Hello World

Contents

Everything that changes when software leaves home

Read it in order, or jump straight to the chapter you need. If you're adding localisation to an app that already exists, start with the playbook in chapter 27.

Free to read: Preface, What localisation is and Language 101. Every other chapter opens with a preview, and the rest is for readers of the book.

Part 1

Foundations

What localisation is, how locales work, how to work out who your user is, and why text is harder than it looks.

  1. 01 What localisation is 8 min
  2. 02 Locales Members only 12 min
  3. 03 Working out who the user is Members only 10 min
  4. 04 Text is harder than it looks Members only 26 min

Part 2

Words

How languages differ, translating your interface, messages that change shape, working with translators, and why English is not one language.

  1. 05 Language 101 14 min
  2. 06 Translating your interface Members only 12 min
  3. 07 Messages that change shape Members only 13 min
  4. 08 Working with translators Members only 9 min
  5. 09 Translating content, not just UI Members only 8 min
  6. 10 English is not one language Members only 9 min

Part 3

Numbers, money, time and place

Number formats, units, phone numbers, currencies, calendars, dates and timezones, addresses, people's names and everything else forms ask for.

  1. 11 Numbers, units and phone numbers Members only 18 min
  2. 12 Money Members only 17 min
  3. 13 Dates, times and timezones Members only 31 min
  4. 14 Addresses, places and geocoding Members only 17 min
  5. 15 People's names Members only 8 min
  6. 16 Everything else forms ask for Members only 16 min

Part 4

Design

Text that changes length, fonts that can't draw every character, pictures that need localising too, and designing for right-to-left languages.

  1. 17 Layout, type and imagery Members only 14 min
  2. 18 Right-to-left design Members only 17 min

Part 5

Beyond the web page

Emails, jobs, PDFs and APIs, native mobile and desktop apps, and AI features that have to work in every language.

  1. 19 Beyond the browser Members only 17 min
  2. 20 Native apps Members only 17 min
  3. 21 AI features Members only 15 min

Part 6

Shipping it

URLs and SEO, the networks, devices and services your users actually have, testing, keeping it working after launch, and running localisation as a business.

  1. 22 URLs and SEO Members only 16 min
  2. 23 The devices, networks and services people actually have Members only 22 min
  3. 24 Testing Members only 11 min
  4. 25 Keeping it working Members only 13 min
  5. 26 Running localisation as a business Members only 14 min

Part 7

Putting it together

A step-by-step playbook for localising a new or existing app, and the master checklist.

  1. 27 Your localisation playbook Members only 16 min

Back matter

References

The afterword, a field guide to how different countries do things, and a glossary of the terms the book uses.