syntax, which doesn't quite follow accepted standards.

Although Crowdin can still handle such text, a nice preview of the translation does not work in the editor. By implementing pre- and post-processing of texts, this application effectively overcomes this limitation.

Mass File Target Languages

If you often get new files in your Crowdin project that require translation for only certain languages, you're aware of the tediousness involved in individually setting the target languages. The Mass File Target Languages application aims to simplify this procedure.

With this application, you can choose the desired target languages and select all or some of your project files. By clicking a single button, all the files will be promptly updated with the appropriate language availability settings.

Encoding Converter

Our Encoding Converter application greatly simplifies the management of file encodings for Crowdin. It provides you with the flexibility to manually choose the encoding of your source files, ensuring compatibility with Crowdin. During the import process, the app seamlessly converts the files to UTF-8, and when exporting, it converts them back to the required encoding.

In addition to encoding conversion, our application offers a range of convenient features. For encodings that use it, you have the option to preserve the Byte Order Mark (BOM). Furthermore, the app allows you to filter files based on their names or extensions, enabling you to work efficiently with only the files that are relevant to your current task.

To optimize your experience, it is recommended to select the specific projects where you intend to use the application during installation. You can easily configure and customize the application within the Tools section of your project.

Website Translation with JS Proxy: Updates

JS Proxy and it's variations are a great help when you need to translate "non-translatable" websites. The tool was created to help with the idea of handling small pieces of content, such as landing pages.

What we have learned is that clients would often choose proxy technology to handle larger websites as well. The only problem a client would typically face is that the entire website would end up in Crowdin as a single file, which would make it difficult to manage.

The latest version of JS Proxy improves this experience. Now each page would be a separate file in Crowdin.

New: Crowdin Resources

Welcome to Crowdin's comprehensive collection of resources dedicated to localization services, translation and localization tips, and content localization best practices. This aims to provide you with valuable insights and industry knowledge to enhance your localization projects. More to come.

API Updates

Crowdin API's allow the Crowdin Store to get more useful applications as well as help our more advanced customers to build great automated integrations.

In May, we released the following API updates:

New API methods for working with translation memories. There are now nearly 20 API methods to better automate the management of your Crowdin TMs.
API for batch operations on source strings.
API for screenshot labels.

Crowdin Updates

In May, we released the following:

New Android SDK Documentation
New iOS SDK Documentation
CLI 3.11.1, 3.12.0
Sketch plugin 2.7.1
PHP API Client 1.9.3
Android SDK 1.5.8
.NET API Client, 2.14.0
JS API Client 1.22.2, 1.23.0, 1.23.1
Flutter SDK 0.3.0
MDX and HTML files new setting that allows you to define non-translatable blocks. This is particularly useful if you are translating technical documentation that contains blocks of code inside the content.

More Product and Localization Updates

Keep up to date with Crowdin product updates on the Crowdin Release Notes page and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to catch up on the month’s news and more.

What's New at Crowdin: April 2023

diana — Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Crowdin has announced some exciting updates in April 2023. Here's a quick rundown of the new hotkeys, AI Assistant, Facebook Ads, Google Ads apps, and other improvements that have been added to the platform.

AI Assistant Public Beta

<Aside type="danger"> AI Assistant application is deprecated. We highly recommend switching to the native Crowdin AI for a better and more seamless experience. </Aside>

An AI translation chatbot for translators built on OpenAI's ChatGPT API. The first version of this app works as a co-pilot for translators, making suggestions based on source text and previously translated content. Thanks to the prompt engineering feature available in our AI Assistant, translators can now configure prompts before starting a translation project and even edit the context leading to more accurate and meaningful translations. Install the public beta version.

Google Ads and Facebook Ads

We recently spoke with one of our customers about their experience using Crowdin. They mentioned that translating ads was one of their biggest challenges. Exporting campaign data from Google Ads resulted in a CSV file that required extensive manual pre-processing to optimize the translation process. Additionally, complying with maximum length restrictions for different types of campaign data was time-consuming.

To make it easier for our customers to translate ads, we’re excited to announce our new integrations with both Google Ads and Facebook Ads platforms.

These integrations are implemented as custom file formats, so you don’t have to give Crowdin access to your ad accounts – something that’s often impossible due to security restrictions. Export your campaigns, translate them with Crowdin, and we’ll return translated files ready for import without further modifications. During translation, Crowdin enforces maximum length restrictions and provides translators with all necessary contextual information for the best translation quality.

Pre- And Post-processing of Localization Files

We are pleased to present three versatile applications that will help you with the pre- and post-processing of your localization assets during translation.

Regex Content Processor

The Regex Content Processor allows you to perform regex replacement on file content or file names before Crowdin imports and after it exports translated files. You can run multiple processing rules for multiple conversions.

File Import Tweak

File Import Tweak app lets you tweak new keys and their properties before they are added to Crowdin. You can run regex against text properties of keys, hide or show texts to translators, set or remove max length constraints, add or remove labels, and more. You can create multiple rules to filter keys and configure actions.

Key Conventions Converter

The Keys Conventions app helps improve translation or multiplatform projects by changing keying conventions on import and restoring them on export. This allows for more “perfect matches” or duplicates in Crowdin, resulting in less human translation, faster turnaround times, and better consistency.

New Localization File Formats

There are a few more domain-specific localization file formats this month:

JSON-HTML

Many services export data structures as JSON with HTML pages or snippets inside. However, due to the key-value nature of JSON in Crowdin, longer HTML snippets cannot be segmented, making them difficult for translators to translate. In addition, JSON files do not provide a WYSIWYG preview.

JSON HTML app offers an elegant solution to this problem. With this application, it is possible to translate this type of data in Crowdin with ease. The app works as a file pre- and post-processor, allowing translators to work with beautifully segmented text and preview HTML content directly in the editor. This makes the translation process faster and more accurate.

Settings Sync App

Organizations that manage multiple (sometimes hundreds) ongoing translation projects often need a global configuration for their projects. While Crowdin doesn't offer much in this regard, there's an application that can help. Settings Sync – a tool that enables you to configure a project just once, and then apply those settings to other projects with just a few clicks.

Settings Sync app will allow you to set up import and export configurations, QA checks and their severity levels, configure parsers, and much more, across multiple projects. With just three clicks, you can easily apply these configurations to all your selected projects.

Crowdin Editor: Hotkeys Usage

Crowdin Editor now includes more new hotkeys that can make the translation process even faster and more efficient. For example, you can now create a new string using a hotkey, rather than having to navigate to the menu. Additionally, you can place your cursor in the source string area, even if it is not editable, and select text with your keyboard. When searching, the selected source text will automatically be inserted into the search field for the TM or glossary.

These new features are especially helpful for professional translators who often work with large volumes of text and need to quickly navigate and edit their translations. With these hotkeys, translators can work entirely without a mouse, further improving their workflow and productivity.

Here you can find the full list of keyboard shortcuts:

Crowdin Flutter SDK for Instant Translation Delivery

Flutter is a popular open-source framework used for building mobile applications. It allows developers to create high-quality apps for both Android and iOS platforms using a single codebase. With the increasing demand for multilingual apps, the need for effective localization tools has become essential. That's where Crowdin comes in.

With the Crowdin Flutter SDK, developers can easily manage their app's translations directly from their code editor. The SDK offers real-time synchronization between the Crowdin platform and the Flutter app, making it easy to keep translations up-to-date as the app evolves.

Crowdin Updates

In April, we released the following:

PHP API Client 1.9.1, 1.9.2
OTA Client JS 1.0.0. The update simplifies the library interface, reduces the amount of API requests, and provides better management of content on the client side. Additionally, a new Documentation Site for OTA JS Client has been launched.
CLI: new informative documentation. With description for all commands.
CLI Chocolatey package
Apps Functions 0.5.0

Product Updates Every Month

We’ll be back next month with more of our newest features, apps, and updates. Want to learn even sooner about Crowdin’s newest updates? Visit our Release Notes page.

Lost in Translation? Here's a Glossary of Key Terms for Effective Localization

diana — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In the global economy, localization and translation are essential. However, for newbies, the terminology employed in localization and translation can be confusing. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive glossary of key terms in localization and translation, along with explanations and examples to help you better understand this important field.

Key Terms in Localization and Translation

Here are some examples to further illustrate the importance of understanding key terms in localization and translation.

Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Imagine a company has a marketing campaign for a new product that they plan to launch in several countries. They have created a slogan that works well in their native language, but they decide to use a machine translation tool to translate the slogan into other languages. As most translators can expect , the machine translation tool produces a translation that sounds awkward and confusing in the target language. This could lead to a failed marketing campaign, loss of revenue, and even damage to the company's reputation. Simple understanding of key terms like "linguistic assets" and "transcreation" can help the company avoid this type of mistake by ensuring that their marketing message is effectively adapted to the target language and culture, rather than relying solely on machine translation.

Ensuring Consistency

Consider a company that regularly produces technical documents that need to be translated into multiple languages. Without a glossary of key terms and a translation memory, translators may use different terminology or translation styles for similar documents, leading to confusion and inconsistencies in the final product. Nobody likes it. So, knowing and using a translation memory that can store previously translated content and terminology, allows translators to reference and reuse the information in future translations, which ensures consistency and accuracy.

Improving Efficiency

Imagine a company is working on a project that requires a large volume of content to be translated into multiple languages within a tight deadline. A translator who is familiar with key terms like "machine translation", "mtpe", "tm pre-translation", and "post-editing" can help speed up the process by identifying segments of content that can be translated automatically, and those that require human intervention. This can reduce the overall time and cost of the translation process, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

Dont wanna be in the place of these companies or translators? Then lets proceed.

Localization and Translation: Key Terms and Definitions

Whether you're new to localization and translation or a seasoned professional, understanding key terms is essential to success in the field. In this section, we'll break down important terminology so you can communicate effectively and avoid costly mistakes.

Internationalization

Internationalization (i18n) refers to the process of designing software or products to be adapted for multiple languages and cultures. It involves making sure that the product can be easily translated and localized, such as designing the interface to support right-to-left languages or using Unicode character encoding.

Localization

Localization (l10n) refers to the process of adapting content, such as software, websites, or marketing materials, to suit the linguistic and cultural preferences of a specific locale or region. This involves translating content into the target language, adapting graphics and design, and modifying content to suit local cultural preferences.

Read more on the difference between i18n and l10n in our guide.

Continuous Localization

Continuous localization is an iterative process of updating and improving localized content in real-time as changes are made to the source content. It involves the use of technology, automation, and agile workflows to accelerate the localization process and ensure that content is always up-to-date and relevant for target audiences.

Source Language

The source language refers to the original language of the content that needs to be translated or localized.

Target Language

The target language refers to the language into which the content is being translated or localized.

Linguistic Asset

A linguistic asset refers to any resource that can be used to support the translation and localization process, such as translation memories, glossaries, style guides, or terminology databases.

Translation Memory

A translation memory is a database that stores previously translated content, which can be used to speed up the translation process and ensure consistency in terminology and style across translations.

Machine Translation

Machine translation (MT) is the use of software to automatically translate content from one language to another. MT can be useful for translating large volumes of content quickly but can lack the nuance and accuracy of human translation.

(MT) Post-Editing

Post-editing involves reviewing and editing machine-translated text by a human translator to improve its accuracy and fluency. It is more effective to use machine translation as the primary progress, followed by human post-editing to improve the result, which is why MTPE is frequently used in circumstances when the volume of text to be translated is large and time-sensitive.

Localization Testing

Localization testing involves testing localized content, such as software or websites, to ensure that it works correctly in the target locale and that the translation and adaptation are accurate and effective.

Quality Assurance

Translation Quality Assurance (TQA) is the process of ensuring that translated or localized content meets the required quality standards, including accuracy, consistency, and cultural appropriateness.

Terminology Management

Terminology management involves creating and maintaining a glossary of key terms and phrases for a specific product or industry, to ensure consistency and accuracy across translations.

Transcreation

Transcreation is the process of adapting marketing and advertising content for a specific locale or culture. It involves more than just translation, but also involves adapting the content to suit the cultural nuances and preferences of the target audience.

Subtitling

Subtitling involves adding written translations of spoken content, such as for films, YouTube videos, or TV shows. It involves ensuring that the translation accurately conveys the meaning and tone of the original dialog and can be read comfortably by the audience.

In-Context Translation

In-context refers to reviewing or testing translated content within its intended context, such as a software interface or website layout, to identify issues with layout, formatting, or functionality that may not be apparent in a simple translation review.

Best Practices for Localization and Translation

When starting to work in localization, in addition to key terms, it's important to learn about the localization process, localization tools, cultural nuances, linguistic skills, target audience, and networking opportunities. By understanding these areas, you can develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the industry. Meanwhile, we’d like to tell you about best practices that would definitely help you in your localization project.

Hire Experienced Localization and Translation Professionals

Hiring experienced professionals is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure a successful localization or translation project. Localization and translation require specialized skills and knowledge, and working with experienced professionals can help ensure quality and accuracy.

Use Tools like Translation Memory and Terminology Management to Streamline the Process

Translation and terminology management tools like Crowdin can help you with localization and translation, saving time and money. Translation Memory feature, for example, ensures that translations are consistent and accurate.

Invest in Post-editing to Improve Machine Translation Output

Machine translation has improved a lot in recent years, but it still needs human help to be accurate and readable. Investing in post-editing services can help improve machine translation output, saving time and reducing costs while still maintaining quality.

Conduct Thorough Localization Testing to Ensure Quality and Accuracy

Localization testing is important to make sure content is accurate and of quality. Test layout, formatting, and functionality to find issues that may not be obvious in a translation review.

Final Thoughts

Localization and translation can be challenging, but with the correct skills and resources, they can be an effective tool for bridging cultural and geographic divides. You can ensure quality and accuracy in your localized content while also saving time and money by becoming familiar with industry jargon and best practices.

Keep in mind that translation and localization involve more than just text on a page. They aim to cross cultural barriers and promote understanding by establishing fresh and meaningful connections with people.

What Is Localization and How to Build Scalable Localization Processes

yuliya-herasymchuk — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

What is Localization (l10n)?

Localization is the process of making a product or service fit the cultural, linguistic, and other needs of a specific target market. It's often abbreviated as l10n, with the 10 representing the letters between the 'l' and the 'n' in the full word.

Localization is an essential part of growing a global business to successfully set up in international markets. L10n efforts are a core part of a product localization strategy focused on cultural adaptation of the business processes in order to connect with customers in different parts of the world, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty, and, as a result, generating more revenue.

In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of localization, the difference between language translation and localization, how localization works, and how to create an effective localization strategy.

Why Is Localization Important for Global Growth?

Localization lets businesses reach people of multiple cultures, get local customers more involved, and get closer to their audience by adapting the product or service to the local culture. Localization project includes a range of vital procedures:

translating the text into different languages
adapting images, graphics, and layout based on the local preferences of the specific regions and the direction of reading (right to left, left to right, up and down)
coding to adjust for local currency
adaptive measures to time and date formats
adjustment to other cultural differences
reviewing legal requirements for operations in the local markets

Let's say there is a business that manufactures shoes and wants to take its business operations to Japan. The first barrier is the primary language of the country. If the company only showcases its products on its English website, any potential to develop a successful business will be lost.

By localizing its website's layout, product descriptions, translating pages into the Japanese language, providing prices in local currencies, and tailoring the content to local values, the company is more likely to connect with customers and sell its products.

Localization is also essential for maintaining consistency of the brand across different markets. By adapting content and the way they approach customers for each market, businesses can be sure that their audience receives a consistent and meaningful message that is tailored to their language and cultural preferences.

How Is Localization Different from Translation?

Localization and translation are often used interchangeably. However, they are two distinct concepts where one is a part of the other.

Translation is the process of changing a source language into another language. It can be done using the knowledge the translator has or vocabulary, but more and more often, rapidly evolving translation technology is used.

Localization, on the other hand, is a broader term that makes use of the translated content to fit the needs of a specific market. Localization takes cultural differences, idioms, images, text length, measurement units, and other local factors into account when determining the meaning, tone, and context of the translated content. Localization is a part of the internationalization process.

In other words, localization is more than just translating the content; it also changes the whole user experience to fit the needs of different locales.

Key Considerations for Localization Project

Localization is not something you can do over the weekend. It is a multichannel process that requires professional localization managers with deep knowledge of global marketing and particularly the region you want to expand to. To ensure your localization efforts do not go to waste, there are a few key things you need to keep in mind:

Target Audience: It's essential to understand the target audience's language, culture, and preferences to adapt the content appropriately. The process involves conducting market research, gathering customer feedback, and analyzing the competitive landscape. You can create separate user personas for new markets to understand their specific needs and adapt your approach accordingly.
Linguistic and Cultural Differences: Localization involves much more than just translating words from one language to another. To be effective, content must be adapted using local idioms, phrasing, tone, and cultural references to resonate with the target audience. Keep in mind that even in the places where people use the same language, words can have different meanings. That's why a skilled localization manager and a strong team is a must. And don't forget that images and videos should also be localized.
Availability of Local Resources and Expertise: Finding a reliable local partner with in-depth knowledge of the target market and a local team can help large-scale projects ensure high-quality localization. If you're a small project, you can consider talking to your local customers, colleagues, or local translation and localization experts.
Clear Goals and Objectives: Establishing clear goals and objectives is essential for successful localization. This can include creating a localization roadmap, setting realistic timelines, and identifying the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will measure the success of the project. You need to understand what your long-term goals are. Your priority might be to enter a new market, increase brand awareness, improve activation and retention rates, or something else.

Importance of Cultural Awareness in Localization

Cultural awareness is an essential aspect of localization. Businesses should aim to understand the customs, beliefs, and values of the target audience to adapt the content accordingly.

Failure to respect cultural differences can negatively impact the customer experience, damage brand reputation, and result in lost business opportunities. By demonstrating cultural awareness and sensitivity, businesses can build trust and credibility with their target audience, improve their brand reputation, and create strong relationships with their customers.

That is why having a local partner, doing research, or hiring a local team is something worth considering for your main markets.

How the Localization Process Works

For starters, you can choose one aspect of your business to localize. It can be a website, app, blog, marketing & sales campaigns, help center, or any other customer-facing content. Your project can expand pretty quickly, so you should create processes that will allow you to scale.

Let's go over some basics of localization for different types of content.

Localization of the Website

Localizing a website involves translating its text, images, and multimedia files into the native language of your target audience. In addition to translating the website, localization may also involve changing the layout and design of the website to fit the local culture. This could include making changes to the colors, fonts, and pictures to create a more appealing look to the local audience.

Software Localization

Software localization is the process of changing a software product so that it fits the language, cultural, and technical needs of a specific market. The first step is to figure out who the target market is and what languages, regional differences, and cultural differences may affect the product.

Once the target market is determined, the software developers start working on translating the software interface, help documentation, and user manuals into the target language. Many apps and websites support multiple languages, and users can choose the option they prefer.

In addition to translating the website, software localization may also involve changing the product to meet local technical standards, such as:

Date and time format
Local currency
Measurement system

Other localization considerations may include user interface design, colors, and images, since some graphics can be offensive or culturally inappropriate in the target market.

For cloud-based platforms, this process is often referred to as SaaS localization.

User Manuals and Help Documentation

Product documentation localization is the process of adapting product manuals, user guides, and other technical documents to meet the language, cultural, and technical needs of a specific market. The process starts with understanding the target market's language and technical requirements.

Documentation localization typically involves translating the technical content into the target language as well as changing the technical content to meet local technical standards, such as date and time formats, measurement systems, and legal rules. Other things to think about when localizing the document include changing the format, layout, and illustrations to fit the preferences and most common formats of the local audience.

Customer Support and Service

The customer support team requires localized communication to ensure not only customer satisfaction, but also to provide a channel for communication where both parties understand each other. Proving a localized product is not enough; the customers should be able to receive necessary help without straining.

One of the best ways to localise your communication is to have dedicated software like Crowdin. It can help businesses translate emails, phone scripts, and online chat messages into different languages, ensuring that customers can communicate with support teams in their native language.

Marketing Localization

Marketing localization means changing marketing materials and strategy so that they meet the language, cultural, and technical needs of a specific market. The process starts with understanding the target market's preferences, like language, cultural nuances, and advertising regulations.

Marketing localization may also involve translating advertising copy, taglines, and slogans into the target language and tailoring the marketing materials to the cultural preferences of the target audience. The process includes manipulating local celebrities, symbols, or images that the people know and care about. Project managers should also adjust the marketing message to better align with the cultural values and beliefs of the target market.

Best Practices for Localization

When it comes to localization, there are several best practices that have shown excellent results. Thus, to ensure a successful transition into global markets, the business needs to follow this practical advice:

Hire native speakers: When localizing content for different countries, it's crucial to hire professional native translators who understand the language and cultural nuances of the target audience. This will ensure that your content is well-written, accurate, and resonates with people.
Choose the right linguistic assets: Choosing a localization platform like Crowdin that allows your team to process multiple languages at once and manage text strings efficiently can help streamline the entire localization process.
Understand regional dialects: Knowing regional dialects within each language is essential for ensuring accuracy and understanding between different cultures and regions. Localization tools can help identify regional differences in language and provide suggestions on how best to localize content for various markets.
Review your localized content before launch: Quality software provides various features to help you effortlessly access the content and check it for any errors. With Crowdin, you conduct thorough localization testing using in-context to make sure everything looks good before going live. For mobile apps, you can use the Real-Time Preview feature of Crowdin's mobile SDK for Android and iOS apps. To be sure that your content is error-free, try running translation QA checks to reduce typos and other errors.
Adapt marketing materials: When localizing marketing materials such as websites, emails, or ads, it's essential to adapt them for each market according to local preferences, values, standards, regulations, etc., rather than simply translating them word-for-word from one language into another. For example, when translating an email, it's important to see the whole file instead of translating scattered sentences without context.

By following these best practices when localizing content for global markets, businesses can ensure their messaging will resonate with the target audiences.

The Importance of Localization Management Software

A localization management software is a tool that enables businesses to simplify the localization process by automating tasks, centralizing communication, and managing translation workflows. This platform allows businesses to easily upload and manage content, collaborate with translators and other stakeholders, and track the progress of their localization projects in real-time.

By using a localization platform, businesses can save time, reduce costs, and improve the quality of their localized content. The platform enables efficient management of translation memory and glossaries, ensuring consistent and accurate translations across all their content.

Why Choose Crowdin as Your Localization Management Tool?

Crowdin is a cloud-based localization platform that helps businesses manage translations and other parts of the localization process more efficiently. With its user-friendly interface and wide range of localization features, Crowdin has become a popular choice for businesses of all sizes that want to expand their reach and communicate with their global customers.

Automation Features

One of the main benefits of using Crowdin is its automation features. The platform allows you to automate many of the time-consuming tasks involved in the localization process, such as:

translation memory management
glossary management
file versioning

This not only saves time but also ensures consistency across all localized content.

Collaboration Tools

Another benefit of Crowdin is its collaboration capabilities. The platform allows businesses to work with multiple translators and stakeholders simultaneously, making it easy to manage complex translation projects. Its built-in communication tools, including comments and notifications, also help ensure everyone is on the same page and up-to-date on project progress.

Software Integrations

Crowdin offers over 700 integrations with leading content management systems, development tools, and other platforms. The platform also supports over 100 file formats, so you can localize almost any type of content.

AI Tools

AI is essential for fast and efficient localization. Crowdin makes it easy to use powerful technologies while keeping a human in charge.

The platform supports all the top AI providers, including OpenAI, Google Gemini, Microsoft Azure OpenAI, and Anthropic, so you can pick what works best for you. You can also use your own API keys for more control and data privacy.

With Crowdin's AI features, you can:

Add context using things like screenshots and string identifiers.
Generate first drafts of translations.
Automate quality checks.
Summarize and rephrase text.
Change the tone and style.
Make sure translations fit your user interface by limiting characters.

If you are looking for a localization platform that is easy to use, offers automation and collaboration features, and integrates with your existing workflow, Crowdin is the software you need. With a robust feature set, flexibility, and scalability, it is an ideal solution for businesses looking to expand their reach and connect with customers around the world.

Creating a Localization Strategy

As we already know, localization is essential for the growth of a global business. It enables companies to enter new markets, connect with local customers, and increase revenue.

A localization strategy can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, increase sales rates, and give your company an advantage over the competitors. It can help businesses change their products or services to meet the needs of customers in their area and stand out from other localized products.

To create an effective localization strategy, businesses need to:

Define goals: Clearly state what you want to achieve with localization.
Know your audience: Research the cultural and linguistic needs of your target markets.
Plan the process: Choose the right content, tools, and team.
Ensure quality: Implement a review process to maintain accuracy and brand consistency.

A successful localization strategy has a clearly established set of goals with a focus on user experience and quality. It implies a deeper understanding of local customs and cultural norms.

Conclusion

In summary, localization is a critical component of a business's global strategy. By adapting content, services, and products to meet the linguistic and cultural preferences of different markets, businesses can. In summary, localization is an essential component of any business's global strategy. By adapting content, services, and products to meet the linguistic and cultural preferences of different markets, companies can engage with a broader audience, build brand loyalty, and increase revenue.

The demand for localization services is skyrocketing as businesses look to expand their reach and cater to a global audience. You need to automate content updates, boost team collaboration, and reach new markets faster to stay ahead of the competitors and improve your revenue rates.

FAQ

What is localization?

Localization is the process of adapting a specific product or service for different international markets.

What is an example of localization?

There are several famous examples of localisation, including Nestle selling different Kitkat flavours based on the country, McDonald's adapting their menus, and common streaming, gaming, and selling platforms supporting multiple languages.

Why is localization important?

Localization allows your business to connect with people of different cultures by not only relating to them but fitting into their expectations in order to increase sales and gain a competitive advantage.

What are the most essential parts of successful localization?

To successfully localize your business, you need a localization strategy, a strong localization team, and a robust localization management tool.

Why choose Crowdin as a translation management tool?

Crowdin is a robust localization software that helps you manage all localization processes with higher efficiency using a comprehensive list of automation features, collaboration tools, and integrations with other valuable software.

What's New at Crowdin: March 2023

diana — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Greetings and welcome to the latest edition of What's New at Crowdin for March 2023. We have some exciting updates and new features to share with you that will further enhance your localization experience. This month, we announced Crowdin’s AI chatbot, added 7 new apps to our marketplace, including Google Sheets, BeLazy, Placeholder Manager and more. We've also made some enhancements to the Crowdin Developer Portal, as well as added support for a new NestJS format. Read on to discover more about the latest developments at Crowdin.

Crowdin’s AI Co-pilot for Translators

Crowdin recently announced an AI chatbot for translators built on OpenAI’s ChatGPT API. The first version of this app works as a co-pilot for translators.

Co-pilot for translators in Crowdin works in the context of the current task and string and is able to make intelligent suggestions or answer questions.

This AI assistant can:

provide translations or feedback on user translations
"fix" translation memory suggestions as needed
get term definitions, translation variants, synonyms, and so on
follow any other text/voice instructions
and much more

For users who prefer a more hands-free approach, it can also be voice-activated, allowing you to talk to the chat and get instant help with your translation tasks.

Our first beta users have been granted early access to Crowdin's AI Co-pilot. Keep an eye out for the public release coming soon.

Crowdin Marketplace

BeLazy

BeLazy recently released an integration that links Crowdin to a translation company’s business and translation management systems. It allows vendors to easily list, reassign and close tasks on the Crowdin or Crowdin Enterprise instances of their clients while the calculation of the price can be done in your business tool.

BeLazy integration is mainly used by the language service vendor and eliminates a large amount of the overhead that comes from managing small updates.

BeLazy Webinar

Join the upcoming webinar on April 12th to learn how the partnership between Crowdin and BeLazy can benefit language service providers. Crowdin is a translation management platform that offers over 500 connectors, while BeLazy is a project management solution that automates translation workflows.

The session will explore how the integration of these two solutions can help streamline translation workflows between teams that want agile localization and vendors that use several TMS tools.

Google Sheets

If you’re using Google Sheets to manage your product copy and have a multilingual Google Sheet file with one column for the source language and multiple columns for target languages, you can easily integrate it with Crowdin using our new Google Sheets app.

After installing the app, you can configure it and map your columns to the relevant fields in Crowdin. You can map the following fields:

Key
Source Text
Target Languages (all project languages)
Labels
Context
Translation Max. Length

Here is quick video guide on how to localize your Google Sheets with Crowdin

Time in Status

The Time in Status report app allows you to track vendor deadline compliance by monitoring tasks created in selected projects. Quickly view task completion times, discover delays and overdue hours, and only see closed or overdue jobs using the filtering feature. The simple analysis tool in the report allows you to sort results and export data to Excel for further analysis.

MTrans

MTrans is a post-editing tool that helps users improve machine translation results by leveraging the power of human editors. It uses a combination of advanced machine learning algorithms and human expertise to deliver high-quality translations in less time.

Our new Crowdin MTrans app allows users to use MTrans as a regular MT engine in Crowdin. This means that instead of relying on traditional MT engines, users can leverage the power of MTrans to improve the quality of their machine translations.

To learn more about how the integration could work, visit Crowdin Store > Mtrans.

Placeholders Manager for Crowdin Enterprise

Easily manage custom placeholders across multiple projects with the Crowdin Placeholders Manager. Add, remove, and edit custom placeholders in bulk to save time and spend it on other tasks within your localization process.

AWS CodeCommit Guide and Task

Enjoy a bunch of new guides describing how to use AWS CodePipeline to create a nice and automatic integration between your AWS CodeCommit repo and Crowdin. And the similar guide on Task runner.

Export Selected

The Export Selected app allows you to personalize your translations export from Crowdin. With this app, you have the ability to choose the target languages and project files you want to export, giving you only the specific translations that you require. This helps you save valuable time and resources by preventing unnecessary exports of your entire project data.

Multilingual CSV Exporter

The new Bundle Exporter for multilingual CSV export allows you to generate multilingual CSV files from your Crowdin project strings. View the full list of available strings exporters.

New File Format: NestJS

Presenting native support for a new NestJS file format, meaning that it can be utilized without requiring any extra installation steps.

At present, it's not feasible to upload NestJS files through Crowdin's user interface. But JSON files can be uploaded in different ways, such as through the API, the CLI, Git integrations, and other similar ways. To make sure that NestJS JSON files are imported correctly, you should always use the "type" parameter. More information about file format can be found at Crowdin Store.

Choose Blocking or Non-blocking QA Checks

Now in the QA checks settings you can choose either to allow users to save the translation regardless of the QA issue notification or not (disallow). For this, go to project settings > QA Checks > Allow/Disallow.

Fresh View of Developer Portal

The CrowdIn Developer Portal provides a range of tools and resources that developers can use to create custom integrations with the CrowdIn platform. These tools include API documentation, sample code snippets, and examples of integrations as well. This month we made some improvements over the previous version and refreshed the design of the main page. Visit the Developer Portal and learn how to integrate with Crowdin.

Undo the Undo

Recently we introduced a new feature that allows users to undo the undo action. This feature can be extremely helpful when working on complex translation or localization projects, as it provides an additional layer of flexibility and control.

Before this feature was introduced, if a user accidentally clicked the "undo" button while working on a project, they would have to manually redo any changes that were lost. This could be time-consuming and frustrating. Now, with the new "undo the undo" feature, users can easily revert back to the state before they clicked the "undo" button. This can be done by clicking the "undo" button on the Activity tab.

VCS Integrations: Merge Request Assignees

In March, we added the ability to specify to whom to assign a merge request in VCS Integrations. More information about Configuration file for VCS integrations.

Updated Multilingual View

Our multilingual view just became more efficient. Try the view to make the interface more similar to Excel, allowing more information to be displayed simultaneously. It is not only easier to work with it, cells like source, keys and context are now edible, making it easier to manage your content.

Request App Installation

With this feature, project managers or other users without sufficient permissions can initiate an app installation request by clicking the "Add app" button on the apps page. The responsible person, such as project owner, will then receive a message and email notification with the request to install the needed app.

More Crowdin Updates

In March, we released the following:

Ability to set hours and minutes for deadlines
.NET API Client 2.12.0
JS API Client 1.22.1, 1.22.0
PHP API Client 1.9.0
CLI 3.10.1
Java API Client 1.6.0
Norwegian Bokmål at DeepL MT

New Updates Each Month

We're constantly striving to develop tools that streamline the localization process for our users. To keep up with our latest updates, be sure to visit our release notes page for the most current information.

Angular i18n and Localization Guide with Examples

emad — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Building Angular apps that will be accessible for people from different countries and cultures requires you to implement internationalization (i18n) and localization in web applications. In this article, we will explore the concepts of i18n and localization in Angular and provide a complete guide to implementing Angular i18n and then localization in the most effective way.

Why Angular i18n and Localization are Important?

Angular is a popular web framework for developing dynamic and interactive web applications. Implementing Angular localization and i18n features can improve your app’s accessibility, usability, and loyalty for people from different countries and cultures by providing them with a UI and content that is relevant to their region and culture. Furthermore, it can lead to increased revenue and growth, a gap in the global market which needs to be targeted.

The good news is that Angular provides built-in support for i18n and localization, making it relatively easy to implement these features in your application.

Angular i18n and Localization Process

We’ll provide you with a simple tutorial on how to implement localization and internationalization in Angular. To view the demo app we’ll be using in this article, you can visit our GitHub repo.

Step 1: Installing the Required Libraries

Generally, three basic libraries for Angular i18n can be used to implement internationalization:

@ngx-translate
@angular/localize
i18next

@angular/localize is the built-in module that is convenient and feature-rich. Most developers opt to go with it because it does not require any third-party library installation. In addition, it allows developers to easily extract translations and use an AoT (Ahead-of-Time) compiler, which converts Angular HTML and TypeScript code into efficient JavaScript code during the build phase before the browser downloads and runs that code and serves localized apps with very little effort.

On the other hand, there is a downside to using this module because @angular/localize supports either XLIFF or XMB (both are XML formats), whereas @ngx-translate supports JSON by default, but developers can write their language translation loader. Also, the built-in module forces you to build the application per language, which is tedious. You wouldn’t want to always reload your entire application when someone switches the language.

Lastly, we have I18next, a general localization framework that supports pure JavaScript and framework-powered applications. This framework is large and heavy, so we will not be using this for our example. But it has support for all features related to the translation process.

We chose to go with @ngx-translate for our example. Therefore, the following libraries are required:

@ngx-translate/core: this library provides Angular language translation services for applications.
@ngx-translate/http-loader: this library provides a way to load Angular translations from external files.

To install these libraries, run the following commands:

npm install @ngx-translate/core
npm install @ngx-translate/http-loader

In the upcoming steps, we will see an Angular localization example application which will later be converted into Angular Internationalization.

Step 2: Set Up an Angular Application

Now, we need to set up a basic Angular application. You can create a new Angular application using the Angular CLI (Command Line Interface) by running the following command:

ng new my-app

Here, in the place of my-app you can place the name of the app, for now, let’s name it translation-app, so the command would now be:

ng new translation-app

This command will create a new Angular application named translation-app in the current directory. Once the application is created, you can navigate to the application's directory and start the development server by running the following command:

cd translation-app
ng serve

This command will start the development server, and you can access the application by navigating to http://localhost:4200 in your web browser.

Step 3: Adding Translatable Text

Once we have set up a basic Angular application, the next step is to add translatable text to the application's UI, and to do that, you need to use the i18n attribute on the HTML element that contains the text.

Open app.component.html and write the following text:

<h1 i18n="User welcome|An introduction header for this sample@@introductionHeader">Hello!</h1>
<ng-container i18n>I cannot translate everything</ng-container>
<br />
<img [src]="logo" i18n-title title="OpenRecipe logo" alt="OpenRecipe logo" />
<br />

<button type="button" (click)="inc(1)">+</button>
<button type="button" (click)="inc(-1)">-</button>
<span i18n>
  Counter updated {minutes, plural, =0 {just now} =1 {one minute ago} other {{{minutes}} minutes
  ago}}
</span>
({{minutes}})
<br />
<br />

<button type="button" (click)="male()">&#9794;</button>
<button type="button" (click)="female()">&#9792;</button>
<button type="button" (click)="other()">&#9895;</button>
<span i18n>The reader is {gender, select, male {male} female {female} other {other}}</span>
<br />
<br />

<span i18n>
  Updated: {minutes, plural, =0 {just now} =1 {one minute ago} other {{{minutes}} minutes ago by
  {gender, select, male {male} female {female} other {other}}}}
</span>

In this example, we mark the text as translatable by adding the i18n attribute to the elements. For example, Hello! in <h1> tag is marked translatable.

Step 4: Extracting Translations

After marking the translatable text, the next step is to extract it into a separate translation file. Again, angular provides a command-line interface (CLI) tool called ng xi18n.

To extract the translatable text, run the following command:

ng xi18n --output-path src/locale --i18n-format xlf

This command will extract the translatable text from your application and create an XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) file in the src/locale directory. The XLIFF file contains the source text and an empty target element for each marked translatable text, which will be replaced in the language files with .xlf extensions. So, for example, a glimpse of our English language file named messages.xlf file would look this way:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<xliff version="1.2" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
  <file source-language="en-US" datatype="plaintext" original="ng2.template">
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="introductionHeader" datatype="html">
        <source> Hello! </source>
        <context-group purpose="location">
          <context context-type="sourcefile">src/app/app.component.html</context>
          <context context-type="linenumber">1,3</context>
        </context-group>
        <note priority="1" from="description">An introduction header for this sample</note>
        <note priority="1" from="meaning">User welcome</note>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="5206857922697139278" datatype="html">
        <source>I cannot translate everything</source>
        <context-group purpose="location">
          <context context-type="sourcefile">src/app/app.component.html</context>
          <context context-type="linenumber">5</context>
        </context-group>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Here's what our French language file, named messages.fr.xlf, looks like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<xliff version="1.2" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
  <file source-language="en" datatype="plaintext" original="ng2.template">
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="introductionHeader" datatype="html">
        <source> Hello! </source>
        <target> Bonjour! </target>
        <context-group purpose="location">
          <context context-type="sourcefile">app\app.component.ts</context>
          <context context-type="linenumber">4</context>
        </context-group>
        <note priority="1" from="description">An introduction header for this sample</note>
        <note priority="1" from="meaning">User welcome</note>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="5206857922697139278" datatype="html">
        <source>I cannot translate everything</source>
        <target>Je ne peux pas tout traduire</target>
        <context-group purpose="location">
          <context context-type="sourcefile">app\app.component.ts</context>
          <context context-type="linenumber">10</context>
        </context-group>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Both messages.xlf and messages.fr.xlf files are quite similar, but you can notice in the file messages.fr.xlf that there is a new tag name <target></target>, this is actually the translatable text written in the desired language that needs to be translated. So in this case, the target tag would have the French translation of the English text.

Step 5: Loading Translations for your Angular app

After extracting and translating the translatable text, the next step is to load the translations in your application. Angular provides a built-in module called HttpClientModule that allows you to fetch the translations from a remote server or load them from a local file. So our app.module.ts would look as follows:

import { NgModule } from "@angular/core";
import { BrowserModule } from "@angular/platform-browser";
import { AppComponent } from "./app.component";

@NgModule({
  imports: [BrowserModule],
  declarations: [AppComponent],
  bootstrap: [AppComponent]
})
export class AppModule {}

And our app.component.ts would look as follows:

import { Component } from  '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-root',
  templateUrl: './app.component.html'
})
export  class AppComponent {
  minutes = 0;
  gender = 'female';
  fly = true;
  logo = 'https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpvdaVGSQVXaKRkoDKFkb32BY37Pi6wEx_og&usqp=CAU';

  inc(i: number) {
    this.minutes = Math.min(5, Math.max(0, this.minutes + i));
  }

  male() { this.gender = 'male'; }
  female() { this.gender = 'female'; }
  other() { this.gender = 'other'; }
}

Step 6: Translating Text

It is finally time to translate our texts. Open index.html and replace it with the following:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <head>
    <base href="/" />
    <title>Angular i18n example</title>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
  </head>
  <body>
    <app-root>Loading...</app-root>
  </body>
</html>

Step 7: Setting up and Styling the Landing Page

Lastly, set up your main.ts file and styles.css to load and give a pleasing effect to your page. So, your main.ts should look as follows:

import { platformBrowserDynamic } from "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic";

import { AppModule } from "./app/app.module";

platformBrowserDynamic()
  .bootstrapModule(AppModule)
  .catch((err) => console.error(err));

Before adding styles.css to your app, it will look like as follows:

The page does not look aesthetically pleasing, right? Nevertheless, we can improve the overall design of our landing page by applying the following styles.css mentioned below:

* {
  font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}

h1 {
  color: #264d73;
  font-size: 2.5rem;
}

h2,
h3 {
  color: #444;
  font-weight: lighter;
}

h3 {
  font-size: 1.3rem;
}

body {
  padding: 0.5rem;
  max-width: 1000px;
  margin: auto;
}

@media (min-width: 600px) {
  body {
    padding: 2rem;
  }
}

Toutes nos félicitations! (Congratulations!) you have successfully applied the Angular i18n and Angular localization in your application. The original page should be:

And the translated page should be:

How do I Localize Plurals, Numbers, And Strings in the App?

Handling plurals, dates, and numbers is a core challenge in any Angular localization project, as formatting rules change depending on the language and region.

In our example, as you can see above, we have localized the plurals and numbers by creating a counter to be displayed on the page, as mentioned in our app.component.html:

<span i18n>
  Counter updated {minutes, plural, =0 {just now} =1 {one minute ago} other {{{minutes}} minutes
  ago}}
</span>

As you can see, we have used plural form selectors =0 for just now and =1 for one minute ago in the form of Angular's {{variable}} syntax (according to our example {{minutes}}), which overrides the language's formal selectors one, few, other, etc. In addition, we have also added localization to the numbers when we start increasing the counter, whether the page is in English or French.

For English,

And for French,

Lastly, let's again refer to our translation files, messages.xlf, where we can see <trans-unit></trans-unit> tags which Angular generates to refer that these strings need to be localized, as shown below:

<trans-unit id="5206857922697139278" datatype="html">
  <source>I cannot translate everything</source>
  <context-group purpose="location">
    <context context-type="sourcefile">src/app/app.component.html</context>
    <context context-type="linenumber">5</context>
  </context-group>
</trans-unit>

We can also see these tags in the messages.fr.xlf with the additional tag of <target></target> with <source></source> to replace the source text, which is in English and needs to be translated into French.

<trans-unit id="5206857922697139278" datatype="html">
  <source>I cannot translate everything</source>
  <target>Je ne peux pas tout traduire</target>
  <context-group purpose="location">
    <context context-type="sourcefile">app\app.component.ts</context>
    <context context-type="linenumber">10</context>
  </context-group>
</trans-unit>

How to Use Crowdin for Your Angular Localization Workflow

Managing multiple .xlf files for just two languages highlights a common bottleneck. As an application scales, the manual file management required for Angular localization becomes complex and error-prone, especially for larger teams that require enterprise translation management solutions.

This is where Crowdin's localization software comes in. It can help you sync your source and translation files between your repo and a translation project in Crowdin. This way the process of sending new files for translation and downloading translations can become automated, no copy-pasting needed. Let’s go through some of the unique features that Crowdin offers you:

Adding Angular Application Files to Crowdin Using Command Line Interface (CLI)

You can use Crowdin CLI to integrate your Angular application files. For example, for our project, we have component, services, and modules files (.ts extension), HTML files (.html extension), and especially, translation files (.xlf extension) which need to be constantly in synchronization during development. The CLI makes it easier to keep those files in sync without worrying about keeping them up to date so that you can focus more on coding.

After the successful installation of Crowdin CLI, you need to use the following command to run the application:

crowdin

It will initiate the application. But before trying to use the Crowdin CLI, we first need to set up the configuration file in the root directory of the project, which is created using the command as follows:

crowdin init

On the other hand, if we did not create the file in the root directory of the project, we can always specify the path using the --config option:

crowdin upload sources --config /path/to/your/config/file

After creating the configuration file, we can finally start uploading our source files in Crowdin through the following command:

crowdin upload sources

And then, we can upload and automate the synchronization of our translation files by running the command mentioned below:

crowdin upload translations

As previously stated, with automatic synchronization, we would not have to worry about keeping them updated while developing our application. It is a time-consuming process that leads to more errors and inefficient code.

Additionally, since you have the feature to upload the files, Crowdin offers to download single (specific language translation) or multiple translations for our application using the commands below.

For downloading single-language translation:

crowdin download -l {language_code}

Here you can replace language_code with fr for French, en for English, es for Spanish, etc. For downloading multiple translations:

crowdin download

Or:

crowdin pull

Finally, if you want to check the status of your project for proofreading and translations, use the following command.

crowdin status

On the other hand, if you are not comfortable with using CLI, you can also upload your files manually or by using integration options such as GitHub, Bitbucket, etc.

Multiple Languages Support

Crowdin offers and supports a wide range of languages. After adding the source files to Crowdin, you can add languages one at a time or import them from a file and specify which languages should be translated.

Translation Management Services

Crowdin will automatically detect changes to the source files in your Angular app and update the translations in real time, which allows you to keep your app updated with the most recent translations. In addition, it offers various tools for translation management, which include:

Glossary - a glossary of terms and phrases can be created to ensure translation consistency.
Machine Translation - can be used for quick translations of non-critical content or as a step before post-editing.
Translation Memory (TM) - allows for the automatic suggestion of translations based on previous translations.
Translation context - screenshots, comments, string max length, and more, so your translators can make accurate translations.

Translation Quality Assurance

Crowdin provides several quality assurance tools. Code parts, like placeholders or syntax will be highlighted for translators, so they’ll know which parts shoudn’t be translated. Also, enabled QA checks will show a warning if a translator tries to save the translation with some of the untranslatable parts of the string altered.

You can preview the translations in the context of your app using the In-context Preview tool and make any necessary changes. You can also edit translations directly in the Crowdin platform using the Crowdin Editor. In addition, you can also run a report to look for untranslated strings or other problems. Finally, when you are satisfied with the translations, you can download them in the format you want and integrate them into your Angular app.

Go Ahead with Angular App Localization

Angular i18n and localization are essential for creating web applications for a global audience. This article provided an example of an application built using Angular localization and Angular i18n features using the @ngx-translate/core and @ngx-translate/http-loader libraries. With the help of these angular libraries for i18n and localization, you can create a high-quality, internationalized application that can reach a global audience and provide a great user experience for all.

Crowdin Now Integrates with an AI Chatbot

diana — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Today we are happy to announce the invitation to the beta version of our new app – an AI chatbot built on OpenAI's ChatGPT API.

Large language models are the hottest topic around our newsfeeds these days. While companies are still figuring out how to use them most efficiently, it is clear that this technology will change the way people and companies work in the near future.

Crowdin has been experimenting with AI and ML for years to offer the most advanced technologies and make sure we enable our users to be most productive while doing global business. If you are looking for a comprehensive overview of these strategies, check out our AI localization guide.

AI chatbot built on OpenAI's ChatGPT API we're showing today is just one of the first successful experiments we're excited to share. This is an private beta, and you're welcome to join.

{/* more */}

The first version of the application integrates with the Translation Editor and serves as a co-pilot for translators.

It's important to note that this chatbot in Crowdin is context-aware. AI will know exactly what segment the translator is working on. What are the related glossaries, TM matches, maximum acceptable length of the translation, and more.

Here are just a few of the tasks that AI co-pilot for translators has proven to be extremely useful for:

Correcting TM suggestions. Now, if you get a 60% match, the machine can do the remaining 40% for you, while trying to be consistent with your terminology and previous translations.
Serving translators with the most advanced dictionary ever.
Of course, it can suggest translations just like any other MT. At the same time, you can edit your requests to make suggestions more useful.
Get term definitions, translation variants, synonyms, and so on.
What use case do you want to see here? Feel free to come up with your own requests, so the AI co-pilot can help you.

All this can be done hands-free as well. Apps built on OpenAI's ChatGPT API come with voice-to-text technology.

Much more to come. For example, when it comes to translating knowledge base articles, would it be great to get a short summary of the article without having to read the whole article before translating it?

We are now experimenting with how AI can also help project managers at Crowdin. How good would AI be at extracting terminology and maintaining your project glossary? Would AI be able to compare the message and tone of voice for both source and translated documents? Can AI check for vandalism in crowdsourcing projects? Can AI be used for transcreation tasks?

There are lots more questions we are very curious about.

Interested?

How will you use the built-in AI? Fill in the form to join the community of early adopters and test the private beta of an AI co-pilot app for Crowdin built on OpenAI's ChatGPT API.

What's New at Crowdin: February 2023

diana — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the February 2023 edition of What's New at Crowdin. This month, we've introduced several exciting updates and new features to enhance your localization experience, including pinning tabs in the editor, a desktop version of the Crowdin editor for Mac, Windows, and Linux, changes to the Crowdin Project Page, improvements to the Crowdin Marketplace, and the new apps like PrestaShop, Builder.io and Azure Pipelines.

Pin Tabs in Editor

This month we released the ability to pin tabs in the editor. It will allow users to keep important sections (like comments, translation memory) and apps in view without the need to switch between them. This is particularly useful for users to stay organized and focused on the task at hand.

Desktop Crowdin Editor for Mac, Windows, and Linux

Introducing a hassle-free solution for all teams engaged in product copy management! With our user-friendly app, you don't need to be a translator to use Crowdin. Effortlessly create, edit, and collaborate on product copy with just one simple tool. Our Desktop Crowdin Editor is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux, making it accessible for all users.

Crowdin Project Page Update

Changes to the editor (which most of you should be accustomed to by now) involved reorganizing the tabs. We've done everything to make working on and managing your projects more convenient and faster.

Changes includes moving QA checks, TM and Glossary to project settings, and creating tab Translations that includes all the ways you can work with translations, such as uploading existing ones, downloading files or installing integration with the tool where the content you want to translate lives.

Сrowdin Marketplace

Besides new apps released in February 2023, Crowdin Marketplace has two new improvements.

More Details About Apps

The first one is a new update that allows users to view the details of an app. This is particularly useful to see which permissions an app requires. Available on the Crowdin Store > App > Details.

API for Apps

The second one is an API for apps enabling intercommunication between apps and providing API access to all integration apps could improve their functionality and effectiveness.

PrestaShop

PrestaShop is an e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create their online store and manage their products, orders, and customer information. The PrestaShop app on Crowdin is designed to simplify the localization process for e-commerce businesses using the platform.

With the PrestaShop app, businesses can easily export and import their product descriptions, categories, and other content for translation. Don’t forget to Install the PrestaShop module before setting up the app in Crowdin.

Builder.io

Builder.io is a website building platform that allows users to create and edit website pages and layouts using a drag-and-drop interface. With the Builder.io integration available on Crowdin Store, users can easily localize their website content without the need for technical skills, additional development resources and manual content copy-pasting. The integration enables users to translate their Builder.io content directly on Crowdin, streamlining the localization process and making it more efficient.

Azure Pipelines

Looking to automate your localization tasks? Our new guide, Azure Pipelines, can help. With Azure Pipelines, you can easily set up automated processes for tasks like uploading source files and downloading translations. This streamlines your localization workflow and saves you time and effort, allowing you to focus on other important aspects of your business.

Translation Goals App for Crowdin Enterprise

With Translation Goals app, you can set a goal of how many translations you expect a volunteer to translate, and the app will suggest how many contributors you as a manager should find. On the flip side, volunteers have a clear understanding of what they need to contribute and will strive to achieve the goal.

Regarding rewards, at present, you have the option to pay volunteers using Metamask, and you can utilize the app's report to offer your own rewards (for instance, if you are localizing a game, you can provide rare artifacts or badges or anything that holds value to the contributors).

Crowdin Enterprise Tasks

From now on, you can create tasks within your organization without assigning it to some workflow. This means that the Crowdin Enterprise main feature, the workflow step, is optional. This update will be handy for those who are used to using and assigning tasks.

Organization Level Webhooks

We have added new webhooks for the following events:

Group of projects created
Project created
Group deleted
Project deleted

You can find webhooks in the account settings for Crowdin.com and in the organization settings for Enterprise accounts.

MDX File Format and NestJS i18n Support

In February, we added support for MDX version 1 and 2. The results include:

CommonMark syntax support along with GitHub Flavored Markdown and Frontmatter.
A preview for the editor.
Ability to disable segmentation and custom segmentation.

We are also happy to share that Crowdin now supports NestJS i18n and TouchGFX formats. View more supported formats.

More Crowdin Updates

In February, we released the following:

Ability to download the sources in GitHub Action v1.7.0
JS API Client 1.21.2
iOS SDK 1.5.2
.NET API Client 2.11.1
Java API Client 1.5.4

Stay Tuned for a New Crowdin Updates

We’re always looking to create features that help you localize faster and easier. If you have an idea for a feature like that, submit it on the feature requests page, and don’t forget to vote for the existing ones. For the most up-to-date overview of what we’ve released – check out our release notes page.

Localization Testing: QA Expert's Guide

akanksha — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

What is the cost of a localization error for a brand? Surely you may think a simple misspelling cannot be that much of a problem. But poor translation quality is a huge business risk that leads to financial losses.

Forbes research shows that with approximately 300 million online shoppers in Latin America, this value potentially equates to over $46 billion in avoidable lost revenue for foreign companies in that region alone.

Just think about it. One error in the UI element can lead to a loss of customer trust. And in the social media era, any error can be the reason for going viral, not for the right reasons.

Unfortunately, the traditional testing environment was built around monolingual products. The software functions properly if you are getting the design action. This is the final stage of the software localization lifecycle before launch.

However, with multiple target languages, the process becomes much more complicated. That’s why you need to implement localization testing.

In this article, we will explore what localization testing is, why it is important for businesses, how to perform localization testing, and which localization tools to use. Let's get started.

What Is Localization Testing?

Localization testing, also known as internationalization testing or localization quality assurance, is the process of ensuring the localized products have high quality across all versions for users in different regions.

This process includes adapting all user interface elements for the local language and cultural norms.

Compared to the usual translation QA that focuses on functionality, localization testing ensures:

Linguistic validation – grammar correcting, natural sound, brand voice consistency.
Software functions properly – translations do not interfere with operating systems.
Visual consistency – no broken layouts, changes in font rendering, or misplaced text.
Cultural alignment – images, colors, symbols, style, and tone.
Compliance – terms and other related local regulations.

This is the final stage of the software development lifecycle before the product is launched. The development team ensures the product functions properly, and localization testing verifies that it works correctly for all users.

Why Localization Testing Matters for Business Growth

Skipping testing localization can lead to more than a couple of misspelled phrases. Here are some of the real issues flawed localized content can lead to:

Low conversion rates. Incorrect checkout data formats will prevent the transaction from being processed.
Increased support team workload. Badly translated text and software errors increase confusion and the number of inquiries to customer support. This increases the operational costs.
Brand image damage. An offensive image or a mistranslated slogan can cause controversy and damage brand reputation in the target region.

At the same time, thorough localization testing enables smoother product launches, reduces additional costs, enhances user satisfaction, and fosters a stronger connection with local customers.

Business Case Data: According to CSA Research, about 76% of all customers preferred to purchase from websites in their language. This means that creating multiple language versions is vital if you want to keep and attract three-quarters of all customers.

To put it simply, skipping the localization testing process will not save you money, especially in the long run. Such a practice will not only prevent an increase but also lead to many expensive errors.

3 Types of Localization Testing: Linguistic, Functional, and Visual

Localization testing is a multi-step continuous process that includes three main areas of QA: functional and linguistic tests, and visual QA. The table below provides a quick comparison of these core technical areas.

QA Area	What It Checks	Business Impact Without Such Checks
Linguistic Testing	Grammar, spelling, terminology, tone, consistency across content.	Looks unprofessional; reduces trust in brand quality.
Functional Testing	Whether localized features still work as expected (forms, links, validation).	Failed transactions → direct revenue loss.
Visual QA	Layout, font rendering, text expansion, alignment, UI breakages.	Frustrating UX; lower conversion rates if users can’t complete actions easily.

These areas do overlap. The next section will expand on these core areas with a comprehensive checklist, including cultural and formatting requirements.

Localization Testing Checklist

1. Linguistic and Translation Testing

Linguistic and translation testing are the most obvious when it comes to adapting software to the local culture. The process includes ensuring there are no typos, grammar issues, or awkward phrasing. At the same time, brand voice and consistency must be kept.

Common Issues:

Literal translations. Either a lack of experience or the use of machine translation alone can result in phrases that are incorrectly translated and carry different contextual meanings.

Example: Translating the English phrase "checkout" (for payment) literally into a phrase in another language that means "check out" (as in, leaving a hotel).
Terminology inconsistency across projects, features, and web pages.
Wrong tone and style where formal/informal language is expected.

Business Impact:

Loss of trust and respect from customers
Constant misunderstandings
Brand image damage

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin provides Linguistic Quality Accuracy (LQA) app that helps catch linguistic errors. </Aside>

2. Cultural Appropriateness

Simply translating content is not what localization is about. You must also adopt visual imagery, color design, and the elements to fit the culture and expectations of the target market. Meanings, humor, and associations can differ from region to region.

Common Issues:

Hand gestures with different meanings
Opposite color meanings (red can be a symbol of warning as well as prosperity)

Example: Using a white color scheme for a wedding-related application in a culture where white is the color of mourning, instead of celebration.
Slogans that are not adapted to the target language

Business Impact:

Negative brand association
Lost respect and trust

3. User Interface (UI) and Visual Integrity (Visual QA)

One of the most common worldwide issues that can disturb the UI is text length and character size. Languages like German can take up 30% more space than English. Languages that use hieroglyphs can require completely different font rendering or layout.

Another critical issue is buyer habits. Customers around the world may have varying expectations about how an e-commerce website and the purchasing process should appear.

Common Issues:

Text overflows because of the layout and length difference

Example: A button labeled "Add to Cart" (11 characters) fits perfectly. Its German translation, "In den Warenkorb legen" (20 characters), wraps or runs off the screen, breaking the visual appearance.
Incorrect font rendering with missing characters
Confusing UI for the target market

Business Impact:

Churn caused by poor usability
Increasing customer confusion that drags conversion down
Unexpected costs caused by additional development processes

<Aside type="tip"> Read more about Best Practices for UI Localization </Aside>

4. Functional Integrity of Localized Versions

Localization efforts should be channeled at all product lifecycle processes. Without effective localization testing, simple date format changes can lead to payment validation errors. This can cause not only a revenue decline but also a loss of trust from the locals, creating a sense of fraud.

Common Issues:

Inability to add a phone number because of the one-region-designed forms

Example: A sign-up form is hardcoded to accept only 10 digits (like the US format). A user from another region with a longer national phone number (e.g., 11 or 12 digits) is blocked from signing up.
Failed payments due to unsupported currency formats
Hyperlinks to the untranslated or broken webpages

Business Impact:

Loss of revenue from failed transactions
Brand image damage and loss of customer trust
Increases customer support inquiries

5. Local Formatting (Dates, Currencies, and Compliance)

Some small formatting details may seem unimportant, yet they can severely impact users' trust and cause purchasing errors. Date, time, currency, and address formats must be adjusted accordingly.

Local laws and regulations should also not be ignored. They may require specific formats or information to be displayed.

Common Issues:

Confusing date formats (MM/DD/YYYY in the US, DD/MM/YYYY in Europe)
Misplaced or missing currency symbols

Example: Displaying the US currency format as $100.00 in a European market where the standard is 100,00 $ or 100,00 €
Addresses not aligned with local standards (postal codes, province/state fields).
No disclaimers required by local regulations.

Business Impact:

Increased cart abandonment
Legal penalties for the missing information
Increased delivery costs because of the failed shipments

Localization Testing Workflow

Localization testing keeps evolving together with the software. It's a complex process that is integrated with many elements.

To ensure quality outcomes, testing localization requires a workflow that starts at the early design stages, alongside development, and continues after product launch. Such an approach reduces the possibility of late-minute inconsistencies, accelerates time-to-market, and ensures consistent quality across all localized versions.

We have outlined a step-by-step workflow that helps integrate testing efforts into all stages of the product lifecycle.

Step 1: Localization Test Planning and Scope

The workflow starts before any translation begins by creating a plan for your team to follow. Preparation is vital and allows businesses to save time and ensure the team has a clear understanding of the procedure.

Key Preparation Activities

To ensure an efficient localization project and quality outcomes, you must establish clear guidelines and test the foundation of your product:

Define the Scope: Clearly state what will be localized and tested, including target languages, specific features, and operating systems.
Prioritize Target Markets: Align your company's business goals with the testing efforts to define which markets have the highest priority.
Create a Universal Checklist: Develop a reusable list covering all essential localization testing areas: linguistic, cultural, UI/visual, functional, and formatting.

Implement Pseudo-localization

Pseudo-localization is an essential technical preparation step where source strings are artificially modified to simulate a localized language. This process does not involve actual translation but intentionally introduces common localization challenges to test the software's technical limits early.

What it does: Characters are expanded (e.g., "Settings" becomes "[Šëééñtttiñgssššš]"), special characters are added to check for font/encoding issues, and text direction might be reversed (e.g., for Right-to-Left languages).
Why it's necessary: It quickly reveals potential issues like UI breakage, cut-off text (due to expansion), encoding problems, and hardcoded strings (text that was incorrectly embedded directly in the code instead of being externalized for translation) before professional translators begin work.

Step 2: Equip Your Team with Context

Understanding context is key when adapting a product for different regions. Providing your QA teams with tasks and no explanation can lead to more errors. Without context, even native speakers may miss subtle mistakes.

Here's where translation management software like Crowdin can help. A TMS provides In-Context Preview, showing translation memory suggestions and allowing testers to instantly spot text overflow or layout issues. It also links strings to screenshots, enabling testers to verify translations align with UI constraints.

Step 3: Manual and Automated Tests Execution

After thorough preparation and providing your team with the required software, it's time for the actual testing process. The most effective way to ensure accuracy and efficiency is to implement a combination of manual and automated tests.

Manual Testing with Native Speakers

Native speakers and professional translators bring cultural and linguistic validation that no software can provide. It’s important to receive native user feedback early in the process. They may help with:

Removing any inappropriate tone and slang
Keeping cultural nuances that cannot be translated or adapted
Ensuring the language sounds accurate and natural to the locals

Automated QA Checks

Automated tests help limit the amount of repetitive checks, allowing testers to focus on higher-value tasks. Automation features within the TMS can help with:

Flag placeholder errors (%s, {username})
Detect untranslated strings
Check punctuation consistency
Validate the glossary consistently and adherence

Step 4: Reporting and Fixing Bugs

Testing can only be as efficient as the process of bug reporting and its resolution efficiency. This is true for both localization and a traditional testing environment. Vague bug reporting can lead to delays and increased development costs.

Best Practices for Bug Reporting

Provide screenshots and a screen recording to represent the issue accurately.
Provide the context for the issue, and what the correct output should look like.
Implement software integrations. Crowdin integrates with Jira, GitHub, Slack, and other tools, which ensures localization bugs flow directly into existing development workflows.

Step 5: Continuous Monitoring After Launch

Product launch does not mean the end of testing localization. Products keep evolving with new updates and features, adapting to the latest trends and requirements. A continuous localization workflow also includes post-release monitoring.

Strategies for Continuous Monitoring:

Monitor customer support inquiries with questions about language or formatting
Collect used feedback from the target markets
Collect continuous analytics – a change in conversion can be a signal of localization issues.
Schedule regular regression testing with every new release.

Continuous Testing

A unified platform like Crowdin is a pillar of continuous localization testing. By integrating its QA with translation and development departments, a business can achieve :

Shorter release cycles – Localization testing runs in parallel, not after development.
Fewer production issues – Automated QA catches repetitive mistakes before they go live.
Stronger global user retention – Consistent, high-quality localization builds trust.

Build Your Localization Testing Tool Stack

Even the best QA localization strategy fails without the right localization testing tools. With the effort focused on linguistics, UI/UX, functionality, and compliance, tools that can integrate with your workflows become essential.

Automated tools can help you improve the quality and efficiency of the processes, which contribute to continuous international growth. In this part, we will go over the main localization testing tools every QA team needs.

Crowdin as the Unified Translation Management System (TMS)

TMS is the #1 tool for localization testing. Crowdin centralizes all localization data, context, and QA checks, minimizing errors and promoting cross-team collaboration.

As your TMS, Crowdin provides an advanced suite of QA capabilities:

In-Context Previews. Translations are displayed the same as inside your app, website, or game, allowing testers to spot layout issues instantly.
Automated QA Checks. All placeholder errors, untranslated strings, terminology mismatches, and punctuation errors are automatically highlighted.
Screenshots Linked to Strings. Testers can validate translations with UI screenshots and catch any inconsistencies.
Comments. Localization testers can leave comments for linguists directly within the platform for quick issue resolution.
Integrations. Crowdin offers integrations with common platforms, including Jira, Slack, and CI/CD pipelines.

<Aside type="tip"> Crowdin Store provides you with plenty of QA apps that can help you keep your content without errors. </Aside>

Automated Visual Testing Tools

Accurate translations are vital to product localization. However, when the translation interferes with the design, user satisfaction and experience can be negatively affected. One of the efficient solutions is the use of visual testing tools.

Here's how they work:

Take screenshots of the software across localized versions.
Screenshots comparison to detect inconsistencies: layout breaks, text overflow, or cut-off elements.
Highlighting localized content inconsistencies.

Compared to the standard screenshot tools that are not connected to localization, Crowdin automatically links strings to screenshots. This eliminates the need to manually compare since the context is highlighted.

Testing Management and Bug Tracking Tools

Such a complex process as localization testing cannot be effectively performed without a unified structure. A centralized system that facilitates project management testing helps ensure all areas are covered and prevents duplicate reporting.

The main features include:

Workflow organization for linguistic, functional, and visual QA
Access to previous test cases that help monitor recurring issues.
Collaboration features for task assignment and faster issue resolution.

If a translation error is highlighted in Crowdin, it will automatically appear in Jira, along with the context and screenshots.

How to Automate Localization Testing

Automations in localization testing play a vital role. The key is to strike a balance between automation and human expertise. This allows us to get the most out of both approaches, improving both efficiency and accuracy.

What to automate:

Missing translations: Automatically flag empty or untranslated strings.
Placeholder validation: Ensure test script variables, such as %s or {username}, remain intact.
Punctuation and spacing: Highlight common formatting errors, including double spaces or missing periods.
Terminology consistency: Ensure the terms are correct and consistent across all content.
UI regression checks: Use automated screenshot comparisons to detect layout changes between builds.

What is better handled by human experts:

Cultural nuance: Humor, idioms, and symbols that may be offensive or confusing for some international markets.
Tone and style: Whether the content feels natural, on-brand, and aligned with local expectations.
User empathy: How real users perceive and emotionally connect with the localized product.

The hybrid approach remains the best strategy. Companies implement automation tools to track repetitive, mechanical errors and work with natives and linguistic experts to ensure cultural norms are intact.

Conclusion: Quality Testing – the Core of Your Business Strategy

Localization testing shouldn’t be just another task on our checklist that must be confirmed before product launch. By covering key areas, implementing a strategic workflow, and supplying your testing team with quality software tools, you can:

Prevent costly errors before launch.
Create relevant and consistent user experiences.
Build trusting and long-lasting relationships with users around the globe.

Translating text into the local language is only one of the main parts of localization. Without commitment to quality at every stage, success cannot be achieved. Localization testing is the process that ensures your product performs as designed on every market, expanding your business worldwide.

FAQ

Who is a localization tester?

A localization tester is a QA specialist who specializes in ensuring the product performs at the same high quality in different languages and for every international market. During the testing, they cover linguistic accuracy, proper functions, visual integrity, and other elements of the interface that influence user experience.

How can I automate localization testing?

Within the localization testing process, businesses can automate repetitive tasks that include looking for mistakes, calendar placeholders, and punctuation, as well as checking visual imagery. Keep in mind that aspects such as nuance, tone, and context can only be covered by human specialists.

What are the best practices for localization testing in software development?
There are several best practices, including:
Implementing testing early in the workflow
Continuous testing even after product launch
Implementing a Translation Management System (TMS) like Crowdin for in-context previews and QA checks.
Working with natives and linguistic specialists
Creating a universal checklist that covers the main localization testing areas
Detailed bug reporting

Is localization testing functional or non-functional?

Localization testing involves both types of processes. Functional includes checks of the system performance. Non-functional verifies more nuanced aspects like usability, relevance, time, and consistency.

Preparing a Global Design: Internationalization (i18n) Guide

yuliya-herasymchuk — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Design for internationalization (i18n) is essential for any business wanting to reach a global market. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of design for internationalization and how to best prepare the design for internationalization to make your product or service attractive to people worldwide.

What Is Internationalization

Internationalization is the process of designing for localization, or getting a design ready for internationalization, so that a product or service can be easily changed to fit different cultures, languages, and regions around the world. In other words, internationalization is about making sure your product or service can be used by people in different countries and cultures.

This process involves things like translating the language, designing the user interface, taking cultural differences into account, and following local rules. It is important to remember that internationalization doesn't just mean translating words; it also means understanding cultural nuances and making sure the product or service will work in any given market. Read more about internationalization and localization in our previous article.

Why Internationalization Is Important

Internationalization helps make products and services accessible to people around the world. Without it, companies may miss out on potential customers that may otherwise be interested in their product or service. Internationalizing a product or service can also help a business better understand and relate to its international customers.

Overall, internationalization is important for businesses that want to grow and reach new customers all over the world. By understanding the importance of internationalization, companies can be better prepared to make their products and services available to people around the world.

Why Prepare Design for Internationalization

Designing for localization means preparing designs to be ready for global use, meaning they can be easily localized for different languages, cultures, and regions. By getting your design ready for internationalization, you can make sure that as many people as possible can use your product or service. This could lead to greater customer satisfaction and more opportunities to sell your product or service in different countries. It could also help lower the cost of putting a product on the market in a new market by reducing the amount of translation and localization work that needs to be done.

How to Prepare Design for Internationalization

Preparing design for internationalization requires a lot of thought and planning. It’s important to have a thorough understanding of the market you’re targeting. When designing for your target audience, you should think about their culture, language, and location.

Know Your Audience

Before you begin designing for localization, it is important to consider who your target audience is. Internationalization means understanding the cultural differences of the people you are designing for, as well as any language barriers that may exist.

It is important to research and understand the culture, language, and customs of the people who will be using your product, so you can create something that is both accessible and meaningful to them. You also need to know about international laws and rules that could affect your design.

Preparing for internationalization is a complex process, but one that is essential if you want to create a product that appeals to a global market. By taking the time to think about your target audience and what they need, you can make sure that your design works and meets their needs. Also, if you learn about the language and cultural norms of other countries and understand them, you can make designs that take all of these things into account while still looking nice.

Keep It Simple

When designing for localization, it's important to keep things as simple as possible. The goal is to make the text and images available to everyone, no matter what language they speak or what culture they come from. To get your design ready for internationalization, start by keeping your message simple and avoiding any cultural references that could be misunderstood.

This means making sure there are enough resources to make graphics, translate text into local languages, and make graphics for different regions. Additionaly, you should be able to translate text into local languages and make graphics for each region. Also, having a team of experienced translators who know the customs of the area can help make sure the translation is correct.

Consider Cultural Differences

It is important to consider cultural differences when you prepare your design for a global audience. This means taking into account the language, customs, beliefs, and norms of different countries. You should also being aware of local legal requirements. Preparing designs for internationalization requires more than simply translating content. It requires understanding cultural differences and their impact on the design.

Internationalization's meaning has evolved over time. Today, it is more than just making sure content can be translated. It's also about making a design that works well in different countries and cultures and is easy to change. This means making graphics, fonts, colors, images, and other design elements that everyone can see and understand.

Use Common Symbols

Symbols can be a powerful way to get a message across to people worldwide. Symbols help to quickly and easily communicate a concept without relying on text. A symbol that is universally recognizable may be able to do this more successfully than words alone. Symbols can also be used to give an idea of a visual identity that helps to show what it is meant to mean.

For example, a lot of people know that the recycling symbol is a reminder to recycle and be good to the environment. Using a common symbol like this in design can save time and effort that would otherwise have been spent creating a custom icon or image. It also helps to give your international design appeal, as it is likely to be familiar to people around the world.

When designing for internationalization, it's important to think about common symbols that people from different cultures understand and accept. These symbols can help people understand what your design means, even if they don't speak the same language.

Know What Colors Mean in Different Cultures

For example, in the West, the color red means "beware" and "danger," but in some Asian cultures, like China and Japan, it means "luck" and "happiness."

Plan for Text Growth

When an English text is translated into another language, the translated text can be as much as three times longer. Leave empty space around UI elements that are close together, like buttons and tabs.

Whenever possible, make UI components expandable. Do not give your UI component a fixed width or height unless you have a good reason.

Designers often use pseudo-localization to test this early.

Wrapping is a good way to handle longer pieces of text. Since translated text will take up more lines, you should be aware of the possibility of vertical expansion.

With hover text, truncation can be a good middle ground. Be aware that doing this could make the UI less useful.

Make the label text and inline forms independent of each other. Using input fields or dropdown lists in the middle of a sentence is another common UI pattern that can cause problems with localization. This problem happens because most languages don't put words in the same order as English. Because of this, the inline forms need to be moved so that the translated text has the correct sentence structure. Read 5 best practices for UI localization.

Test with a Global Audience

It is important to test designs with people from all over the world if you want to make a good design that can be used everywhere. Before launching any product or service in a new region, it is important to test the product with people from the target country or region. This helps find problems that might come up because of differences in culture or language and hurt the user's experience. Testing with people from all over the world can also give useful feedback on how to use the design most effectively. This could include suggestions on colors, graphics, typography, and overall usability.

Testing also helps not only with designing for localization but also with figuring out how to market the product or service in other countries. A successful product will appeal to different markets, and by testing with a global audience, you can get a better sense of what works and what doesn’t. As a result, you can also make sure that all the design's parts, like images, text, and layout, work well in different cultures.

Offer Different Designs for Different Countries with Crowdin

Some sites can offer different options—not just texts but also designs (layouts) on the same page—for different visitors (countries). If you have a CSS file for a page you want to localize and need to change the styles for, say, Chinese, you can add that CSS file to Crowdin, a translation management platform, as an asset and add styles for Chinese pages to it. It is not necessary to completely create a CSS file for the Chinese version of the page as a copy of the original one; you can only add new styles to it, which (this is how CSS works) will override the source ones.

Think Internationally: Prepare Design for Multilingual Audience

When designing for internationalization, it is important to keep in mind the features of cultures between people from different countries. You need to make sure that your design can be understood by people from all over the world. You can do this by keeping it simple and using symbols that everyone knows.

It is also important to test your design with a global audience to make sure it is effective and localized for each market. By knowing what internationalization is and how important it is to design for localization, you can make a good design that works for people all over the world.

What's New at Crowdin: January 2023

diana — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

It's a new year, and Crowdin has started off strong with several apps and platform updates. It includes 4 apps to help you generate resource files of needed type, and 5 apps to improve managers' productivity and project quality control. And of course, perhaps the most anticipated new role – Language Coordinator. In this article, we'll take a look at what else new in January 2023.

Language Coordinator Role

Exciting announcement – our platform has just introduced a new role called the Language Coordinator to assist you in managing your translation process in an efficient manner by selecting managers responsible for specific languages. Take advantage of this opportunity and elevate your localization strategy to the next level. Language coordinator includes the role of a proofreader and access to the tab of members, reports and activities in the selected language. Don't miss the chance to be an early adopter and test it out.

Marketplace: Crowdin Enterprise Apps

SCIM User Provisioning

This feature has been requested by many of our enterprise customers. The Crowdin SCIM app makes it easier to provision and deprovision users through Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, and other user directories in Crowdin Enterprise. Thus, adding and deleting users from your Crowdin Enterprise organization is simplified. This helps save you time, lower the risk of giving access to the wrong users, and ensure enterprise security.

Transcreation App

The Crowdin Transcreation app helps you deliver translations that sound natural to your audience. It provides your translation team with an Editor field to make multiple translation options for each segment and include back translations for each of them. Afterward or during the translation process, you can review all the back translations for each segment and choose your preferred ones. Read more about transcreation in our article.

Client Portal

Client Portal – app to easily submit translation requests. The team members that are not a part of localization department, won't have to use Crowdin (upload files, create tasks, and more) to request translations for the content they need translated.

With the help of Client Portal, manager can select the translation workflows available (In-house team translations, MT+In-house team, and more) and create a link where teams can submit their translation request. A manager will be notified about every new request from teams. A requester can also choose to be notified when a project is completed.

Crowdin Marketplace

App Store Connect

Install the Crowdin App Store Connect app, to speed up the process of your app’s data localization (texts from the App Store page, including a title, descriptions and release notes). Once the integration is set, all the texts from the store page are collected and added to your localization project in Crowdin. You only need a few clicks when translations are done, and all the texts will be available on your app’s page in the store.

Proofreading Diff

Another productivity application for translators and managers is Proofreading Diff, which is basically a post-editing report. There are a variety of cases where the application can be useful. You can provide feedback to translators after their translations have been reviewed. Managers can track changes made after machine translation to identify opportunities for MT improvements and other purposes where you need a snapshot and comparison of the different states of your translations.

Translation Quality Report

Another new app is the Translation Quality Report. This app offers a detailed view of automated quality assurance (QA) issues within a project, helping managers to ensure that all translations are accurate and consistent. After installation, the app can be found in the Reports section of your project. To manage spellcheck issues on a larger scale, consider using the Spellcheck Manager app. More about how to ensure high quality translations with the help of QA checks.

Translated File Max. Length

Translated File Max. Length application would allow the manager to set the maximum length of a translated file. Especially useful for the translation of Google Play or Apple Store app descriptions, SEO meta information and other type of content with strict characters

CroQL Tester

With CroQL, you can easily filter source strings and their translations for a particular target language, making it easier to find and use the resources you need. New CroQL Tester allows you easily build, test, and troubleshoot CroQL queries within the Crowdin web interface. Learn about Crowdin's CroQL API.

Bilingual Docx Export

One of the new applications released this month is Bilingual Docx Export. This app helps translators export files they have translated into a Word document that contains both the source text and the translations, making it easy for your team members to compare the original text with the translations, spell check in their favorite tools, and similar tasks.

Sender.net Integration

Sender is versatile for all business sizes, and offers custom e-commerce integrations for effortless product inclusion in newsletters. Translating your email campaigns in Sender is now a breeze thanks to new Sender Integration in the marketing category. Key features include campaign translation, manual content synchronization, and quick localization updates.

Video Captions Translator for YouTube and Vimeo

There's an addition to the category of video caption translation apps. It includes apps for Video Captions Translator for YouTube and Vimeo that would allow you to sync your captions for translation and upload translated captions back within a few clicks.

Another small app related to video translation is a file format support for SSA/ASS subtitles.

Inconsistency Check

Inconsistency Check is a new app that offers two reports to serve as an additional quality assurance check.

These reports are:

Inconsistency in Target – Identifies segments where the same source text has been translated differently.
Inconsistency in Source – Identifies segments where different source text have been translated the same.

String Exporters

Our new String Exporters apps help you generate resource files of chosen file format for your application from your Crowdin project.

This localization approach is often used when translating application built for several platforms. For example, you can have an app for Android, iOS and Web platforms. Most of your strings are shared, but platforms can also have their own strings.

New exporter apps released in January include:

Another new app in this category is the Custom Bundle Builder, this app can be used by developers to quickly create their own custom exporters. Simply create a JavaScript function that generates the required resource file from the array of Crowdin strings and deploy it to any lambda function hosting, such as Vercel. Then provide the application with the URL to your lambda function. Custom Bundle Builder is great if our existing exporters don't produce the resource in the format you want.

Crowdin Enterprise Public Pages Update

Crowdin Enterprise public project pages have recently undergone a design update. The update includes changes to the layout and overall aesthetic of the pages. These updates are aimed at improving the user experience and making the pages more visually appealing.

More Crowdin Updates

In January, we released the following:

Ability to open Editor in a few clicks. For this, go to the project home page > Go to Editor.
CLI 3.9.2, 3.9.3, 3.10.0
JS API Client 1.21.1
.NET API Client 2.11.0
Crowdin GitHub Action 1.6.0
Sketch plugin 2.7.0
Figma plugin Version 45
Python API Client 1.8.0
JS API Client 1.21.0
New AP.editor.setFocus method

More Crowdin Improvements

Check out the Crowdin Release Notes page to find the latest releases. If you have any feature requests, feel free to share them with us on the Crowdin Feature Request page.

Nuxt i18n: Build a Multi-Language NuxtJS App

kelvin — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

It's increasingly common for businesses and organizations to have their applications support multiple languages. Building multi-language applications can be a challenging task. Luckily, there are tools and frameworks available that can make the process easier and more efficient.

One such tool is NuxtJS, a powerful and popular JavaScript framework. Use it to build multi-language applications with its built-in nuxt i18n module. Even better, NuxtJS offers a range of features and benefits that make it well-suited for building multi-language applications, including server-side rendering, code-splitting, and automatic code generation.

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This article will explore building multi-language applications with NuxtJS using the nuxt i18n module. We will cover the benefits of using NuxtJS and the nuxt i18n module for this purpose and the key considerations and steps involved. Specifically, we will cover the following topics:

Benefits of using NuxtJS and the nuxt i18n module for building multi-language applications
How to set up a NuxtJS project for multi-language support using the nuxt i18n module
Implementing language detection and switching using the nuxt i18n module
Internationalizing and localizing content using the nuxt i18n module
Deploying and testing a multi-language NuxtJS application using the nuxt i18n module

Why Build a Multi-Language App with NuxtJS i18n Module?

The NuxtJS library and nuxt i18n module offer several advantages that can speed up an application's development process. These include:

Automatic code-splitting: Nuxt.js automatically splits your code into small chunks that you can load on demand, which speeds up an application's load time.
Server-side rendering: Nuxt.js pre-renders the pages of your application on the server. Overall, this improves your application's performance and SEO.
Routing: A major perk of using Nuxt.js is that it provides a powerful and flexible routing system, which makes it easy to build enterprise-level applications.
Modules: Nuxt.js has a rich library of modules that add functionality to your application, such as axios for making HTTP requests or @nuxtjs/pwa for integrating a Progressive Web App (PWA) to your application.

Nuxt i18n Setup Guide: Project Configuration

To set up a NuxtJS project for building multi-language applications, you will need to install the dependencies and configure your project for internationalization.

Access the project’s source code on GitHub to provide a practical demonstration.

Installing Dependencies

Here is a step-by-step guide for setting up a simple NuxtJS project and configuring it for multi-language support using the nuxt i18n module:

Install NuxtJS: To install NuxtJS, you will need to have Node.js and npm (the Node.js package manager) installed on your system. Once you have these prerequisites, you can install the NuxtJS CLI (Command-Line Interface) by running the following command:

Using npm
```
npm install -g @nuxt/cli
```
Using yarn
```
yarn global add @nuxt/cli
```
Next, create a new NuxtJS project. You can use the NuxtJS CLI (Command-Line Interface) by running the following command:
```
npx create-nuxt-app <project-name>
```
This creates a new NuxtJS project in the current directory and prompts you to answer a few questions about your project, such as the project name, the package manager to use, and the project type. (See sample details below for a test project)
Install the nuxt i18n module: You need to add multi-language support to your NuxtJS project and install the nuxt i18n module. You can run the following command:
```
npm install --save @nuxtjs/i18n
```

Finally, configure the nuxt i18n module in your NuxtJS project. You can add the following configuration to your nuxt.config.js file:

module.exports = {
  modules: ["@nuxtjs/i18n"],
  i18n: {
    locales: [
      // Add locale options here
    ],
    defaultLocale: "en",
    vueI18n: {
      fallbackLocale: "en"
    },
    detectBrowserLanguage: {
      useCookie: true
    }
  }
};

Configuring the Nuxt i18n Module

Before getting into internalization, it’s imperative to understand the basic structure of a NuxtJS application first. It comprises several directories and files that are organized hierarchically. These include:

package.json: This file contains information about your NuxtJS project, such as the project name, version, dependencies, and scripts.
nuxt.config.js: Contains configuration options for your NuxtJS application, such as the build target, modules, plugins, and server options.
pages/: This directory contains the Vue.js components that make up your NuxtJS application. Remember, each file in this directory represents a route in your application. The file name and directory structure determine the URL of the route.
components/: Contains reusable Vue.js components you can use in multiple pages or layouts in your NuxtJS application.
layouts/: Contains layout components that define the overall structure and layout of your NuxtJS application.
store/: This directory contains Vuex store modules. These modules manage the state of your NuxtJS application.

Configuring your NuxtJS project for internationalization is easy. For starters, you'll need to install the nuxt i18n module and add the configurations to your nuxt.config.js file. The configuration options include the languages to support, default language, language detection technique, switching strategies, and localization options.

For instance, to configure your NuxtJS project for multi-language support with English as the default language and German and Arabic as the additional languages, use the below configuration:

module.exports = {
  modules: ["@nuxtjs/i18n"],
  i18n: {
    defaultLocale: "en",
    locales: ["en", "dr", "ar"],
    detectBrowserLanguage: {
      useCookie: true,
      cookieKey: "i18n_redirected"
    },
    vueI18n: {
      fallbackLocale: "en"
    }
  }
};

This configuration will enable multi-language support in your NuxtJS project and set English as the default language. It also enables language detection and switching using the cookie strategy and sets the fallback locale to English.

Managing Nuxt Translation Files

Localization software, like Crowdin, will provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that makes it easy to manage and edit your translation strings. Localization software also has features that help you automate the sync of source texts and translations between your repo and localization tool, where translators and content editors work. It also offers features like translation memory, terminology management, QA checks, context, OTA, and more.

To work with a translation management tool, you need to extract the strings from your NuxtJS application and create a translation file for each language you want to support. Please note the translation file typically has a .po extension and is organized as a list of translation entries, each containing the original string (called the "msgid") and the translated string (called the "msgstr").

For instance, let’s define a translation string for the "Hello, World!" message in English and French using Poedit. To achieve this, create a translation file with the following content:

msgid  "Hello, World!"
msgstr "Bonjour, le monde!"

Adding translated content to your NuxtJS application is easy using the nuxt i18n module. For starters, you'll need to import the translation files and make them accessible in your application. You can achieve this by clearly showing the location of the translation files in the nuxt.config.js file. See the example below.

module.exports = {
  modules: ["@nuxtjs/i18n"],
  i18n: {
    defaultLocale: "en",
    locales: [
      {
        code: "en",
        file: "en.json"
      },
      {
        code: "fr",
        file: "fr.json"
      }
    ]
  }
};

This configuration will load the English and French translation files and make them available to your NuxtJS application. You can then access the translation strings using the $t function in your Vue.js components, as shown below:

<template>
  <div>{$t("Hello, World!")}</div>
</template>

This will render the translated string "Bonjour, le monde!" in the French version of your NuxtJS application and "Hello, World!" in the English version.

Nuxt i18n Example: Rendering Translations

With the i18n module, you can translate content in your applications' templates and components.

From a design perspective, the i18n module comes with two built-in functions; $t and $tc. Both functions perform diverse roles. While the former allows you to access to translation strings, the latter is more robust and gives you access to translation strings with context.

We can use the $t function in templates and components. Pass the $t function as a key to the translation string you want to access. For instance, here's an example: we access a translation string for the key "Jane Doe''.

<template>
  <div>
    <!-- Use the $t function to render a translated string -->
    <h1>{ $t('Jane Doe') }</h1>
  </div>
</template>

<script>
export default {
  // Inject the i18n property into the component's context
  i18n: {
    inject: true
  }
};
</script>

How to Customize Translations with Placeholders and Interpolation

You can use placeholders and interpolation to customize translations in your application. This is possible using the $t function and the tpl option (you pass it on to an object containing the placeholder values). With placeholders, you can include variables in your translation strings. This way, interpolation steps in and enables you to substitute the values of the variables at runtime.

For example, the code below shows how to use a placeholder in a translation string:

<template>
  <p>{ $t('greeting', { name: 'John' }) }</p>
</template>

<script>
export default {
  data() {
    return {
      name: "John"
    };
  }
};
</script>

<i18n>
  {
    "en": {
      "greeting": "Hello, {name}!"
    },
    "fr": {
      "greeting": "Bonjour, {name}!"
    }
  }
</i18n>

In our code above, we use {name} as a generic placeholder in the translation string for the greeting key. Next, we use the $t() function to translate the string. Please note you need to pass the name property from the component data as the second argument; this replaces the {name} placeholder in the translated string.

Implementing a Language Switcher in Nuxt

With NuxtJS, you can add language-switching functionality to your application.

We do this by enabling language detection in the nuxt.config.js file. This generates a trigger effect that allows end-users to select their preferred language on your application.

To achieve this, tweak the {detectBrowserLanguage} option in the nuxt.config.js file. This way, you can specify how a browser detects a specific language. This is possible thanks to an embedded cookie in the browser or a query parameter.

Going back to our source code on GitHub, let’s implement this in the code below:

module.exports = {
  modules: ["@nuxtjs/i18n"],
  i18n: {
    defaultLocale: "en",
    locales: ["en", "fr", "es"],
    detectBrowserLanguage: {
      useCookie: true,
      cookieKey: "i18n_redirected"
    },
    vueI18n: {
      fallbackLocale: "en"
    }
  }
};

This configuration will enable language detection using the browser language. If the browser doesn’t support the language, it uses the cookie to redirect a user to the specific language version of the application.

Remember, you need to provide a way for the user to select the language. To achieve this, use the switchLocalePath option in the nuxt.config.js file. This option allows you to specify the URL pattern for language switching, using placeholders for the language code and the current route.

Let’s look at how you can enable language switching using the query parameter lang.

module.exports = {
  modules: ["@nuxtjs/i18n"],
  i18n: {
    defaultLocale: "en",
    locales: ["en", "fr", "es"],
    switchLocalePath: "/:lang/:route",
    vueI18n: {
      fallbackLocale: "en"
    }
  }
};

Handling Language Detection and Storing the Selected Language

Sometimes, you may want to store the selected language in a cookie or local storage.

For this, use the setLocaleCookie and getLocaleCookie options in the nuxt.config.js file. These options allow you to specify the name of the cookie or local storage key to store the selected language.

module.exports = {
  modules: ["@nuxtjs/i18n"],
  i18n: {
    defaultLocale: "en",
    locales: ["en", "fr", "es"],
    switchLocalePath: "/:lang/:route",
    setLocaleCookie: true,
    getLocaleCookie: "i18n_loc"
  }
};

Advanced Nuxt i18n: Pluralization and Date Formatting

While some of these topics are advanced, I recommend learning them to build on your knowledge about building multi-language applications with NuxtJS.

Handling Pluralization in Translations

NuxtJS provides a $tc function that allows you to access translation strings with context and pluralization rules. This is useful when the same string can have different translations depending on the count of an item, such as "1 item" versus "2 items".

Formatting Dates and Numbers for Different Languages

NuxtJS provides a $d function that allows you to format dates and a $n function that enables you to format numbers according to the language and region settings of the user. Use these functions in your templates and components to format dates and numbers in a localized way.

Translations for Dynamic Content

If you want to check if a translation string exists for a given key, NuxtJS provides the $te function. It’s useful when rendering dynamic content that isn’t translated into all languages.

Wrapping Up on NuxtJS i18n

We have covered how to build multi-language applications with NuxtJS. As a JavaScript library, NuxtJS provides a powerful and flexible way to develop easy-to-use applications for users with varied language backgrounds. We also saw how the nuxt i18n module enables multi-language detection, including features such as switching, pluralization, dates and numbers formatting, and translations for dynamic content.

This was just the tip of the iceberg, as many possibilities and developments exist within the NuxtJS ecosystem. I encourage you to explore more resources:

How to Translate Subtitles into Different Languages

yuliya-herasymchuk — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Most of the videos use subtitles now. A research found that adding subtitles to a video made it 80% more likely to be watched. Translating subtitles into several languages is a great way to reach even more people with your video, webinar, or podcast.

So, let's learn more about subtitle translation, how Crowdin can be part of your strategy for localization, and how to start your next international subtitling project.

Benefits of Translating Subtitles

Verizon Media found that 80% of people are more likely to watch a video when subtitles or closed captions are available.

We think the English subtitles are a great start, but you shouldn't stop there. With foreign language subtitles, your content can reach even more people.

Here's why you should consider languages other than English when subtitling your multimedia:

A Bigger Target Audience

By making your video content available in different languages, you can reach more people worldwide with your brand.

Better SEO

Many search engines give videos that are easy to find and are relevant to a specific area higher rankings on their search results pages. This brings your content to the attention of more people.

Improve the user experience

About 69% of people prefer to watch videos in public places without sound. Subtitles have been shown to improve the user experience and make people watch for longer on average.

Cost Savings

Since you don't have to hire voice talent for subtitling, it's cheaper than dubbing or doing voiceovers. It's a cheap way to talk to people worldwide in their own language.

Which Types of Content Need Subtitles?

Video subtitle translation or localization is no longer just for big media companies like Netflix or Disney. Localization of subtitles is used by marketing content, and growth teams that want to move into new markets or reach wider audiences.

Here are a few examples of the kinds of videos you might have available for subtitling.

Marketing videos
Tutorials
Training videos
Webinars and product demos
Support videos
Explainer videos
Customer interviews

What to Look for When Translating Subtitles

There are a few different things to keep in mind when translating subtitles, which are different from other types of text.

Adaptation of the Text

When translating from English to Spanish, for example, the text can grow by 20–25%, while translating from English to Swedish can grow by up to 35%. So, it's important to be brief while keeping the original text's meaning.

Length and Spacing

The rule is to have no more than two lines on the screen at once, or if possible, just one. This way, viewers can see the visual content but don't have to read too much.

The number of characters on each line depends on the language. But many say to keep the number of characters per line to about 35 in most languages and 16 in East Asian languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Timing

It's also essential to ensure the timing is right. Your subtitle should show up when the person talking starts, and it should stop showing up soon after the person stops talking. About 2 seconds per line of text is a rough estimate, but this can be changed or lowered after testing. An auto-subtitling tool will time the text to the speech, so you’ll only have to review if everything is timed correctly. Doing this manually might be a bit too time-consuming.

Choose a Language Your Customers Speak

Don't know how to start with subtitles? There are a few languages that numerous people around the world speak. Start by adding subtitles in English, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, French, or German, some of the world's most spoken languages.

How to Automate Subtitle Translation with Crowdin

Many subtitle translation editors allow you to work with one language perfectly. But as soon as you need more languages, you should consider using Crowdin to automate the whole process and ensure that translations are of good quality.

Connect Crowdin with Your Subtitling Tool

Learn how to localize Wistia subtitles with Crowdin in a simple way with the help of video below:

Introducing Convenient Subtitle Creation Apps for Seamless Translation

If your video doesn’t have any subtitles, it’s not an issue anymore. With our new apps you can create subtitles from your video and then translate them. No need to use a separate tool for creating subtitles.

Please meet our user-friendly applications for captions generation.

These innovative apps enable you to generate subtitles for your media files, including formats like mp3, mp4, wav, ogg, webm, and many more. Once you generate subtitles you can add them to your Crowdin project for translation.

SRT File Translation Support

The best way to add subtitles to a video is to put them in a plain text file separate from the video. Subtitle file formats like SubRip (.srt) have information about the subtitles, including the start and end time codes of the text, so that your subtitles match your audio. Video hosting sites like Wistia, Vimeo, and YouTube widely accept this format.

Here’s an example of an SRT file in English:

1
00:00:00,130 --> 00:00:00,750
Hey everyone!

2
00:00:00,860 --> 00:00:02,622
In this short video, I want to show you

3
00:00:02,636 --> 00:00:06,730
how you can translate your Hygraph content with Crowdin.

4
00:00:06,850 --> 00:00:09,606
So the first thing you want to do is
Go to the marketplace and find a connector.

Benefits of Subtitles Translation with Crowdin

When you have a lot of subtitles to translate, you'll need a tool to help your workflow. With Crowdin, you can assign tasks, create chains of tasks, and automate rules. By speeding up tasks that you often do and streamlining your localization efforts, you'll get to market much faster.

Captions Localization with Crowdin

There’s no need to invite your translation team to the video hosting or editing tool you use. Each Crowdin paid account includes an unlimited number of translators, so they can do their job right in the translation editor in Crowdin with all the context and productivity features they need.

Choose Who Will Be Making Translations: Hire Qualified Translators

The two most common methods for subtitle translation include using machine translation only or machine translation plus human post-editing. The latter allows for ensuring the subtitles are appropriately timed to the video, and that everything sounds natural.

If you want top-notch quality, you can hire a native speaker to translate your captions or subtitles for projects that will get a lot of attention. With their knowledge of the local culture, you can ensure that all of your content's parts work well in a different culture.

Streamlining Subtitles Translation: Use Integrations with Top Machine Translation Engines

Crowdin, as a localization management platform, integrates with popular machine translation engines that you can use for translating subtitles. Here are some of the MT engines that Crowdin supports:

Check out more apps that connect Crowdin with machine translation engines.

It is important to note that while Crowdin supports integration with these machine translation services, users need to have their accounts and API keys for each service.

By integrating with these popular machine translation services, Crowdin enables you to take advantage of translation technology and streamline the localization process for your content.

How MT pre-translation works

To set up MT pre-translation, you should upload a file to Crowdin or add it through integration with a video hosting tool– the texts will appear in Crowdin and are automatically translated by the connected MT engine if you set up an automation workflow. Workflow automation will run pre-translation whenever you add new files to your project. Alternatively - you can run pre-translation manually by selecting the needed MT, target languages, and file. Then, you can apply MT post-editing to the files translated by MT or synchronize these texts to the tool you connected with Crowdin.

You can connect one of the default Machine Translation engines to your project or install additional ones as apps from Crowdin Store.

To set up MT pre-translations, you should upload a file to Crowdin or add it through integration with a video hosting tool - the texts will appear in Crowdin, and the connected MT engine will translate them. Then, you can apply MT post-editing to them or synchronize these texts to the right tool.

The Importance of MT Post-Editing

Users can perform MT post-editing, which enhances translation quality and ensures accurate and contextually appropriate subtitles. While machine translation is a valuable tool for speeding up the translation process, post-editing by human translators is crucial for maintaining translation quality. For example, it allows for correcting common mistakes or mistranslations of brand terms.

Translators can easily access and review machine-translated subtitles through the platform's intuitive interface. They have the flexibility to correct any inaccuracies, adjust linguistic nuances, and ensure that the translated content aligns with the intended message. In addition, MT post-editing in Crowdin streamlines the overall localization workflow, leveraging the strengths of both machine translation and human expertise.

The Context for Translators

Translators can preview the video they are translating next to the translation area. You can put the link into the preview video app and see a preview of the video right away. You can put the link into the preview video app and see a preview of the video right away. Furthermore, you can put the link into the preview video app and see a preview of the video right away. No need to switch between tabs.

Glossary and a Translation Memory

The Crowdin editor provides translators with all the essential features of a modern CAT Tool, including a glossary and translation memory, to ensure consistency and speed.

Create and share a glossary (also called a termbase) to make sure that industry-specific terms are used consistently throughout your project. You can also use the glossary across multiple projects and with multiple people.

Using translation memory will also help your translators, so they don't have to translate the same things repeatedly and can keep things consistent throughout the project.

Built-in Translation Services

Need to translate a few videos but don't want to hire or outsource a whole team? Choose one of our translation services, which also offer bilingual editing and proofreading.

Good Quality Assurance

Our quality assurance features make sure you don't miss those annoying grammar and spelling mistakes, and you can automate everything for an even faster turnaround.

Translate Subtitles to Reach a Wider Audience with Your Content

Subtitles are a useful option that can help you reach a larger audience with your videos. This goes a step further with subtitle translation, which lets you reach people who speak other languages. Good subtitle translations can help make your video content accessible to everyone if they are done with the help of Crowdin's integrations.

How Ethereum.org Ensures Quality of Community Translations at Crowdin

diana — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the case study with Ethereum.org, a website that provides information and resources about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. The translation team employs a strategy of translation by community volunteers and proofreading by a translation agency.

Let's delve deeper into how with the help of this approach, Ethereum.org were able to add 48 languages to their website, with over 3,800 translators participating in the effort and translating more than 2.9 million words in 2021 and 1.9 million words in 2022 (as of September).

<table> <thead> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">SUMMARY</th> <td></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Translation Approach</th> <td> <ul> <li>Translation by Community</li> <li>Proofreading by a Translation Agency</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Functionality Used</th> <td> <ul> <li> <a href="https://blog.crowdin.com/2021/08/25/translation-memory/" target="_blank"> Translation Memory </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://blog.crowdin.com/2018/05/18/using-glossary-to-keep-translations-swift-and-consistent/" target="_blank" > Glossary </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://store.crowdin.com/preview-video" target="_blank"> Video Preview app </a> </li> <li>Translation agency</li> <li>Crowdsourcing</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Key Results</th> <td> <ul> <li>48 languages added</li> <li>5 localization projects</li> <li>3,800+ translators</li> <li>2.9 million words translated in 2021</li> <li>1.9 million words translated in 2022 (as of September)</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th class="align-baseline">Localized Content</th> <td> <ul> <li>Website</li> <li>Educational Videos</li> <li>Ethereum Foundation Blog</li> <li>Ethereum Staking Launchpad</li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Ethereum: A Decentralized, Open-Source Blockchain

Ethereum.org is an open source, a distributed software platform that is based on blockchain technology. It has its own native cryptocurrency called Ethereum and a programming language called Solidity.

Ethereum's website is not what you imagine when you think about the classic website. Most of its content is educational, often technical and aimed both at professionals and complete beginners, so the support of native language is super important for its visitors.

<Blockquote footer="Luka Kropec, Translation Project Lead at Ethereum.org"> We understood that we needed a localization tool that is easy to use, easy to get onboarded to and has an advanced functionality like translation memory and glossary, so we chose Crowdin. </Blockquote>

Who And How Translates Ethereum.org Content

Ethereum's visitors and users are the people who do the translations, as the team chooses to combine translation by volunteers and proofreading by the agency in their translation strategy.

<Blockquote footer="Luka Kropec, Translation Project Lead at Ethereum.org"> We add new languages to Crowdin whenever there is a request. Now we enabled 87 target languages and 48 of them are live on our website. </Blockquote>

The new language goes live as soon as all the content is translated. To prioritize certain pages and make it easier to manage the localization, Ethereum.org created 19 folders, so community translators can work with them gradually, starting from the most important ones like the home page, site navigation, and other essential information.

As the Ethereum.org website is open source, the content there changes often. Thus, the team chooses to update sources every month. Their workflow looks like this:

At the beginning of the month, they update sources at Crowdin.
Run the pre-translation by translation memory.
The translators have time to translate new content. And whenever a folder is fully translated, the team orders proofreading from the translation agency.
The team pulls all approved translations back to their website.

<Blockquote footer="Luka Kropec, Translation Project Lead at Ethereum.org"> The crowdsourcing and easy collaboration functionality that Crowdin offers is one of the main reasons we prefer Crowdin over other professional tools. </Blockquote>

Video Localization with the Help of Video Preview App

Context is important to receive high-quality localization results. The screenshots, live previews and comments play an essential role for your translation team, saving their and managers' time as well.

What if you need to localize video subtitles? The best decision would be to have this video open right in front of a translator. I hope you don't think that we advise you to open your video in a separate browser tab and constantly click from tab to tab. The best option would be to do just like the Ethereum.org team does – use our Video Preview app. The app allows you to specify the video URL for every file with subtitles and lets your translators preview the video during translation.

How Ethereum.org Collaborates and Ensures Quality of Community Translations at Crowdin

Now, around 4000 people participate in the localization of Ethereum.org content. Many companies probably dream of having so many people willing to help them localize their products. However, it’s important to keep in mind how hard it can be to manage such a number of people properly. The Ethereum team handle it with a bang. And all thanks to a few things:

Translation guides and terminology base

Besides general information that Ethereum.org includes in the description of every translation project they have, the team also has a list of resources to help people jump into their translation workflow faster. They include the following:

Translation program
How to translate guide (visual and written)
Translation program playbook
Translation Style Guide

The important part of their translation program is the project glossary. The team collected essential terms often found in the content and their translations from a few native speakers. Then they chose one variant of translations of the most frequent ones. Now, when translating Ethereum.org content, users can use pre-selected translations for specific terms from the glossary.

Translation agency

To ensure the high quality of the content that appears on the website and other Ethereum.org resources, the team does proofreading by a professional translation agency.

<Blockquote footer="Luka Kropec, Translation Project Lead at Ethereum.org"> We love Crowdin for the user management and ability to manage access levels, so everyone can do their job, and we won’t worry about problems with permissions. </Blockquote>

They onboarded a few managers from the agency to their translation projects, and that’s it. Managers simply invited their colleagues to projects as proofreaders, so they could start working on the tasks.

The right tool to collaborate

Crowdin allows you to translate online with all the benefits of a desktop CAT tool and be sure that you're working on the latest file version. Translate, review, and manage your work in the cloud. Invite your colleagues to help and set up different permissions.

<Blockquote footer="Luka Kropec, Translation Project Lead at Ethereum.org"> Crowdin is the best on collaboration. If you need hundreds and thousands of people to collaborate on a project, you can choose Crowdin Besides it, we really like content management options, translation memory, and glossary features. </Blockquote>

Ethereum.org Expands Globally with the Help of Crowdin

Crowdin eases the localization management for the Ethereum.org team and ensures fast time to market, which is essential for the company.

Today Ethereum.org has 5 localization projects, 3,800 + translators and 5+ million words translated so far, supporting 48 different language versions in many countries worldwide. Thanks to the right combination of software and people, the localization process is smooth and streamlined.