Video: inlang - Using Version Control to Solve i18n

From Author:

Every developer knows that i18n is painful. We found the curing pill in the form of version control. 

We'll talk about: 
- what's the *actual* problem with i18n?
- how to solve the orchestration problem?
- demo e2e collabroation between devs, designers, and translators

This talk has been presented at JSNation US 2024, check out the latest edition of this JavaScript Conference.

Rate this content
Bookmark
Video summary
In this talk, you'll learn about the problem with internationalizing software and how the Lake Exchange Control System solves it. Internationalizing software involves adapting it for different markets and demographics, which includes design, translations, and currencies. The goal is to enable any software company to go global in a day. The challenge lies in the coordination required among developers, designers, translators, and other stakeholders. The current process involves a complex pipeline and manual processes for translation hand-off. The key to solving this challenge is an interoperable file format and a change control system called Lix, which allows for collaboration and automation. Lix will have a public pre-release on December 16th, followed by the .inlang file specification in Q1 2025.

FAQ

The main challenge in internationalizing software is the coordination required between developers, designers, translators, auditors, and product managers. Each group uses different tools and needs to work together seamlessly, which can become complex quickly.

The public pre-release of the Lix change control system is expected to launch on December 16th, with a follow-up release of the .inlang file specification in Q1 2025.

Internationalization is important for software companies because it allows them to target new markets and demographics more effectively, leading to increased customer acquisition and revenue.

Lix differs from traditional version control systems because it runs in a web browser and understands changes in binary files, not just text files. It focuses on change control rather than just versioning, allowing for better coordination of internationalization efforts.

The Inlang file format is an open, interoperable file format designed to be used by all applications involved in the internationalization pipeline. It eliminates the need for import-export processes between different tools, reducing data loss and improving efficiency.

The Inlang file format benefits internationalization by allowing different applications to work on the same file without data loss. This leads to better coordination, faster processes, and a more seamless internationalization experience.

To solve software internationalization, you need an interoperable file format that allows applications to build on top of it, and a system like Lix that coordinates changes across different teams and tools.

The E1N library is a tool used by developers to ensure translations are displayed correctly in software applications as part of the internationalization process.

You can stay updated on the Lix change control system by following Lix CCS on Twitter, or for more information on Inlang, you can follow Inlang HQ on Twitter.

The Lake Exchange Control System (Lix) is a change control system designed to simplify the internationalization of software by coordinating changes across different teams and tools. It provides a change graph for all file modifications and automates many processes involved in internationalization.

Samuel Stroschein
Samuel Stroschein
14 min
21 Nov, 2024

Comments

Sign in or register to post your comment.
Video transcription
Sign in to access video transcription and chapter summary.

Check out more articles and videos

We constantly think of articles and videos that might spark Git people interest / skill us up or help building a stellar career

Scaling Up with Remix and Micro Frontends
Remix Conf Europe 2022Remix Conf Europe 2022
23 min
Scaling Up with Remix and Micro Frontends
Top Content
This talk discusses the usage of Microfrontends in Remix and introduces the Tiny Frontend library. Kazoo, a used car buying platform, follows a domain-driven design approach and encountered issues with granular slicing. Tiny Frontend aims to solve the slicing problem and promotes type safety and compatibility of shared dependencies. The speaker demonstrates how Tiny Frontend works with server-side rendering and how Remix can consume and update components without redeploying the app. The talk also explores the usage of micro frontends and the future support for Webpack Module Federation in Remix.
Routing in React 18 and Beyond
React Summit 2022React Summit 2022
20 min
Routing in React 18 and Beyond
Top Content
Routing in React 18 brings a native app-like user experience and allows applications to transition between different environments. React Router and Next.js have different approaches to routing, with React Router using component-based routing and Next.js using file system-based routing. React server components provide the primitives to address the disadvantages of multipage applications while maintaining the same user experience. Improving navigation and routing in React involves including loading UI, pre-rendering parts of the screen, and using server components for more performant experiences. Next.js and Remix are moving towards a converging solution by combining component-based routing with file system routing.
Design Systems: Walking the Line Between Flexibility and Consistency
React Advanced 2021React Advanced 2021
47 min
Design Systems: Walking the Line Between Flexibility and Consistency
Top Content
The Talk discusses the balance between flexibility and consistency in design systems. It explores the API design of the ActionList component and the customization options it offers. The use of component-based APIs and composability is emphasized for flexibility and customization. The Talk also touches on the ActionMenu component and the concept of building for people. The Q&A session covers topics such as component inclusion in design systems, API complexity, and the decision between creating a custom design system or using a component library.
Understanding React’s Fiber Architecture
React Advanced 2022React Advanced 2022
29 min
Understanding React’s Fiber Architecture
Top Content
This Talk explores React's internal jargon, specifically fiber, which is an internal unit of work for rendering and committing. Fibers facilitate efficient updates to elements and play a crucial role in the reconciliation process. The work loop, complete work, and commit phase are essential steps in the rendering process. Understanding React's internals can help with optimizing code and pull request reviews. React 18 introduces the work loop sync and async functions for concurrent features and prioritization. Fiber brings benefits like async rendering and the ability to discard work-in-progress trees, improving user experience.
Full Stack Components
Remix Conf Europe 2022Remix Conf Europe 2022
37 min
Full Stack Components
Top Content
RemixConf EU discussed full stack components and their benefits, such as marrying the backend and UI in the same file. The talk demonstrated the implementation of a combo box with search functionality using Remix and the Downshift library. It also highlighted the ease of creating resource routes in Remix and the importance of code organization and maintainability in full stack components. The speaker expressed gratitude towards the audience and discussed the future of Remix, including its acquisition by Shopify and the potential for collaboration with Hydrogen.
The Eternal Sunshine of the Zero Build Pipeline
React Finland 2021React Finland 2021
36 min
The Eternal Sunshine of the Zero Build Pipeline
For many years, we have migrated all our devtools to Node.js for the sake of simplicity: a common language (JS/TS), a large ecosystem (NPM), and a powerful engine. In the meantime, we moved a lot of computation tasks to the client-side thanks to PWA and JavaScript Hegemony.
So we made Webapps for years, developing with awesome reactive frameworks and bundling a lot of dependencies. We progressively moved from our simplicity to complex apps toolchains. We've become the new Java-like ecosystem. It sucks.
It's 2021, we've got a lot of new technologies to sustain our Users eXperience. It's time to have a break and rethink our tools rather than going faster and faster in the same direction. It's time to redesign the Developer eXperience. It's time for a bundle-free dev environment. It's time to embrace a new frontend building philosophy, still with our lovely JavaScript.
Introducing Snowpack, Vite, Astro, and other Bare Modules tools concepts!

Workshops on related topic

Master JavaScript Patterns
JSNation 2024JSNation 2024
145 min
Master JavaScript Patterns
Top Content
Featured Workshop
Adrian Hajdin
Adrian Hajdin
During this workshop, participants will review the essential JavaScript patterns that every developer should know. Through hands-on exercises, real-world examples, and interactive discussions, attendees will deepen their understanding of best practices for organizing code, solving common challenges, and designing scalable architectures. By the end of the workshop, participants will gain newfound confidence in their ability to write high-quality JavaScript code that stands the test of time.
Points Covered:
1. Introduction to JavaScript Patterns2. Foundational Patterns3. Object Creation Patterns4. Behavioral Patterns5. Architectural Patterns6. Hands-On Exercises and Case Studies
How It Will Help Developers:
- Gain a deep understanding of JavaScript patterns and their applications in real-world scenarios- Learn best practices for organizing code, solving common challenges, and designing scalable architectures- Enhance problem-solving skills and code readability- Improve collaboration and communication within development teams- Accelerate career growth and opportunities for advancement in the software industry
AI on Demand: Serverless AI
DevOps.js Conf 2024DevOps.js Conf 2024
163 min
AI on Demand: Serverless AI
Top Content
Featured WorkshopFree
Nathan Disidore
Nathan Disidore
In this workshop, we discuss the merits of serverless architecture and how it can be applied to the AI space. We'll explore options around building serverless RAG applications for a more lambda-esque approach to AI. Next, we'll get hands on and build a sample CRUD app that allows you to store information and query it using an LLM with Workers AI, Vectorize, D1, and Cloudflare Workers.
Bringing Your Web App to Native With Capacitor
JSNation 2023JSNation 2023
111 min
Bringing Your Web App to Native With Capacitor
WorkshopFree
Mike Hartington
Mike Hartington
So, you have a killer web app you've built and want to take it from your web browser to the App Store. Sure, there are a lot of options here, but most will require you to maintain separate apps for each platform. You want your codebase to be as close as possible across Web, Android, and iOS. Thankfully, with Capacitor, you can take your existing web app and quickly create native iOS and Android apps for distribution on your favorite App Store!
Contents: This workshop is aimed at beginner developers that have an existing web application, or are interested in mobile development. We will go over:- What is Capacitor- How does it compare to other cross-platform solutions- Using Capacitor to build a native application using your existing web code- Tidying up our application for distribution on mobile app stores with naming conventions, icons, splash screens and more
High-performance Next.js
React Summit 2022React Summit 2022
50 min
High-performance Next.js
Workshop
Michele Riva
Michele Riva
Next.js is a compelling framework that makes many tasks effortless by providing many out-of-the-box solutions. But as soon as our app needs to scale, it is essential to maintain high performance without compromising maintenance and server costs. In this workshop, we will see how to analyze Next.js performances, resources usage, how to scale it, and how to make the right decisions while writing the application architecture.
Bringing your React Web App to native with Capacitor
React Summit 2022React Summit 2022
92 min
Bringing your React Web App to native with Capacitor
WorkshopFree
Mike Hartington
Mike Hartington
So, you have a killer React app you've built and want to take it from your web browser to the App Store. Sure, there are a lot of options here, but most will require you to maintain separate apps for each platform. You want your codebase to be as close as possible across Web, Android, and iOS. Thankfully, with Capacitor, you can take your existing web app and quickly create native iOS and Android apps for distribution on your favorite App Store!
This workshop is aimed at intermediate developers that have an existing React application, or are interested in mobile development with React. We will go over:
What is CapacitorHow does it compare to other cross-platform solutionsUsing Capacitor to build a native application using your existing web codeTidying up our application for distribution on mobile app stores with naming conventions, icons, splashscreens and more.