localize

Development

Localize ryOS apps and components by extracting hardcoded strings, replacing with translation keys, and syncing across languages. Use when localizing an app, adding i18n support, translating UI text, or working with translation files.

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Localize App or Component

Workflow Checklist

- [ ] 1. Extract hardcoded strings
- [ ] 2. Replace with t() calls in source files
- [ ] 3. Add English translations to en/translation.json
- [ ] 4. Sync translations across languages
- [ ] 5. Machine translate [TODO] keys
- [ ] 6. Validate coverage and terminology

Step 1: Extract Hardcoded Strings

bun run i18n:extract --pattern [PATTERN]

Step 2: Replace Strings with t() Calls

For each component:

Add import: import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
Add hook: const { t } = useTranslation();
Replace strings: t("apps.[appName].category.key")
Add t to dependency arrays for useMemo/useCallback

Key Structure

apps.[appName].menu.*        # Menu labels
apps.[appName].dialogs.*     # Dialog titles/descriptions
apps.[appName].status.*      # Status messages
apps.[appName].toasts.*      # Toast titles/descriptions
apps.[appName].empty.*       # Empty-state titles/hints
apps.[appName].ariaLabels.*  # Accessibility labels
apps.[appName].help.*        # Help items (auto-translated)
apps.[appName].speech.*      # Spoken feedback / speech labels
apps.[appName].conversion.*  # Unit conversion labels
apps.[appName].angle.*       # Angle-mode labels
common.auth.*                # Shared login/signup/recovery dialog labels

Common Patterns

// Basic
t("apps.ipod.menu.file")

// With variables
t("apps.ipod.status.trackCount", { count: 5 })

// Conditional
isPlaying ? t("pause") : t("play")

// With symbol prefix
`✓ ${t("apps.ipod.menu.shuffle")}`

Step 3: Add English Translations

Add to src/lib/locales/en/translation.json:

{
  "apps": {
    "ipod": {
      "menu": { "file": "File", "addSong": "Add Song..." },
      "dialogs": { "clearLibraryTitle": "Clear Library" },
      "status": { "shuffleOn": "Shuffle ON" }
    }
  }
}

Do not rely on defaultValue as the only copy of a new key. t("some.key", { defaultValue: "English" }) renders, but sync and audit scripts only compare locale JSON files, so missing keys stay invisible until the English catalog contains them.

Use Apple-style title casing for standalone English menu and control labels, such as Repeat All, Repeat One, Sign In, and Main Volume. When a casing or terminology rule should be enforced globally, add the key to ENGLISH_STYLE_EXPECTATIONS in scripts/apple-ui-terminology.ts and cover it with tests/unit/i18n/test-translation-audit.test.ts.

Step 4: Sync Across Languages

bun run i18n:sync:mark-todo

Adds missing keys to all 11 language files, marked with [TODO].

Step 5: Machine Translate

bun run i18n:translate

Requires GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY env variable.

Step 6: Validate

bun run i18n:sync:dry-run
bun run i18n:audit
bun run i18n:find-untranslated

Use bun run i18n:audit:fix only for terminology drift the script can safely repair, then rerun bun run i18n:audit. When audit reports glossary mismatches that are not auto-fixable, edit the affected locale JSON values by hand and rerun the audit.

Component Guidelines

Component	What to translate
Menu bars	All labels, items, submenus
Dialogs	Titles, descriptions, button labels
Status	`showStatus()` calls and inline state labels
Toasts / empty states	Sonner toast copy, empty-state titles, empty-state hints
Help items	Auto-translated via `useTranslatedHelpItems`
Shared auth dialogs	`common.auth.*`, for login/signup/password recovery copy

Notes

Emoji/symbols (♪, ✓) can stay hardcoded
Help items use pattern: apps.[appName].help.[key].title/description
Help item key order lives in src/hooks/useTranslatedHelpItems.ts; apps with longer localized help rows can export their key list (for example src/apps/maps/helpKeys.ts, src/apps/calculator/helpKeys.ts, or src/apps/internet-explorer/helpKeys.ts) and spread it into APP_HELP_I18N_KEYS
tests/unit/i18n/test-help-i18n-alignment.test.ts covers every registered app; update it only if the global help-key contract changes
Include t in dependency arrays when used in useMemo/useCallback
If Apple terminology changes upstream, refresh the glossary source with bun run i18n:apple-glossary before auditing locale copy